Latest news with #BarbadosTest
Sydney Morning Herald
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
First look at Barbados pitch as Australia prepare for uncertain West Indies surfaces
Australia nearly reached parity, making 406, before bowling the West Indies out for 148 and chasing down the runs required for victory with three wickets to spare. 'Thirteen years ago this was a real old-fashioned, traditional cricket wicket with big runs in the first innings and a hard-fought contest in the second innings,' Lyon said ahead of Australia's first match of a new World Test Championship cycle. 'My feeling is that this wicket is probably going to be pretty similar to that – pretty flat over the first couple of days, reverse swing and spin bowling hopefully comes into it. It's going to be a war of attrition. 'I think it's a real live option to play two spinners here.' In the 2008 Barbados Test, Australia made 251 batting first, then declared on 5-439 in the second innings courtesy of centuries from Phil Jaques (108) and Simon Katich (157). Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood averaged just eight runs a wicket on Australia's last West Indies tour in 2015, which featured matches in Dominica and Kingston. Australia's Tests on this tour are in Barbados (June 25 to 29), Grenada (July 3 to 7) and Jamaica (July 12-16), the last of which is a pink-ball fixture under lights. 'Traditionally, Barbados is probably the best wicket to bat on, and the scores are pretty good in recent history,' Hazlewood said. 'The other ones [in Grenada and Kingston] are a bit of luck of the draw. Typically, they're slower and dry.' Loading Lyon added: 'In Grenada I'm pretty sure no one in the touring squad has actually ever been to the island, so we don't know what's going on. Then a pink Test with the Dukes ball … I'm not sure what that's going to be like.' Kuhnemann is eager to get another match for Australia after his success in Sri Lanka earlier this year. 'I think we've got all bases covered for whatever pitch we get,' he said. 'If it looks like it's going to spin and I play a role, then I'm ready to go.' Australia's batting line-up is essentially settled. The only uncertainty is the exact order Khawaja, Konstas, Josh Inglis, Green, Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey will bat in, but that order would make sense. There had been speculation Head might open, like he has on the subcontinent before, but he quashed that on Sunday. 'I think with Sam and Uzzie there [at the top of the order] that'd be pretty unlikely,' Head said. 'I wouldn't see that being a case at the moment.'
The Age
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The Age
First look at Barbados pitch as Australia prepare for uncertain West Indies surfaces
Australia nearly reached parity, making 406, before bowling the West Indies out for 148 and chasing down the runs required for victory with three wickets to spare. 'Thirteen years ago this was a real old-fashioned, traditional cricket wicket with big runs in the first innings and a hard-fought contest in the second innings,' Lyon said ahead of Australia's first match of a new World Test Championship cycle. 'My feeling is that this wicket is probably going to be pretty similar to that – pretty flat over the first couple of days, reverse swing and spin bowling hopefully comes into it. It's going to be a war of attrition. 'I think it's a real live option to play two spinners here.' In the 2008 Barbados Test, Australia made 251 batting first, then declared on 5-439 in the second innings courtesy of centuries from Phil Jaques (108) and Simon Katich (157). Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood averaged just eight runs a wicket on Australia's last West Indies tour in 2015, which featured matches in Dominica and Kingston. Australia's Tests on this tour are in Barbados (June 25 to 29), Grenada (July 3 to 7) and Jamaica (July 12-16), the last of which is a pink-ball fixture under lights. 'Traditionally, Barbados is probably the best wicket to bat on, and the scores are pretty good in recent history,' Hazlewood said. 'The other ones [in Grenada and Kingston] are a bit of luck of the draw. Typically, they're slower and dry.' Loading Lyon added: 'In Grenada I'm pretty sure no one in the touring squad has actually ever been to the island, so we don't know what's going on. Then a pink Test with the Dukes ball … I'm not sure what that's going to be like.' Kuhnemann is eager to get another match for Australia after his success in Sri Lanka earlier this year. 'I think we've got all bases covered for whatever pitch we get,' he said. 'If it looks like it's going to spin and I play a role, then I'm ready to go.' Australia's batting line-up is essentially settled. The only uncertainty is the exact order Khawaja, Konstas, Josh Inglis, Green, Travis Head, Beau Webster and Alex Carey will bat in, but that order would make sense. There had been speculation Head might open, like he has on the subcontinent before, but he quashed that on Sunday. 'I think with Sam and Uzzie there [at the top of the order] that'd be pretty unlikely,' Head said. 'I wouldn't see that being a case at the moment.'
