Dec 23 2008
A Silver Lining In The West Indies’ Cloud
At the end of the day, West Indies had something to take home from the series against New Zealand, after most of the game being washed out due to rains. And it was really fantastic to see West Indies’ fast bowler Fidel Edwards take a 7 wicket haul, coming from the team that has eight batsmen and just two bowlers. Edwards’ contribution is something that needs to be applauded. The game might have any climax, but, the positives what the West Indies team take home shouldn’t be forgotten. For a change, in addition to Shivnarine Chanderapaul, there was Chris Gayle who scored a century and still dares to go, and Fidel Edwards who did it with the ball.
So, New Zealand can never join South Africa to have won a game outside their home country. And New Zealand don’t even deserve it. Forget it ! Never was the first four days of the test match in favour of a particular team. Neither the West Indies, nor the New Zealand team could dominate any part of the game. Both the teams out there had almost the same first innings total. A difference of 64 runs hardly mattered. If there was Chandrapaul for the West Indies, there was Tim McIntosh for New Zealand who scored centuries for their respective teams. And Iain O Brien for New Zealand instead of West Indies’ fidel Edwards.
This was the fate of the test for the first four days. This is somewhat close to being called a perfect match, for the difference between the teams that are battling it out there is very little. Or the difference in almost nil I can say. If New Zealand are placed at the eighth position in the ICC points table for tests, West Indies are placed in the seventh. The pitch was neither a belter for the batcmen of either teams, nor it was a slow wicket, ensuring that bowlers get enough for what hard work they put in. However, things would have been different, had there been no gaps inbetween with rain interrrupting the play on most occasions.
With the second test match also heading towards a draw, with only one day’s play left over, nothing different could be expected. The only positive outcome of the match being Chris Gayle’s unbeaten century in the second innings. And the only guess work that would be left out for fans to watch over will be as to how long will Chris Gayle go on. Is a double hundred on the cards? With no other batsman willing to support Chris Gayle at the other end, if Gayle does it, I wish this would be the one that he would really like to be remembered for by the time he calls it a day.Well the boring encounter is all but over..So, lets look at some more glorious days of cricket yet to come.
