Pollock cautious over Caribbean Test prospects

It would appear to be a Caribbean mismatch.

South Africa, unbeaten in their last eight tests, against a West Indies side most recently trounced 5-0 in their Test series in Australia.

Yet South Africa's captain Shaun Pollock sounded a note of caution as his side prepared for a five-test tour of the West Indies starting on Sunday.

"I'm not forgetting the way they came back after we whipped them (5-0 in South Africa in 1998-99)," Pollock said shortly before his squad flew to Guyana.

He was recalling the way West Indies picked themselves up on their return home early in 1999 and drew a four-test series with Australia 2-2.

Pollock said of the low ebb into which West Indies have now fallen: "They're obviously searching for a bit of confidence and something to spark them into a recovery.

"Sport is a very strange thing; in cricket a single good shot, or lucky break, can really turn something on its head.

"The whole squad will have spent some time at home, they'll have played in their domestic competitions and they'll all have spent some quality time at the crease, with bat or ball.

"Put it this way, I genuinely believe their confidence will be a lot higher when we get there than it was after their Australia tour."

OVERWHELMING VICTORIES

Despite Pollock's natural reluctance to trumpet his team's chances, South Africa must go into the five-test series as favourites.

Their domestic summer was a succession of overwhelming victories against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, which provided the perfect environment for several of the country's younger names to establish themselves at the highest level.

Makhaya Ntini found rhythm and control to match his unquestioned pace and finished the season second only to Pollock as South Africa's leading wicket-taker. He can bowl lengthy spells on pitches offering little to the fast bowlers.

Neil McKenzie and Boeta Dippenaar scored their maiden test hundreds, against New Zealand.

McKenzie now has two centuries and is settled in the middle-order. Dippenaar was sacrificed to allow Herschelle Gibbs to return from a ban imposed during South Africa's match-fixing inquiry, but he can bat anywhere in the top six.

Encouraging as the emergence of new faces has been, the more experienced players are still the fulcrum of the side.

Allan Donald will be expected to lead the attack with Pollock, although the succession of injuries which have plagued him over the past three months are legitimate cause for concern. He is the only survivor from the party which toured West Indies in 1992, following South Africa's return to the international arena.

Gary Kirsten was there as a spectator, but this time both he and Daryll Cullinan will be the engine-room of the South African batting, along with Jacques Kallis.

With Mark Boucher the only wicketkeeper in the squad of 16, the vice-captain is under extra pressure to stay fit.

With Paul Adams and Nicky Boje offering intriguing options in the spin department, the South African cupboard would appear to be full. It will need to be, too, if the squad are to compete successfully over 11 weeks away from home.

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