By Tony Becca, Senior Sport Editor
West Indies assistant coach Gus Logie (left) chats with Jermaine Lawson (right) and Devon Smith yesterday after a training session in Guyana. The West Indies take on Australia in the Cable & Wireless Series starting today. - Dellmar
THE FOUR-match Cable & Wireless Test series between the West Indies and Australia gets under way at Bourda today with the visitors, winners of three of the past four confrontations and undoubtedly the best team in the world, highly fancied to win it and to start on a winning note.
The West Indies are not without a chance, however, and with a little luck they could draw the series - probably even steal it.
With a line-up that includes batsmen of the quality of Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting and captain Steve Waugh plus the dangerous, explosive Adam Gilchrist, and fast bowlers like the highly-skilled Jason Gillespie and expressman Brett Lee, Australia are strong and no one should doubt that.
As strong as they are, however, without the services of the experienced fast bowler Glenn McGrath at least for the first one or two matches, the wily legspinner Shane Warne, and the exciting batsman Damien Martyn, Australia are not at full strength. They do not appear as invincible as they normally do and they should not be as awesome as they were at home two years ago when they nailed the Windies 5-0.
The question, however, is this: inspite of all that, are the West Indies good enough to draw the series, let alone win it?
Looking at the Windies bowling, looking at an attack to come from Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins, Vasbert Drakes and Jermaine Lawson, and remembering that bowling wins matches, it does not seem so.
On top of that, with Christopher Gayle and Ramna-resh Sarwan out of action, the batting, certainly for the first Test, does not inspire confidence.
Lara, the man who scored 213 in the second Test and 153 not out in the third Test the last time the Aussies were here, is still around, however, with him are Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels and Wavell Hinds, and if he gets going he could inspire them.
With Hayden and Langer, Ponting and Waugh, plus Gilchrist numbered among their batsmen, with Gillespie and Lee, plus left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg, plus medium pacer Andy Bichel among their bowlers, Australia must be the favourites.
Lara is in the West Indies team, however, he has a couple of things to prove and because of that he should be fit and focussed, when he is fit focussed he is dangerous, and that is why, Australia, as strong as they are, should not take the West Indies for granted.
"The team is a very young one and seems unperturbed by what's happening," Lara told CMC.
"I've got a job to do, I've got to go out there and lead the West Indies team. Presently, I am in the best frame of mind possible to do so, the guys are very happy to be here, mentally I think we've got to deal with the Australian cricket team.
"There is no psychological advantage to the Australians because of what's happening," Lara said.
West Indies starting 11: Brian Lara (captain), Wavell Hinds, Devon Smith, Daren Ganga, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins, Jermaine Lawson; Reserves: Carlton Baugh Jr, David Bernard Jr.
