Having avoided the dreaded whitewash by drawing the third Test, West Indies captain Brian Lara is very keen to go to the next level.
"I am pleased by the progress being made on this tour, even though our fielding has let us down badly in a few instances. South Africa has already won the series and there is nothing we can do about that now, but I was very pleased with the efforts of the third Test; one that we came out from with some positives. I am looking forward to more improvement in the fourth."
Lara's greatest problem is the most obvious. Of all the Test strips in South Africa, the pitch at Super-Sport Centurion is the best for batting. South Africa's recent captain, Sean Pollock, confirms this:
"The pitches this year have been surprisingly, extremely, batsman friendly, maybe because of the drought. It has been tough going for South Africa's bowlers too, as, already there have been 15 centuries scored in only three Test matches and we are yet to play the final Test, which will be played on the best batting strip in the country. That is incredible."
In this series, the West Indies bowlers have not yet been able to bowl out South Africa twice in a Test match, while the much underrated South African attack of Makaya Ntini, Pollock, Jacques Kallis, Andre Nel and part-timer Jacques Rudolph has been able to bowl the West Indies out twice to lead 2-0. No combination of bowlers that the West Indies could present would achieve this. One only has to go back to the preparation game last week against Easterns to ascertain this.
While the Lara-less West Indies won the game by a meager 33 runs, Easterns should accuse themselves more of losing it. Spinner Dave Mohammed's performance, as a bowler and in the field, was very poor, with match figures of one for 108 from 27 overs and dropping two sitters. Adam Sanford was just better, with match figures of three for 104 from 29 overs. Supposedly fit again Corey Collymore mustered match figures of three for 86 from 25 overs. Only young fast bowler Ravi Rampaul impressed, with match figures of six for 122 from 30 overs. Had it not been for opener Chris Gayle's cushioning 145 in the first innings and Ramnaresh Sarwan's defiant 72 in the second, the West Indies would have lost the game.
South Africa's captain Graeme Smith had two complete net batting sessions on Wednesday. His comment on this: "I have been playing much too expansively and therefore allowing the opposition to have half chances at getting me out. I have to resort to my old limiting self [in other words 'I want and need a big score at Centurion']." Most here expect him to oblige.
Another of Lara's major problems is the fitness of his players. Shivnarine Chanderpaul will play as a straight swap for Wavell Hinds while Dwayne Smith will probably play, but under some duress, since his dislocated finger is not fully healed. It is hardly likely that his much needed bowling could be used in this game. To select both Vasbert Drakes and Collymore will be taking a chance at one breaking down in the game, especially with Sanford bowling so badly. The West Indies selectors seem to have no choice but to select Ravi Rampaul for his first Test.
With regard to fielding, at least an effort is being made. The fielding drills just before the game were as intense as I have seen for some time; a vast difference from the listless efforts up to the third Test. Embarrassment does bring change.
South Africa, though, probably with an unchanged team, despite Paul Adams' failure to impress at the Newlands, must be about 60-40 ahead going into the fourth Test. For Lara and his men, all they could hope for is a continuance of the upward curve.