Farcical circumstances put dampener on West Indies tour

Thursday sees the West Indies begin their Test series in England with many predicting an easy 3-0 victory, weather permitting, for the world’s number one ranked side.

On the back of a chastening winter in Asia, the Three Lions will be heavy favourites to dispatch the tourists who are seen as the warm-up act for the series against South Africa later in the summer.

A set of farcical circumstances means that the West Indies will have almost no chance of troubling England in their own back-yard and a repeat of their ill-fated tour three years ago – where they lost by 10 wickets and an innings and 83 runs – would not be a surprise.

That series was also played in May, with one Test taking place at Durham in freezing conditions. If that isn’t problematic enough, they are missing some exciting players such as Chris Gayle and spinning sensation Sunil Narine who are currently playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Another player in Marlon Samuels has just flown in from India, two had their flights delayed due to Visa problems, three fast bowlers in Kemar Roach, Fidel Edwards and Ravi Rampaul have suffered injuries (although all are expected to be fit) and captain Darren Sammy has not bowled a single delivery having rested himself against the England Lions in the West Indies’ only match so far due to a warm-up game against Sussex being completely washed out.

If that isn’t frustrating enough, if this series had been played out in different circumstances it could have been a great one, if maybe not reminiscent of some of the clashes between the two sides in the past. The West Indies may have only won two of their last 24 Test series since 2004 – with one coming in 2009 against England at home – but they have some exciting youngsters and experienced international players who could have troubled the hosts if they were in any way complacent. Playing more than one first-class warm-up match would be a start.

A recent series at home to Australia was lost 2-0 but the tourists were troubled in all of the Tests yet triumphed due to the West Indies’ tendency to throw in a shocking session during the five days.

Here, instead of just previewing this series, here is what could have been the Test side facing England, one with a number of fine individual players and a good balance. Make up your mind as to whether it might have challenged England over the three matches:

1. Chris Gayle – A dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board means since December 2010 he has been filling his boots in spectacular fashion for various outfits in T20 tournaments. Test cricket is a different animal, but Gayle averages 41.65 with the bat from 91 matches, has two triple-hundreds to his name, scores at a quick rate and can bowl handy off-spin. His ending of his dispute with the WICB means we should at least see his explosive talents in the limited overs matches later on.

2. Kirk Edwards – Made vice-captain for the tour, in seven matches Edwards has an average of just over 50 with four fifties to his name already.

3. Ramnaresh Sarwan – Another player with plenty of experience, Sarwan averages 40 from his 81 Test matches and has toured England four times. Currently he is an oversees player for Leicestershire in Division Two of the County Championship, where he has defied early-season conditions to hit 105 and 94 in matches. He has also had a spell with Gloucestershire so is very familiar to English conditions, unlike many of the current crop. Sarwan’s last Test was in July 2011 against India but he was dropped in the last match due to a poor run of form. He has scored runs against England before and would have been an experienced player in a pivotal position.

4. Darren Bravo - The cousin of Brian Lara and half-brother of Dwayne has started his Test career in excellent form. The 23-year-old averages a shade under 50 with three hundreds and seven fifties to his name from 16 matches. Two hundreds in a three-Test tour of India and fifties in Sri Lanka and at home to Australia point to a real potential and the capacity to adapt to new conditions. Bravo has even had a brief stint in England, playing four first-class matches last season for Nottinghamshire where he made two fifties and averaged just over 35.

5. Shivnarine Chanderpaul – The 37-year-old recently became the 10^th man to hit 10,000 runs in Test cricket and he will be the key to any chance the West Indies have of shocking England. This will be his sixth tour of England where he averages 64.67 from 13 Tests and his presence will be invaluable to the tourists who boast many young batsmen lacking experience. 

6. Dwayne Bravo – An all-rounder of great potential, Bravo has never quite lived up to expectations in the longer form of the game. Currently playing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, as someone who averaged 31 with the bat in Tests and as a more than handy fifth bowler, his presence would have given the side some balance. Bravo has toured England twice before, averaging 41.57 with the bat second time around after averaging 27.5 with the ball on his first tour. A quick-scorer, Bravo would have added impetus to the innings.

7. Denesh Ramdin – Having been out of the side for two years, Ramdin was picked ahead of Carlton Baugh with neither gloveman shining with the bat. Ramdin is a fine wicketkeeper but averages only 22.8 from his 42 Test matches, yet he scored his only hundred (166) against England at Barbados in 2009.

8. Darren Sammy – The captain has not bowled a ball on this tour having only just finished the Australia series. The 28-year-old has fond memories of these shores – in his Test debut at Old Trafford he delivered match figures of 8-98 but he has not had the chance to take on England in a five-day match since. From his 24 matches he averages only 19 with the bat but he is capable of much better and alongside Bravo and Ramdin he scores at a decent rate. He would be one of the better number eights in world cricket and with an average of 30 he is a more than capable bowler. Like Praveen Kumar last summer, his nagging length could be dangerous in early season conditions.

9. Fidel Edwards – Having made his Test debut following a fiery spell in the nets which caught the eye of one Brian Lara, Edwards has failed to deliver as well as he should considering his slingy action which can reach 90mph plus. An average of almost 38 is disappointingly high but he has taken 11 five-wicket hauls so is always a threat. In his first tour of England in 2004 he took just three wickets at an average of 110, but in 2007 he bettered that with nine wickets at an average of 34 and in 2009 he took seven wickets which cost just 31 runs apiece. If he continues this trend then this may be a series where he can really shine.

10 – Kemar Roach – Like Edwards he is a small, skiddy bowler who can bowl quicker than 90mph and has even forced Ricky Ponting to retire hurt. The 23-year-old is continuing a fine tradition of West Indian fast bowlers with his 17 matches seeing him average just 28.67 and he recently took 10 wickets in a match against the Aussies. Alongside Edwards he would form a scary proposition for England’s openers.

11. Sunil Narine – Out of all the West Indian absences, by far the most disappointing is Narine who in just six first-class matches averages an astonishing 11.88 which includes two 10-wicket hauls. Bowling with an unorthodox action in the mould of Saeed Ajmal, who caused England so much trouble this winter, Narine can also boast a deadly Doosra and in eight one-day internationals he has taken 14 wickets at an average of 20. Currently bamboozling batsmen in the IPL, Narine has received praise from Mike Hussey, one of the best players of spin in the world. It’s a shame that he is not playing in this series but a lengthy Test career must surely be in the offing, possibly alongside promising leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

If that team was available for this series, with the players fresh and given time to adjust to English conditions, then who is to say what could have happened? Let us hope those who do take the field at Lord’s can still represent the West Indies with pride as they look to improve their woeful recent record.