Weather a worry for Windies ahead of crucial Aussie match by AFP

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Ground:	Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Scorecard:	Australia v West Indies
Event:	VB Series 2004/05

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DateLine: 25th January 2005

 

The West Indies headed into tri-series match against Australia fearful that foul weather might again thwart their chances of earning a crucial victory.

 

Captain Brian Lara said the match was a do-or-die fixture for his side, who are seeking to overcome Pakistan and gain a place in the finals of the limited overs competition against Australia.

 

Lara said his bowlers needed to repeat their wicket-taking start from the previous encounter between the two sides in Brisbane last Friday.

 

In that match the Australians were on the ropes at 43 for 5 in reply to the West Indies' 263 for nine when the match was abandoned because of heavy rain.

 

"It's important that we try to maintain that focus and make sure that we get early wickets," Lara said on Tuesday.

 

But with showers and possible thunderstorms forecast for the Adelaide Oval clash on Wednesday, it may well be Australia's third straight rain-affected match.

 

Their nine-wicket win over Pakistan in Sydney on Sunday was also interrupted by rain.

 

"It seems to be following us everywhere at the moment," Australian captain Ricky Ponting said.

 

"It will be frustrating if the rain does come and the storm hits, but you can't predict those things."

 

Ponting said Australia's batsmen needed to reassert themselves after the poor start against the Windies in Brisbane.

 

"They're obviously coming out of that game talking pretty confidently, so we have to make sure that we switch on again tomorrow," he said on Tuesday.

 

The Australians also have other concerns over the poor batting form of opener Matthew Hayden and big-hitter Andrew Symonds.

 

Ponting admitted he was concerned about Symonds form which has seen him make five ducks in his last six innings.

 

"He's probably a little bit worried about the way he's travelling, or... how few runs he has got," Ponting said.

 

But Ponting was confident a return to form was imminent.

 

"It's just going to take him to spend a bit of time at the crease, everything will come back to him again and you'll see him start playing the cricket we know he can play," he said.

 

As for Hayden, Ponting said every batsman suffered a downturn in form at some point.

 

"He's a bit the same as Symo (Symonds), I guess, he's in a little bit of a rut, we've all been in them," he said.

 

Ponting said Symonds might be promoted in the order, with regular number four Damien Martyn being rested.

 

Allrounder Shane Watson, bowler Michael Kasprowicz and Martyn were left out of the Australian team and replaced by batsman Simon Katich, spinner Brad Hogg and pace bowler Jason Gillespie.

 

Australia: Ricky Ponting (c), Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Darren Lehmann, Andrew Symonds, Simon Katich, Brad Haddin, Brad Hogg, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath.

 

West Indies (from): Brian Lara (c), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Christopher Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Ryan Hinds, Courtney Browne, Ian Bradshaw, Pedro Collins, Mervyn Dillon, Reon King, Xavier Marshall.

(Article: Copyright © 2004 AFP)