Hayden looking to feast on spin in second Test

Australian batsman Matthew Hayden hopes to feast on his favourite dish in Trinidad this weekend when the West Indies send a little-known Anguillan off-spinner into his first cricket Test.

Omari Banks, from the tiny Leeward Island, will walk into a trap if Hayden unloads the punishment that has floored some of the world's best spinners in the second Test at Queen's Park Oval from Saturday.

Hayden is due for a century, by his lofty standards, because he hasn't reached triple figures in his past five Test innings.

The Queenslander is second only to Don Bradman on the list of Australia's most frequent century-makers in Tests, with a ton about every five knocks and a Test average of 50.40.

Hayden expects his average to increase if he faces more spin this series after the Windies relied on four quicks in last week's nine-wicket loss to Australia in the first Test.

"It's going to come, but I think it's going to come a little bit differently for me this time. I am looking to just bat length of time throughout the Test matches here," he said.

"Getting to face spin I think that's going to be huge, that's going to ultimately reveal some massive scoring opportunities for me throughout the series.

"I kind of missed the boat in some ways not really facing (two part-time spinners). I don't think they have got a real quality spinner in their side."

But Hayden and the Australians were impressed by Banks when the lanky 20-year-old claimed three wickets for the Guyana Board President's XI in the opening tour match in Georgetown two weeks ago.

Hayden was satisfied with his batting in that match but not as happy with his innings of 10 and 19 in the first Test.

He lost his ranking as the world's best Test batsman this week to England's Michael Vaughan, but the laid-back Hayden was hardly bothered.

The merits of the ranking system are debatable and Hayden remembers that Australian team-mate Adam Gilchrist jumped into top spot last year after not playing a match in one ranking period.

"It shows the fickle nature of our sport and of this particular ranking system as well," Hayden said.

"It's a nice tag to have, the number one ranking, and I think it's something to aspire to as well. It's now a battle to get it back again and I am sure it will be pretty close.

"But it's not something I play the game for. My passions are our partnerships and the way we demonstrate in playing for Australia."

Australian selectors are yet to decide whether to stick with the rare combination of five specialist bowlers after the experiment worked in Georgetown.

The wicket at Queen's Park Oval, with a greater covering of grass, may sway selectors but there was some speculation today among the team that the beefed-up attack may remain.