On each of their previous overseas series - in Australia two years ago and in Pakistan last year - they lost the first Test, as they did this time at Johannesburg, and went into the second their engine spluttering and in need of a kick-start.

Each time, they lost again, a prelude to the 3-2 defeat in Australia and the 3-0 thrashing in Pakistan.

It is much the same now. It took a mighty push to get the tour moving in the first place and what few sparks there have been along the way have quickly been extinguished.

Efficiency has been stymied by a string of telling injuries, intolerable and inconsistent cricket and a listless attitude that has led to three defeats and not a single victory so far.

Prior to the most critical match of the series, the effort is again virtually stalled.

It is a situation Brian Lara, captain on his first, and momentous, overseas mission, well appreciates.

There is no hiding place for the West Indies, he acknowledged yesterday.

``Both teams play for results and this looks like a result wicket,'' he said. ``So it's going to be either 2-0 or 1-1 at the end of the Test, and it's important for West Indies cricket that we don't go away from here 2-0 down.''

``We haven't come to South Africa to learn about the place or to learn about South African culture but to win the series,'' he added. ``We know what this match means.''

Lara also recognised the significance of his role as the premier batsman in the team at No. 3.

Emphasising that it was a position at which he will remain, he said: ``It's very important if you bat at No. 3 to steer the innings, to send a message back into the dressing room about how the pitch is playing and how the bowlers are bowling.''

After starting the tour with 65 in a one-day match against a Gauteng XI and 101 in the first-class opener against Grigualand West, Lara's scores have been 10 and nought against Free State, 11 and seven in the Test and 40 against Border.

``I feel OK in the nets and in the practice matches, but I was a bit disappointed in the Test to get out to a couple of soft dismissals,'' he said.

He said that Sir Garry Sobers, who had attended practice on Wednesday at Lara's request, had ``worked on a couple of things'' and had been ``very helpful''.

``Now, we've got to reproduce what we've been doing in the nets in the middle,'' he said. ``It's got to be a very quick transition.''

There is no doubt that Lara's contribution is pivotal to a team with batting too inclined to inexplicable collapse for its own good.

Only once in the West Indies' last seven defeats since 1996 - in Australia and Pakistan and against England in the Caribbean last season - has he passed 50.

His 132 against Australia at Perth and, against England, 55 and 17 at Port-of-Spain, 93 and 30 at Georgetown, and 89 at Antigua were all made in match-winning causes.

It would be reassuring if Lara and the middle order had the cushion of a reasonable start, which he did not have at Johannesburg when he came in at 17 and 24, and if the other established batsmen put together something more substantial than the 20s, 30s and 40s that have become all too commonplace.

The West Indies lost in Johannesburg, purely and simply, because 261 and 170 are not totals to win Tests.

Whenever they have lost of late it has been because of a similar batting breakdown. At the moment, there are no viable alternatives to the batsmen chosen for the first Test.

Floyd Reifer had a great chance to force his way in following his 93 in his first knock of the tour in a one-day match just over a week ago, but he spoiled the impression by gifting his wicket in his next innings against Border.

Daren Ganga is not yet ready for the leap into Test cricket, so Stuart Williams retains his spot at No. 6.

At least a return to full fitness of Carl Hooper is an all-round boost.

The sight of a pitch far greener than in Johannesburg, Lara's apparent disenchantment with the lack of success of leg-spin on tour and the doubt over Curtly Ambrose's sore right elbow influences the reversion to four fast bowlers.

Ambrose's value is too great for such a complaint to eliminate him even though it weakens his throwing in the field, a disability that also afflicts Courtney Walsh and Nixon McLean and will cost runs.

Merv Dillon's inclusion not only boosts the pace attack but also gives Lara peace of mind in case the worse came to the worst with Ambrose.

Teams:

South Africa (from): Hansie Cronje (captain), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, Jonty Rhodes, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher, Pat Symcox, Allan Donald, David Terbrugge and Paul Adams.

West Indies (likely): Brian Lara (captain), Clayton Lambert, Philo Wallace, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Carl Hooper, Stuart Williams, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Merv Dillon, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh.

Umpires: David Shepherd (England), Rudi Koertzen (South Africa).