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06-Apr-2012 18:45:00 GMT
West Indies v Australia, 1st Test, Bridgetown

West Indies Dream of Breaking Two-decade Aussie Grip

Bridgetown: Australia aim to extend their 19-year grip on the Frank Worrell Trophy against the West Indies from Saturday and pile on the Test match agony for the fallen Caribbean giants.

Since they last hosted Australia four years ago, the West Indies have won only three of the 30 Tests that they've played while trying to rebuild their team.

Those three wins have been enough to produce series wins over England and, more recently, in Bangladesh, their first victory away since 2003.

Meanwhile, Australia are on a high having had a 4-0 cleans weep over India in their last series in January.

They haven't lost a Test series since the Ashes defeat in January 2011 that led to significant changes in their structure and approach to the game. It also saw a change to the playing organization with Michael Clarke taking over from Ricky Ponting as captain and South African Mickey Arthur installed as coach.

Despite their woeful recent Test record, there are signs that the West Indies may be closing the gap.

They played well in both the recent Twenty20 and ODI series with neither team getting the upper hand as both series were tied.

The changes for both teams in the last four years have been significant.

Of the team that won the final Test at the Kensington Oval to clinch the series 2-0 four years ago, only Clarke, Ponting and Michael Hussey remain in the Test set up.

It's one fewer for the West Indies with Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Fidel Edwards the only players from that side to have been included in the latest squad.

Australia won their only warm-up match in the longer form of the game beating the West Indies Cricket Board President's XI by eight wickets.

Several changes to the side that played in that fixture can be expected as David Warner and Michael Hussey were rested while wicket-keeper Matthew Wade will almost certainly put on the baggy green for the first time.

West Indies named a squad of 13 for the first Test, with only opening batsman Kieran Powell and wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh having played for the President's XI in the tour game.

With Marlon Samuels playing in the IPL there have been returns to the squad for Narsingh Deonarine and Ravi Rampaul.

It's an important series for both teams as they look to consolidate on their recently improved performances.

Australia want to extend their run of undefeated Test series to five with Clarke saying: "As a team we're trying to become a little bit more consistent with our performances and this is going to be a tough Test for us but it's going to be a good indication as to where we are at with that consistency."

Teams from

West Indies
DJG Sammy (capt), KA Edwards, AB Barath, CS Baugh (wk), D Bishoo, KC Brathwaite, DM Bravo, S Chanderpaul, N Deonarine, FH Edwards, KOA Powell, R Rampaul, KAJ Roach.

Australia MJ Clarke (capt), SR Watson, MA Beer, EJM Cowan, PJ Forrest, RJ Harris, BW Hilfenhaus, MEK Hussey, NM Lyon, PM Nevill (wk), JL Pattinson, RT Ponting, PM Siddle, MA Starc, MS Wade (wk), DA Warner.

Pitch and conditions
There is little grass on the wicket unveiled for the first Test, and its appearance is similar to that used for the second Twenty20 match. Kensington pitches always offer the promise of some pace and bounce, but as it deteriorates there should be useful spin for Devendra Bishoo, Nathan Lyon and their part-time counterparts.

Stats and trivia

  • West Indies' last Test victory over Australia was the record chase of 418 to beat Steve Waugh's side in the fourth Test of the 2003 series in Antigua.
  • Only three members of the Australia squad - Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey - have played Tests in the Caribbean before.
  • West Indies have won four and Australia three of the 10 Tests the two teams have played at Kensington Oval, the last draw taking place in 1973.

Match facts
March April 7-11, 2012
Start time 1000 local (1400 GMT)


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