Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
West Indian batting star Brian Lara stretches out with some assistance from team physiotherapist Stephen Partridge durign a training session on the eve of the fourth and final Test match against South Africa in Antigua. Lara is back at the ground where he broke the world record for Test runs in an innings twice. - DELLMAR PHOTO
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua:
THE FOURTH and final match of the Digicel Series between the West Indies and South Africa opens at the Antigua Recreation Ground here today and although the contest has already been decided, it could be an interesting, probably even exciting finale.
Winners of the second and third matches, one by eight wickets and the other by an innings and 86 runs, South Africa are sitting pretty with a winning 2-0 lead. Losers of both those matches, the West Indies can neither win nor draw the series, and with nothing to lose by one and nothing to gain by the other, it could also be a dull, disappointing anticlimax to what was expected by many to have been a close and thrilling contest.
According to South African captain Graeme Smith, however, there will be no ease-up and if the West Indies again rise to the occasion that would all but guarantee a wonderful game.
GOING FOR VICTORY
Speaking minutes after their victory at Kensington Oval, Smith said that South Africa will be going for victory for their sixth against the West Indies in the last eight Tests between the two teams, and if that is so, it could really be cricket, lovely cricket at the ARG over the next five days.
West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul is a man of few words, after the West Indies encouraging performance at Bourda, he hardly said a thing, after their collapse at the Queen's Park Oval, he said even less, and after Sunday's surrender at Kensington Oval, he was in no mood and certainly in no position to make a promise, much more to threaten South Africa.
Promise or no promise, however, threat or no threat, as good as South Africa are and as dominant as they were in the second and third Test matches, if the West Indies come out playing to win, it could be really interesting.
BEST FOR LAST?
As weak as they are and as bad as they were in the second and third Test matches, the West Indies have always been strong at the ARG, and as they certainly were in 2003 and 2004 when they saved their best for last, they could be strong again.
After losing the first three matches to Australia in 2003, the West Indies came to Antigua for the fourth and final Test facing a whitewash at home and after a brilliant performance with the ball in Australia's second innings and with the bat in their second innings a performance which saw them setting a new world record for scoring the most runs in a fourth innings to win a match, they won the match by three wickets after scoring 418 for seven.
After losing the first three matches to England in 2004, the West Indies came to Antigua for the fourth and final Test again facing a whitewash, and with Brian Lara scoring a world record 400 not out, the match ended in a draw with the West Indies at one time in a good position to win the game after batting first, posting a massive 751 for five declared, bowled out England and enforced the follow-on.
On both occasions, the West Indies, probably because the pressure was off, probably because of the pitch, paraded their class, and it could happen again.
Unless one of Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards or Tino Best the three pacers expected to play can emulate Jermaine Lawson's seven for 78 in 2003, however, this time, like last year, it should again be a draw.
The odds favour a good performance by the West Indies not only because any of Christopher Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chanderpaul could strike, but also because there are three things in common with last year and this year.
PRESSURE OFF
One is that the pressure is off, two is that the pitch looks like it was prepared to last forever, and three is that Lara, 375 in 1994 and 400 not out in 2004, plus 103 versus India in 1997 and a breath-taking 100 against Australia in 1999, is still in the West Indies line-up.
After missing the first Test and watching Hinds and Chanderpaul tick off double centuries, after falling for 196 at Queen's Park Oval bowled by fast bowler Andre Nel, and for 176 at Kensington Oval bowled by Nel, the master left-hander must be looking forward to scoring at least a double century and to settling matters with the big South African on a piece of earth, 22 yards long and in the middle of the ARG which, in time, may well be known as 'Lara's Land'.
Nel, however, is nursing an injured back and may be replaced by Shaun Pollock who is coming off an injured ankle.
