The Bajan Lazarus

Back from the brink - Kraigg Braithwaite the new West Indies captain.

Apr 10, 2021

The batsmen prods tentatively to the off side, neither blocking nor playing a shot. The uncertainty perhaps muddying the mind in calling for a run that wasn’t there. Regardless, they should be fine. Just another of the many non-event moments which occur during a Test match.

The fielder comes flying in from the covers, sniffing an unexpected chance of a run-out. His execution needs to be perfect. Like a seamless gymnastic floor routine, he sprints to collect the ball, swoops and throws in seemingly one motion. The stumps are splattered. The non-striker continues running to the pavilion, it’s not even close.

Kraigg Braithwaite doesn’t break stride as he wheels away, raising his arm casually in celebration. Jermaine Blackwood follows him with arms outstretched, Joshua Da Silva runs in the opposite direction with fists raised, while John Campbell leaps to high five the wheeling Brathwaite. This feels different. The energy has been simmering and bubbling all morning. The new captain has just ignited it. Welcome to the Braithwaite era.

Rewind twelve months and Kraigg Braithwaite’s Test career was on life support. The selector's fingers hovering over the off switch. Before the tour of England, Braithwaite had returned a meagre 241 runs from 21 innings, at an average of 12 in the previous two years. Not a single half-century.

Granted, Braithwaite’s thing isn’t necessarily churning out enormous scores. In a decade long Test career, his average has never exceeded 40. Crease occupation is his USP. But for an opening bat to go through such a barren spell made his position nigh on untenable. He was firmly propping up the bar in last chance saloon.

Perhaps the most repeated line around Brathwaite was that he wouldn’t be playing Test cricket if it wasn’t for the fact he played for West Indies.

Yet two innings above 60 against England, in notoriously difficult conditions for openers, hinted at some reasons for optimism moving forward.

A solid contribution in an all too rare overseas win against Bangladesh only solidified his position as the incumbent. However, it was what Braithwaite did without a stick or ball in his hands that had the selectors salivating.

His enterprising captaincy underpinned the victory. With proactive field settings and aggressive bowling changes, Braithwaite placed himself as the antithesis to Jason Holder’s more conservative captaincy.

Perhaps that lit a fire under the selectors. The potential of what could be. A little glimpse into the crystal ball shows that sometimes the grass is simply greener. No strings attached.

The timing seemed perfect. Clearly, the captain needs to be a guaranteed selection every Test match and Braithwaite could not previously demand that. Until now.

Temporary captain no longer. Rise up Lazarus and get that slick maroon blazer sized up.

Quite the turnaround. From having his name constantly questioned at every squad inclusion, to now being written in at the top of the order in permanent marker.

The first toss as tenured captain was won. Progress already. The subsequent choice to insert Sri Lanka to bat first suggested perhaps not. The criticism consistently thrown at Holder that he had no confidence in the batting unit appeared to be continuing, and by the opening bat himself no less. Cue ‘twitter’ slander.

Being used to such an apparently conservative move clouded the early judgement. It transpired to be an impressively attacking and inspired decision. Sparked by Braithwaite’s electric run out, the visitors were skittled for 169.

So, we’ve made it this far without mentioning it. The elephant in the room. Those big bold multicoloured polaroids wrapped around his face. Glistening under the Antigua sun. It’s a look, make no mistake. Appearing like some sort of Daft Punk tribute act, Braithwaite gives nothing away.

You feel that’s exactly how he likes it. There is no emotional tip-off. Just a glistening stare back at the bowler, whether it’s fending off a sharp delivery, slapping it for four or simply waving it through to the keeper. It’s robotic, in look and in nature. Innocent intimidation of the bowler.

But that is Braithwaite. Neither too up nor too down. A steady hand to guide. And boy does he need a steady hand with such a tempestuous batting line up to anchor, let alone his own potentially prickly form. But it’s what is needed.

Perhaps it’s a reflection of a steely determination to grab this second chance with both hands.

At first glance, the scores can still be low. But importantly, they can at least be vital.

The first test against Sri Lanka was a case in point. 3 and 23 on the face of it were hopeless but did not tell the whole story.

