WI bats ready to improve

BEAUSEJOUR: West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara said yesterday he’s looking to his top batsmen to neutralise Australia’s fast bowlers and to clinch a win against the world champions in the third One-Day International.

“The main thing is to try and lose as little wickets as possible in the first 15 overs,” Lara said. “We’ll be looking to stop that, and it will depend on a lot of our runs coming in the middle overs and to the end.” Australia are leading the series 2-0 after back-to-back victories in Jamaica last week. The wins stretched the visitors’ record winning streak to 19 matches.

The West Indies were bowled out for 163 in their eight-wicket loss in the second match after losing their first four wickets for 50. “You sort of handicap yourself when you lose early wickets,” Lara said. Lara insisted that his batsmen were ready to improve on their performances from Jamaica and inspire a much-needed victory. “You don’t want them to go 3-0 heading to Trinidad (for the next matches),” Lara said. “It’s a situation where we have to pull it back —- for the cricket side of things, but also from the psychological side.” He said the team had a good week in Antigua, followed by a bad one in Jamaica.

Australia will rest two key players, wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist and pace ace Brett Lee. Michael Clarke and Nathan Hauritz are included for their first international outings on the tour. Right-handed batsman Clarke will slip into the middle order with Jimmy Maher promoted to open the innings in Gilchrist’s absence. Hauritz, an off-spinning all-rounder, will share the slow bowling duties with left-arm wrist spinner Brad Hogg.

The squads:
West Indies: Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Marlon Samuels, Ricardo Powell, Carlton Baugh, Omari Banks, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Corey Collymore, David Bernard, Wavell Hinds, Ryan Hurley.
Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Matthew Hayden, Darren Lehmann, Jimmy Maher, Andrew Symonds, Michael Bevan, Ian Harvey, Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, Jason Gillespie, Brett Lee, Michael Clarke, Glenn McGrath, Nathan Hauritz.
Umpires: David Shepherd (England), Billy Doctrove (Dominica).