West Indies v http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 – 1st Test – Match preview
Following pulsating draws in the ODI and T20 series of Australia’s tour of the West Indies, both teams prepare to get down to serious business as they gear up for the 1st game of the Frank http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Devi-Chand-Worrel-c53918 Trophy – a 3-match Test series, scheduled to kick
off at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on April 7.
The clash approaches amid media hype and high expectations. Heartened by their recent competitive performances against the tourists, the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 find themselves under pressure to give their fans something to cheer about by securing a Test win against
the Aussies after a drought of nine years. Similarly, the visitors go into the match knowing that a victory will enable them to edge closer to the top spot on the ICC’s Test team rankings – a position currently occupied by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, who pushed the Aussies down
to fifth after a humiliating Ashes defeat Down Under.
Aiming for a winning combination, the Windies will be employing the young and fiery http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Kirk-Anton-Edwards-c71510 completes the top-order, after solid
outings for Barbados in the domestic circuit.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DM-Bravo-c1386, after a series of disappointing showings during the limited-overs series, which saw him dropped for the final T20, comes in at number 4, on the basis of his past performances in the Tests against India last year, including a 166 in the last
match.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/S-Chanderpaul-c2390 features as the most experienced player in the batting order, and if his record against the Aussies is anything to go by – his average in the last 12 Tests against the tourists is 47.95 – the opposing bowlers are bound to have their
hands full.
The ongoing Indian Premier League sees the Windies going in sans two key players - http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sunil-Philip-Narine-c91869, whose strong performances in the shorter format were
instrumental to his side’s new found success. However, they will be banking on their leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo to fill the void left by Narine.
The bowling attack is expected to be spearheaded by Ravi Rampaul and either Kemar Roach (who claimed 11 in 5 innings during the recently wrapped-up ODIs, and troubled http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RT-Ponting-c2377 during the team’s last Test series against the Aussies in 2009) or Fidel
Edwards (who has taken 15 wickets at 25.13 against the Aussies in home Test series).
On the other hand, the Aussies will be going into the game with a relatively young and inexperienced side – http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MEK-Hussey-c1942 are the only three members of the squad to have played Tests in the Caribbean before.
Owing to calf and hamstring injuries, Shane Watson finds himself moved down to number 3 in the batting line-up, to make way for Ed Cowan and David Warner to feature as openers. Despite impressive outings for his home side (http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tasmania-c854), Cowan was unable to
shine in the tour match against the WICB President’s XI. Warner had an indifferent limited overs campaign, managing scores such as 37, 1, 69, 0, and 58.
Ricky Ponting goes into the match with enormous pressure to do well after having been dropped from the ODI squad earlier this year. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 returns to captain the side after recovering from a hamstring injury which saw him miss the limited-overs series in
the Caribbean. Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who is replacing http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Peter-Forrest-c2176, however, finds himself
ruled out of the playing XI.
Much like the Windies, the tourists’ bowling attack looks to be their strength. Featuring http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BW-Hilfenhaus-c1204 (who picked up 4 wickets in the recent tour match in the Caribbean), and
either James Pattinson or Ryan Harris, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Nathan-Michael-Lyon-c78822 is prominent as the only spinner. However, he seems more than capable of shouldering responsibility, after having claimed 5 scalps in the recent tour match.
The pitch at the Kensington Oval has little grass, and offers the prospect of a fair amount of pace and bounce. As it wears down, the spinners should find themselves gaining an upper-hand.
West Indies Playing XI (probable):
Adrian Barath, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Fidel-Henderson-Edwards-c57010, Devendra Bishoo
Australia Playing XI (probable):
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/James-Pattinson-c1653, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nathan Lyon
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