LONDON -
THE triangular one-day tournament involving the West Indies, Zimbabwe and hosts England gets underway today with the West Indies and Zimbabwe in the day and night curtain-raiser at Bristol.
The tournament will see the three teams playing each other three times with the top two contesting the one-match final at Lord's on July 22.
Still smarting from their loss to England in the second Test at Lord's, the West Indies are going all out to win the tournament in the hope that victory would not only polish their once shining image in one-day cricket but would also bring back the winning spirit in time for the third Test which opens at Old Trafford on August 3.
"We have not played a game since Lord's," said manager Ricky Skerritt yesterday, "but the guys seem to be in good spirits. After losing a close one to England we want to win this one. On top of that, we have to get in the winning groove again."
Getting back into the winning groove should not be too difficult a problem - certainly not as far as this first match is concerned. In fact, following their two victories over Zimbabwe in the Caribbean a few months ago, they should be hot favourites to get away to a fine start.
With ace fast bowler Curtly Ambrose resting and absent, however, it may not be as easy as it was in the Caribbean and the West Indies may have reason to
miss his accurate, unconquerable bowling.
Reon King has been complaining about a knee injury and, on top of that, he has definitely not been his consistent self since arriving in England; Franklyn Rose has not been able to control neither his line nor his length and has been too costly; and Corey Collymore is still not 100 per cent fit.
The West Indies' ability to contain the Zimbabwe batsmen or to blow them away could well depend on the skills of Courtney Walsh, Nixon McLean and Mervyn Dillon.
The West Indies are not worried about their batting - certainly not to the degree of their concern over their bowling. They are hoping, however, that Brian Lara will get among the runs, that Shivnarine Chanderpaul is fully recovered from the injury which nearly forced him out of the second Test, and that Ricardo Powell, who has been suffering from the flu, will be fit to play.
Although Zimbabwe's batting will be at full strength, their bowling is also causing them some concern.
Top bowler, pacer Heath Streak is nursing an injured shoulder, pacer Henry Olonga has a twisted ankle, pacer Mpumelelo Mbangwa is nursing an injured shoulder, and apart from legspinner Paul Strang, they may have to depend on their all-rounders in their bid to surprise the West Indies.
West Indies' squad (from) - Jimmy Adams (captain), Chris Gayle, Adrian Griffith, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Ricardo Powell, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Reon King, Mervyn Dillon, Franklyn Rose, Corey Collymore.
Zimbabwe will select their team from: Andy Flower - captain, Neil Johnson, Craig Wishart, Murray Goodwin, Alistair Campbell, Grant Flower, Guy Whittall, Paul Strang, Brian Strang, Streak, Olonga and Mbangwa.
By Tony Becca
Senior Sport Editor
