World had better watch out!

By Orville Higgins

The West Indies will start their defence of the World Twenty20 title this weekend, and from where I sit, the maroon men are still the team to beat in this format.

The odds must be good that the Caribbean side will defend its title. No other team in world cricket has our hitting power right through the order. Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle are the most explosive opening pair in world cricket in T20s, and no other team can boast a middle to lower order that has the six-hitting muscle of Samuels, Bravo, Sammy, Russell et al.

If the pitches are true and the ball comes on to the bat, the West Indies will be the most dangerous team in the tournament. No two ways about that. I have always felt that West Indies are the best batting team in the world at hitting through the line, especially over limited periods. We may not have the deft touches and the ability to manoeuvre the ball into spaces like some of the other top teams, but when the pitch is true and fast, we are better than anyone at hitting out, especially down the ground.

One of the reasons why West Indies usually do well in Antigua, even when we are an otherwise 'bramble' team, is for precisely the foregoing reason.The Antigua pitch is usually flat and good for batting, and under those conditions, we can hold our own with any team.

The fact that it is in Antigua we achieved the record for the highest fourth-innings run chase; the fact that between Brian Lara and Chris Gayle, three individual scores by West Indians of more than 300 were scored there in recent times, emphasises my point. So if the pitches are flat and true, the West Indies are howling favourites.

If the pitches are not as batsman-friendly, if they are slow and spin, for example, we are not out of it by any means. It will make it more difficult, but we should still be formidable opponents.

BEST SPIN COMBINATION

Narine and Badree are the best spin combination in the world at present in this form of the game. No other country can boast two such dangerous exponents in this format, and if the conditions favour spin, the West Indies should be able to exploit it as well as anyone.

The problem we have is in the pace-bowling department. Rampaul is seen as our number one fast bowler, but his form of late has been erratic. When on song, he is a tricky campaigner. His delivery, for example, that bowled Dilshan in the last World T20 final was near perfect, and sent shock waves through the Sri Lankan batting line-up. When he doesn't get it right, however, he can be a liability, especially in the latter stages of an innings.

Russell would have given this team such a deadly balance if his bowling was consistent. He can be a handful on his day, but remains iffy and tends to experiment too much when he is bowling.

Because Russell can't be relied on and Rampaul isn't in the best of form, it puts greater premium on how Sammy and Bravo bowl. This is the real X factor in this team. If these two have a good tournament with the ball, West Indies will be that much harder to beat.

I would love Santokie to be in this team, but they will start Rampaul ahead of him, I think, at least for the opening salvos. Santokie will get in no other way, which is a pity, because I believe he could be one of the top bowlers in the world in this format, if given the exposure. It's good, though, that he is available to the selectors, and ready to be picked if somebody isn't pulling his weight.

Fielding will be a priority in this tournament, and here we blow hot and cold. Bravo, Russell and Smith are among the best fielders in the game but, on the other hand, Badree and Narine and even Gayle can be ordinary in that department. How the captain utilises his best fielders in the best positions, and 'hides' the weaker ones, will also be key.

I once had my doubts about Ramdin in the T20 format, but his form with the bat has been good lately, and with Narine and Badree likely to play every game, you need your best keeper. Makeshift keepers will find it difficult to keep to these two, and a drop catch or a mis-stumping can be crucial.

All things considered, my money is on the Windies, especially if conditions suit us. The world had better watch out!

Orville Higgins is a sportscaster with KLAS ESPN FM. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.