Gayle is back for 3rd Test

CAPE TOWN, South Africa: With the captain having already stuck his neck out in boldly predicting that there will be no whitewash this time around, the West Indies look set to gamble in a bid to halt South Africa’s quest for a series-clinching victory in the third cricket Test beginning at the Newlands Stadium today. Although he has still not fully recovered from a torn left hamstring sustained three weeks ago on the opening day of the four-match series, Chris Gayle is set to resume his position at the top of the batting order. Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who aggravated a left thigh injury during the second Test at Durban, but still compiled a second innings century, may be retained given the gutsy left-hander’s renowned fighting qualities.
     
Mindful of their opponents’ expected tactical switch in light of anticipated pitch and weather conditions, the visitors are also entertaining the thought of a Test debut for unorthodox left-arm spin bowler Dave Mohammed. Trailing 0-2 in the four-Test series and with little time to recover from the energy-sapping heat of Durban, Brian Lara is mindful that his team faces another searching examination at Newlands, where sellout crowds over the first three days will be looking to give the hosts an added lift in the quest to make the West Indies captain eat his words. ‘“The guys realised we let ourselves down in Durban,” said Lara in referring to the spate of dropped catches and loose bowling that allowed the South Africans to score at over four runs per over. “I think sometimes when you are under pressure, a lot of things fall away. Even if we find ourselves in an adverse situation, we have to maintain a certain level. The guys realise that and we’ve worked really hard in the last couple of days to try to set things right.” The likely batting combination will see Gayle and Daren Ganga opening, with Wavell Hinds dropped down the order given his struggles against the new  ball, taking the place of Carlton Baugh, who was out of his depth as a specialist batsman a few days ago.

Mohammed failed to impress sufficiently against Border in the tour match that preceded the second Test, conceding 85 runs in 17 overs despite taking three wickets. But the 23-year-old gives the captain an added option that he considers necessary. “Both teams missed a spin bowler after the freshness of the first day in Durban and we are definitely going to take that into consideration,” Lara suggested as his team practised in bright, breezy conditions in the nets at Newlands on Thursday. In that context, Lara would have been reassured by hearing that Graeme Smith has all but confirmed that Paul Adams, a bowler of similar style to Mohammed, but with a much more convoluted action, will be the only change to the South African team from the side that completed an innings and 65-run victory at Durban on Monday. Questioned about Lara’s boast that there will be no repeat of the whitewash suffered by the Caribbean team five years ago, the home captain cautiously skirted the issue, preferring instead to warn of the potential for a West Indian backlash.

“Their pride is hurt, and when a team’s pride is hurt they can really bounce back and bite you,” said Smith. “This Test match is what we are focusing on now. We’ve got a bit of time after to get ready for the final one at Centurion. If we win this match, we win the series. That’s the priority for us right now.” Andrew Hall, who disappointed with the ball despite getting the crucial wicket of Lara on what proved to be the last day at Durban, is expected to make way for Adams, the 26-year-old veteran of 43 Tests, who will not be lacking in support on his home ground. Barring an unforeseen and dramatic twist in the forecasted weather pattern, the prevailing conditions virtually mandate that whoever wins the toss should bat first in the hope of piling up a massive score and capitalise on any deterioration of the pitch in the later stages with the specialist spinner. Yet for a team haunted by such alarming inconsistencies and an increasingly woeful record away from home, the West Indies cannot escape the tag of underdogs against a South African side seemingly preoccupied with closing the gap between themselves and Australia as the top teams in the world.

Teams: SOUTH AFRICA (probable): Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs,  Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Neil McKenzie, Mark Boucher,  Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Paul Adams, Andre Nel. WEST INDIES (from): Brian Lara (capt), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Smith, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Adam Sanford, Dave Mohammed, Corey Collymore and Fidel Edwards.
UMPIRES: Srinavasa Venkataraghavan, Darrell Harper (TV Replays: Bruce Jerling).