ST JOHNS (ANTIGUA), March 19: The controversial 52-Test reign of Mike Atherton as England captain hangs in the balance as the sixth and final Test with the West Indies gets underway here tomorrow. Win and Atherton will probably stay. Lose and he will probably go.The West Indies, who lead the series 2-1, would probably like nothing better than gain the scalp of a man who, despite protestations to the contrary by their captain Brian Lara, cooled relations with a disparging ``V'' sign at opener Philo Wallace as he trudged back to the pavilion after being dismissed in the first innings of the last Test.
The former Cambridge graduate, who only saved his job last summer with an unlikely final Test win over Australia at Oval, has usually relied on his stubborn batting to lead the side rather than words of encouragement when his side has been toiling.
This side of his captaincy received what amounted to a gentle rebuke by his opening partner Alec Stewart earlier in the series.``Mike could do more to encouragesome players who, by their very nature, rely on having their confidence boosted when things aren't going their way,'' Stewart said.Stewart, who has shown again on this tour that he is one of the best players of pace bowling in the world, would have been possible successor to Atherton.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
