BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) - Bolstered by the return of captain Chris Gayle, West Indies are hunting a series-levelling victory against Australia in the third and final Test, starting today at Kensington Oval.
After almost two months out of the game because of a groin injury, Gayle is set to make a comeback despite not being fully fit.
"I'm not 100 per cent fit, but 90 cent. I can cope," he told reporters following a practice session yesterday. "I wasn't 90 per cent fit in Antigua. The physio said I was about 70 per cent. I didn't want to risk it in the second Test. I wanted to give it more time in between Test matches."
Gayle sustained the injury in the third One-Day International against Sri Lanka at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia on April 15 and it kept him out of the Indian Premier League and the first two Tests of the current series.
In the build-up to this Test, he has been batting in the nets without much discomfort and going through physical drills.
"The most difficult thing is running between the wickets. Running between the wickets is a bit difficult, but I am comfortable batting," Gayle said.
"There is no problem while batting. I just have to monitor it properly."
After losing the opening Test by 95 runs at Sabina Park, West Indies showed fighting qualities to earn a draw in the second match at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
They now fancy their chances of a positive result on a pitch that it is expected to be faster than the previous Test. "It is going to be a good wicket. It is very hard. The net facilities also are very good," Gayle said.
"The Antigua wicket is very different. It is harder to score. Here in Barbados, the wicket is coming on more. You can play more shots."
With uncapped fast bowler Kemar Roach added to the 14-man squad, there are a host of options available to the selectors.
While West Indies are waiting until this morning to finalise their team, Australia have announced their starting eleven which will include debutant left-arm wrist spinner Beau Casson.
The 25-year-old Casson replaces experienced leg-spinner Stuart MacGill - who announced his retirement in the middle of the second Test - and captain Ricky Ponting expects him to be ready for the big day.
"He has come on leaps and bounds as person. He has been a little bit more outspoken than at the start of the tour," Ponting said.
"It has helped his bowling a lot, and if you talk to him, he feels he has become a more consistent bowler now than when we arrived and this is a good sign for him."
With many observers predicting West Indies will relish the conditions at Kensington, Ponting played down the issue, saying the ground could benefit his team as well.
"Some of their bowlers have been talking to some of their batsmen, and telling them that they can't wait to get us down to Barbados where there is more pace and bounce," he said.
"We are brought up on those kinds of pitches, so I do not think there will be too many sleepless nights. But it's also the style of cricket that West Indies have grown up playing.
"Their bowlers are going to enjoy it, our bowlers are going to enjoy it, but our batsmen may enjoy it a little more than theirs."
The weather yesterday was mostly hot and sunny, but blue skies in the early part of the day gave way to heavy evening showers.
AUSTRALIA - Ricky Ponting (captain), Phil Jaques, Simon Katich, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Beau Casson, Stuart Clark. Reserves: Brad Hodge, Ashley Noffke, Doug Bollinger, Luke Ronchi. Umpires: Mark Benson, Aleem Dar, TV Replays: Goaland Greaves, Reserve: Vincent Bullen. Match referee: Roshan Mahanama.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) - Bolstered by the return of captain Chris Gayle, West Indies are hunting a series-levelling victory against Australia in the third and final Test, starting today at Kensington Oval.
After almost two months out of the game because of a groin injury, Gayle is set to make a comeback despite not being fully fit.
"I'm not 100 per cent fit, but 90 cent. I can cope," he told reporters following a practice session yesterday.
"I wasn't 90 per cent fit in Antigua. The physio said I was about 70 per cent. I didn't want to risk it in the second Test. I wanted to give it more time in between Test matches."
Gayle sustained the injury in the third One-Day International against Sri Lanka at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia on April 15 and it kept him out of the Indian Premier League and the first two Tests of the current series.
In the build-up to this Test, he has been batting in the nets without much discomfort and going through physical drills.
"The most difficult thing is running between the wickets. Running between the wickets is a bit difficult, but I am comfortable batting," Gayle said.
"There is no problem while batting. I just have to monitor it properly."
After losing the opening Test by 95 runs at Sabina Park, West Indies showed fighting qualities to earn a draw in the second match at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
They now fancy their chances of a positive result on a pitch that it is expected to be faster than the previous Test.
"It is going to be a good wicket. It is very hard. The net facilities also are very good," Gayle said.
"The Antigua wicket is very different. It is harder to score. Here in Barbados, the wicket is coming on more. You can play more shots."
With uncapped fast bowler Kemar Roach added to the 14-man squad, there are a host of options available to the selectors.
While West Indies are waiting until this morning to finalise their team, Australia have announced their starting eleven which will include debutant left-arm wrist spinner Beau Casson.
The 25-year-old Casson replaces experienced leg-spinner Stuart MacGill - who announced his retirement in the middle of the second Test - and captain Ricky Ponting expects him to be ready for the big day.
"He has come on leaps and bounds as person. He has been a little bit more outspoken than at the start of the tour," Ponting said.
"It has helped his bowling a lot, and if you talk to him, he feels he has become a more consistent bowler now than when we arrived and this is a good sign for him."
With many observers predicting West Indies will relish the conditions at Kensington, Ponting played down the issue, saying the ground could benefit his team as well.
"Some of their bowlers have been talking to some of their batsmen, and telling them that they can't wait to get us down to Barbados where there is more pace and bounce," he said.
"We are brought up on those kinds of pitches, so I do not think there will be too many sleepless nights. But it's also the style of cricket that West Indies have grown up playing.
"Their bowlers are going to enjoy it, our bowlers are going to enjoy it, but our batsmen may enjoy it a little more than theirs."
The weather yesterday was mostly hot and sunny, but blue skies in the early part of the day gave way to heavy evening showers.
Squads:WEST INDIES (from) - Chris Gayle (captain), Xavier Marshall, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Runako Morton, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, Fidel Edwards, Kemar Roach, Sulieman Benn
AUSTRALIA - Ricky Ponting (captain), Phil Jaques, Simon Katich, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Beau Casson, Stuart Clark. Reserves: Brad Hodge, Ashley Noffke, Doug Bollinger, Luke Ronchi.
Umpires: Mark Benson, Aleem Dar, TV Replays: Goaland Greaves, Reserve: Vincent Bullen.
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama.