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A mismatch beckons

How are West Indies going to answer the questions posed by Muttiah Muralitharan and company?

Cricinfo staff
12-Jul-2005


Chanderpaul and King have to look for diamonds in coal © Getty Images
When Shivnarine Chanderpaul walks out to toss at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo on Wednesday, he has an interesting challenge ahead. How, minus the likes of Brian Lara and Ramnaresh Sarwan, is his team going to answer the questions posed by Muttiah Muralitharan and company? One thing's for sure - it's not going to be easy. His team is by far the least experienced West Indian unit to take the field. And Sri Lanka, not particularly overjoyed at having the gloss taken off a big series, will come at them all guns blazing.
West Indies have traditionally relied on Lara to show them the way when playing against Sri Lanka. He has done so admirably in the past, playing Muralitharan with more finesse and control than any other batsman in world cricket. At the best of times it is hard to play Murali, but it might just prove to be too much for this team. Leaving aside Chanderpaul, no batsman has the experience needed to counter the unorthodoxy of Murali's prodigious spin. Dwayne Smith has the next most experience - a mere six Tests - and the less said about the rest the better.
West Indies can take some consolation from the fact that their bowling has a bit of firepower left. Jermaine Lawson and Tino Best have been around a while, and their genuine pace through the air could pose some problems even on slow Sri Lankan pitches. But the key to doing well in Sri Lanka is spin, and West Indies can only hope that Omari Banks can shoulder the workload.
For what it's worth, Chanderpaul has said that his team was raring to go. "We would not have been here if we did not think we could compete," he said, on the eve of the match. "This is a young bunch we have who are determined to make a name for themselves. They are very keen to get on with it. Don't write them off even before the series has started. Everyone needs a chance to prove themselves."
Bennett King, the coach, has also expectedly thrown his weight behind Chanderpaul. "You find diamonds in coal," he said. "It takes a little pain to get joy. West Indian cricket may be in a state of flux but the system is in place for a brighter future."
Keeping with the spirit of things, Marvan Atapattu, the Sri Lankan captain, insisted that his team would not take things lightly. "We are not complacent at all," said Atapattu. "There is a Test match to be played and I am certain the West Indians are as much ready for the challenge as we are. We have to do the job once we get there. We can't be thinking who is there is their line-up and who is not. There are runs to be scored and 20 wickets to be taken to win."
All that may be well, but if form sheets ever meant anything, there will only be one team on the park capable of scoring enough runs and taking 20 wickets to settle the issue.
Sri Lanka Marvan Atapattu (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Chandana, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Gayan Wijekoon, Russel Arnold, Rangana Herath.
West Indies Shivnarine Chanderpaul (capt), Denesh Ramdin (wk), Darren Powell, Omari Banks, Kerry Jeremy, Deighton Butler, Sylvester Joseph, Narsingh Deonarine, Dwayne Smith, Tino Best, Jermaine Lawson, Xavier Marshall, Runako Morton, Ryan Ramdass.