Butcher confident of West Indies tour success, Viv disagrees

Monday, February 23, 2004

LONDON, England:  Mark Butcher believes England can overturn both short-term and long-term history on their forthcoming West Indies tour, according to Britain's Press Association.

However, they have not triumphed in the Caribbean for 36 years, a stretch of six series, five of which have been lost.

"Touring is a difficult business; not a lot of sides win on the road and that is because it is so hard to do," said Butcher, 31, ahead of flying to Jamaica on Wednesday.

Surrey batsman Butcher is one of only three tourists to have played Test cricket in the Caribbean - Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe are the others - and returns in the belief that England can match the exploits of Colin Cowdrey's 1967-68 tourists.

"Winning Test matches in the Caribbean is a huge achievement and I don't think that lessens it as an achievement because their side are not as good as they were in the past," said Butcher.

But the recent decline of the former kings of world cricket, including another comprehensive defeat in South Africa, has led to optimism ahead of the third leg of the winter schedule.

However, in a report by Britain's Independent newspaper, Sir Vivian Richards, chairman of the West Indies selectors, could not quite bring himself to countenance an England win. "It's going to be very competitive. Both teams know what it's like to lose, but our guys won't want to give up that record [against England]."

"There is a whole lot of ability round here," he said last week as he sized up his probable squad to face England in the next two months. "I'm taking it step by step. There are disappointments in the job, but I'm enthusiastic about things, passionate that we can be competitive regularly.

"Our performances in South Africa did not stand out but I believe we came up against a very strong side playing with a lot of purpose. Our guys can be competitive, but they have to learn about collectiveness, that the team is a whole package."

He hinted that he will not be afraid to make changes in the Test side for the England series. The leading domestic wicket-taker, Tino Best, who had a harrowing debut against Australia (0 for 99 in 20 overs), is in his reckoning again, and "there's a few guys in their 20s I've seen". The overwhelming probability is that Brian Lara will be retained as captain, for he has carried the team. But Richards mischievously refused to rubber-stamp him until he and his panel had discussed the position.

The chairman is prepared to play a hunch. Witness his inspired selection of the 21-year-old Dwayne Smith, who made a coruscating 93-ball maiden century in his debut Test in South Africa. But there is a shortage of quality bowlers, and Richards may be guilty of over-optimism.

"In South Africa the bowling didn't particularly come to the party and now they've got to learn quickly, yet not be expected to change it all around overnight. The game is still important in the Caribbean but it's like everything, winning is what counts. Look at what rugby has done in England."

Richards is not keen to criticise previous regimes that might have let West Indies cricket stagnate, but he has made his feelings clear in the past. The lack of investment in the future has led to the present crisis, and the fact that the Under-19 team were dismissed for 88 in the Junior World Cup on Friday does not bespeak overriding strength round the corner. Richards is keen to encourage contributions by former players such as Courtney Walsh who could help to lend the bowlers discipline. Walsh was bemoaning only the other day his lack of involvement.

"There is a lot of pressure on the guys and to some extent we're all under pressure," said Richards. 

Richards is still fêted throughout the Caribbean, and his status in his native Antigua is still closer to God than human. But as mere chairman he is aware that he will have to come up with a winning combination soon. The steady, inexorable decline that has seen West Indies slip to eighth in the world and be constantly lamentable away from home cannot go on much longer. Otherwise, implosion is inevitable.

The West Indies need to find players but they also need to rediscover self-belief. The man who may have to provide them with both is Viv.

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