Brian Lara regards the second Test against Zimbabwe, starting at the Queen's Sports Club here this morning, not so much as the last of the brief series, but the second of six on what he calls "an African tour".
The remaining four over the next two months are across the border in South Africa and are certain to be tougher against the team placed second only to Australia in the ICC's Test rankings. The significance of what happens over the next five days has been intensified.
The West Indies' weaknesses, mental as much as technical, were starkly revealed in their narrow escape in the first Test. They need to be expunged before the trip south.
"I consider we're here playing six Test matches on an African tour and anything that we need to learn we need to learn very early," Lara said yesterday.
What they should have learned from a first Test in which they were one wicket away from a crushing loss to one of only two teams below them on the ICC table was not to overestimate their own potential but to play to and even above it.
Only the new fast bowler Fidel Edwards was seen to do that consistently over the five days, down to his matchsaving resistance for 33 balls at the end.
Some limited their main contributions to one innings or a couple of spells. Others contributed next to nothing.
Almost everyone on the dangerously-discounted Zimbabwean team pulled his weight and more. Their captain, Heath Streak, led with his unbeaten 127 that laid the foundation for the first innings 503 for nine declared and others responded.
"We have dissected the Test match and realised that they dominated the majority of it," Lara noted. "They bowled better, batted better, fielded better and looked the better team.
"The situation is that we have to raise our game in all departments to compete and hopefully go on to win this Test." Lara reasoned that the escape in Harare "could do more good than even a win".
"The feeling [in the team] is that we got away, that we dodged the bullet," he said. "Zimbabwe were in a position to win and all we could have done after that was to level the series.
"We've now got to take the opportunity to win this Test and take the series. What we need is to bring our 'A' game to the table and, if we do that, we're going to have a positive result."
It is all easier said that done, especially for a team with a notorious aversion to bringing its 'A' game to any table outside the Caribbean.
But for Ridley Jacobs and Edwards holding out over the last 11 overs in Harare, they would have been beaten for the 26th time in their last 33 Tests abroad. They should at least be encouraged by memories of their only previous Test in Bulawayo two years ago.
Five of the 11 that won by an innings and 176 runs are in the team today, among them is Chris Gayle who compiled his first Test hundred, 175.
Their first Test effort was undeniably handicapped by the back injury that eliminated Jerome Taylor, one of their four fast bowlers, from midway through the first day and the absence of Omari Banks' offspin on a pitch on which Ray Price, the Zimbabwean left-armer, revelled.
Banks has completely recuperated from the stomach ailment that rendered him unavailable then and is a definite starter. He should be encouraged by the look of a hard, dry surface certain to become progressively drier and more responsive to spin in the hot, cloudless weather that is forecast to continue for the five days.
Lara had the same one- word description of it when he made his second inspection after yesterday's net session in the four impressive, onsite practice pitches "Bourda". It is not a word to fill fast bowlers with optimism and Banks and Price are likely to get through plenty of overs over the coming days, with a little help from Gayle and Trevor Gripper.
Banks was a straight swap for Taylor, who would be still a risk in spite of his recovery. There was uncertainty over the rest of the attack as evidenced by the naming last night of 12 from whom the final 11 would be chosen.
Merv Dillon's experience, zeal in the nets and unfamiliarity to the Zimbabweans, against whom he is yet to play a Test, could gain him a return. If he is included, Corey Collymore would be the one likely replaced. He steadily improved in Harare after an indifferent start.
Predictably, Zimbabwe have kept the 11 that so nearly won them the first Test.
"We're starting afresh and we can't expect we'll just walk our there and it'll happen," Lara said. "We've got to make it happen.
"We've got to stick to our game plan and show courage and commitment. I think you saw a lot of that in the first Test and that's what the team has been striving to achieve for a long time."
It is a mantra the West Indies should heed.
Teams:
West Indies (from): Brian Lara (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs, Omari Banks, Vasbert Drakes, Merv Dillon, Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards.
Zimbabwe: Heath Streak (captain), Vusi Sibanda, Trevor Gripper, Mark Vermeulen, Stuart Carlisle, Craig Wishart, Stuart Mazakenyeri, Tatenda Taibu, Andy Blignaut, Ray Price, Blessing Mahwire.
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa), Simon Taufel (Australia).