Such has been the dramatic overhaul in how the side now conducts themselves on and off the field that the cricketing fraternity has been compelled to change their perceptions of West Indies as merely a shadow of a once-glorious empire. Since his maiden Test triumph, against Pakistan in Sharjah, Holder's team has a record just fractionally poorer than England's and finer than that of any Asian regiment other than India. Having taken the captaincy reigns amid administrative malaise that had by then become a sombre backdrop of their functioning, his tranquillity both in terms of skill and leadership has ensured the Calypso kings are thought to be more than just a boisterous bunch of rebels who can win nothing but a three-hour, capsule-sized contest. Much of the credit for bringing this temperamental revolution must go to Jason Holder, West Indies' knight in shining armour. Thanks to this elusive commitment to the job, West Indies live to see another day in a clash where it seemed as if they'd brought a plastic knife to a gunfight. Even when the shots were pulled out from the repertoire, they carried a tag of purpose with them on their excursion to the boundary triangles. Judgement was offered to wide strayers which didn't need tinkering with while solid front-foot blocks were a part and parcel of the survival kit instead of the agricultural propaganda. The crux of the matter is that contrary to their modus operandi of full-fledged rave in such situations, West Indies put their nose to the grindstone. In fact, John Campbell milked 69 at a swift strike rate of 62.39 and Jason Holder finished 60 off 89 at stumps. It's not to say that the visitors discovered their hitherto unseen alter ego and played possum throughout. For a refreshing change, West Indies listened to the angel sitting on the right shoulder for the better part of Day 3 at Basin Reserve. All tempters in the driving zone would be met with unperturbed blazes of the blade after caution was thrown to the wind in the dressing room huddle. With practically nothing to lose, the footloose and fancy-free openers will embark on a fishing expedition. If their devil-may-care psyche is something to go by, the party animals in cricket's club wouldn't think twice before going down their hackneyed route of roister. With two days of action still left, who will emerge victorious seems like a foregone conclusion. You have been whiplashed for 131 in the first innings in response to New Zealand's 460 and the speedsters are gearing up for a second bite at the cherry. Put yourself in the seat of a West Indies cricketer and think this through.
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