Australians prepare to target young guns

BRISBANE - Australia will apply heat to the West Indies' batting young guns when the summer Test series begins at the Gabba today.

Darren Ganga and Ramnaresh Sarwan share just 41 years and nine Test appearances but they will face the fire of Australians Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee in the most daunting test of their fledgling careers.

The pair, who trained at the Australian Cricket Academy last month, were included in the Windies team named only last night, with just one change from the line-up which crashed to Victoria inside three days.

Paceman Marlon Black returns for leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo, who will carry the drinks behind a four-man pace attack.

The 25-year-old Black is the only debutant in the match, joining his childhood hero Courtney Walsh in an attack including right-armers Nixon McLean and Mervyn Dillon.

The bowling attack could hold the key for the tourists if the batsmen can't improve on their ordinary performances since arriving in Australia two weeks ago.

Ganga and Sarwan have been among the culprits, with vice-captain Sherwin Campbell the only recognised batsman averaging better than 25 after the two opening first-class matches.

The 21-year-old Ganga has returned scores of 0, 8, 12 and 0, placing genuine doubts over his ability to recover form against the menacing Australians.

He played the last of his four Tests in New Zealand last year after being thrust into the Test arena during the Windies' terrible tour of South Africa.

Sarwan, rated the more naturally talented batsman, retained his spot after promising performances in England earlier this year. He topped the batting averages and showed enough judges he could be a future force at the highest level.

But the 20-year-old is desperate for confidence after returning a pair during the Windies' loss to Victoria by an innings and 63 runs.

Both youngsters will hope their skipper Jimmy Adams wins the toss and bowls on a Gabba strip which should favour the bowlers on the first day.

Overnight showers will only help the pacemen trouble the batsmen with Australian captain Steve Waugh admitting there was a "fair chance" he would ask the Windies to bat if he won the toss.

Waugh said his players wanted to put the chase for records to the backs of their minds, preferring to focus on winning the Test.

Australia must win to equal the West Indies' world record of 11 consecutive Test victories.

AUSTRALIA: Steve Waugh (capt), Adam Gilchrist (vice-captain), Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Brett Lee, Andrew Bichel, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Damien Martyn (12th man).

WEST INDIES: Jimmy Adams (capt), Sherwin Campbell (vice-captain), Darren Ganga, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Mervyn Dillon, Marlon Black, Courtney Walsh, Mahendra Nagamootoo (12th man).