Kensington Oval should provide a pitch for the first Test against New Zealand, starting Friday, similar to that lauded by West Indies captain Carl Hooper last month as the best in the preceding series against India
Tony Cozier19-Jun-2002Kensington Oval should provide a pitch for the first Test against New Zealand, starting Friday, similar to that lauded by West Indies captain Carl Hooper last month as the best in the preceding series against India.Pitch supervisor Richard Prof Edwards was confident yesterday that everything is ready, adding that preparation by head groundsman Hendy Davis and his staff had not been adversely affected by the current rainy weather.It should be very similar to the pitch for the India Test, he said. With the moisture around, it should have a little juice on the first day and gradually get better for batting.We’ve managed to prepare pitches at Kensington in recent years that are good for cricket, with something for both bowlers and batsmen, and we saw that in the India Test, he pointed out.Sent in, India lost a wicket to the first ball of the match and collapsed to 102 all out on the opening day, more through limp batting than devastating bowling. They never got back into the game as West Indies went on to win by ten wickets.Describing that pitch, Hooper said: If you put your back into it, you got something out of it. But batsmen who applied themselves were able to get some runs.The one for Friday is alongside that used for the Test and the One-Day International against India last month.With the traffic on those pitches, from batsmen running between the wickets, bowlers following through and close fielders, the eastern side has less grass than to the west but it’s not a problem, Edwards said.It looks good, there are no cracks visible, what with the moisture around, and I’d expect it to stand up well, he added. We’ll take some of the grass off before Friday and give it one light sprinkling on Thursday.On all past evidence, the captain who has the coin drop his way should choose to bowl first. The New Zealanders have found helpful first day pitches in each of their three previous Tests at Kensington.In 1972, Garry Sobers ignored a lush green surface and batted on winning the toss. The West Indies were 44 for five by lunch and dismissed for 133, mainly through the big fast bowler Bruce Taylor’s seven for 54.But conditions for batting improved so markedly, New Zealand replied with 422 and the West Indies saved the match by scoring 564 for eight in their second innings through Charlie Davis’ 183, Sobers 142 and their stand of 256.In 1985, a menacing West Indies attack of Malcolm Marshall, Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Winston Davis made the most of the toss, undermining New Zealand at 19 for four on a first day shortened to 19.5 by rain.It became 94 all out next day and, although they batted better second time round to reach 248, they were beaten by ten wickets.It was the same margin by which they lost in 1996 after they were bowled out for 195 on the first day and Sherwin Campbell responded with 208 in West Indies’ 472. But it was not a feared fast bowler who created havoc on the opening day but Jimmy Adams, who claimed five for 17 with his optimistic left-arm spin.Nathan Astle, one of only three of the current team who played in that match (captain Stephen Fleming and Chris Harris are the others), attacked for 125 in New Zealand’s second innings but the effort was in vain.