(This piece refers to the first Test between West Indies and Australia in Jamaica.
Brief Scores
Australia 431 and 17 for 4 (Powell 2-4, Edwards 2-11) lead West Indies 312 (Chanderpaul 118, Morton 67, Clark 3-59, Lee 3-63) by 136 runs)
"It's them against us to the end of time"
The above sentence was said to me many years ago by a long-time Windies supporter while watching one our many home-series duels against Australia. England shall always bring other emotions to the table but the last forty-five years has seen only Australia or West Indies regarded as top dog. I've always thought the world was a happier place when we were in the castle as the well documented values of the guys down under have never been my cup of tea but that opinion can easily viewed as smug bias.
Regardless, like India v. Pakistan, the contests continue to pull the best out of both teams and while it all often boils over in spits, sledges and snarls, the world has been provided with a tied test, a WC final to die for, the world record fourth innings chase, Kim Hughes reduced to tears and Lara ascended to the pantheon time (277) and time (213) and time (153) again. And then the heroics of Simpson, Sobers, Chappell, Lillee, Thommo, Richards, Ambrose and Waugh.
Windies, while resurgent, are a now a long ways away from the kingdom (forget about the castle) but over the last three days, the world has again been treated to a slew of 'out-of-skin' performances.
Come Sunday afternoon, the first Test match of the series shall be dusted if not completely done with already three more performances to be discussed through the ages:
1. The Ponting century. All grit and technique. Unstoppable from ball one until he was stopped by Parchment's impossible catch.
2. The Chanderapaul century. All grit and technique and simply unimaginable pride.
3. The Oz collapse. Well I'll leave that for the media scribes to pore over granted Symmonds is still due.
Make no mistake, it's 2008 and while the ICC rankings scream a walk-over it may as well be 1960-61 and this is going to be a series to keep your eyes on to its end.
(Click here to know more about Jonathan)