Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport
Brenton Parchment takes evasive action against a bouncer on the second day of the final Test.
BEYOND THE scoreline, it's hard to decide if the West Indies are a better side on the way up or the same old team which continues to flatter to deceive.
Before the three-Test series against hosts South Africa started, almost all the experts saw a ruthless sweep coming for the world's No. 2 team against the tourists.
Then the West Indies pulled off a stunning first Test victory at Port Elizabeth by a convincing 128 runs and the cricket world spun off its axis.
Sadly, injuries to skipper Chris Gayle and speedster Fidel Edwards 'hamstrung' the tourists in the second Test in Cape Town and the hosts evened the series with a seven-wicket victory. However, that margin flattered the hosts as, thanks to a brave last-wicket stand by hobbled Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the Windies set SA a tricky 185 to win the match and if Marlon Samuels had only held on to a catch from out-of-form skipper Graeme Smith early in the final innings chase, things could have turned out much differently.
Instead, Smith went from strength to strength and bludgeoned SA to the brink of victory with a day to spare.
In the final clash, at Durban, the Windies, without Gayle and the services of stand-in skipper Dwayne Bravo's bowling, looked like the same team that had been the world's whipping boys for the past few years as they fell flat against a resurgent host side and were trounced by an innings and an even 100 runs.
So, which is the real West Indian team now? The one that beat South Africa for the first time in a Test on African soil in Port Elizabeth; or the one which capitulated with hardly a fight in the final Test?
The answer
West Indies captain Chris Gayle (left), Runako Morton (centre) and Pedro Collins celebrate after their victory against South Africa on the fourth day of the first Test in Port Elizabeth. - File
Maybe the answer is somewhere in between. They caught an overconfident South Africa napping in the first Test and took full advantage but then looked a demoralised bunch without their new skipper going into their third straight Test in less than three weeks.
Gayle set the tone for the side from the first ball of the match by taking on dangerman Dale Steyn and beating him out of the South African attack and the team also seems to respond to his open, laid-back style of captaincy in the locker room and on the field.
As a skipper, he's still very much a work-in-progress but, by and large, the team seemed to maintain its focus and fight a lot more than we have seen in recent times.
Crucial dropped catch aside, Samuels was the standout performer for the tourists - winning the Man-of-the-Match award in the first Test for a superb 94 and finally notching his second Test century (105) in Durban. He particularly seemed to enjoy playing under good friend Gayle.
Chanderpaul was Chanderpaul again and proved a mighty pain in the behind to the South Africans who only managed to dismiss him three times and he finished second in the overall batting averages with 82.33 - just behind Ashwell Prince's 87.66.
However, for such a seasoned campaigner, his run rate was worse than pedestrian and he made no real attempt to shield the team's weak tail.
The other standout performer was Jamaican paceman Jerome Taylor who claimed nine wickets and troubled all the South Africans with his pace and accuracy. Even when they were in full flight in the final Test, Taylor was the one bowler the Proteas could not get on top off.
Flaws
Still, serious flaws remain in the Caribbean team's make-up. Opener Daren Ganga continues to show he is not up to Test class despite numerous opportunities and that leaves a serious void at the top of the order next to Gayle.
Runako Morton is no No. 3 batsman at the highest level but that spot could be filled by the soon-to-return Ramnaresh Sarwan or possibly Chanderpaul if he can be winkled out of his comfortable five spot. The bizarre experiment to carry leg-spinner Rawl Lewis also backfired as he played only one Test and, while claiming three wickets, was unimpressive and didn't appear to have the trust of the skipper.
The pace attack, which was supposed to be the team's strength, also underperformed as a group after the first Test with Edwards remaining both brittle and erratic and Daren Powell inconsistent. It seems for every plus to come out of Africa, there is a corresponding minus. Now, the players get some time to regroup before home campaigns against two more mighty foes, Sri Lanka and Australia.
New coach John Dyson, who could have been little more than a keen observer during the gone-in-a-flash SA series - his first with the side, will now be able to settle down and put his ideas in place and get a better idea of what he has to work with.
After the coming series, maybe we will finally know if what we saw in South Africa was the start of a resurgence of the West Indian team or only another false dawn.
