West Indies opener Daren Ganga pulling a delivery from Michael Mason during his innings of 54.

by TONY COZIER in Wellington

THE WEST INDIES' heavy loss to New Zealand in the first One-Day International here last night was compounded by the realisation that Dwayne Bravo is likely to miss the remaining matches as well.

Bravo, whose aggressive batting, medium-pace variations, electric fielding and general ebullience are essential elements in the team, strained muscles in his left side while bowling in the Twenty20 International in Auckland on Tuesday.

He had to leave the field after the fourth ball of his third over and has been receiving treatment from physiotherapist Stephen Partridge since. He was missing from yesterday's opening ODI here, his general condition aggravated by the same influenza bug that kept Ramnaresh Sarwan out of the Twenty20 International.

A cryptic release from the team's media manager, Imran Khan, stated only that Bravo "is receiving treatment and being monitored by physiotherapist Stephen Partridge ... and will continue to be monitored in the lead-up to the following ODI games".

Although Khan did not reveal the extent of the injury, side strains invariably take three weeks to a month to mend, especially for all-rounders as active
as Bravo.

The last of the five ODIs is at Eden Park in Auckland on March 4 with the first Test starting at the same venue five days later. The likeliest scenario is that Bravo would be given every chance to recover in time for the three Tests.

This is an important tour for the 22-year-old Trinidadian who has made such an impact since coming into the team two years ago.

He missed the learning experience that would have been provided on the tour of Sri Lanka last July and August when he joined other players in following the advice of the West Indies Players Association advice not to sign the offered tour contract.

He was outstanding when he and the others returned for the series in Australia last October and November, scoring his second Test hundred in Hobart, claiming his second six-wickets haul in an innings in Adelaide and lifting the level of the fielding.

To miss all the ODIs here would clearly be disappointing but it would be foolhardy to press him into service too early with the attendant risk of aggravating the injury.

Better, for his own sake and the team's, that he is ready for the three Tests
to follow.