Cricket: Windies' tough task to recoup glory days

The West Indies have long been the rest of the world's "second favourite" cricket team.

Whether it was the 1950s line-up featuring the "3Ws" (Everton Weekes, Frank Worrell and Clyde Walcott), the Garfield Sobers-inspired side of the 1960s or Clive Lloyd's world beaters of the 1970s and 1980s, cricket lovers have long admired the West Indies' exuberant play.

Now, all they want them to do is recapture some of those glory days.

Certainly, if it was a matter of global sentiment, it would be the West Indies - not England - who were the world's No1-ranked test side.

Unfortunately for the current generation of Caribbean cricketers, living up to the standards set by the greats of yesteryear has proved a tough task.

There was plenty of grit, if not much in the way of batting flair, on show during the first test against England at Lord's but that couldn't prevent the West Indies losing by five wickets yesterday. But the determination of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who batted for more than 10 hours for scores of 87 not out and 91, as well as the promise of fast bowlers Kemar Roach and debutant Shannon Gabriel, hinted at better days ahead.

A series of disputes involving the West Indies Cricket Board has left the squad without several senior players, notably former captain and opening batsman Chris Gayle, and the lucrative Indian Premier League has not helped their prospects.

It's all left fans elsewhere feeling rather protective. Now, West Indies captain Darren Sammy is keen to reward well-wishers with wins rather than laudable losses.

"Fans want to see West Indies back on top because the flair we bring to cricket - the excitement, it's all fun to watch," he said.

"We as a team know that and we are doing everything we can to get better and we are going to continue to try hard."

At 2-10 and 4-57 chasing 191 to win, England were rocking and home captain Andrew Strauss said: "You only have to see the way they ran Australia very close to know they are a very competitive side.

"We were under no illusions about that."

Meanwhile, the fact that the West Indies took the game into the fifth day gave Sammy grounds for guarded optimism ahead of the second test at Trent Bridge.

"We are quite pleased. We were told no fifth-day tickets were printed, but we showed a never-say-die attitude and produced some good performances," he said.

"No one gave us a chance and we kept coming back."

- AAP