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CHRIS GAYLE (B+)
NOT A bad first-up captaincy effort in the Test arena as few critics expected the Windies to be competitive, let alone win a Test and push the hosts in another.
The team seems to respond to his laid-back style and the opener set the tone in the first Test victory in Port Elizabeth when he hammered pace bogeyman Dale Steyn out of the attack on his way to 66 in the first innings.
His effort, which included 13 boundaries in only 49 balls, launched the team towards its ultimately match-winning first dig total of 408.
Hampered by a dodgy hamstring, Gayle made 46 in the first innings of the second Test in Cape Town and then, after being further incapacitated by a broken thumb, batted heroically for 38 in a last-wicket stand with Shivnarine Chanderpaul which put on 70 runs and gave the tourists a sniff of an unlikely win.
The injuries ruled him out of the final Test in Durban and his belligerent presence at the top of the order and growing leadership skills were sorely missed.
Still, his captaincy is a work-in-progress and, despite being a bowler down in the second Test, there was no need to use all-rounder Dwayne Bravo for a massive 24 overs in a row in the first innings, which effectively wrecked him for the final match.
DAREN GANGA (D)
Daren Ganga (right) plays a shot while South Africa's Mark Boucher watches on the third day of their first Test in Port Elizabeth. - File
AGAIN SHOWED he is not up to Test class - averaging less than 20 from his six innings with no half centuries.
For the West Indies to seriously move forward on the Test stage, a decent opening partner for Gayle has to be found and Ganga must be running out of chances now.
RUNAKO MORTON (D)
THROWN IN at No. 3 due to the absence of Ramnaresh Sarwan, Morton showed he has neither the technique nor temperament to hold down the most important slot in the batting line-up.
Averaged a mere 16.66 from six innings with a paltry top score of 37. A good behind-the-wicket fieldsman who would be much better placed lower down the batting order.
MARLON SAMUELS (A-)
Marlon Samuels (right) celebrates with teammate Darren Sammy after scoring his century on the third day of the final Test against South Africa at Kingsmead stadium in Durban. - AP
FINALLY PUT together a consistent, quality series with the bat and maybe, just maybe, he's come of age as a Test cricketer.
Book-ended the tour with a Man-of-the-Match 94 in the first innings of the first Test and his second Test ton (105) in the last innings of the third Test.
Made the most runs for the side (304) at an average of more than 50. Batted for time and runs and did not recklessly throw his wicket away. His efforts should have sealed his place in the side for the coming home series against Sri Lanka and Australia.
Unfortunately, dropped a crucial catch in the pivotal second Test when Graeme Smith was just starting to flow and the SA skipper went on to bludgeon a match-winning 85. Also, his suspect bowling action is now being probed.
Still, neither should blemish what hopefully was Samuels' breakout series.
DWAYNE BRAVO (C)
THE VICE-captain shone with the ball but flopped with the bat in SA and is starting to look more like a bowler that can bat a bit rather than the genuine all-rounder the Windies desperately need.
Claimed the most wickets (10) at the best average (20.30) and bowled a humongous 24 overs on the trot in the first innings of the second Test when front-liner Fidel Edwards was injured. Sadly, he hardly bowled again in the series after that due to a side injury.
Made 75 in a rearguard action in the final innings of the third Test but managed only 49 in his five knocks before that for an average of 20.33.
Did not inspire as stand-in skipper in the final Test but he had little to work with as he could not bowl and the hosts were rolling by then.
SHIVNARINE CHANDERPAUL (B+)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul raises his bat following his dismissal after scoring a century against South Africa on the second day of the first Test in Port Elizabeth. - File
THE LIMPET-like left-hander topped the WI averages with a fine 82.33 and frustrated the heck out of the SA attack. Made one century and two 50s and was a rock in the middle order.
However, questions should still be raised about his ridiculously slow scoring rate and his inability or unwillingness to shepherd the lower order. At times it appeared as if he was batting to be not out rather than building the team's total.
With his rock-solid technique, he could be better suited and utilised at the top of the order as an opening partner for Gayle or a possible No. 3.
DARREN SAMMY (D)
SIMILAR PLAYER to Bravo, just not quite as good with bat or ball.
Played two Tests for an average of 21.5 with the bat and two wickets at 69.5. Also let himself down in the field.
