The West Indies begin their tour of Australia with the first Test of the series in Hobart, and you can follow live scores and a blog of the opening day’s action from 10.30 am (AEDT).
AUSTRALIA VS WEST INDIES DAY 2 LIVE BLOG
All the media focus leading up to the series has been on how one-sided these three Tests could potentially turn out to be.
Beating Australia at home hasn’t been the easiest exercise for most teams in recent times but for the West Indies, whose Test cricket ranking has fallen off the cliff following years of poor performances, it borders on the impossible.
The nature of West Indies’ task can be summed up in the following line: the West Indies last won an away series, not counting Bangladesh or Zimbabwe, in 1995.
I rubbed my eyes in disbelief reading that statistic, but that’s how it is and despite what bowling coach Curtly Ambrose has to say about their chances, it will require a series of freak occurrences to give them any hope.
Ambrose wasn’t a happy man in his press conference two days before this opening Test, almost as angry as he was bowling at Steve Waugh on occasions.
He said: “You as reporters have got to report what you see. So I’ve learned over the years to, I won’t say ignore, but know what to take from the reports and what not to take.”
“But we’re going to be focused. We’re not going to worry about what has been said about us not being a good team or not going to compete. At the end of the day when we perform and beat Australia, then the reporters will have to change their tune.”
The West Indies will hope to take some positives from what transpired in the series between these two teams back home in 2012. They still lost that three-match series 2-0, but it got slightly too close for comfort.
In the first Test, the West Indies had made 449 batting first, and Australia chased down the 192 they needed in the final innings for the loss of seven wickets. In the final Test, West Indies fell 75 runs short of the target of 370.
Their showing in their most recent tour game, however, makes it tough to side with their chances. Against a Cricket Australia XI side consisting of greenhorn cricketers, the West Indies were bowled out for 243 and 210 and went down by ten wickets.
But Australia will know better than to take their opponents lightly and that’s more to do with their line-up, which has lost quite a few of their first-choice players from a year ago.
Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Shane Watson, Chris Rogers and Mitchell Johnson have retired, and Mitchell Starc’s injury has left them with Josh Hazlewood, Peter Siddle and James Pattinson to lead the pace bowling department.
That said, Australia are coming off a 2-0 win over New Zealand, and it looked a convincing performance.
David Warner and Steven Smith have continued to carve out the runs as they have done over the last couple of years while Hazlewood’s performance in the Adelaide Test will keep the West Indian batsmen on their toes.
Joe Burns seems to have taken to the opening slot well while Shaun Marsh’s innings during Australia’s chase under the lights in Adelaide helps him retain his place in the side.
There were talks of the pitch being laced with grass a couple of days before the Test, but Bellerive Oval curator Marcus Pamplin said things had been blown out of proportion.
“I think the ball will come right through to the batsmen. It will be pretty tough for the first session, but then it will be a nice batting track. I wouldn’t be surprised if they bat first whoever wins the toss.”
You can follow the live scores and a blog of the first day of this first Test between Australia and the West Indies from 10:30 am (AEDT) and post your comments in the section below.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Suneer, describing the massacre that took place in India over the last couple of months as thrill a minute is really stretching it. Indian cricket fans can't have it both ways - you either don't doctor wickets and get level playing fields and thus close matches or you doctor and win at home as easily as you lose away. The latter option isn't thrill A minute. I wouldn't describe slaughtering an Indian side 4-0 on bouncy tracks as exciting. Satisfying maybe
Sideline Comm.
Guest
Politics and money. They gave us a test series before the Ashes (much good it did us) and in return we promised them a boxing day and new years test which they get a lot of money for.
Johnno
Guest
Test cricket is dieing, and in decline many are predicting. There's only a few good teams left, a sport to thrive needs many teams that are decent.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Pakistan would be great (ranked higher than England and NZ despite not having played a test at home in years), but even Bangladesh would be better than the West Indies -- at least they're getting better instead of worse.
Nudge
Guest
Pakistan next summer. RSA first, then Pakistan over Christmas
rasty
Guest
Fair enough Suneer. Must have been a bit more than a reasonably tough pitch looking at those measly scores with equally measly strike rates. Guess I prefer something in between. I don't like the batters paradise but equally not sure on these wickets where the innings scores are very low and you watch hour after hour balls being blocked or left.
rasty
Guest
Actually, they had not as the first of the previous two tests was a draw due to inclement weather. But as I said it must be in the watching as on the card it looks like a snorefest. I guess that is one of the many great aspects of cricket that such wide ranging scorecards can afford end of spectrum feelings from supporters?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Naah, anything but that. Test fans devoured it. Some had an issue with it, but then it's their choice obviously. I found the sheer pleasure of being able to stone-wall out those long periods of play against spin, exciting. These were the last two days of the series, after SA had been hammered in the previous two Tests, so the resilience came as a pleasant surprise as well.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
It was anything but a snore-fest, rasty. The batting was classic, backs-to-the-walls batting on a reasonably tough final day pitch against a spinner on the top of his game. Then came a spell of mind-blowing reverse-swing bowling that made for salivating watching. Tactically, skills-wise and temperamentally, two of the best days of Test cricket in recent memory those last two days at Delhi.
rasty
Guest
Just to clarify: Suneer you stated that the SA vs India was a thrill a minute. I mean to say that there must of been around 50 overs or more than half-a-days play that most people would have happily slept through.
rasty
Guest
Must of been in the watching I guess. The results suggest it was a snorefest? AB and Amla facing 300 odd balls and scoring buggar all is not interesting IMO.
Jameswm
Guest
NZ and SA also want a Boxing Day test and a New Year's test. Who does that leave>? We've just played India and England. Pakistan maybe?
Don Freo
Guest
They could make the ads shorter. That would get in 10 more per day.
Matthew
Guest
It dosnt work like that. Fixtures are worked out many years in advance as part of the program so countries get to play other countries and not just the same ones again and again. Its time for us to play the West Indies and sadly they are a shadow of what they once were. Cricket interest in the countries that make up the West Indies is focused towards the more lucrative IPL and local Island version of the T20 tournmanent. Kids are also turning to other sports and away from Cricket. Its entirely possible that in 10-15 years there may not be a West Indies team.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
why does Australia feel the need to play a 2nd rate team like the West Indies? Surely we could have play someone that could challenge us? Is this a charity?
JGK
Roar Guru
How can you tell the difference?
Sideline Comm.
Guest
About their half-baked ideas on origins slang cricket terms like 'rissole'.
Maggie
Guest
That and the very cold and wet weather that is forecast for tomorrow .....
TheCunningLinguistic
Guest
Spot on, Don. A great, changeless innings, and a superb knock from Voges too. Yes, the bowling was a bit crap, but you can only hit what's put in front of you.
Johnno
Guest
What bollocks were they talk'n about, I wanna know the goss