Let’s deal with the 3 first. Pinging the Sri Lankans out so swiftly on day one meant a tricky period before the close of play. The visitors had scored low and scored slow, clearly struggling to hit crisply. Clearly objective one was to begin day two with ten wickets intact. Braithwaite and John Campbell were successful. Out early the next morning, the contribution wasn’t worthy of praise, but it did hold value.

Second innings and the match situation was critical. Sri Lanka had plenty and now chased quick wickets. West Indies chased survival. Braithwaite the perfect man for the job. Ignore the 23 runs. The important number is 124. The number of balls faced in two hours and twenty-five minutes. Sting taken out of the Lankan attack and the match easily drawn. The batting line up expertly guided in batting the day out by Braithwaite. Sometimes needs must.

What a difference a week makes. Slow and steady finally winning the race, as Braithwaite secured his ninth Test century. His first since July 2018. As wickets dropped around him this was the real announcement of a new captain. Always calm and ever-patient, he was there to partner every single batter under his leadership. As long as one of his men was out there, Braithwaite made sure they were never left alone. Standing reassuringly down the other end until the end.

A potentially series defeating total was slowly manipulated into a potential winning one. There was still time for some very out of character declaration setting in the second innings. Kraigg Braithwaite slapping declaration runs. What kind of sick new world were we in.

It did all become a bit much, eventually punctuated by a wildly comedic dismissal, as Braithwaite was cleaned up looking like a dog trying to grip a bat while walking on its hind legs.

To this point Braithwaite had been perfect. In his captaincy and his batting. He had controlled the entire Test and manipulated it in whatever way he wished. Such was his hand over proceedings it didn’t feel too much to expect him to also control that which is humanly uncontrollable; the weather.

In hindsight, the declaration was slightly off. Or more accurately, the pre declaration strategy was off. Declarations are the ultimate tightrope act for a captain. Open up too early and you risk being bowled out too cheaply. Leave it too late and you are inviting the draw. Attempting to ensure your opponent can’t win while still having enough time to bowl them out. Like trying to thread a camel through the eye of a needle. Add in a bunch of time lost to weather and it becomes impossible.

The captains who are best at judging declarations have often learnt the hard way. They’ve been burnt before. It was one step too far for a new captain. The spotty nature of rain interruptions meant any rhythm on the final day was quickly extinguished.

It slightly dulled an otherwise perfect first series as permanent captain.

A unique individual milestone. A sharp piece of fielding to spark his team. Captaincy that was calculated and innovative in equal measure. Vital crease occupation. A couple of hefty scores. This was a full on resuscitation of a Test career. Defibrillator on…clear…shock delivered…he’s back on his feet.

It all sits in contrast to his predecessor. Holder’s first Test as captain was also against Sri Lanka but under very different circumstances. A team in dissaray receiving an innings skelping. Perhaps this is how it was meant to play out. Holder laying the foundations and navigating the myriad warring forces, before handing over when he could take it no further. He has more than done his time and should be commended for it. It certainly felt joyous to see him with pressure evidently lifted and calling out that happy hooker.

But this was Braithwaite’s moment. You can’t help but be pleased for him. He has been there alongside Holder through it all. He has worn his fair share of criticism and rightly so. However, he has earned this moment. He’s taken every success and every failure in the only way he knows, neither up nor down. Steady as a rock.

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It’s been a testing first day but Kraigg Braithwaite has anchored the innings. He’s made it to the final over of the day. He’s been on 99 for what feels like hours. Those elusive three figures are hypnotically close. Sure he’d like to get over the line before the close of play, what a night’s sleep that would bring.

Rakheem Cornwall is on strike for the second last ball of the day. Twitchingly eager to get his captain back on strike for the final ball, he’s forced into a solid defensive block. He’s evidently frustrated with himself.

Down the other end, Kraigg Braithwaite slaps his bat in approval while enthusiastically nodding. He gives his partner a thumbs up to acknowledge the significance of preventing a vital late boost for the Lankans.

Braithwaite will sleep on 99, but he doesn’t care.

Look at me, I’m the captain now.

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