The Windies will have to decide soon if there is room in the team for two similar all-rounders at the expense of another batsman or bowler.
DENESH RAMDIN (C)
THE KEEPER was near faultless behind the stumps and batted fairly well. Opened and made 32 when Gayle was unavailable in the second innings of the second Test.
Overall, made 109 runs at about 18 per knock which won't have him confused with the likes of Adam Gilchrist and Mahendra Dhoni but looks to have the job behind the stumps well in his grasp now.
BRENTON PARCHMENT (D)
THE TEST newcomer only played in the final match due to the injury of Jamaican compatriot Gayle.
Was caught brilliantly by Herschelle Gibbs in the first innings for 11. Made 20 in the second but never looked completely sure at the crease.
Too early to judge and, due to a dearth of opening talent, could be a potential partner for Gayle in coming series.
JEROME TAYLOR (B+)
Jerome Taylor (centre) celebrates after he took the wicket of South Africa's captain Graeme Smith during the second day of the second Test in Cape Town. - AP
THE PICK of the West Indian attack who troubled all the batsmen with his pace and lines - particularly to the left-handers.
Claimed nine wickets at 31.77 and an economy rate of a fairly reasonable 3.44 runs per over.
Also surprised with the bat by making 102 runs at an average of more than 20. Comfortably outpaced Chanderpaul in their partnerships.
Providing he can stay fit, Taylor should be the regular spearhead of the side for the foreseeable future.
DAREN POWELL (D)
BOWLED WITH pace and attitude but couldn't back that up with accuracy or wickets.
Struggled to collect seven wickets in the three matches at 59 apiece and gave up four runs an over. Seemed to find the going tough after his opening spells which suggests there may be a stamina problem or that he needs to be bowled in short bursts.
FIDEL EDWARDS (D-)
Fidel Edwards (left) celebrates his dismissal of South Africa's Graeme Smith on the fourth day of the first Test. - File
QUICK BUT wayward and injury-prone; which seems to be a recurring theme with the Barbadian slinger.
Hardly played in the second Test due to hamstring injury and claimed only three wickets (all at Port Elizabeth) in the other two. Each of them cost 78 runs and he went for a team leading 4.19 runs an over.
Must tighten up his game and work on his fitness to stay a part of the team.
RAWL LEWIS (D)
THE SQUAD'S surprise pick was a not-so-surprising disappointment in his only Test appearance (Cape Town). Did pick up three wickets with his hardly spinning leggies to boost his overall career Test tally to four.
Was economical (3.29) and the wickets came at a good average (22.6) but those figures deceive as his efforts had little influence on the match.
The all-rounder made a duck and one in his two innings but, more important, did not seem to have the confidence of Gayle with the ball. The skipper seemed to prefer Samuels over Lewis.
His Test future does not look bright.
What did you think of the West Indies Test team's performance against South Africa?
GILBERT SMITH
"It was a very poor performance because they didn't play well in the last two Test matches. I think that they should get rid of Daren Ganga now because I am sure that we have a lot more opening batsman in the region that can open for the West Indies. "
NICHOLIUS KAMAKA
"We have to give credit to them because this is the first time that the West Indies have won a Test match in South Africa. Regardless of how we lost the series - mainly because of injuries to a number of key players in the last two Tests, I know they will come good in future series."
ANTHONY PATRICK
"I don't think they did too badly but I know that they could have done much better. The players showed a lot of maturity and with a bit more hard work, we will be able to beat South Africa and once we beat them, the next team will be Australia."
EVADNEY WILSON
I was much better that the last time when we went down there. I also think that they did pretty well and I wish that they had won the series. I know that it's a young team and now that Christopher Gayle is the captain, I hope it will gel and do what we want them to do, which is win.
NOEL SMITH
"I think that they did well in the first game because the South Africans underestimated them and by the time they realised what they were up against, it was too late. What cost us the second was that Chris Gayle got injured and we also lost the toss. I think that they have shown some improvement and I hope that Marlon Samuels has seen that he has the ability to make runs and will continue to improve on his game."
CYPRIAN TAYLOR
"Yes, I think it was a good performance by the West Indies but the team needs to be a lot more disciplined out there on the field because it was the indiscipline of the some of the players which cost us the series."
- R.B.
