South Africa is expected to play their unique left-arm china-man and googly bowler Paul Adams in the third test which starts tomorrow.
WHAT luck has been shared out in the two Tests so far
hasn't gone to the team that needs it most.
A change in fortunes with the toss tomorrow morning in the third in Cape Town would be just the start to the new year the West Indies need to help level the balance against their clearly superior South African opponents.
Brian Lara has called 'heads" both in Johannesburg and Durban. Each time, the coin has landed "tails".
It allowed South Africa to bat first in the first Test on a hard, dry pitch that gradually cracked in hot sunshine and bowl first in the second on a fresh surface and under cloud cover so thick and low the floodlights had to be used throughout the first day.
The West Indies responded badly each time, compounding South Africa's advantage by allowing a first day total of 363 for three in Johannesburg and tumbling to 50 for five before lunch in Durban.
After that, they were always playing catch up and they never came close to doing so.
While Lara agreed after both Tests that the toss had been an influence on proceedings, he was philosophical about it.
"There's no guarantee you're going to win a toss," he said after the Durban defeat. "You've got to able to take any situation that you're in and make the best of it."
Even so, Lara would be keen to get his calling right tomorrow when fair, sunny weather is forecast for Cape Town.
It would give his batting, palpably stronger than his bowling, first use of a pitch at the Newlands ground on which Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs compiled a record opening stand of 368 in South Africa's massive first day 445 for three against Pakistan exactly a year ago.
That was converted into an eventual 620 for seven declared and victory by an innings and 142 runs.
Newlands is provincial home ground for the four South African century-makers in the series so far, Smith, Gibbs, Kallis (twice) and Kirsten, an ominous sign.
Smith said Monday that the pitch this season has been "a little slower" than usual. But, he added, it still contains bounce and has turned for the spinners.
Each team is bound to consider, and probably effect, the introduction of its only specialist spinner.
Both deliver china-men and googlies from the back of the the left hand but, as in almost every area, South Africa's Paul Adams (43 Tests, 132 wickets) is vastly more experienced than the West Indies' Dave Mohammed, the 24-year-old Trinidadian who would be on debut.
The West Indies have stuck to all-pace attack so far but no one has been able to contain the South Africans from galloping along to first innings totals of 561 and 658 for nine declared at nearly four runs an over.
That tends to happen to a serving of wide half-volleys and long-hops at leisurely speed on good pitches.
Fidel Edwards' 90 miles an hour (145 kilometers an hour) rate, hostility and enthusiasm has lacked the necessary tight support. But it guaranteed his position.
The rest are much of a muchness although Merv Dillon's continued lethargy means that, for all of his experience of 37 Tests - or, perhaps, because of it - he is again skating on thin ice.
The expected return of Chris Gayle, now recovered from his torn hamstring muscle sustained early in the first Test, not only restores the established opening batsman but also his steady off-spin that was missed in the massacres in the first two Tests.
Manager Ricky Skerritt said yesterday Gayle and Collymore were both expected to be available as was Shivnarine Chanderpaul who batted throughout his brilliant second innings 109 in Durban with a runner because of a strained thigh muscle.
"Our physio (Sunet Liebenberg) reports that the healing has taken place for Chris and Corey," he said. "What is needed now is to strengthen the muscle once again since it hasn't been used over the past three weeks."
Since Gayle is a batsman, slip fielder and bowler whose approach is no more than a casual stroll of a few paces, he is more likely to play than Collymore, a fast bowler with a long and energetic run-up with the likelihood of a heavy workload.
Although Sanford was taken for 170 in Durban, Lara used him for 38.2 overs, more than anyone else. He had three wickets and the captain's praise for his efforts is a hint that he would be in the eleven.
Whoever is needs to have better control over what they are supposed to do than in the first two Tests. Otherwise, the West Indies are in for more long hours of leather-chasing. Ends.