The teams have moved on to Trinidad and the big question for Darren Sammy's West Indies side is how they can recover from the disappointment of losing a Test that was there for them to win. For the first three days at Kensington Oval, West Indies were on top. When they dismissed Michael Hussey early on the fourth morning and held a 200-run lead with only four more Australian wickets to take in the first innings, West Indies were in a position from which they simply should not have lost the match. But Australia's fighting qualities, Michael Clarke's aggressive declaration and the home side's fragility combined to create a memorable finale to the Test, as Australia bowled West Indies out cheaply a second time and then chased down 192 with the light fading late on the fifth afternoon.
Sammy and the coach Ottis Gibson must find a way to instil belief in West Indies players whose confidence was shot by those last two days in Barbados. The spin-friendly conditions in Trinidad might help them, for Devendra Bishoo bowled well in the first Test without reaping significant rewards, while Nathan Lyon did not have his finest Test and needs to regain his self-confidence. Most importantly, West Indies have to find a way to play out five days of a Test at high quality. In 2008, they matched Australia for a few days of each Test but were always let down by a trough at some point in the game. It happened again in Barbados last week.
Australia can take a lot from the way they fought back from a losing position. Theirs is a side with a mixture of experience and youth, and they have now won five Tests in a row, and have not lost since New Zealand surprised them in Hobart in early December. Clarke's captaincy credentials were already high but have been boosted further by his declaration from behind in Bridgetown, in an effort to force a result, and his confidence appears to be rubbing off on his men. If they win in Trinidad they will retain the Frank Worrell Trophy and will win the series, so West Indies cannot afford to be slow out of the blocks in this match.
– Agencies
