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Nine years seem like a day in my mind, recalling the dramatic events, before and during the one-off Test between West Indies and South Africa at Kensington Oval.

The Bajan boycott over the exclusion of allrounder Anderson Cummins from the team to the miraculous and compelling finish on the final morning when the West Indies, compliments of some heroic and fiery pace bowling by Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh, pulled off an unexpected victory are still fresh as we get ready for another duel between the teams nine years later at the same venue.

The only difference is that much has changed since then. South Africa were at the time just coming in from the cold of the cricket wilderness after the political dismantling of apartheid and the West Indies had started their chronic and speedy slide from the top of the cricketing tree, on account of the strategic disintegration of the units that had brought us unprecedented success and joy under the guidance of Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards.

It is arguable that while teams like South Africa have been harnessing their natural talent by utilising all of the latest technological methods available the West Indies administration seem to be allergic to this process and as a result we have remained stagnant in the way we play the game while not paying much attention to the way the game must be played in ever-changing times.

Indeed, South Africa are rated second in the world while the West Indies are in the bottom half of the pecking order.

It does not mean however that the visitors have any better talent than us, but their approach has been more deliberate and structured with the emphasis on developing cricket, whereas we seem to have a fixation with the marketing of the game oblivious to the fact that if you don't have good products their market value will decrease especially when there are other options.

The point is that things have turned around so drastically that even in the current home series many pundits favour South Africa to win the Sir Vivian Richards Trophy eventhough traditionally the West Indies are virtually invincible. History supports this claim too. We have lost only one home series since 1973 and that was in 1995 to Australia who were also the last team to conquer us.

Will we be able to stave off the charge from South Africa? I think we can, even though we begin tomorrow's third Test trailing by that solitary loss at the Queen's Park Oval. However, it is crucial that we match the opposition in mental toughness and discipline at all times. The one time that we did not we lost.

Since Carl Hooper took over as captain we have seen some transformation in the area of mental application but defeat in the Trinidad Test points to the fact that we must keep working diligently at it.

Intestinal fortitude has always been a key plank in the amour of any successful team, but is moreso in today's game where it is the concensus that the average squad does not have an excess of extraordinary talent as in the past.

Therefore, the one who is prepared to win both the battle and the war will reap the ultimate sweets. The West Indies must proceed on this premise and execute their game plan accordingly.

Having said that, though, the performances of some key players can also shift the tide in favour of one team or another. Brian Lara is due for a big score and the position of the series makes it necessary for him to come good now.

Not that he's only one of the few survivors from the team that beat South Africa back in 1992 but I remember the last time he played a Test at Kensington he made a magnificent, unbeaten 153 that led the West Indies to another amazing triumph in cricketinglore, this time against Australia.

I don't believe the individual pressures brought to bear on him then exist at the moment, but I think he must accept he still has a great responsibility to help guide West Indies back to the top. His input is vital and I know he still has a lot to contribute if he puts his mind to it.

And even if I have to concede that the times are different, I believe we can conquer South Africa again at Kensington once we remain disciplined.

© The Barbados Nation