With two of their young fast bowlers temporarily out of order, the West Indies have pressed the third into service for his debut in the first of the five one-day internationals against Zimbabwe at the Queen's Sports Club here today.
Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards both remain excluded by the injuries that struck them down during the preceding two Tests, so Ravi Rampaul, the youngest member of the team at 19 years and 38 days, has been included in the 11.
He is one of only three specialist bowlers in a team packed with Batting, but his inexperience is counterbalanced by the longevity of the other two, Merv Dillon and Vasbert Drakes.
The first of Dillon's 89 ODIs dates back seven years. Drakes' goes back even further, to 1995, and only time spent in the service of others in South Africa and England has limited his West Indies appearances to 30.
Corey Collymore, another with a long record, is the only other fit fast bowler. He has been added to the list from which the final 11 is to be chosen for Sunday's match when captain Brian Lara has indicated he will be `rotated' with one of today's three.
Rampaul has practised with purpose and enthusiasm, bowling long sessions in the nets, even through intervals during the Tests.
His success has been limited to two wickets in the warmup match against Zimbabwe `A' at Kwekwe on Wednesday but he now has the chance to be judged at a higher level.
Taylor, the Jamaican who is only three and a half months older than Rampaul, has not played since sustaining a lower back strain after sending down 9.4 overs on the first day of the first Test.
He was cleared by local sports medicine specialist, Dr Austin Jeans, to "resume full participation in the tour" two days after the first Test but has not been confident enough to yet do so.
Manager Ricky Skerritt said last night Taylor would see the specialist again on Monday for a further assessment.
"We will then be in a better position to know just where we go from there," he said.
After the one-day internationals here, the tour immediately moves to South Africa for four Tests, five ODIs and three four-day matches that do not end until February 6.
Lara and the selectors are keen that all the young bowlers take advantage of the experience to be gained against top opposition on such an extended trip. They are likely to allow Taylor, introduced in the Test series against Sri Lanka last June, every chance to fully recover.
Edwards' case is different. He is over the ankle injury that restricted him to 11 overs in the second Test and is ready, willing and able to get back into match action. But he is being kept on ice in readiness for the tough grind in South Africa.
The composition of today's team places Drakes as low as No.9 and
Rampaul, a decent, hardhitting lefthander, at No.10. Neither should get in just as Ricardo Powell, the only addition to the Test squad, didn't at No.7 in the Kwekwe match in spite of the retirement of two batsmen.
While Powell is yet to face a ball in the middle, an unfortunate Zimbabwean bowler has already suffered from the power of his hitting, having his left thumb fractured parrying a fierce back drive in the nets yesterday.
Carlton Baugh, the little deputy wicketkeeper, gets a game as Ridley Jacobs, who marks his 36th birthday in four days time, is given a timely rest after standing behind the stumps for 386 overs during the two Tests.
After just scraping a draw in the first and winning the second Test by a far less convincing margin than the eventual 128 runs, the West Indies need nothing less than five strong performances to cross the border into South Africa with enhanced credibility and confidence.
There are opportunities for Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan to overcome indifferent form and for Marlon Samuels, whose three scores on tour are 66 not out, 147 and 51 not out, to continue to press for reinstatement into the Test team.
The Zimbabweans were generally buoyed by their competitiveness in the Tests but their collapse for 104 and defeat in the second was a bitter disappointment.
They are still without the experienced Grant Flower, whose slowly mending fractured thumb also caused him to miss the Tests, and fast bowler Dougie Hondo, out with a leg muscle injury.
More significantly, they are still adjusting to the retirement, mainly through politics, of several established players, Andy Flower, their one worldclass batsman, most prominent among them.
If they cause as much trouble as they did in the Tests, the West Indies need to ask some serious questions.
Teams:
West Indies: Brian Lara (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds,
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Ricardo Powell, Carlton Baugh, Vasbert Drakes, Ravi Rampaul and Merv Dillon (Corey Colly-more to be added to the squad for Sunday's match).
Zimbabwe (from): Heath Streak (captain), Yusi Siban-da, Trevor Gripper, Mark Vermuelen, Craig Wishart, Sean Ervine, Stuart Matsiken-yeri, Barnie Rogers, Tatenda Taibu, Alester Maregwede, Andy Blignaut, Ray Price and Blessing Mahwire.
Umpires: Rudi Keortzen (South Africa), Ian Robinson (Zimbabwe).