SPORTS ANALYSES AND RECORDS with BRIJ PARASNATH
AFTER suffering two crushing defeats to hosts England, West Indies are in further dilemma with the injury to in-form fast bowler Kemar Roach who joins First Test debutant Shannon Gabriel on their return flight to the Caribbean. Apart from the loss of two key bowlers, there is a major headache facing the tour selectors with the continual dismal performances of frontline batsmen Kirk Edwards and Kieran Powell, both of whom failed in the first innings of their two-day match against Leicestershire County yesterday.
With scores of 1 and 0 in the First Test at Lord’s and followed by 7 and 0 in the Second Test at Nottingham, Kirk Edwards did not restore any faith that he has come to grips with the seaming ball in English conditions. His lack of footwork and batting style have stirred much debate as to his position in the team at the crucial number three spot.
With his latest failure, Edwards would have seen his last chance to retain his place in the team evaporated especially with the prevailing wet weather conditions that even prevented a full day’s play. His overall tour aggregate amount to 40 in eight innings and is the worst ever by a specialist frontline batsman and a team’s vice-captain.
On the slow pitches in Bangladesh, India and Dominica (last year in his debut match against India); Edwards looked much more comfortable but seem caught up in two minds as to how to play against the swinging deliveries.
Following his two-year ban for match-fixing; Marlon Samuels has shown much maturity and is batting like a dream against England since his return from India where he played for new franchise Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League (IPL5).
Who are those people that keep claiming that Twenty20 cricket will affect player’s longevity or even thwart their entrance into the Test match arena?
Samuels, like Australians Shane Watson, Shaun Marsh and David Warner who made big impacts during their sojourns in the IPL before making their presence felt in the Test match arena; has now debunked that fallacy and misconception about  the wonderful attributes that can be gained playing the limited-overs format of the game.
Prior to the IPL5 series, Samuels who reminds us a lot about the classy and silken-smooth strokeplay of Carl Hooper;  showed his class playing for Duronto Rajshahi  in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). The Jamaican right-hander made 72 that included five sixes and three fours and piloted his team to their first victory (by 17 runs) against Sylhet Royals in the BPL.
He followed up with another match-winning performance of 54 (with three sixes and four fours off 30 balls) in a big run-chase when they beat Royal Bengals by seven wickets with 17 balls to spare.
Samuels carried his team to the semi-finals with another attractive fifty and Duronto Rajshahi were the first team to qualify for the BPL ‘semis’. They won by eight wickets over Khulna Royal Bengals.
For the West Indies Test team on this current England tour, he has been the most consistent performer with scores of 31 and 86 at Lord’s and 117 and 76 not out at Trent Bridge.
Samuels with a series Test aggregate (310 runs) and average (103.33) has gone ahead of ever-dependable Chanderpaul who has 235 (78.33) with scores of 87 not out and 91 at Lord’s and 46 and 11 at Trent Bridge.
Darren Bravo, like Adrian Barath, Kieran Powell and Kirk Edwards; has struggled to make any significant impact at the top of the order which continually has put the pressure on Chanderpaul and the rest of the batting order.
Thankfully Chanderpaul and Samuels steadied the sinking ship in the First Test and they briefly did likewise in the first innings at Trent Bridge.
But with Chanderpaul’s early dismissal in the second innings at Nottingham, West Indies collapsed and only Samuels showed any confidence and defiance to remain undefeated on 76. England romped home to a decisive nine-wicket victory and clinched the three-match series by a 2-0 margin having won the First at Lord’s by five wickets.
The big question is: what changes should the selectors make to the team for the Third Test at Edgbaston?
With his unbeaten 50 yesterday against Leicestershire; Barath should retain his place to open but his partner Powell has failed again with only seven while stand-in captain Kirk Edwards was dismissed for his third duck in three consecutive matches (two Tests and match vs Leicestershire).
Edwards must make way for someone to carry the responsibility of taking on the frontline bowlers as well as building partnerships and establishing a solid foundation for a challenging total. Based on the current form of the players, the selectors should promote Samuels who has demonstrated a clear case of restrain and determination to bat for long period.
His solidity and class to put away any delivery not engagingly dangerous will thwart the opposing bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan in their quest for dominance and control over West Indies batsmen. Samuels should bat at three while Bravo should remain at number four to be followed by Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine who deserves a place in the starting line-up.
