By Tony Becca,
Senior Sport Editor
THE FIFTH and final Test of the 2001 Cable & Wireless series between the West Indies and South Africa opens at Sabina Park this morning and although the winners of the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy have already been decided, it should be a lovely contest - possibly even an exciting one.
Adding to the spice will be the Test debut of young Jamaican opener Leon Garrick.
However, winners of the second and fourth Test matches - one at Queen's Park Oval by 69 runs and one at the Antigua Recreation Ground by 82 runs, South Africa boast a two-nil lead and the West Indies can neither draw nor win the series.
Although one team cannot lose and one cannot win - or even draw the series, the result of the Test match is important to both teams for two simple reasons: South Africa are bidding to shutout the former undisputed world champions, and the West Indies, the once mighty Windies, are fighting for respect.
After ruling the roost for 19 glorious years between 1976 and 1995, the West Indies have fallen on hard times. In the six years since then, they have lost 3-0 in Pakistan, 5-0 in South Africa, 2-0 in New Zealand and 5-0 in Australia; in their past 14 Test matches - versus England, Australia and now South Africa, they have won only one; and on top of that, they have now lost at home for the first time since 1995 when Australia dethroned them as champions and for only the second time since 1973 when they lost to Australia.
To make matters worse, if they do not win this Test match, it will be the first time since 1973 when Australia won 2-0 that they would have failed to win a Test match at home.
For many reasons, therefore, Windies pride is at stake, and with this being the last chance to
salvage something out of a series that started so promisingly with a well-earned draw in the opening match at Bourda, that is why they are expected to pull out all the stops in the hunt for victory.
The odds, however, are against them.
The odds are against them not only because they have failed to live up to expectations with the ball and in the field where they have dropped about 18 catches, but as the was the case in the fourth innings at Queen's Park Oval, in the fourth innings at Kensington Oval, and in the fourth innings at the ARG, because their batsmen have been found wanting each time the going got rough - each time the pressure was really on.
With the series already decided, however, and even though the South Africans have promised their best effort in search of victory number three, the pressure will not be that great over the next five days and, as manager Ricky Skerritt said yesterday, this is a wonderful opportunity for the West Indies to show they can win a Test match.
Victory, however, could depend on who is in the hunting party, and the selectors have made three changes from that which returned empty-handed at the ARG.
Jamaica's prolific right-handed opening batsmen Garrick, who was drafted into the squad yesterday morning, will replace countryman Wavell Hinds for his debut performance, pacer Cameron Cuffy will replace left-arm spinner Neil McGarrell, and Marlon Samuels, who, like Cuffy, was dropped for the fourth Test, is back in place of Ramnaresh Sarwan.
With Garrick and Christopher Gayle opening the West Indies batting, South Africa's bowlers could have a problem maintaining their usual immaculate line and length - for the simple reason one is a left-hander and one is a right-hander, one is tall and one is short.
After the experience of the fourth Test when they went in with two pacers and were left with only one throughout the second innings due to an injury to the other, the West Indies have decided to go for three with Cuffy, who bowled well in spells during the third Test, returning to join Courtney Walsh and Mervyn Dillon.
Victory, however, could also depend on the batting order - on where star batsman Brian Lara and captain Carl Hooper decide to bat.
Although Shivnarine Chanderpaul looked in good nick at the ARG and is capable of doing a good job at number three, Lara at number three and Hooper at number four or number five could set the stage for a Windies batting treat.
For South Africa, ace fast bowler Allan Donald is fit and will be back, and with orthodox left-arm spinner Nicky Boje back home, left-arm wrist spinner Paul Adams is tipped to make his first appearance in the series.
Word out of the visitors' camp is that although they have looked at the pitch, although they believe it will be good for their pacers, and although they are tempted to go in with pace and nothing but pace, they do not feel comfortable going in without a spin bowler.
With Donald a certainty, and so too captain Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener, if South Africa finally decide on Adams, the toss up will be between Makhaya Ntini and Justin Kemp with the odds favouring Kemp who is a genuine allrounder and a first-class fielder.
Whoever the bowlers are, South Africa's attack will be good, and although they are not invincible, with a batting line-up that includes Peter Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs, Kallis, Darryl Cullinan and Neil McKenzie, plus their string of allrounders down the order, they will be hard to beat.
Based on their batting so far, for the West Indies to win, they will have to dismiss South Africa for low scores; based on what has happened so far, for that to happen, Walsh will have to take a lot of wickets; and with that in mind, captain Hooper and company must have spent last night praying the Jamaican legend fully enjoys what not only looks like his last appearance at Sabina Park but also his last for the West Indies.
