Windies gamble on another young batsman

ADELAIDE - West Indies selectors have thrown another young batsman into the lions' den for tomorrow's third Test against Australia, naming Marlon Samuels for his first Test.

The 19-year-old takes the place of 20-year-old Ramnaresh Sarwan, who was relegated to 12th man duties after scoring just three runs in four Test innings this summer.

Samuels, who only arrived in Australia last week for injured batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, will also bowl his part-time off-spin after Windies selectors stuck with their four fast bowlers.

While Australia will most likely play two slow bowlers, the Windies overlooked their only specialist spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo and gambled on an attack unproven on the batsman-friendly Adelaide Oval.

The Windies pace battery was toothless at their last Adelaide Oval Test in 1996-97, falling to Australia by an innings and 163 runs.

Samuels faces a daunting baptism in the Test arena but captain Jimmy Adams has rated the teenager among the most talented players in the Caribbean.

The right-hander is a brother of Robert Samuels, who toured Australia four years ago with the Windies.

The Windies have only three senior batsmen in Adams, Brian Lara and vice-captain Sherwin Campbell, leaving plenty of weight on Samuels and 21-year-old opener Daren Ganga.

Sarwan has been listed as a standby player for Brian Lara, but the Windies expect their star batsman will play despite a chronic hamstring problem.

West Indies: Jimmy Adams (capt), Sherwin Campbell (vice-captain), Daren Ganga, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Mervyn Dillon, Marlon Black, Courtney Walsh, Ramnaresh Sarwan (12th man). -- AAP