Aussies plan unprecedented clean sweep

While Miller and MacGill were preparing to present their final case for selection for India, Warne was told he would not walk back into the Test team when he recovered from a broken finger.

Warne takes his first step back from injury tomorrow when he plays a one-day match for Victoria against Western Australia at the WACA Ground In Perth.“It’s up to him,†Australian skipper Steve Waugh said. “He’s got to get in there and do the hard work, take some wickets and get some bowling under his belt.“The guys in the side are playing well and it’s up to Warney to to get his form and wickets in order and get ready for selection.

“Warney’s got 360-odd wickets under his belt, so that’s to help him, but he’s got to get in there and put the form on the board as well.

“He hasn’t played a lot recently, so it’s given the other guys an opportunity to show what they can do and it really will depend on who wants the spot the most.â€Miller has cashed in on Warne’s absence, becoming Australia’s first-choice spinner when he kept MacGill out of the fourth Test. But MacGill has the chance to fight back on his home track this week after selectors made the difficult decision to omit Bichel after his great form at the MCG.

MacGill took 12-107 in his last Test in Sydney two years ago and a similar return would make it hard for selectors to overlook him on the turning tracks in India.The battle between the slow men looms as one of the most intriguing in Australian cricket in recent years. But Australian selectors have not shied away from tough decisions, tinkering with the bowling attack this summer despite watching Waugh’s team build a world-record winning streak which is expected to stretch to 15 matches in Sydney.

“It doesn’t matter what team we put on the park we’ve shown that in the last couple of Tests when we’ve had injuries,†Waugh said. “I expect to win the Test match with whatever team we put out there.†The West Indies have had just three days to get over the thrashing in Melbourne but captain Jimmy Adams believes his team could win in Sydney.

The tourists will have the extra motivation to play well for veteran Courtney Walsh, who will play the last of his 25 Test matches in Australia. “It’s been a tough month I will admit. But you keep moving forward and looking forward,†Adams said today. “Tomorrow is another tough day of international cricket. I haven’t had that much to smile about but there’s still a smile there. Don’t worry.â€

TEAMS
Australia: Steve Waugh (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Jason Gillespie, Stuart MacGill, Colin Miller, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Bichel (12th man). West Indies (likely 12): Jimmy Adams (captain), Sherwin Campbell, Daren Ganga, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Marlon Black, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Colin Stuart, Courtney Walsh.