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Aussies prepare for quirky Windies attack

Roar Guru
27th March, 2014
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The West Indian attacks which Brad Haddin grew up admiring bear almost no resemblance to that which Australia will have to negotiate in their do-or-die Twenty20 World Cup fixture.

The Friday night fixture in Dhaka will likely decide whether either team has a chance to progress to the semi-finals.

A loss would effectively end Australia’s World Cup – barring an unlikely set of events which would include lowly Bangladesh springing some upsets – after just two games following their opening round loss to Pakistan.

But to get over the top of masterblasters Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith, they’ll also have to contend with the most unlikely of West Indian attacks that hardly has a recognised paceman and is stacked with quirky spin bowlers.

It is borderline unimaginable when you consider the famed West Indian attacks of the 1980s, who bounced and snarled their way to the top of world cricket with tearaway quicks Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and Michael Holding.

But the current Calypso Kings will likely open the bowling with the curious left-arm stylist Krishmar Santokie, who charges in like Mitchell Starc but sends down plenty of slower balls, and the mystifying off-spinner Sunil Narine.

“I think they have got a really good formula for this form of the game,” he said.

“They have obviously got Narine who is a tricky spinner to pick they have got the new left-armer (Santokie) who looks like he has got a few tricks.

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“They have got a lot of options which I think you need in this format. And they have won this competition last time around so it is a pretty big mountain for us.

“It is different to a traditional West Indies team but probably this format of the game they have embraced it as well as any other country.”

Haddin played in the Big Bash with Narine at the Sydney Sixers, but doesn’t think he can shed too much light on the unique spinner’s tricks – other than to try and bash him out of the attack.

“His economy rate is as good as anyone in the world in this form of the game,” he said.

“But you only know one gear in this game so you have got to go after him, like you do any other spinner, to maybe put them off their game or maybe get them to do something they are not quite as comfortable with.”

Australia will most likely welcome match-winning allrounder James Faulkner back from a knee injury, with Haddin predicting the combative 23-year-old will bring some much-needed energy and fight.

The Windies, however, will be sweating on the fitness of superstar opener Gayle and wicketkeeper Dinesh Ramdin.

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Scans on Ramdin’s right thumb cleared him of any fracture, but there remains significant bruising and he is a game-day decision, while Gayle is battling a left ankle injury which hampered him in their comfortable victory over Bangladesh on Tuesday.

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