Hard Aussie baptism toughened up Sarwan

Ramnaresh Sarwan has told his inexperienced team-mates they must be mentally strong to tackle Australia in their own backyard. Sarwan started his third Test tour Down Under with 73 on the opening day of the warm-up against Queensland, but both new openers missed out as the West Indians were dismissed for a below-par 271.

Australia has been a hard place to visit for Sarwan, who has 218 runs here in six Tests, but his role has suddenly increased following the departure of Chris Gayle on Wednesday to be with his sick mother in Jamaica. The 15-man squad was already light on experience following the end of the drawn-out players' strike and Sarwan, a former captain, has already taken on more responsibility.

"We have been trying to do that, especially the senior guys like myself, Shiv [Chanderpaul] and Chris," he said. "I don't think nothing much will change [with Gayle's departure], it's important we help the younger guys as much as we can."

Nine years ago Sarwan started his first Test trip to Australia with scores of 0,0,2,1 and 0 before gaining his first half-century in the final match in Sydney. "It's pretty tough here," he said. "I had my first baptism here in 2000-01, but that made me mentally tough. I've said to the young guys you have to remain mentally tough in this part of the world. You guys play pretty hard and it will be a pretty good challenge."

Both Adrian Barath (0) and Travis Dowlin (2), the only specialist openers in the squad now Gayle has left, were dismissed by the time the score was 10 against a Queensland line-up containing two opening bowlers appearing in their maiden first-class games. "It wasn't the type of start we wanted to get off to and we're a bit disappointed," Sarwan said. "But at the start the ball was doing quite a bit. Unfortunately we lost a few wickets, but myself and Shiv batted pretty well through that period, but it's disappointing we didn't bat through the day."

Chanderpaul made 41 before he was out pulling and Dwayne Bravo sparkled over 49 runs in 53 deliveries until he edged the legspinner Daniel Doran. Sarwan was closing in on a century after tea, but his stay ended when he was ruled caught behind to the debutant Luke Feldman.

"I would have liked to have gone on and got a hundred, but nevertheless I got 73 and, most importantly, I spent some time at the crease because I haven't played a four-day game for quite a while," he said. "On the other hand as a team we'll be a bit disappointed not to have scored 300."