Australia, still trying to settle down following a number of high profile retirements over the last year, could enter the opening Test of three against West Indies starting Thursday without Matthew Hayden.
The long-standing left-handed opening batsman is suffering from an Achilles problem which prevented him from taking part in the visitors' solitary warm-up match prior to the Test last weekend against Jamaica.
"He is actually a lot better than he was in the last few days, and if he wakes up well on the eve of the Test, we will probably do some sort of testing," Australia captain Ricky Ponting told a news conference to launch the series on Wednesday.
"But you'd have to say not playing last week, and having limited preparation for the Test, he's probably 50-50 at best." Ponting revealed however, that Australia have already prepared for the worst, and that Simon Katich will open the batting with Phil Jaques. Australia are also missing Michael Clarke. He remained at home to attend the funeral of his fiancee's father.
Brad Hodge will bat at five if Hayden fails a fitness test on the eve of the match and Katich has to open the batting, leaving Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey, and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to form the rest of the batting. "Our whole focus is getting ready for the game," Ponting said.
"We are pleased with how the practice sessions went last week, and are excited to play cricket in the Caribbean again. "We just want to play better Test cricket. We have brought new faces into the team, and we are looking forward to good performances." West Indies too, have a few mountains to climb, and Ramnaresh Sarwan, leading the side in the absence of the injured Chris Gayle, is well aware of the challenge that confronts the home team.
"They are the No 1 team in the World and it will be a great pleasure beating them, and if we can do that, we'll be very satisfied," he said. "But we are playing against the No 1 team in the World and we need to lift our game, and play as consistently as we can."
Sarwan believes the improvement that West Indies have shown in their previous two Tests series against South Africa and Sri Lanka bodes well for their tussles over the next few weeks with the Aussies. "We have done well in our last two tours, and it is important that we continue to play that way and try and improve as much as we can, especially against Australia," he said. With Gayle and fellow left-hander Sewnarine Chattergoon missing through injury, and Marlon Samuels banned for two years for his connections with an alleged Indian bookie, West Indies face a few questions about their line-up.
The absence of Gayle and Chattergoon allows Devon Smith another crack at the opening position, after he appeared to be settling in down the order against Sri Lanka, and earns Brenton Parchment a recall and a chance to prove that he is the genuine article.
The combined effect of Gayle and Samuels missing also affects the rest of the line-up, since their uncomplicated spin bowling support lent balance to the side which fortifies the case for the selection of a specialist slow bowler. West Indies can choose either the beanpole left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, or the stocky Amit Jaggernauth alongside the fast bowling trio of Jerome Taylor, Daren Powell, and Fidel Edwards.
But the selectors' decision to name bowling all-rounder Darren Sammy in the squad is quite interesting and gives the home team a fourth seam bowling option. The choice of a fourth frontline bowler - either the spinner or Sammy - will shorten the batting and leave Runako Morton and Ryan Hinds in a fight for a place in the middle-order.
West Indies (from): Ramnaresh Sarwan (captain), Dwayne Bravo (vice captain), Sulieman Benn, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Ryan Hinds, Amit Jaggernauth, Xavier Marshall, Runako Morton, Brenton Parchment, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.
Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (captain), Mike Hussey (vice captain), Doug Bollinger, Beau Casson, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Ashley Noffke, Andrew Symonds.
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Russell Tiffin, TV Replays: Norman Malcolm, Reserve: Clancy Mack.
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama.