From Garth Wattley
In Kingston
Even without the retired, the missing and the injured, world champions Australia will still be the side expected to set the pace at the start of this Digicel Test series against the West Indies here at Sabina Park this morning.
Having won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the teams, Ricky Ponting’s re-shaped 2008 unit have history and form on their side.
The prospects for the home team look as daunting as the Blue Mountains looming behind Sabina.Chris Gayle, team leader and one of the principal batsmen, will be missing because of his injured groin. And a two-year ban has removed potential match-winner Marlon Samuels from the middle order.
On paper, they seem critical losses for a squad lacking strength.
But just lately, the West Indians have been making light of conventional wisdom.
Their First Test win over South Africa last December in Port Elizabeth and the Second Test triumph to level the series against Sri Lanka at the Queen’s Park Oval this April, were good team victories in a short space of time. But since he was officially given the job, West Indies are yet to win without Gayle in any form of the game.
