Tony BeccaTHE WEST Indies take on Australia in a three-match Test series starting in Brisbane on November 3 and despite the odds against them doing so, captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul, like a number of West Indians, believes the Windies can win it.
Unlike the recent series against Sri Lanka, the West Indies will be at full strength against Australia, that means their top batsmen, including Chris Gayle, Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan, will be in action, and that is why, despite their poor record against all but Zimbabwe and Bangladesh in recent years, Chanderpaul believes victory is possible.
GREAT BATSMEN
"They are three great batsmen and they will help to boost the team," said Chanderpaul recently and that is a fact.
With Gayle, Lara, Sarwan and Chanderpaul himself, the West Indies boast four good batsmen and one great one, and Glenn McGrath or no Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne or no Shane Warne, if they click it is not impossible that they could inspire their colleagues to a performance that could, with a little luck, give Australia a run for their money.
A good performance, however,, will take more than a few good innings from the top batsmen.
In order to play well to bat well consistently, to bowl well consistently, and to be consistently brilliant in the field, the West Indies will have to play as a team.
'BAD BLOOD'
The players will have to let bygones be bygones, and based on the reports coming out of the preparation camp in Barbados on the words of coach Bennett King and Chanderpaul, all was well and there is nothing to worry about.
The fear, after all the problems involving the board and the players, after some players had refused to play and some had agreed to play, and after the 'bad blood' between those who played and those who did not, was that the team would have been split in two and that there would be no team spirit.
According to King and Chanderpaul, however, the relationship between all the players during the camp was good and they were all ready to represent the West Indies.
Unfortunately that does not seem to be the case not based on what is now coming out of Australia.
On Wednesday there was a meeting of the 10 Test captains in Australia, Chanderpaul, who is representing Guyana in the KFC Cup, was unavoidably absent, Lara was asked to represent the West Indies and refused to do so, and when he refused, Gayle was asked to do so and he also refused.
In refusing to step up, Lara, who was not at the camp, gave no reasons why. In refusing to step up, Gayle, who also was not at the camp, said he was on his way home and that the request was too late.
Remembering that both players were among those who refused to play in the first Test against South Africa earlier this year; that both players were among those who refused to tour Sri Lanka and that Lara was removed as the captain against South Africa and that Chander-paul remains the captain, the question is this: was it that they could not, or was it that they did not want to?
While there is no evidence that they simply did not want to do it that Lara is peeved that he is not the captain or that Gayle acted in support of him, something seems to be wrong.
NO UNITY
Regardless of the impressions of King and Chanderpaul during the camp in Barbados, it seems that there is still some "bad blood" between the players who refused to play and those who did play. It also appears that Chanderpaul could be in for a tough time leading the team in Australia, that there will be no unity no team spirit, and if that is so, God help the Windies against Australia.
There is no question about it: the presence of Gayle, Lara and Sarwan should boost the Windies chances against Australia. Unless it is one for all and all for one, however, the West Indies, and Chanderpaul, would be better off without them.
Board president Ken Gordon, apparently has some work to do before the team leaves for Australia.
