West Indies outplayed in Sri Lanka

THE West Indies cricket team left Caribbean shores for Sri Lanka in early October to take on the Lankans in a three-match T20 series followed by a three-match ODI (One Day International) tournament.

At the conclusion of the contests, the WI found themselves losing both competitions by two to one margins. Before the first T20 game was played the WI were lying third on the international table in that format so it was no surprise when they left the field victorious in the first clash.

Nevertheless, two days later when the teams met again in the second meeting any confidence gained by the West Indians was quickly eradicated and the cheerful smiles of a winning team were suddenly switched to disconcerted frowns.

Playing in front of a packed Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, the Caribbean cricketers were presented with an unfit pitch for an international T20 tournament. It is all well and good to say that any team playing at home has a home advantage.

However, that does not mean that one has the inalienable right to under-prepare a wicket to such an extent that it is almost unplayable when facing the bowlers suitable for that surface.

The essence of a cricket game lies in the surface of what the players of both teams have been given to contest their superiority. The integrity of the game suffers if proper pitches are not prepared.

This is not an excuse, but revealing something that is no different from scarring the ball and disfiguring it, to alter its seam or leather surface. A decent pitch for an international T20 game is governed by certain rules to make it fair to all concerned. A wicket could have some turn because of the soil and the weather conditions while preparing it. A good spinner can exploit most pitches on Asian cricket fields, so there was no need to doctor the pitch to that extent, on which one already held an advantage.

For instance, the third T20 was a better-prepared wicket for an international game, and Sri Lanka won. WI played better in the first game, while Sri Lanka used the conditions better in the third game. However, the under-preparation was too obvious in the second match.

The rules that were designed for all limited-overs games are that the wickets must be true and prepared in such a way as to encourage batsmen’s strokes to flourish. The reason behind this was for the spectators to be entertained by the runs flowing off the batsmen’s bats; the main purpose behind the origin of limited-overs games.

Also, bowlers are limited in their number of overs because if they’re bowling too well, their opponents may be dismissed for a non-competitive score.

An example is similar to what occurred in the recent World Cup T20 semi-final at the Brian Lara Stadium between South Africa and Afghanistan, in which the latter were hard done by when bowled out for 56. Although that venue was neutral, many fans paid an entrance fee to witness a semi-final game that was a travesty.

In this second T20 game, Sri Lanka got to 162 for 5 in their 20 overs. WI were bowled out for 89 in 16.1 overs. The spectators were happy because their team won. The more discerning of them would have felt short-changed as it was not the contest of challenge they had come to witness. Of course, the point could be made that WI’s spin bowlers were not up to the same standard. The following ODI’s were hit by rain in all three matches which had the effect of spoiling the series. WI are tenth on the table.

For both series WI fast bowling was, for the most part, ineffective. Rain hampered plans in all three ODIs for both teams but the home batsmen applied themselves more to the task at hand in the first two. The batting of Evin Lewis in the final game, his first for the ODI series, with a sparkling century and Sherfane Rutherford, in all three with scores of 74 not out, 80 and 50 not out, were superb; an example to the rest. Overall, SL played better in the formats and deserved to win under the conditions. WI have to buckle down to introspection in order to examine how to build their resources.

Looking for answers in the forthcoming series’ with home advantage, against England and Bangladesh. Good luck!