The West Indies will host Australia in the first of three Test matches at Bridgetown in Barbados and we’ll bring you live scores and commentary of the Test cricket action, starting at midnight AEST on Sunday.
It has been a fairly even tour so far, with both teams sharing the ODI and the T20I series and that is a surprise given the difference in the limited overs rankings between the two sides. The five-day format pushes this gap further and that should start Australia as favourites.
But all that is on paper. The ground reality is that the West Indies are a side that have rediscovered their lost fighting spirit. Their mental toughness. And their pride from the 1970s and 1980s.
In Darren Sammy they have a captain who epitomises all these characteristics and punches beyond his weight. He is his players’ inspiration and that is exactly what the West Indies will need when they take on Australia in this first Test match.
They have a slightly newer look to the Test side as compared to the one-day team. Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk Edwards will join the West Indian top-order while stodgy customer Shivnarine Chanderpaul returns to the middle-order.
Kemar Roach is the lone surviving pace bowler from the ODIs and he will be joined Fidel Edwards and the now-fit Ravi Rampaul in the 11.
Australia will welcome the return of their captain Michael Clarke, who missed the ODI series to an injury. Clarke has a double-century and a 300 to his name in two of the last three Tests he played and his batting should stabilise a batting order that hasn’t been at its best in the limited overs version of the game.
Ricky Ponting should add solidity to the middle-order as well but the big question will be around the top three of the line-up. While Dave Warner should retain his opening slot, it remains to be seen whether Shane Watson is sent out as his partner or if he bats at three.
In case of the latter option, Ed Cowan will open the innings with Warner, a continuation from the series against India.
If everyone’s fit, then Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and James Pattinson should form the pace attack while Nathan Lyon will go in as the side’s lone spinner. Difficult to see Australia play two spinners, which means that Michael Beer will remain on the bench.
Matthew Wade will make his Test match debut.
Join us for the live coverage of the West Indies v Australia first Test match.
Jason Cave
Guest
I think the West Indies are a lot better than what most people think. True, they will never recapture the glory days of the 1980s, but they are a very competitive team. The dropped catches might come back to haunt Australia later on. And the England side would be taking a interested view of the Test series, seeing that England play the West Indies at home and also with an eye toward the Ashes 2013.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
I will be back with you for the second day of this Test match on Sunday. Do keep following!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
So that is that then, the rain has had its say and the day' play has been called off early. It was West Indies' day to begin with but those two strikes at the end of the play should even the honours up. There was some really dour batting from Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk Edward, both of whom drove the Aussies crazy with their dead-bat defence. Both fell within 25 runs of each other and the lack of too many runs obviously came back to haunt the West Indian side. By the end, West Indies were 3/179 with Darren Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul at the crease. For Australia, Peter Siddle looked like he was bowling his heart out through his 17 overs, while Clarke tried Nathan Lyon in the first one hour and later he bowled himself and even Dave Warner. Warner got him a wicket, breaking that 104-run stand between Edwards and Brathwaite.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Yet, who wants to plsy attractive cricket when this approach from the West Indies can be the cause of so many headaches for the Aussies?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
The official end of day's play happens in about 15 minutes from now, while the play can be extended by 30 minutes to make up for lost play. The rain needs to stop for all of that to happen.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
It is still raining at Barbados...no change in the weather so far.
Lolly
Guest
It's pretty meh as test cricket goes. Both teams seem to be in 'moseying down to the corrall' mode.
Lolly
Guest
He's more square up than ever. I'm not surprised if it's doing Lyon's head in.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Yes, it has been wanting to come down for some time and it is now drizzling. Players are off the field with the home team at 3/179 in 73.
Dane Eldridge
Expert
Lyon is over-thinking Shiv's non-standard stance. Look at the turn in the footmark outside off, start loitering there!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Another of Siddle's maidens, his eighth of the 17 he has bowled. Can you recollect of someone who ha bowled so many in recent times.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four! Now that was a poor ball from Lyon. In the last over, he was getting them to pitch on the off-stump and turning them outside. This time he corrected this by bowling outside the leg-stump and the bowler was swept away fine to the fence.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
At tea, Bravo was on 14 off 14. Now he is on 20 from 53, that is six runs from six and a half overs. I will not call that as attractive batting.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
C'paul has finally got off the mark and it looks like so has the rain. So far only a few drops.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Umpires are looking at the light but no danger per se. Not right now anyway. Clarke is happy to continue with the pace bowlers.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Brathwaite has been replaced by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, a player who symbolises the very brand of batting that the outgoing batsman showed. 11 dot balls since the wicket. Lyon getting the ball to turn and rip from around the wicket.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Brathwaite batted for 199 balls, on his way to making 57. Siddle deserved it though, he did work hard all day.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
OUT! Finally! Siddle has the wicket that Australia so desperately wanted, Brathwaite had almost ground the Australian attack to dust but this time he has managed to get the edge. The ball was short, rising and the batsman tried to defend it, instead of leaving the ball through to the keeper. Wade gets his first catch too.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Defence, defence, defence. Bravo and Brathwaite are showing the definition of what a straight bat defence is. Maiden over from Lyon and now Siddle has come on. 2/167 in 67.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Australian bowlers chugging away but suddenly both the batsmen have become watchful. Nathan Lyon into the attack.