Spin D Music - Entertainment News

Windies Waste It!

Port of Spain, Trinidad: Apr 3rd, 2008
Source: trinidadexpress.com

FLOORED: West Indies captain Chris Gayle, left, looks on as slip fielders Devon Smith, centre, and Dwayne Bravo try to catch Sri Lanka's opening batsman Malinda Warnapura on the first day of the Second Test, at the Queen's Park Oval, yesterday. Malinda went on to score 35.

"I'm going to assess tomorrow and then basically take it from there The balance has got to be right."

Yesterday morning at the Queen's Park Oval, West Indies captain Chris Gayle decided that the "right" balance for this crucial second and final Digicel Test match did not include a spinner, or even a fourth specialist bowler.

He put his faith in three seamers--Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, the recalled Fidel Edwards and all rounder Dwayne Bravo.

Relegated to the bench after just one Test was left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn. But kept in the team was opener Devon Smith--one of seven specialist batsmen--with scores of 14 and 10 in the First Test at Providence, likely to partner debutant Sewnarine Chattergoon.

Gayle was making some big assumptions, the first being that the fair tinge of grass yesterday meant the Oval pitch would be a seamer's dream for all five of the scheduled days of this game. The second was that his bowlers would use it well. By the eventual end of play at 5.43 on a rain interrupted day, Gayle's assumptions were not quite playing out.

Sri Lanka, asked to bat first, will begin today's second day on 217 for five.

Tilakaratne Dilshan (58, 57 balls, seven fours) and Chamara Silva (37, 48 balls, six fours) seized the initiative back for their team with a run-a-ball 100-run stand after Fidel Edwards (three for 50) and Jerome Taylor (two for 63) had reduced the visitors to 117 for five from 62 without loss.

On a day when 43.3 overs were lost to the weather, Dilshan and Silva, aggressive in intent, plundered 78 runs off the Windies in 10.3 overs in the final session before bad light brought an end to proceedings. The assault of some listless bowlers, uninspired by slipshod fielding on a slick surface, ruined the Windies gameplan.

Psychologically, that last session could prove decisive in a match the Windies must win to salvage this series.

Very quickly, Gayle's troops seemed to lose their way. Every loose delivery, every misfield was pounced upon by two very focused batsmen.

Smith's dropping of Silva off Powell in the penultimate over was the third chance offered by a Sri Lankan not accepted by a West Indian fielder. With it went another precious opportunity.

This was a continuation of a long established theme.

For from the very first hour's play, Gayle's bowlers did not capitalise on the chance to bowl first.

Some 60 runs came in the first 60 minutes. And already openers Malinda Warnapura and Michael Vandort had been given a chance apiece.

First ball of the fourth over, Dwayne Bravo, standing at third slip, didn't hold onto a catch which came straight at him after Taylor had found the outside edge of Warnapura's bat when he was 12.

Then, with the total on 39, Vandort, then 10, pushed back to Daren Powell, low to the bowler's right.

It wasn't the easiest of chances. But he got his hand to it.

As they digested that first bad hour, Gayle gave a pep talk to his men at the break.

Surely, he must have made his bowlers aware that their inconsistent length and wayward line amounted to the wasting of a precious opportunity.

His use of his slow stuff after the resumption was a clear admission of a plan gone sour.

"West Indies best spinner! West Indies best spinner!" a man in the Sir Learie Constantine Stand shouted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

The smattering of Oval watchers were a bemused lot. Gayle did not allow himself another over. He went to his second pair--Edwards and Bravo. Finally, things began to happen for the Windies.

In the six overs he bowled before the first shower ended play on the stroke of lunch, Edwards made full use of his recall for this match.

He removed Warnapura and No.3 Kumar Sangakkara to catches to the latest West Indies debutant, Sewnarine Chattergoon and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.

"Chatters" made the perfect start to his first Test when, from third slip instead of Bravo, he clung on with both hands to the chance off the outside edge offered by Warnapura (35) after the opening stand had produced 62. Ten runs later, Ramdin got into the act when Sangakkara, pushing at a delivery which left him late, touched a catch to the keeper.

After lunch (89 for two) and a further rain delay, Edwards set Sri Lanka back again.

Just four runs had been added to the total when Ramdin effected a good leg-side take after left-handed Vandort (30) touched an ill directed delivery curling away from him.

Edwards' fuller length and swing through the air on an overcast morning was reminiscent of the irresistible fare he sent down on his Test debut against these same opponents at Sabina Park five years ago.

But Gayle needed pressure and penetration applied at both ends. Eventually, Taylor did the trick from the pavilion side.

In his seventh over, Thilan Samaraweera was having difficulty negotiating the delivery cutting away from him. And beaten off the second ball, he followed the fourth, pitched somewhat wider and Gayle at first slip held a low catch at 112.

Taylor did even better in his next over. Captain Mahela Jayawardene (26) had collected five boundaries with some edges to third man, a bottom edged pull that just evaded Ramdin and a typically sweet on-drive.

But at 117, Taylor produced a ball for which he had no answer. It pitched on middle stump and the batsman played forward and missed as it darted past the outside edge. Jayawardene held his pose as umpire Billy Bowden raised his finger for a catch to the keeper. The startled batsman jerked his head around, certain he had not got a touch, only to see his bails on the ground. The ball had kissed his off-stump!

Only Chaminda Vaas' in-swinger that bowled Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the First Test in Guyana has so far matched that piece of artistry.

The Windies were into their work now. But further progress was curtailed by more rain at about 3.15 which prevented any more play before an already delayed tea at 4.05.

Dilshan and Silva compounded the frustration.