Tony Becca
THE WEST Indies tour of New Zealand has begun with the home team, based on their recent record against the visitors and on their ranking in both versions of the game, favoured to win the five-match one-day tournament and the three-match Test series.
Although the West Indies won the one-day tournament 3-1 in 2002 during their last home series against New Zealand, the Kiwis won all five at home in 2000 during the previous tournament, they defeated the West Indies in the World Cup of 2003 and they defeated the West Indies twice in the NatWest tournament in England in 2004. Also, on the last two occasions the teams met in a Test series, in 2000 and in 2002, they won both Test matches at home and won one and drew one of the two in the West Indies.
On top of that, while the West Indies are ranked at number eight in both versions of the game - above only Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, New Zealand are listed at number four in the one-day rankings - above India, Sri Lanka and England, and at number five in the Test rankings - above South Africa and Sri Lanka.
FAVOURITES NOT ALWAYS WINNERS
With such a record behind them, and even though they are now without the likes of Chris Cairns and Jacob Oram, New Zealand, with batsmen like Stephen Fleming, Nathan Astle, Lou Vincent and James Franklyn, an all-rounder like Scott Styris, a wicketkeeper/ batsman like Brendon McCul-lum, and bowlers like pacer Shane Bond and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori in their line-up, truly deserve to be favourites - and particularly so as they will be led by Fleming, one of if not the best captains in the game, and that their bowlers will be supported by one of the most brilliant fielding teams in the world.
Favourites, however, do not always win, and despite their recent record against New Zealand, despite their disappoin-ting record of 15 losses out of 17 one-day internationals and 12 losses out of 15 Test matches in the last year. Despite, but for Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, not winning a Test series away from home since the slide began at in 1995 against Australia, the West Indies can rise to the occasion and, with a little luck, win both series.
CONSISTENCY NEEDED
With their two best bowlers, Corey Collymore and Pedro Collins, absent, the bowling will definitely be short of quality and West Indians can only hope and pray that pacers Fidel Edwards, Daren Powell, Jerome Taylor, Ian Bradshaw and Deighton Butler, medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo, and legspinner Rawl Lewis will come good, and as far as line and length are concerned, produce the sort of consistency that has been lacking in West Indies bowlers in recent years.
The belief that the West Indies can win both contests - that they can certainly draw the Test series, stems from the presence of batsmen like Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Wavell Hinds, Daren Ganga, Devon Smith and, as erratic as he may be, also Dwayne Smith.
WISHFUL THINKING
It should also be remembered, not only that Bravo and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin will be around to add some support to the main batsmen, but also that Brian Lara will be in the line-up for the Test matches.
To many a West Indian, this may be wishful thinking, and based on the West Indies batting recently, on the fact that the West Indies batting has been as inconsistent as the West Indies bowling, that may well be so.
When one remembers, however, that each and every one of them has show that he can bat and has distinguished himself at one time or another, it is possible.
With a little luck, with a little consistency, the West Indies batting, probably even its bowling, can hold its own and hold off New Zealand.
