A week ago, Franklyn Rose was at the heart of the Miracle ofPort-of-Spain, helping to scatter Zimbabwe for 63 with his pace andswing and conjure up the remarkable first Test victory

Tonmy Cozier27-Mar-2000A week ago, Franklyn Rose was at the heart of the Miracle ofPort-of-Spain, helping to scatter Zimbabwe for 63 with his pace andswing and conjure up the remarkable first Test victory.On the third day of the second Test yesterday, his role as saviour wasin his unusual and little regarded guise of batsman, joining hissingle-minded captain, Jimmy Adams, in an unbroken, recordeighth-wicket partnership of 124 that restored the balance that wasdistinctly tilting against the West Indies in a wildly fluctuatingmatch.They finally found the correct accord between the ultracaution thathad handed the initiative to the Zimbabweans and the belligerence thathad been flagrantly missing. And their 14 000 fellow Jamaicans, whofilled Sabina Park to overflowing, celebrated the transformation as ifBob Marley had been reincarnated and he and the Wailers were doingtheir stuff in the middle.Even against an attack sorely missing its injured spearhead, HeathStreak, the pair scored at a mere 2-1/2 runs an over.Compared to what transpired earlier when the progress was even morepedestrian and given the significance of the revival, it was worthevery shout, jump and wave. By the time fading light ended play withan over still scheduled, the ground was a frenzy of typical Caribbeanbacchanal.The West Indies were 295 for seven, just 13 behind, and the desperatefight for survival that seemed certain over the last two days had beenconverted into equity.It is now by no means out of the question that they can pull off yetanother victory against opponents who have again allowed a goldenopportunity to slip from their grasp.The fans had been drawn by the prospect of another Jamaican, theidolised Courtney Walsh, becoming Test cricket?s highest wicket-takeron home soil.Walsh?s only appearance was during the tea interval when he waspresented with a cheque for US$30 000 by the West Indies Cricket Board(WICB), but the Adams-Rose show was adequate compensation.Adams was 87, within a few strokes of his first Test hundred in fouryears, a typical marathon that has occupied just over seven hours and263 balls, included only five boundaries and demanded intenseconcentration.Rose, who batted with equal determination and more flair for 152balls, was 53, the first time he had reached such dizzy heights in his15 Tests. His nine fours have come from a wide variety of authenticstrokes. How good it was to see a West Indies fast bowler playing likea batsman.It has been a critical innings for Adams personally.Thrust into the captaincy on Brian Lara?s unexpected retirement, hehas inherited a team short on confidence and, in Lara?s absence, onbatting quality or experience.His own recent form had been so patchy he had averaged just over 20 inhis previous 16 Tests, a statistic not designed to make his job anyeasier.Adams arrived late on the second afternoon with things already instrife at 85 for three, immediately to become 85 for four onShivnarine Chanderpaul?s dismissal. He saw out the close at 108 forfour, resumed with nine to his name and kept going at his owndeliberate rate for the next 90 overs and six hours against steady,but hardly menacing, bowling.His principal purposes were to restore equilibrium and then to denyZimbabwe the time they would need to press for the result they need tomake up for their dramatic defeat in the first Test.He was losing the battle until Rose, with a Test batting average ofless than ten, joined him in the eighth over after lunch when CurtlyAmbrose edged a slip catch off the aggressive Neil Johnson.By then, the stationary Wavell Hinds had snicked the first ball hereceived from leg-spinner Brian Murphy to slip after taking 50 minutesand 31 balls to add two to his overnight 14, and Ridley Jacobs hadbeen well taken down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Andy Flower,gloving a pull off Henry Olonga?s first ball after lunch, the firstwith the second new ball.That the total was 161 when it was taken after 90 overs told much ofthe story. The West Indies were going nowhere. They were fortunate tohave even got that far. Jacobs appeared to have pushed his first ball,from Murphy, to silly point off the glove, but umpire Athar Zaidi didnot have the aid of the television replay for a difficult decision.After that, he put the oomph into the batting for the first time, atheme picked up by Rose from the moment he came in until he was wellset and the game plan required him to remain with his captain for aslong as he could.Adams was not always in command. There were a couple of close lbwappeals and he offered a difficult chance to Johnson, diving wide tohis left at second slip, off the left-arm medium-pacer Brian Strangwhen he was 35.Characteristically, he could not be distracted from his goal, onlyallowing himself the freedom of a few shots once he was confident Rosehad got the hang of things after tea. A square-cut and a pull to theboundary off Johnson were strokes of a batsman again beginning toregain his form and self-confidence.