Testing Times

The Test series between Australia and the West Indies in the Caribbean starts tomorrow. For the cricket devotee, this event has been long awaited. But I suspect that for most people, with the World Cup glories fading and the War in Iraq in full swing, this series has been largely forgotten.

Just so you all know, here are some facts:

1. It starts in Guyana tomorrow (10 April – which is probably today by the time you read this).
2. Australia will be without Warne for the entire series (for obvious reasons – get used to it) and McGrath for at least the first two Tests. McGrath returned to Australia when is wife was diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer.
3. Australia will be without Martyn for the entire series.
4. Brian Lara has been reappointed as captain of the West Indies – for the first time in more than two years.
5. Outgoing captain, Carl Hooper was selected in the team but has retired gracefully (on the surface, anyway).
6. Steve Waugh plays his 157th Test and will break the record for most Tests (which he shares with Allan Border).
7. If Australia wins the series, they return to the top of the ICC Test Champions Trophy ladder.
8. Jason Gillespie is fit to play. Let us hope that the wind does not blow to hard.
9. I still don’t have Foxtel.

The series will be no pushover for Australia. It is true that they suffered set back after set back in the World Cup campaign and forged ahead, seemingly unaffected.

Australia’s twelve has not been announced at the time of writing. The key decision is that of the spinner. Will it be Hogg or MacGill? Hogg is still officially a One Day specialist but I believe that he is a very serious contender for several reasons:

1. His form has been great right through the Australian One Day summer and the World Cup.
2. Lara mastered both MacGill and Warne last series in the West Indies. The Chinaman may be a different proposition.
3. MacGill did not have an impressive summer and was not impressive at the SCG in his Test call up. However, it should be noted that it is in his favour that he finished strongly in the final two matches of the Pura Cup – both against Qld. I think he bagged about 19 wickets.

I’m thinking that the 11 will be:

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
Love
Waugh
Lehman
Gilchrist
Bichel
Lee
Hogg
Gillespie

Aside from anything else, this team has surprising batting depth, with no bunnies. I’m not sure if I have the middle of the lower order exactly right but you get the idea.