BIRMINGHAM, England, CMC - Acutely aware of a developing trend of poor bowling performances on the opening day of Test matches, Brian Lara remains hopeful that his array of very young and very inexperienced bowlers can avoid a repetition of the growing malaise if his team is in the field on the opening day of the second cricket Test between England and West Indies, today.
With just two days in-between a comprehensive 210-run defeat in the first Test at Lord’s and the second match at Edgbaston, the West Indies captain is trying his best to maintain a positive frame of mind, although all evidence suggests that there are many areas of worry for the regional side.
“I actually think we’ve started this series better than in the Caribbean,” Lara told reporters on the eve of the match. “I’d rather be pulled down by the ball than the bat on the first day.
“When we got bowled out on the first day, as in Trinidad earlier this year, you’re way, way behind. At least, we had an opportunity to try to salvage something out of the match after the first day at Lord’s.”
Yet even that positive spin cannot divert attention from the fundamental shortcomings in basic disciplines of the game, a predicament for which Lara has no straightforward answer.
“Why is that the case? We’ve spoken to the guys about it… We’ve told them that we need to come out in front,” he said.
“I spoke about it six weeks ago right here at the start of the limited-overs series. We have to start up-front; we have to win up-front and don’t let it be a must-win situation at the end. Maybe we need more talking or getting the facts right… Maybe, playing tougher cricket, I don’t know.”
His reference to the rain-ruined opener of the three-nation limited-overs series at Edgbaston is significant in that it remains a ground where the West Indies can still look back on a recent winning record in Tests, having won by innings margins in less than three days on the last two tours in 1995 and 2000.
Lara also made reference to the fact that Corey Collymore played briefly for Warwickshire - who are based at Edgbaston - last year, eliminating any doubt whatsoever that the Barbadian seamer will be drafted into the final 11 just three days after his arrival from Caribbean as replacement for the injured Ravi Rampaul.
It is expected that Collymore will take the place of compatriot Tino Best, who picked up one expensive wicket in the first innings at Lord’s, bowled just three overs in the second because of a lower back injury and was then stumped attempting a wild heave at Ashley Giles on the final afternoon with Shivnarine Chanderpaul soldiering on at the other end.
Chanderpaul has been passed fit to play after blows on the elbow and knee during his battling, unbeaten 97 on Monday raised fears that he would not be available.
Another casualty of the poor bowling at Lord’s could be Fidel Edwards, who went wicketless through a combined 34 overs, conceding 143 runs. He hardly posed a threat in any spell.
Jermaine Lawson did not exactly write his name in bright lights in the two first-class matches that preceded the Test series, but he may get the opportunity to try to exact at least a measure of control for his captain. With Mark Butcher aggravating a thigh strain and, therefore, again out of contention, England are set to name an unchanged 11, particularly as a forecast of generally good weather over the next three days suggests that Giles’ left-arm spinners could again be a major factor in the latter stages of the match.
In compiling scores of 416 and 267, the West Indies batsmen again showed occasional flashes of brilliance, none more so than Chanderpaul, but Ramnaresh Sarwan’s trials against quality medium-fast bowling are a concern.
Dismissed cheaply by Matthew Hoggard in both innings at Lord’s, he has yet to come to terms with the challenges presented by his increasingly square-on stance, and can expect further examinations.
England captain Michael Vaughan has again lamented the pressures of playing back-to-back Tests, but for Lara, now is not the time to go fishing for more excuses.
“We’re accustomed to it, good or bad,” was his realistic assessment of the demanding international schedule. “It really doesn’t have an effect on us, mentally or physically. We’ve just got to get out there and have a good first day of cricket, which is of utmost importance to us.”
Probable teams:
ENGLAND: Michael Vaughan (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Andrew Strauss, Robert Key, Graham Thorpe, Andrew Flintoff, Geraint Jones, Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones, Steve Harmison.
WEST INDIES: Brian Lara (captain), Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Ridley Jacobs, Omari Banks, Pedro Collins, Corey Collymore, Jermaine Lawson.