SHENLEY, England, (CMC) - Amid the run-feast over the three days of their fixture against Sri Lanka ‘A’ at the Denis Compton Oval, the West Indies selectors are worried about the quality of their bowling armoury and standard of general out-cricket heading into the First Test against England.
“The major concern at this point is the bowling and fielding,” said acting captain Ramnaresh Sarwan bluntly after the match ended in a tame draw on Monday.
“I thought, as batters, we played pretty well. A few guys got hundreds and that’s good to see. I’m pretty happy for Sylvester Joseph and (Dwayne) Bravo but I think we can’t be too pleased with the way we fielded and bowled. We bowled quite a few bad balls and short balls in general, and dropped a few catches as well.”
Sarwan’s concerns are borne out by the stark figures which reveal that the Sri Lankan ‘A’ team scored at almost five runs per over during their only innings of 346, a rate of scoring unacceptable for a side expecting to be competitive at the highest level of the game just three days later.
Fidel Edwards has been the biggest disappointment.
Picked specially for the four-match series, he was wayward and wicketless in the opening first-class match last week against an MCC XI at Arundel, and though he claimed one wicket at Shenley, his ten overs were plundered for 82 runs.
Of the other frontline bowlers, Jermaine Lawson spoiled containing spells with occasional loose deliveries while Tino Best, even as he picked up four wickets in the innings, indulged in far too much wide and short-pitched bowling on a pitch that demanded discipline in line and length.
Off-spinner Omari Banks underlined his value with three wickets, but like the pacers, offered too many gifts to batsmen keen to capitalise.
At the back of Sarwan’s and the other selectors’ minds will be the fear that the likes of Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Graham Thorpe and Mark Butcher will be even more ruthless come Thursday at Lord’s.
In the wake of a consistent run of scores in the NatWest Series, the tour vice-captain could only manage scores of 28 and 7 as a makeshift opener against the Sri Lankans after being rested from the previous first-class fixture. But he is not unduly concerned.
“This is the second time in a row that I failed,” he admitted. “But I just think these things happen on a tour. I’ve got two days before the Test match so it’s a matter now of how I get myself prepared and mentally ready.”
Part of that mental preparation for all the West Indies batsmen involves coping with the threat of Steve Harmison and the other England pacers.
The fact that the top order at Shenley all looked uncomfortable to the speed and bounce of Thilan Thushara on a benign track was not an encouraging sign.
“I don’t think it’s a major worry,” Sarwan countered.
“I just think it’s because we haven’t played against a left-arm seamer for quite some time.
He was bowling pretty fast and maintaining a steady line, but we’ve got a Test series coming up against totally different bowlers … but it will be challenging.”
While the first-innings centuries of Joseph, Bravo and Ridley Jacobs were cause for celebration, in the context of preparation for the Test series, Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s unbeaten 104 on the last day after a run of low scores was probably the most pleasing aspect of the three-day exercise.
“He’s been scratching around for quite some time,” was Sarwan’s assessment of his compatriot’s struggles of the past four weeks.
“We’re pretty happy to see him get a hundred today and we just hope he will be able to carry on when the Test series starts.”
The other satisfying feature of the build-up to the campaign to regain the Wisden Trophy is the healthy rivalry that has developed for what is believed to be the lone available spot in the middle-order with the uncapped pair of Bravo and Joseph laying claim to the position held recently by Dwayne Smith.
“It’s nice to see everyone is competing for a position. This is the sort of competition you want in the team,” Sarwan noted.
“Once you can get that attitude going, everything will start to build and the level of cricket will be lifted. That’s good for the West Indies.”
When skipper Brian Lara, Sarwan, coach Gus Logie and manager Tony Howard sit down tonight to finalise their First Test team, choosing either Dwayne Smith or Bravo or Joseph may present a dilemma, but it will be nothing like the migraine headache over a bowling attack that is full of enthusiasm but worryingly short on discipline.