West Indians should take note of a changing of the guard in Test cricket now taking place in Australia.

Yesterday (Monday night, Jamaica), South Africa completed a nine-wicket victory over the home team in the second Test to record their first-ever series win in Australia. With one game to go in the three-Test series, the visitors lead 2-0 after emphatic back-to-back wins in Perth and Melbourne.

The defeat is Australia's first in a series at home since 1992-93, a long 16 years. The South Africans are now on the brink of being officially crowned the number one team in the world.

Led by the astute Graeme Smith, South Africa have played with a determination seldom seen in world cricket. In both Test matches, they were staring defeat in the face but still came back to win handsomely.

In the opening Test, they had to score a near world record 414 for victory and triumphed with six wickets to spare, thanks to centuries by Smith and Abraham De Villiers. In the second, they were in deep trouble at 196 for seven in the first innings, replying to 394, but helped by a magnificent 166 by Jean-Paul Duminy and 76 from ace fast bowler Dale Steyn, recovered to post 459.

World domination

In the past three series, South Africa have now beaten England in the UK, drew with India in their backyard and are now overpowering the world number one team on their own turf.

I say West Indians should take note because the South Africans are a young team. Captain Smith is 27, the spearhead of their attack, Steyn, is 25. The West Indies Test team is also very young, overall, but has not been able to deliver consistent performances for a number of years.

One of the biggest problems the West Indies team has is the fact that players are being sent to play Test cricket with very little experience. A player makes a good half-century in regional competition and he is then thrown in the Test team based on his 'potential'. He knows little or nothing about constructing an innings but is expected to stay at the crease for long periods in a five-day match.

By comparison, the young players from other top Test-playing countries have lots of experience when they enter the Test arena. It is not by chance that Duminy did so well for South Africa when he was called on to replace the injured Ashwell Prince in their Test team.

The 24-year-old Duminy has a first-class average of 55.30. In 50 games, he has scored 12 centuries and 19 half-centuries. In two Tests, he has one big hundred and an unbeaten half-century.

Bright young stars

Compare this to 22-year-old West Indies and Jamaica batsman Xavier Marshall, considered one of the bright young stars. Marshall has played 22 first-class matches. He has just six half-centuries for an average of 26.97. His Test average is 22.09 in six matches with a top score of 85.

The move by the West Indies Cricket Board to increase the number of first-class games being played each season is a good one but the region also needs more and better coaches. An effort must also be made to schedule the regional competition at a time when most or all of the region's best players are available. This will help to lift the standard of play among all players.

Their defeat by South Africa has confirmed that Australia are not as strong as they used to be when the now retired spinner Shane Warne and fast bowler Glen McGrath were at the top of their game. Do not, however, expect them to just drop away like the West Indies did when great players like Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Michael Holding retired. The Australians have a very good cricket structure and they will remain very competitive.

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The move by the West Indies Cricket Board to increase the number of first-class games being played each season is a good one but the region also needs more and better coaches.