DURBAN, South Africa - (CMC)- Already bedevilled by a succession of injuries that have significantly depleted their effectiveness, the West Indies endured a few anxious hours on Christmas Eve as they sweated over the prospect of being without their captain and premier batsman for the critical Second Test of the series against South Africa beginning tomorrow.
Brian Lara sustained what was initially diagnosed as bruising on the left forearm as he tried to take evasive action from a lifting delivery in the midst of the tourists' lengthy session in the middle at Kingsmead yesterday.
The blow, inflicted by an Under-19 seamer supplied by host province Kwa-Zulu Natal, forced the Trinidadian to drop the bat and curtail his knock immediately.
The sight of the skipper writhing in agony on the outfield and then having his arm placed in a temporary sling by physiotherapist Sunet Liebenberg would have immediately dampened any holiday mood in the West Indian camp.
However, the worst fears seemed to be allayed after he was taken shortly after to a nearby hospital for a precautionary X-ray.
Deprived of the services of Jerome Taylor (lower back), Marlon Samuels (chronic knee) and Omari Banks (lower back) for the tour even before the First Test, and with Chris Gayle and Corey Collymore (both hamstring) definitely out of contention for the Durban Test, to lose their captain at this stage would be the knockout blow for a team that is already distinctly wobbly.
But Lara is not the only one who is likely to be under an injury cloud when play begins on Boxing Day.
"Wavell Hinds, who has been soldiering on throughout this tour, has little niggles here and there," revealed coach Gus Logie, who faced the media along with vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan in Lara's absence.
"But he says his mind is very strong, and certainly he'll be ready for the Second Test."
The former middle-order batsman was trying his best to put a positive spin on a situation that would be difficult against any opposition, but is crippling against a team supremely motivated to regain the confidence of a skeptical home public.
"I try to look at it (the series of injuries) as an opportunity for other players to make a name for themselves," he explained.
"This is also the time for the experienced players to put their hands up and be counted.
"We are all excited about this match, it's Brian Lara's 100th Test and we want to make it as special as possible for him and for the team," Logie said.
That optimistic recognition of Lara's impending milestone notwithstanding,
Sarwan says he is ready to fill the breach, whenever that time comes.
"Obviously, if I am to captain the team it will be a privilege and an honour," said the vice-captain.
"Personally, I'm pretty happy with the way I've been batting in recent times and I hope to continue in this Test match."
A veteran at age 23, Sarwan knows only too well that there is a greater onus on him to make a significant contribution, particularly with 21-year-old Dwayne Smith likely to make his Test debut in place of Gayle and with Hinds and Daren Ganga to open the batting as they did in the First Test in Johannesburg.
At the other end of the batting order, Adam Sanford is set to resuscitate his international career 18 months after he was apparently discarded as a failed experiment.
His five-wicket haul in Border's only innings of the rain-ruined four-day match in East London last weekend should tip the scales in his favour, particularly as fellow pacer Ravi Rampaul and left-arm wrist-spinner Dave Mohammed failed to make a significant impact in the same match.
In contrast, South Africa look set to maintain a specialist spinning option with Paul Adams having recovered from a hand injury and included in their 13-man squad at the expense of the unfortunate Robin Peterson.
Despite its reputation as a haven for seamers, the pitch at Kingsmead is also known to wear in the heat and humidity of Durban, and the hosts are haunted by the experience of their last Test here without a specialist slow bowler.
That was in 1998 when Pakistani leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed bowled his team to victory on the last day with a six-wicket haul.
The durable and prolific Gary Kirsten plays his first Test of the series, having opted out from the Wanderers opener to be at his wife's side for the birth of their first child.
His inclusion further reinforces an already formidable batting line-up, with Jacques Rudolph tipped as the prime candidate for the selectors' axe.
Even with the threat of rain at some stage over the five days, the hosts are heavily favoured to take an unbeatable lead in the four-match series with victory at Durban.
They will not disregard the ability of most of their opponents, but Graeme Smith's men have already felt the weight of Lara's bat after his double-century in a losing cause in the First Test.
Given his celebrated sense of occasion, a less than fully fit West Indies captain remains capable of marking his 100th Test with an innings of the calibre to frustrate his opponents, inspire his teammates and bring seasonal good cheer to fans of West Indies cricket everywhere.
Teams:
West Indies (probable) - Brian Lara (captain), Wavell Hinds, Daren Ganga, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Smith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Adam Sanford, Fidel Edwards.
South Africa (probable) - Graeme Smith (captain), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Martin van Jaarsveld, Neil McKenzie, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Paul Adams, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel.