***Official*** West Indies in Australia

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Not really. Lawson if given the go ahead can destroy a lineup even Australia's has he proved not too long ago picking up a hattrick and 7 wicket haul in an innings. Edwards looked pretty good against Pakistan. I do think though that Gareth Breese should be the first choice spinner if necessary. None of the others seem capable enough yet to be a threat and he provides some much needed lower order batting.

Gareth Breese is a threat?! LOL!

Breese doesn't do anything with the ball that should trouble the Australians. If they get out to him, they should shoot themselves. He's a decent journeyman, but not a Test class spinner. He's also yet to convince me as a batsman.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Now the WI r gonna give Aussies some tough time with BCL, Sarwan and Gayle back in the side.Hoping for a tough contest between these 2 equally balanced sides.

What?! The West Indies is barely better than Zimbabwe/Bangladesh. Australia is still the best team in the world. That said... what?!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

darren powell is a far better bet than edwards and lawson if you ask me.

Lawson is at least as good a bowler as Powell. He bowled exceptionally in Sri Lanka and has put in performances against Australia before. The problem with Powell is that he's not fit enough. If he can get some stamina and build, he could be a world class bowler.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

For the windies i definately think Devon Smith should be opening, he's got the technique to cope with top class bowling better than Hinds, Banks wont trouble Australia at all, WI are better of playing 3 seamer with Bravo & Gayle spinning it since he has proven to be more effective than Banks in tests...

I agree about Devon Smith. He looks a quality player. If he can get a decent run in the side, it'll be interesting to see what comes of it. He definitely has the skills.

I disagree about Banks though. While I don't think he'll be a supreme wicket-taker, I can envision him dismissing a few Aussies. They've struggled against offspinners in the past, even the likes of Nehemiah Perry. Banks turns the ball more than Perry and actually turns the ball a fair bit in general. Everytime he's found some accuracy in his Test career, he's taken wickets. If he can do the same once more, he can do some things.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Lara v McGrath/Warne will be interesting to watch, as always, and hopefully the rest of the batting lineup will put in a good performance.

Lara vs Warne has never been much of an interesting contest though, as Lara has fairly disciplined Warne over the years. McGrath will be interesting though...

I think Gayle and possibly Sarwan will be worked out quite quickly by McGrath though.

There's also the possibility that they will play maturely though, given that they've been out of the fray for so long and need to make an impression. It may not be likely, but it's possible. I can see Gayle doing well though. Sarwan is an enigma. They'll bounce him and york him. How well he copes, we'll see.

WI batsmen generally struggle against spin as well, which increases the burden on Lara and Chanderpaul. I think there's a good chance that Chanderpaul will end the series with the most runs for WI, though I wouldn't mind of course if Lara has a spectacular series.

Sarwan is also a good player of spin, as are Ryan Hinds and Denesh Ramdin. I doubt Hinds will play though.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Collymore has the potential to be a mighty fine bowler, and after being desperately unlucky against England in Windies looked to be finally finding the right length to take a lot of wickets, just before the whole contracts fiasco blew up. Should be the first bowling name on the Windian teamsheet.

That's the key really - the length. He's always had the accuracy and bowls a tight length, but it was always marginally too short. If he can hit the length he did earlier this year, he will cause the Australians problem.

One thing that people underestimate is the ability of West Indian bowlers to reverse swing the ball over the last year or so. They've been getting it to reverse in conditions that the opposition hasn't. That could be an asset.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

The WI bowling wont trouble Australia. England won the Ashes through relentless accurate bowling..WI simply dont have that capability. Watch for sudden returns to form for pretty much every Aussie batsman.
Whitewash

Not quite true. While it may be a whitewash and the Windies bowlers may be smashed, I don't agree with the bowlers being incapable of accuracy. Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore are two who have proven otherwise and have dismissed quality batsmen because of it. Earlier this year, Jermaine Lawson showed the same, and he's done so against the Australians on occasion too. Fidel Edwards is a bit of a Shaun Tait, except he's more potent when he does get it right. Daren Powell certainly doesn't lack accuracy. He lacks stamina, but his accuracy is just fine.

 

[roseboy64]

Gareth Breese is a threat?! LOL!

Breese doesn't do anything with the ball that should trouble the Australians. If they get out to him, they should shoot themselves. He's a decent journeyman, but not a Test class spinner. He's also yet to convince me as a batsman.

He's more of a threat than any spinner available now.

 

[roseboy64]

Not quite true. While it may be a whitewash and the Windies bowlers may be smashed, I don't agree with the bowlers being incapable of accuracy. Pedro Collins and Corey Collymore are two who have proven otherwise and have dismissed quality batsmen because of it. Earlier this year, Jermaine Lawson showed the same, and he's done so against the Australians on occasion too. Fidel Edwards is a bit of a Shaun Tait, except he's more potent when he does get it right. Daren Powell certainly doesn't lack accuracy. He lacks stamina, but his accuracy is just fine.

Agree with you here but Edwards has shown in the past that he can be accurate. Powell as well as some other guys got visits from the fitness coach so hopefully he'll be cured of that problem.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

He's more of a threat than any spinner available now.

Dave Mohammed and even Omari Banks (when he gets it right) are more of a threat.

 

[roseboy64]

Dave Mohammed and even Omari Banks (when he gets it right) are more of a threat.

How often does Banks get it right? Mohammed though that's a good option. If Breese does better domestically though I'll be more for him despite Dave being more of a threat.

 

[marc71178]

Breese doesn't do anything with the ball that should trouble the Australians. If they get out to him, they should shoot themselves.

Is that a Dean Jones-type comment?

They've already got to hang themselves!

 

[Don]

gareth breese as our spinner now thats a good laugh.we either have to play dave mohammed or omari banks.then wait a couple years for the current spin happy u-19's to mature a bit more.

 

[greg]

Is that a Dean Jones-type comment?

They've already got to hang themselves!

Terry Alderman, I believe. By rights Australia shouldn't be capable of putting out a top 8 in this series.

 

[greg]

not that he's failed miserably its just that he's been so inconsitent, take for example recently he scored that big double hundred vs SA then failed throughout the series.....

There seems to be some confusion between Wavell and Ryan Hinds here.

 

[Mister Wright]

And no Liam thus far...

You were saying...?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

How often does Banks get it right? Mohammed though that's a good option. If Breese does better domestically though I'll be more for him despite Dave being more of a threat.

The thing is, when Breese gets it right, he's still not really a threat. When Banks gets it right, he is. That's why Banks is more potent, albeit still not Test class.

Breese may do better domestically, but so does Mahendra Nagamootoo.

 

[Mister Wright]

The thing is, when Breese gets it right, he's still not really a threat. When Banks gets it right, he is. That's why Banks is more potent, albeit still not Test class.

Breese may do better domestically, but so does Mahendra Nagamootoo.

Nagamootoo should have been given more of a run. He impressed me on the last tour of Australia.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Nagamootoo should have been given more of a run. He impressed me on the last tour of Australia.

Nagamootoo was woefully substandard. He took domestic wickets with flat "legbreak" that declined to break. The West Indies can't afford to play a specialist spinner who doesn't even try to turn the ball. He has spunk though.

 

[honestbharani]

My gut feeling is that the Windies will do a lot better than they did last time. That said, I think anything less than a 3-0 win would be a bad result for Australia.