West Indies look to spring surprise on Australia

ADELAIDE: Australia head into the two-Test series against the West Indies beginning in Adelaide Wednesday as the hottest of favourites, but the visitors insist they are ready to shock the reigning world Test champions.

For the Australians, the biggest challenge has been deciding on a replacement for veteran opener David Warner, who retired after their win over Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground earlier this month.

They have settled on moving Steve Smith up the order and bringing back towering all-rounder Cameron Green to bat at number four, where he slots in for the Western Australia state side. The rest of the team is unchanged from the one that beat Pakistan 3-0 in the just-completed series.

Smith said he had lobbied to replace Warner at the top of the order, adding that it allowed the selectors to pick Green at number four instead of asking him to open. “They (selectors) were obviously very keen to get Cameron (Green) in the side as well and play our best six batters, and for me it didn’t sit right to have him come in and bat up top,” Smith told reporters earlier this week.

“I’ve played for a long time and I’m an experienced player, and I think it’s something I should have done.” For the West Indies, however, it is a completely different picture, with seven uncapped players in their 15-man squad.

They will also be missing former captain Jason Holder and fellow all-rounder Kyle Mayers, who have both chosen to sit out the tour to concentrate on the T20 format. The once mighty West Indies have not won a Test in Australia since 1997 and were soundly beaten when they toured last summer.