Showdown at Old Trafford (30 May 1999)

30 May 1999

Showdown at Old Trafford

Tony Cozier

An unwelcome illness that raised doubts over Shivnarine Chanderpaul's availability compromised soaring West Indies' confidence on the eve of their last and crucial preliminary group match in the World Cup against Australia at Old Trafford today.

The 24-year-old left-hander was confined to his hotel bed yesterday with fever and was under doctor's care, manager Clive Lloyd said last night.

He missed the team's practice session in the Old Trafford nets but Lloyd stated that a decision on whether he could play or not would only be taken when his condition is assessed this morning.

Chanderpaul is, quite simply, the steadiest and most adaptable of the batsmen in a team that is carrying a lengthy tail to accommodate a seam bowling attack captain Brian Lara, supported by statistical evidence, rates as the strongest in the conditions encountered in the tournament.

His loss would be an obvious setback in a match of such significance against desperate opponents who, after defeats against New Zealand and Pakistan, face the ignominy of a first round exit from the tournament for which they were second favourites. Even if the West Indies lose, they could still advance to the next round, the Super Sixes, on net run-rate over New Zealand but it is not a consideration that Lara or new acting coach Viv Richards would contemplate.

"We have only one thing in mind and that is to win,'' Lara said.

If Chanderpaul is missing, it would increase the always heavy pressure on Lara for a significant contribution. His phenomenal sequence of 213, 153 not out and 100 against the Australians in the Test series in the Caribbean seemed to have exhausted him mentally and physically and, favouring the injured right wrist that was a legacy of the South African tour, he has had a low profile in the One-day Internationals that have followed.

In his four against Australia at home and the four here, his highest score has been 36 in the victory over New Zealand in Southampton last Monday. He has been more and more like the genuine article with each innings and looks to be building up to something special.

As he did throughout the home series against Australia, Lara stressed team rather than self.

"I can say that we're really gelling together and we're looking not only to beat Australia here but to the games to come,'' he said. "We are progressing and I'm looking for more progress in this match before we head into the Super Sixes.''

Keith Arthurton, one of the five left-handers in the top six, is on standby in case Chanderpaul is not up to it today.

He has had only one 14-ball innings for six in the opening match against Pakistan in which he sprained his right ankle and his ODI batting record (an average of just over 25 against Chanderpaul's 36) does not prompt optimism.

The seven-match series in the Caribbean between the identical teams that was a prelude to the World Cup emphasised the evenness. It ended 3-3 with the contrived tie following the last-ball crowd invasion at Bourda that would have made it 4-3 to the West Indies.

Lara in convinced the conditions in England give his team the advantage.

"It's not a batsman's tournament so far and I think we've got the strongest bowling attack for the conditions alongside South Africa,'' he said. "Pakistan have good variation, yes, but when you come to seamers, we're tops and that gives us an advantage.''

He contrasted the totals Scotland (181 for seven), New Zealand (214 for five off 45.2 overs) and Pakistan (275 for eight) got against Australia to those these raised against the West Indies (68, 156 and 229 for eight) to support his point. But he conceded that it led to a potential problem with the batting.

"In the three games we have won, we have batted second and the totals were so small that we weren't really extended,'' he said. "But the main thing is the success. The teams is gaining in confidence and they know that the bowlers are doing a tremendous job.''

"If the opportunity arises that we have to bat first, we know that a decent total, nothing extravagant like 300 but anything like 250, is a good score for our bowlers to defend,'' he added.

"We have in our line-up a couple o f Test batsmen who have been picked particularly for English conditions and knowing we've got to keep wickets in hand for the latter overs.

"I'm just a little worried having Phil Simmons coming in at No.7 and only four bowlers to bat with.

If that's the risk we have to take to ensure we limit the opposition and back our batters, then we'll take it.''

Merv Dillon returns in place of Hendy Bryan from the team that overwhelmed Scotland in Leicester on Thursday but Lara indicated that he would not persist with the tactic of using medium-pacer Simmons with the new ball, as he did against the Scots, with effect.

"It all depends on the opposition,'' he said. "If you have a team that's looking to consolidate in the early overs, it might be wise to get your fifth seamer in early. But if a team is looking to attack, like Australia, you've got your main strike bowlers to make sure they don't get many bad balls.''

Lara and some of the others in the team have unhappy World Cup memories of Australia they want to expunge.

In the last two tournaments, defeat to the Australians has stopped the West Indies short. In 1992, when Simmons, Arthurton and Ambrose were also present, the West Indies needed to beat Australia in their last match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to advance to the semifinals. Australia already had no chance but they spoiled the party by winning by 57 runs.

In 1996, the West Indies, including six of the present squad, were apparently breezing to victory in the semifinal at Chandigarh when they collapsed, lost their last eight wickets for 37 and the match by five runs.

Now the tables are turned. It is Australia who now need to win to keep in the tournament.

West Indies: Brian Lara (Capt), Sherwin Campbell, Ridley Jacobs, Jimmy Adams, Shivnarine Chanderpaul or Keith Arthurton, Stuart Williams, Phil Simmons, Curtly Ambrose, Merv Dillon, Reon King and Courtney Walsh.

Australia (from): Steve Waugh (Capt), Mark Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Darren Lehmann, Michael Bevan, Tom Moody, Bredon Julian, Shane Warne, Damien Fleming, Glenn McGrath, Paul Reiffel.

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)