The West Indies will be fighting a steep battle against the wiles of Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan. - FILE
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, CMC:
BENNETT KING has found himself facing issues and taking on responsibilities he did not expect when he took on the job of West Indies coach last year.
"My role now encompasses more than just the West Indies side," King revealed on the eve of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo. It has just evolved that way, but it was not what I had anticipated."
The Australian's comments were made in the context of explaining the challenges of trying to get the best of a worryingly inexperienced side against a home team at full strength, following the return of champion spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for the first time in Test cricket for almost a year.
"We've been working to try to get the academy going, along with other development areas," he added. "That has also involved trying to get sponsors and being part of the West Indies Board's strategic planning. They are roles I didn't expect I would have to play."
'SLOW PROCESS'
Describing West Indies cricket as being in a state of flux, a polite reference to the impasse between the board and the Players' Association that has robbed the team of many of its experienced players, the Australian attempted valiantly to put a positive spin on what is being built up as an almost hopeless task for the Caribbean in the two Tests and tri-nation limited-over series.
"The attitude is on the improve, they are moving forward," King insisted. "The process is a slow one. It takes years to evolve."
His job has not been helped by a lingering industrial dispute that has disrupted preparation for the past three series and deprived him of the services of established players at times, as it has done now.
For all of his optimistic outlook and the renowned resilience and determination of captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the general opinion is that this West Indies team is one of the weakest to ever leave the Caribbean and will do extremely well to even extend the two Tests in Colombo and Kandy beyond the fourth day.
The tourists are expected to give debuts to Jamaican opening batsman Xavier Marshall, hard-hitting Nevisian Runako Morton and Trinidad and Tobago wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin.
Sylvester Joseph has played just one Test, Narsingh Deonarine only has two under his belt, while Dwayne Smith's inconsistency has seen him relegated to the role of a one-day specialist in the past year in the wake of a string of failures that followed a sensational second innings century on his Test debut against South Africa in Cape Town at the start of 2004.
MURALITHARAN THREAT
Even if Chanderpaul can maintain his rich form of the past 12 months, the West Indies skipper will be fighting a steep uphill battle against the wiles of Muralitharan and the swing of left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas.
Yet, as well as the 30-year-old may play, the Sri Lankans are odds-on favourites to sweep the series to exact revenge for the 1-0 loss in the corresponding series in the Caribbean two years ago when Hashan Tillekeratne was at the helm.
Indeed, the evidence of the West Indies' last trip to this sultry tropical island suggests that not even a virtuoso individual effort can halt the home side as they were swept 3-0 despite an astonishing tally of 688 runs by Brian Lara, including two centuries and a double-hundred.
LITTLE INTEREST
More than anyone else, Lara's absence has drained considerable interest from the series.
Sri Lanka hardly attracts substantial crowds for Test matches at the best of times, and with very little promotion given to what are feared will be embarrassingly one-sided fixtures, only a scattering of spectators is expected at the SSC ground during this opening Test.
Apart from the considerable task for the severely weakened batting order, the West Indies bowlers will have to cope with an experienced, settled and prolific Sri Lankan batting order.
Off-spinning all-rounder Omari Banks, whose slow bowling should lend support to the pace of Tino Best, Darren Powell and Jermaine Lawson, could find himself bowling long spells against a line-up led by captain Marvan Atapattu and former skipper Sanath Jayasuriya. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene add depth and solidity to their line-up.
Apart from the considerable threats posed by Muralitharan and Vaas, Sri Lanka may also opt for the gangling left-armer Nuwan Zoysa and the supporting wrist-spin of Thilan Samaraweera and Upul Chandana to keep the pressure on the West Indians.
TEAMS
SRI LANKA (probable) - Marvan Atapattu (captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Upul Chandana, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Nuwan Zoysa, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga.
WEST INDIES (probable) - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (captain), Xavier Marshall, Sylvester Joseph, Runako Morton, Narsingh Deonarine, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin, Omari Banks, Tino Best, Jermaine Lawson, Daren Powell.