Deonarine has improved as an all-rounder and his outstanding form in the 2012 regional First Class tournament and decent scores and useful spells, including crucial wickets against Australia during their recent tour to the Caribbean, merit a place ahead of all other contenders.
Deonarine has shown that he is equally adaptable as Samuels. Both of them can deal with the quicker bowlers as well as spinners and they are the ones alongside Darren Bravo and Chanderpaul who has aptitude and discipline to shoulder the responsibility of amassing big totals which would then allow West Indian bowlers a better chance to employ more attacking field placements on a more consistent basis.
In the Second Test against Australia at Queen’s Park Oval, Deonarine batted at number six and together with Chanderpaul they featured in 130-run fifth-wicket partnership after West Indies were tottering at 100 for 4. Chanderpaul top-scored with 94 (1×6, 10×4, 217 balls) while Deonarine hit one six and seven fours off 139 balls during his innings of 55, out of WI’s total of 257.
During his bowling spells at Kensington, he made the breakthroughs twice by claiming skipper Michael Clarke (c Shane Shillingford for 45) and Michael Hussey (caught by Kraigg Brathwaite for 73) as Australia’s first innings closed at 311 and then declared at 160 for 8 in the second. WI mustered 257 and 53 for 2 as the match petered out to a draw.
In the First Test at Kensington; WI made 449 and 148 while Australia registered a three-wicket victory with 406 and 192 for 7. Deonarine claimed four important wickets in the second innings. He dismissed opener Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting and skipper Michael Clarke and created a major stir as Australia found themselves in a shaky position at 140 for 5.
And even in the Third Test at Dominica, Deonarine’s off-spin proved effective in the second innings when he grabbed three wickets for 45 from 14 overs.
One can go back to 2009 when Deonarine returned to Test match cricket against the mighty Australians at the WACA for the Third Test and showed his real class with a heroic 82 in the second innings when Christopher Gayle’s team made a valiant effort to register a come-from-behind victory after being set 358 to win the match.
Gayle, Travis Dowlin and Ramnaresh Sarwan were all back in the pavilion with only 65 on the board. But Deonarine took on the role of aggressor and he found a useful partner in Brendan Nash.
Together they defied the Aussies and shared an invaluable 131-run fourth-wicket partnership before Deonarine departed for a magnificent 82 that was studded with two sixes and ten glorious fours off 171 balls. He dominated the bowlers and the partnership and instilled confidence in the lower order. Nash scored 65 but was not enough as West Indies finally folded up for 323, thus losing by 35 runs.
He also showed the right temperament against the powerful South Africa in the Caribbean. In the First Test at the Queen’s Park Oval; the fiery Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, the best new-ball combination among the lot in 2010 blew away West Indies for 102 in the first innings and it was Deonarine who top-scored with 29 off 78 balls. WI lost by 163 runs.
In the Second Test at Warner Park; South Africa amassed a mammoth 543 for 6 declared and West Indies lost an early wicket, that of Travis Dowlin (10). It was Deonarine, who batted at number three, who together with Gayle (50) counter-attacked the South Africans and posted 93 for the second wicket. Then he added a further 43 with Chanderpaul (166) for the third wicket while Brendan Nash (114) and Dwayne Bravo (53) rallied West Indies to 546. The match ended in a draw with South Africa on 235 for 3 in their second innings.
For the third Test at Kensington, Gayle (20), Dale Richards (0), Chanderpaul (22) and Nash (2) went cheaply and it was Deonarine (46) and Dwayne Bravo (61) who averted complete embarrassment with West Indies getting to 231.
But the homesters fared worst in the second and were knocked over for 161. The visitors made 346 and 49 for three and sealed the series victory by a 2-0 margin.
Deonarine will definitely strengthen both the batting and bowling departments.
It’s the opening pair that is causing serious headaches and heartaches. Barath has not set the world on fire but he should retain his place.
Powell has a lot of limitations as an opener and the selectors could take a big gamble and ask Assad Fudadin to partner Barath, in hope that they can change the fortunes at the top.
Mystery spinner Sunil Narine will join the team before the Third Test but it is left to be seen whether he will be fully rested for the burdens of bowling long spells against a rampant batting line-up. Inclusion of Narine and Deonarine will bolster the weakened bowling attack that has lost the firepower of Roach whose aggression has caused much concern among the Englishmen.
West Indies face a daunting task but a stronger batting line-up could at least save face and fight for a draw rather than being whitewashed.