The world at their feet

Five tiros with a main chance

MARLON SAMUELS
West Indies

An ebullient, destructive batsman in the Caribbean tradition, this tall Jamaican, 22, was thrown in the deep end in a Test series in Australia two years ago. He enjoyed a phenomenal end to 2002, scoring his maiden Test century in India followed by two fifties and the fourth fastest century by a West Indian in ODIs, off 73 balls. Then he flayed the Bangladeshis. Samuels has struggled with a long-standing knee injury but was given dispensation to rejoin the squad. Also purveys useful off-spin.

MOHAMMAD KAIF
India

Who can forget the NatWest Series final at Lord's last season? The 22-year-old came in at No 7 with the game seemingly long gone England's way, and hammered a match-winning 87 off 75 balls with his fellow tiro Yuvraj Singh. Kaif led the Under-19s to a World Cup title in 2000. His role in a fearsome batting line-up is to accelerate in the last 10 overs. He has also held some magical catches to emphasise his outstanding athleticism, a rarity in this Indian side.

JACOB ORAM
New Zealand

A strapping 6ft 6in all-rounder who is regarded as the successor to Chris Cairns. The 24-year-old is a deceptively quick bowler, and in his first Test in December his maiden scalp was none other than Sachin Tendulkar. He took 11 wickets in those two home Tests against India, and followed that up with 5 for 26 in the first ODI. With the bat, the left-hander steered his side to nerve-racking victories in the Second Test and also in that first one-dayer. He yearns to be captain.

TATENDA TAIBU
Zimbabwe

The tiny 19-year-old has some huge boots to fill. He is Andy Flower's replacement as wicketkeeper while the latter concentrates on his run-getting. He is impressively neat behind the stumps and resourceful with the blade, in the manner of Knott and Marsh. Like fast bowler Henry Olonga before him, he is also significant in his potential to inspire the black population to take up the game, as well as giving them some distraction from the horrors of his benighted country.

MONDE ZONDEKI
South Africa

The wild card among these five, like Taibu he represents the future for the black cricketers of South Africa along with fellow pacemen Makhaya Ntini and Mfuneko Ngam. Though unlikely to be in the first-choice XI and inviting the disparagement of being labelled a quota selection, the 20-year-old from Border is perhaps the quickest bowler in the country, and can also swing the ball late. He took a wicket with his first ball in ODIs.