Australia v West Indies - 1st Test, Day 3 at Brisbane.

There's not a lot I can say a day late but domestic cricket duties have kept me from recording my thoughts about the disasterous final day for the West Indies.

Of course, just like my domestic cricket duties, the disasters are only one side of the coin. In Tamworth, City United lost in all four grades against their arch rival, Bective East. Lost is being used here as an extended euphamism to gilt the lilly of a thrashing. They took all 40 of our wickets, whilst we collected only 15 of their's and needless to say, their run totals were considerably higher. Heads and spirits might well be down but that would be misplaced. Some good things happened in the course of the day.

So too the West Indies.

Peter Roebuck has been scathing in his treatment of Chris Gayle and in viewing his disengagement in this Test on the surface only, that might be fair. It would also be fair to remember he has travelled to the other side of the world and back within a week to tend to an ailing mother - a trip that would be physically and emotionally demanding. Last year, I travelled 6000kms from Broome to Sydney and back via Adelaide and Perth to attend my mother's funeral and I was a wreck for a week afterwards and all I had to do was drive a car and sightsee. I don't think I would have wanted to play park cricket, let along face Australia on the rebound.

Roebuck is right to say that leadership from senior players was lacking. He just reaches his conclusion via the wrong track.

The West Indies were flogged but the future could be seen and not through a Hubble telescope. Adrian Barath played well ... no, very well. He batted like an old time West Indian, with shot making from supple wrists and neat footwork. We might have seen the birth of something special in Brisbane.

Equally, Dowlin and Ramdin looked the goods - the latter with gloves as well as bat in hand.

The greater worry is the injury to Taylor, as Roach isn't ready to be the spearhead of this attack. He'll bowl well as the apprentice, but not if cast as the master craftsman. Such responsibility could destroy him. His time as master will come.

Bravo is not up for this and never has been. His very ordinary, very suicidal shot to the world's most inoccuous bouncer bowler was even more embarassing than Chris Gayle's second innings "I'm too great to play at dat maan." Chanderpaul too must step up and not just to take wind from the Aussies sails. Blokes like Barath and Dowlin must have such a great player firing. He is now the second greatest accumulator of runs for the West Indies but working against him is his failure to insert his class into the game on visits down under. For their future and therefore the future of cricket in the Carribean, Chanderpaul must occupy the crease.

As for Gayle, he has always blown hot and cold and its hardly fair to expect anything else. Maybe in Adelaide, with those short square boundaries and his troubles a litttle further behind him, he might blow hot as a desert wind roaring down from the Flinders Ranges.

His young team mates seem eager to play.

As for the Australians, they hardly put a foot wrong but then, this is the game they like to play: one foot on the throat, the other kicking the head. At least this year they're not hurling abuse as well.

A final word on the referral system - crap. It might be okay for TV audiences who will sooon be whisked off to an add break when a decision is referred but what about the punters at the ground. Three mintues or more waiting for a decision saw those in the paying seats booing and slow handclapping after a minute. But then, I'm old fashioned in many ways and still think two umpires is enough and believe that chance is a fine thing and so it should stay. How long will it take before we are convinced by the TV boffins that players are inconsistent and should be replaced by cgi cricketers, programmed from the records of greats?

Won't that be good. Cricket3.0