23 May 1999
West Indies get back Ambrose
Tony Cozier in Dublin
Curtly Ambrose, who took off Friday's match against Bangladesh here
to rest a sore bowling shoulder, is ready to return to the West
Indies team for tomorrow's critical Group B World Cup encounter with
confident New Zealand in Southampton.
Ambrose, the crafty 35-year-old veteran of 162 One-day Internationals
and two previous World Cup campaigns, bowled in the nets with no
signs of discomfort here yesterday during team practice at the
Clontarf Cricket Club where the West Indies had comfortably beaten
Bangladesh the day before. "The problem really is in throwing from
the outfield," manager Clive Lloyd said. "He aggravated the shoulder
in the match against Pakistan and, with the weather as cold as it was
on Friday, we felt it wasn't worth risking any further damage.''
"The New Zealand match is vital and he is ready and keen for that,''
Lloyd said it was unlikely that Keith Arthurton, who sprained his
left ankle while fielding in the first match, would be considered fit
enough to return against New Zealand. "He has made very good progress
but it would probably be too much of a risk putting him in just
yet,'' Lloyd said.
Ambrose and his long-time partner, Courtney Walsh, are key to the
West Indies' hopes with their skill with the new white ball and their
experience of the typical English early season conditions that have
favoured the fast bowlers.
In what is certainly their last World Cup, and in an environment that
favours them both physically and technically, they are anxious to
enjoy a grand finale.
Ambrose had one for 36 from his 10 overs in the opener against
Pakistan, Walsh's 20 overs so far have yielded seven wickets and cost
a mere 52 runs. The problem has been their lack of support and the
proliferation of wides sent down by the other bowlers in both
matches, 48 in all.
Each time, the opposition has been in early trouble but captain Brian
Lara has had neither the resources nor the confidence to press home
the advantage.
Pakistan were 46 for four after 20 overs and recovered to reach 229
for eight, scoring 127 off the last 20 overs, 83 off the last 10.
Lowly Bangladesh were 55 for four in the 23rd over and totalled 182.
The selection of only three main bowlers and the injury that limited
Arthurton's usually steady, slow-medium left-arm stuff to one over
were handicaps in Bristol. But, in both matches, nothing has been
more bothersome than the lack of control once Walsh and Ambrose were
taken off.. In the circumstances, captain Brian Lara has been
reluctant to try to press home an early advantage with attacking
field placing. Instead, he has tended to protect the boundaries to
concede the singles and twos once the restrictions are lifted after
15 overs. The New Zealanders have been buoyed by their victory over
neighbours and traditional arch-rivals Australia.
They beat the second favourites by five wickets in Cardiff on
Thursday.
It followed their expected win over Bangladesh in their opener on
Monday and a third triumph over the West Indies, with Pakistan and
Scotland to play, would virtually see them through to the second
round, the Super Sixes.
A loss would not necessarily eliminate the West Indies whose last two
matches are against Scotland in Leicester on Thursday and Australia
in Manchester nest Sunday. But it would leave them dependent on the
results of other matches.
They fly to Southampton early this morning and, once they get there,
will keenly follow on television another critical match in their
group, Australia against Pakistan at Headingley.
As things stand, they should be cheering on the Pakistanis.
Source :: The Trinidad Express