Test previews / Ed Hawkins / 09 June 2010 /

After a horror show in the one-day series, West Indies look to bounce back on Thursday in Trinidad in the first Test of three. Ed Hawkins does not rate their chances against a powerful South Africa unit

Team news
Just over a year ago the patient appeared to be on the road to recovery; sitting up, a healthy glow and the prognosis good. Since a 1-0 home Test series defeat of England 1-0, however, West Indies cricket has suffered a major relapse. They remain in a parlous state.

That much is obvious from the pool of players they have available for this three-Test series, which starts in Trinidad on Thursday. For a start there is no cut and thrust in the bowling with Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor absent while middle-order ballast Ramnaresh Sarwan is injured. Adrian Barath, who scored an impressive debut century in Brisbane, has been dropped.

Instead West Indies will look to Kemar Roach, Ravi Rampaul, Nelon Pascal, Darren Sammy and Dwayne Bravo for 20 wickets. Whatever permutation they go with, it will be the tamest of attacks. Bravo's brother, Darren, could make his debut in the middle order.

South Africa inflicted a 5-0 whitewash on West Indies in the preceding one-day series. They must decide between Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy in the middle order. Alviro Petersen should open with Graeme Smith. With the ball, the selectors must pick either Charl Langevedldt or Ryan McLaren for the final spot. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are nailed on.

Venue and conditions
In keeping with the home side's prospects in this series, the forecast is not great. Heavy rain is expected for the first three days at the Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain. A bit of moisture could be a blessing for a surface which was dreadfully bland for the last Test played there.

West Indies and England both passed 500 in first innings last year and the resulting stalemate was only the second in 15 Tests at the venue. The first-innings average in the last five is 391, although it would be fair to suspect that a batsman's paradise has been prepared as the hosts attempt to stay in the contest.

This is reflected in the prices for South Africa runs. They are as short as [2.0] for 500 or more. West Indies might be value at the same price for 100 runs fewer.

Match odds
Quite rightly West Indies have been written off for this contest. At [7.6] they have a myriad of problems. The conundrum of taking 20 wickets aside, there is also unrest in the camp with the unruly Sulieman Benn having to be sent from the field by skipper Chris Gayle in the last ODI for, would you believe, not doing as he was told.

Ill-discipline has played a part, too, in West Indies' dreadful record of only one win in their last 17 series. They won in Trinidad two games ago - against Sri Lanka - but that team included Taylor and Edwards. Oh how they miss them.

South Africa are as big as [2.0] thanks to the poor weather forecast, which has forced the draw down to [2.54]. The latter could look a very big price indeed when the rain is falling. Overnight rain also hinders the chance of a result.

Featured market
Thanks to the weather there could be a value back-to-lay option on the series outright. In a three-Test series, any sign of a stalemate brings the draw crashing in. The [5.5] could be worth a nibble. South Africa are as sleight as [1.21] with West Indies [13.00].

Top batsman
Smith, Jacques Kallis and AB De Villiers are more eye-catching players but there can be no doubt that of the South Africa batting contingent, Hashim Amla is a man we want to get with. He is in tremendous form.

Amla top-scored in the one-day series between the sides and in the last 12 months in Test cricket he has put his teammates in the shade. The right-hander has amassed 801 runs, dwarfing Kallis (566) his nearest rival. He is likely to be around the [5.50] mark for top first-innings bat.

Smith will be favourite. He top scored the last time South Africa were in the Caribbean (a 2-0 win) in 2005. In second spot was AB De Villiers with 460 runs, 45 behind Smith.

The West Indies batting line-up are an untrustworthy lot at the best of times. Chris Gayle is their top bat over the last 12 months with 346 runs. Shiv Chanderpaul, the only man worth risking faith, made 450 runs when the sides met in 2005.

Ed Hawkins says: Back H Amla for top SA bat at 5.50 or better

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