Cricket: Franklin KOs West Indies

First off, an apology.

In common with other newspapers we may have been guilty of running a series of articles suggesting the West Indies are not yet the new Messiahs, and that the days of Brian Lara walking on water may be numbered.

To be honest, this assessment was based only on proceedings during the first test and didn't take into account the West Indies' previous six losses, or their record of avoiding defeat three times in the past 16 outings.

It wasn't until the end of the opening test at Auckland, when West Indies coach Bennett King chided the Herald for our lack of "positivity", that we were able to fully appreciate the error of our ways and determine a better course of action.

With caps in hand, we now unreservedly accept that the West Indies are a top-billing combination; that they would be giant-killers, but for the incorrect alignment of the planets, and that they've fallen on hard times only because of umpiring incompetence.

Furthermore, it's time to agree with Lara's observation that it would be churlish to offer any critical analysis of this summer's Dream Team, when everyone knows that New Zealand's cricketing heritage is so profoundly inferior.

So, in the interests of being positive, it has to be reported that the West Indies performed wonderfully well on the first day of the second test, scrambling through to 182 for eight, thanks to a half-century from Runako Morton.

It was a difficult time for the tourists, who were first rocked by the unexpected withdrawal (through illness) of New Zealand kingpin Shane Bond, and then by the pressure of opting for first use of a consistent Basin Reserve surface.

Bond was pulled at the last minute after feeling progressively unwell during the warm-ups, leaving the West Indies facing the less-threatening prospect of pace trio James Franklin, Chris Martin and the recalled Kyle Mills.

Or so they must have thought.

The temptation is to dwell on the head-shaking lapses in batsmanship and the lack of genuine organisation on show yesterday as the understrength New Zealand attack took an early stranglehold on the game.

But to keep King happy, attention will instead be focused on Franklin, who responded to his team's injury crisis with his third five-wicket bag in tests, and was made to look virtually unplayable on a weather-shortened opening day.

Having watched the West Indies leap out to a confident start, Franklin tempted Chris Gayle and Lara to chase his outswinger, trapped Dawyne Bravo in front and bowled Denesh Ramdin, before winning another lbw shout against Morton.

At the other end, Daren Ganga leg-glanced a Mills delivery directly to Brendon McCullum, Shiv Chanderpaul was incorrectly judged caught behind by umpire Daryl Harper, and Rawl Lewis was expertly caught at slip by Stephen Fleming.

On any other day, Gayle would stand accused of reckless disregard, Lara of playing as if he's already retired and Ramdin of being impetuous, but as King pointed out, this would be to ignore the positive aspects of the performance.

Morton was, at least, the real deal, demonstrating a method and assuredness about his approach that belied his two test background, and should've stood out as an ideal example for his more experienced team-mates.

The 27-year-old Leeward Islander occupied the crease for nearly three hours while collecting his 63, looking composed in the crisis and proficient enough to strike 11 fours, and a six off Daniel Vettori.

All his good work, however, was undone by Franklin.

"I was fortunate enough to take the lion's share of the wickets but you've got to commend Millsy and Chris Martin for their sterling work into the wind," Franklin said last night.

"I think we bowled well as a unit.

"The score says it all. They won the toss, elected to bat and are 182 for eight. That's a good start."