Teams at the crossroads

OVER the years, the West Indies and England have fought many battles. But for the early days when the West Indies were fighting for respectability, and in the mid 1980s when England, beaten 5-0 twice, were being embarrassed, none, however, has been as important as the one which gets underway next Thursday.

This is the crossroads for both teams - for two teams which were once the best in the world and accustomed to being among the top three or four.

In recent years, England have fallen on hard times, they have been beaten right around the world and they now stand just ahead of Zimbabwe at the bottom of the standings. For them this is redemption time, and if they lose they will remain where they are - in the cellar next to Zimbabwe.

After the longest reign ever as the kings of the game, the West Indies were knocked off the throne in 1995, since then they have suffered some embarrassing defeats - 3-0 in Pakistan, 5-0 in South Africa, 2-0 in New Zealand, and although their record is better than England's, even though they recently defeated Pakistan, if they lose England may jump ahead in the rankings.

Victory, therefore, is a must for the two teams, they are both going for it, and it should be a close contest from start to finish.

According to the bookmakers, England are the starting favourites, and although they lost to the West Indies last time out in 1998, although they have not won a series against the West Indies since 1969, that is reasonable.

The two teams appear evenly matched, the home advantage is sometimes crucial, and it must be remembered that although the West Indies were expected to win, the two teams played to a draw in England in 1991 and again in 1995, and that England clipped South Africa two-one in England in 1998 - a few months before the South Africans blanked the West Indies.

This West Indies team, however, has enough class to triumph.

While the batting strength of both teams is questionable, the West Indies possess in Brian Lara a batsmen of class, in Shivnarine Chanderpaul, a batsmen of quality, and if they get going they could inspire youngsters like Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Christopher Gayle.

In opening batsman Mike Atherton, England do have a good player and their fortunes will rest on his shoulders. As good as he is, however, Atherton does not possess the class to inspire as does Lara.

Apart from their wonderful team spirit and the belief in themselves, the main reason why the West Indies have a wonderful chance to win the series, however, is the strength of their fast bowling.

In Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, the West Indies boast two quality performers, in Franklyn Rose, Reon King and Nixon McLean, plus Corey Collymore, they have some good young ones, and if their record against the West Indies over the past 24 years is anything to go by, England's batsmen are in for a torrid summer.

The reading is that the West Indies pacers will do more damage to England's batting than England's bowlers will do to the West Indies batsmen - especially if Lara finds form in time for the opening exchanges.

Lara could make the difference and as the two teams prepare for a contest which neither one can afford to lose, captains James Adams and Nasser Hussain must be saying a quiet prayer.

Adams must be praying that Lara comes good; Hussain must be praying that he does not.

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