A year of extremes

Pinnacles and troughs featured heavily on the West Indian cricket landscape in 2004. Two home series against England and then Bangladesh produced spectacular steeples and mortifying challenges. England's long tour, from March to May, started with crushing win in the first Test at Sabina Park where Steve Harmison announced his arrival with 7 for 12 as West Indies crashed to a demoralising 47.

The second Test at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad ended with team manager, Ricky Skerritt, quitting in despair and calls for captain Brian Lara's resignation. The third Test at Barbados saw England replanting its flag amidst a Matthew Hoggard hat-trick. Only two runs separated the teams in the first innings but West Indies were bowled out for 94 in the second and England reached the target with the loss of two wickets. Antigua provided magic turf for the retrieval of the world record from the beleaguered Lara as he constructed an incredible innings of 400 not out to repeat his feat of ten years before at the same ground. It went a long way to restoring some face to West Indians apprehending a whitewash on home turf.

The seven one-dayers to follow were reduced to four after unseasonal rains washed out game after game, leaving the West Indies Cricket Board more than US$1million short of gate receipts and the scores tied at 2-2.

By the time Bangladesh arrived in June, there were complaints of weariness, which may have contributed to the lacklustre performance at Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia that saw Bangladesh pile up a first innings total of 416 to the West Indian 352 and left the match drawn, despite Chris Gayle's 141 and 66 not out. Lara was criticised for doggedly persisting with spinners on the fast track, although it was felt he was protesting the selectors' choice of a spin-oriented attack. The Windies won the second Test at Sabina Park, after scoring 559 for 4 declared, and Pedro Collins taking six for 53.

But a depressing whitewash followed during the long and arduous tour to England. The batting continued to cave in and Engalnd needed only a run in their last innings to notch up their seventh straight Test win.

That humiliation complete, the West Indies moved on to the NatWest series with England and New Zealand, after twice beating England with Ramnaresh Sarwan scoring 89 and Gayle 132 not out to take them to meet the winners, New Zealand in the finals, which they lost.

All the while, the cacophony of West Indian voices quarrelling and venting solutions to the zigzags of the team filled the air. It took the ICC Champions Trophy to distil some harmony. A team more carefully blended with experience and youthful potential came together to work its way steadfastly into a final showdown with England. During a thrilling encounter with Pakistan Lara was floored by a Shoaib Akhtar neck jab that left him frighteningly still on the ground for long moments, Wavell Hinds took two wickets in four balls and Sarwan carried the team home with a beautifully played unbeaten half century.

The September 25th final was intense and unpredictable, teetering this way and that until it all seemed decided with West Indies at 147 for 8 chasing 218. Under gloomy skies like hangovers from the hurricanes that had devastated Grenada and other parts of the Caribbean, the last, improbable stance was taken by the ninth-wicket partnership of Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw who put on 71 runs to lift the trophy to an astonished world.

As the year looked to end on a high note, another snag hit the fan. This time it was off the field as preparations for the 2005 VB series in Australia began. The West Indies Cricket Board changed its major sponsors from its long time partner, telecoms giant, Cable & Wireless, to its newest Caribbean rival, Digicel. New contracts provided the ammunition for a battle between the WICB and the players' association, WIPA, as the two sides squared off over contentious clauses relating to endorsement agreements and individual deals with the former sponsor C&W. The matter was eventually put into the hands of an arbitrator, who has somewhat smoothed the situation but not enough to make it clear if the tour to Australia is on or not.

In April it was heavy rains and brilliant sunshine, and September was certainly one to remember, but 2004 will go down in memory like the hurricane season, full of extremes.

Chris Gayle dominated matches with powerful strokes and exciting batting, while his bowling was tidy and effective, making him a thrilling and consistent performer.

Ramnaresh Sarwan has tempered some of his recklessness and is playing with more consistency and class, carrying responsibility with more aplomb and ease.

West Indies in 2004
	MATCHES	WON	LOST	DRAWN-NR
TESTS	12	1	8	3
ODI	24	12	8	4