Are the West Indies back?

I was watching the recently concluded series between Australia and the West Indies and I apart from the one sided first test it was thrilling stuff. The way Chris Gayle played in the second test was fantastic, but it was the 3rd test that really had me watching the series with great interest.

Everyone knows what a great team the West Indies once were, particularly in the 80’s, but there were signs in this test, just like in the 2nd test, that the West Indies may be starting an upward curve, after years of mediocrity. From the century of young Adrian Barath in the 1st test, to the hard earned century by Gayle in the 2nd and the emergence of fast bowler Kemar Roach, the Caribbean’s have shown that they are building a team capable of doing well again. Take Barath for example, whilst batting in the nets as an 11 year old, he was touted by none other than Brian Lara, as being a star for the future. Scoring that century on debut showed that Lara was certainly right. Then the there is the way Chris Gayle has lead the side. He has lead the team from the front, first scoring an almost match winning century against his normal aggressive instincts and then secondly hitting the 5th fastest test century in test history. He has the team believing in themselves again, shown by how they came close to winning the 2nd test and also by how they fought back after the Aussies scored 520/7 dec. in the first innings. They went on to bowl the Australians out for just 150 in the 2nd innings and came within 35 runs of levelling the series.

So although they may have lost the series 2-0, but it could have been so much different had they won that second test, or had Chanderpaul, Barath and Fidel Edwards been available. The talent is certainly there, with the experience of Gayle, Chanderpaul, Bravo and Sarwan, and quality youngsters like Roach, Barath, Dowlin, Deonarine, Nash it is certainly looking brighter for West Indies cricket and that can only be good for cricket!