Pessimists foresaw a never-ending succession of giant pacemen from the Caribbean applying an unvarying, monotonous but hugely successful game plan.

Already, though, the seeds of a precipitous decline had been planted.

Lack of investment in the game, the counter-attraction of basketball which siphoned promising talent to the United States and slow, low pitches prompted a sharp drop in standards.

The slide was obscured in the latter half of the 1990s and the early part of the 21st century by Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose who kept their team competitive.

Since they retired the poverty of West Indies' bowling resources has been pitilessly exposed, notably in the current series in South Africa.

South Africa have passed 500 in four successive matches, only the second time in Test history. The first, also against West Indies, was by Bill Lawry's Australia side in 1967-8.

On paper in that Australian summer West Indies still boasted the best attack in the world with Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith, backed by Gary Sobers and Lance Gibbs.

In reality, Hall and Griffith played only five Tests between them and rarely summoned the pace of old, a bone-weary Sobers was suffering from shoulder and knee injuries while off-spinner Gibbs's venom was gradually diluted by the excessive burden he was asked to shoulder.

BLEAK ERA
Australia countered with Lawry, Doug Walters and Ian Chappell at the peak of his form, backed by Keith Stackpole, Ian Redpath and Paul Sheahan.

Despite winning the first Test, West Indies were thrashed 3-1. Several bleak years were to follow before Clive Lloyd began assembling the basis of the side who were to rule the world for 15 years.

In the early 1970s West Indies were forced to resort to the likes of Upton Dowe (12 wickets at 44.50) and Grayson Shillingford (15 at 35.80) to open their attack. But at least they still had Sobers, effective with either pace or spin albeit in increasingly short bursts, and Gibbs who was to take over from Freddie Trueman as the world record holder for Test wickets.

What current captain Brian Lara would give for either Sobers or Gibbs, even in the twilight of their careers.

Of the attack who have laboured so ineffectively against South Africa, only Mervyn Dillon has taken more than 100 Tests wickets (130 at an ordinary 32.86 before the fourth Test).

Dillon shared the new ball with Fidel Edwards, undeniably quick but also undeniably expensive with 21 wickets at 38.95. They are backed by Vasbert Drakes (33 at 38.21) and Corey Collymore, statistically the best with 27 at 25.70.

The series has at least confirmed that Lara is back to his resplendent best as a batsman and he is supported by luminous young talent in Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chris Gayle.

But the strain of long hours in the field watching the South Africans flay his bowlers to all parts of the field has begun to tell on Lara.

Chairman of selectors Viv Richards omitted Dillon from the third Test and he was not on the team sheet for the fourth.

Just before the toss Lara asked his opposite number Graeme Smith for a pen. He then asked the puzzled Smith to draw a line through Adam Sanford's name and insert Dillon instead.

But all to little avail. South Africa rattled up 604 for four declared and Dillon finished with one for 109.