THE West Indies, Australia and South Africa Cricket Teams have arrived here for the first leg of a tri-nation One Day International series.Coming off of their recent triumph in the T20 World Cup, the Caribbean boys would be expected to perform well, although knowledgeable cricket fans are aware of the formidable task ahead.

According to Cricinfo statistics compiled during Australia’s most recent tour of the West Indies, Australia swept a two-match Test series to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy. Australia’s last limited overs matches in the Caribbean came in March 2012, when they played five ODIs and two T20Is, along with three Tests. The two sides split the ODI series with two wins each and a tie in the third ODI in St Vincent, when Darren Sammy was run out with two balls to spare. They also split the T20 series.

South Africa, on the other hand, demolished the Caribbean boys on their last tour of the West Indies in 2010, sweeping two T20Is and five ODIs before claiming the three-Test series with a 2-0 scoreline. Only a drawn runfest in St Kitts kept them from going a perfect 10 for 10 on tour.

The Caribbean side’s last encounter with South Africa came in Australia, at the World Cup in February, when AB de Villiers struck the fastest 150 in ODI history to pave the way for a 257-run South Africa win, tied for the biggest margin of defeat by runs in World Cup history.

These figures do not give much hope to a struggling West Indies Team racked by administrative and other problems. However, the team’s strong showing in the T20 World Cup indeed represents a sign of resurgence.

There is no denying that the regional side has had its fair share of controversies and embarrassments. Even the team that has been selected for this tournament is mired in controversy, particularly because of the omission of notable stars such as Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russel, and the two-time T20 World Cup winning captain Darren Sammy.

And such has been the state of affairs of the Caribbean team for the past two decades; but in all of its travails, the players have soldiered on, strong in faith, testing the extreme limits of the game. This was best displayed in the World T20 finals at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India, where the Caribbean side stunned a rampant England side to become the first team to win the World T20 Trophy twice.

That victory has certainly reignited in adoring Caribbean fans hope that their team would once again become champions of world cricket.

Cricket occupies a special place in our history. It binds our people together is a celebration of our cultures, and is our pride and passion. In a past era, it was the medium through which our brave Caribbean men showed their fans that on a cricket field they are as good as, and equal to, any among their oppressors.

The triumph of the male, female and Under-19 teams in the international arena this year has signalled that the greatness of the Caribbean team has not been lost, although it may have been absent for a long time; and it is beginning to emerge again. We can only hope that this new series will provide the Caribbean people with something more to smile about, even as we also hope that the bosses and leaders of the game in the region would work towards shepherding the West Indies on the path to again ascend the heights of greatness.