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Change Your Life! |
All eyes on Courtney |
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News |
March 24, 2000
Kinston, Mar 23: Courtney Walsh will be looking to break the world record for the most wickets in Test cricket when the second match of two against Zimbabwe starts at Sabina Park on Friday, reports AFP.
Walsh captured four wickets in the opening Test in Trinidad to move to 430 wickets in 113 Tests. He needs two to overtake second-placed Sir Richard Hadlee of New Zealand on the all-time list and five to pass India's Kapil Dev at the top.
"It will be a dream come true to get the record and I will be very, very happy if I can get the five wickets in Jamaica," Walsh said on Monday at the first of a series of testimonial dinners to be held across the Caribbean in his honor.
"What is important is that the West Indies win the Test match. If I get the record, I would be personally satisfied, but very disappointed if the team does not win the Test match," he said.
Jamaicans are expected to attend the match, dubbed "A Dedication Our Cuddy" in large numbers over the five days in support of the 37-year-old fast bowler.
"It has been a life I would not trade because the people have made me feel it was worth it" Walsh said.
The West Indies Cricket Board is making a contribution of one dollar from each ticket sold for the test to the Courtney Walsh Appreciation Fund.
"This is a tangible expression of appreciation of Walsh's outstanding service to West Indies cricket,' noted a news release from the WICB.
Apart from the hype connected to Walsh, the battling of both West Indies and Zimbabwe will be under the microscope.
Neither side equipped themselves well in opining Test at Trinida's Qween's Park Oval, where West Indies completed a miraculous 35-run triumph after setting Zimbabwe a most target of 99.
"We
should have scored more runs, but what I want to stress is that
this Is an ongoing process, Jimmy Adams, the West Indies captain, told
reporters after the match in which his side could only muster totals of
187 and 147. "We
want to develop an environment that will bring consistently good
cricket. I would be lying if I said the environment is there, but it is
going to take time." Andy
Flower, captain of Zimbabwe,
scored a century to give his
side a modest first innings lead, but Monday's debacle will leave the
Africans questioning their batting . ‘’Our
batting 0ver the year or so has not been consistent enough," Flower
said. "Again
it showed that is where we are a little weak. I do not think our batting
in this match was up to scratch." West
Indies are likely to stick to the maxim that if it is not broke, do not
fix it. As
they capitulated in Trinidad, the wisdom of seven batsmen capable of
batting left-handed in the final 11 was questioned. It
is felt that Ricardo Powell should be included in the side to offer some
variety to the line up, but it will be hard to find a place for him after
southpaw new boys Chris Gayle and Wavel Hinds shaped up, well in Trinidad.
He
will be hoping for much more from his brother Grant, former captain
Alistair Campbell and the confident Murray Goodwin. And though Trevor
Gripper batted resolutely, Zimbabwe will hope he can add some real beef to
the total. While
West Indies are likely to keep faith with their four pronged pace attack.
Zimbabwe might consider tinkering with their attack. Heath Streak was head and shoulders above the rest of the Zimbabwe bowlers with nine wickets in the match, but he lacked support from Henry Olonga. Mpumelelo Mbangwa, Brian Murphy and Neil Johnson, whose contributions were sporadic. Fast-medium bowlers Bryan Strang (left-arm) and Andy Blignaut are two choices available to captain Flower . Unlike
two years ago when the opening Test between West Indies and England was
abandoned, the pitch has behaved it-self and Adams will have fond memories
of his match-winning partnership with Brian Lara against Australia last
year. SQUADS WEST
INDIES: Jimmy Adams
(captain), Sherwin Campbell (vice-captain), Adrian Griffith, Chris Gayle,
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Wavel Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Curtly Ambrose,
Franklyn Rose, Reon King. Courtney Walsh, Ricardo Powell, Nehemiah Perry .
ZIMBABWE
(from): Andy Flower
(captain), Heath Streak (vice-captain), Grant Flower , Neil Johnson,
Trevor Gripper, Murray Goodwin, Alistair
Umpires: Eddie Nicholls,Athar Zaidi.
Source: The Daily Star |