KEY POINTS:
Each national cricket team to visit New Zealand brings its' individual identity.
One of the beauties of the game is that teams are not peas from a pod, and thank goodness for that, variety being the spice and all that.
Think of India, and its wristy batsmen and twirly spinners, starting with Bishen Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and co in the 1960s and 1970s, to the modern era of Harbhajan Singh.
South Africa? Hard men who bowled fast and aggressively and batsmen
who accumulated rather than thrilled, save Graeme Pollock 40 years ago.
Ditto Australia, who provide the real crunch at the top of the world game.
And what of the West Indies? Big, seriously fast bowlers and spectacular
batsmen. The current tourists, who start their tour against Auckland in a three-dayer at Eden Park today, have much to live up to.
When they were here last, two years ago, things went pear-shaped. New Zealand won the first two test matches, the third was virtually a washout at Napier, and the one-dayers were taken out 4-1.
It was different on the West Indies' first two tours to New Zealand.
In 1951-52 they arrived as mysterious figures only read about. There was no Sky Sports back then. Names like Frank Worrell, Everton Weekes, Clyde
Walcott, Sonny Ramadhin and Alf Valentine conjured up exotic images.
Ramadhin, an offspinner who bowled with his shirt sleeves buttoned at the wrist, was a particular mystery.
One New Zealand batsman of the time, after attempting to play a few overs, reckoned he was none the wiser about what was coming at him.
He had what is euphemistically called an interesting action. A few
years back, one of his contemporaries was asked about the quirks of his
action and how he'd be assessed these days.
Better leave old ghosts alone, the West Indian replied with a slow smile.
Four years later they were back and thumped New Zealand in the first three tests. The dashing Weekes - the only one of the celebrated three W's to return - hit hundreds in each of those tests.
But come Eden Park in March 1956, and New Zealand tasted test success
for the first time in 27 years of trying.
New Zealand left the tourists 268 to win. When Weekes hit a steepler to be caught inside the boundary by Noel McGregor it was all over. Dismissed for 77, New Zealand rejoiced.
Thirteen years later Garry Sobers brought his team out, and the series was shared 1-1, but 11 years on times had changed. Clive Lloyd's tourists, weary from another excursion around Australia, lost an
acrimonious series 1-0, the decisive result coming at Carisbrook when New Zealand squeaked their way to 104 for nine and a one-wicket victory.
A few days later at Lancaster Park, the West Indies, bitter at the
umpiring and wanting to find a plane home, briefly threatened to pack their bags at a tea interval, Colin Croft shoulder-charged umpire Fred Goodall and when they departed after the drawn final test, no one
was sorry to see them go.
The 1987 tour ended 1-all, after Gordon Greenidge's memorable double century at Eden Park put the West Indies ahead, only for Richard Hadlee and Ewen Chatfield to roll the tourists for 100 in the first innings in
the final test in Christchurch to set up a five-wicket win.
They got New Zealand in disarray in 1995, straight off the the disastrous sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll tour to South Africa earlier that season and gave New Zealand a fearful thumping at the Basin Reserve.
Three centuries in a total of 660 for five declared led to an innings and 322-run flogging. Courtney Walsh enjoyed himself though,
with staggering match figures of 36-15-55-13.
But by 1999 the tide had turned. The West Indies were in deep trouble and New Zealand cruised to a 2-0 series win along with a 5-0
sweep of the one-dayers.
So what will the current tour offer?
The two teams are at a low ebb. The West Indies have just overtaken New Zealand on the International Cricket Council standings, in seventh. New Zealand, after their loss in Australia, are eighth, with only Bangladesh behind them.
However, a series win to New Zealand will put them back in seventh, if you're after success in small steps.
The West Indies will lean heavily for runs on Shivnarine Chanderpaul,
the ICC's player of the year, who has been in a purple patch of form, and captain Chris Gayle. Both are lefthanders, but with significantly different styles.
The three senior fast bowlers, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor and Daren
Powell, are likely to spearhead the job of taking 20 wickets in each test.
Left arm spinner Sulieman Benn stands 2.03m and shapes as an interesting
proposition, but they are missing their outstanding allrounder Dwayne Bravo, which will hurt. Then again, it could open the door for someone else to make a name for themselves.
But New Zealand, in home conditions, provided they put the travails in Australia firmly behind them, should fancy their prospects. Still,
expect a fascinating contest.
