Chris Cairns has spotted a weak link

London: Members and fans at Lord’s this Saturday may want to take their seats a while before the first ball is bowled in the triangular series final between New Zealand and West Indies.

When Brian Lara and Stephen Fleming step out for the toss, it could be the most crucial passage of play in the game.

In six completed matches in the series also involving England, the team winning the toss has gone on to win each match with reasonable ease.

The quirk is because the side winning the toss has always decided to field first, ensuring they know what target they need to chase.

New Zealand coach John Bracewell has criticised England’s one-day pitches for favouring seam bowling first up but they have mostly been to the detriment of the hosts, who blindly set targets on unpredictable wickets which were easily overhauled.

But judging by England’s 285 for seven and the West Indies’ 286 for three in the group game at Lord’s on Tuesday, the wicket at the home of cricket is more suited to an even contest.

Chris Gayle’s match winning 132 not out on Tuesday denied the West Indies the chance to show how far they can bat down. They included eight specialist batsmen and decent wicketkeeper-batsman Ridley Jacobs at nine although Jermaine Lawson could come back into the side for greater bowling depth.

The confidence gleaned from beating England twice in the series will be tempered slightly by the five-wicket defeat to New Zealand, who have won the three matches they have completed in the tournament.

Thursday’s rained-off encounter between the two sides at Southampton prevented Andre Adams, who had surprisingly been brought into the New Zealand squad from English club cricket, from adding to his 30 caps.

He was brought in as cover for injury doubts Chris Cairns and Jacob Oram but both should be fit to return at Lord’s.

If showers curtail the final on Saturday a reserve day has been set aside for Sunday.

Meanwhile, New Zealand allrounder Chris Cairns has said the Black Caps will hope to take advantage of the West Indies’ inexperienced pace attack in the final. “Everybody knows that their bowling is probably the one area (of concern),” Cairns, 34, said after Thursday’s dress rehearsal between the sides at the Hampshire Rose Bowl was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

“They (the West Indies) load up their batting and tend to go a little bit light on the bowling. They don’t quite have the same depth of allrounders as we have.

“So there is a slight area we can expose there if we play well but saying that their batting potential is quite exciting.

“They don’t always put it together but their potential is quite exciting,” added Cairns, a canny quick bowler who took three for 29 in New Zealand’s five-wicket win against the West Indies in Cardiff on Saturday.

“Getting to finals is becoming a habit and that’s a good thing. If we can win tomorrow it’s just another feather in our cap,” said Cairns.

“It would be nice to leave these shores with the memory that we can play after a disappointing Test series.”

TEAMS (from)

New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Hamish Marshall, Scott Styris, Craig McMillan, Daryl Tuffey, Chris Harris, Daniel Vettori, Ian Butler, Andre Adams, Gareth Hopkins, Michael Papps, Chris Cairns, Jacob Oram, James Franklin.

West Indies: Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara (captain), Ricardo Powell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Ridley Jacobs, Darren Sammy, Jermaine Lawson, Ian Bradshaw, Ravi Rampaul, Carlton Baugh, Tino Best.