Australia braces for unknown conditions in West Indies as weather interrupts preparation
One of Australia’s leading players says the Aussies are preparing for all conditions after rain kept the wicket under covers on Sunday.
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Australian batting star Travis Head is confident Josh Inglis will “excel” with a prolonged run in Test cricket as the tourists prepare for an unknown wicket after rain wreaked havoc on Sunday ahead of the first clash with the West Indies.
The Aussies have a quick turnaround from the disappointing World Test Championship final defeat with the Windies on Wednesday in Bridgetown.
Australia has locked in a new-look side with Sam Konstas and Inglis confirmed to replace the dropped Marnus Labuschagne and injured Steve Smith.
Inglis belted a century in his Test debut in Sri Lanka batting at number five and while his position in the line-up to face the West Indies isn’t clear, with anywhere from number three to number six on the cards, Head said it wouldn’t matter where he bats.
“He can cover so many bases,” Head said of Inglis, who is in the rare club of scoring centuries for Australia at Test, ODI and T20 level.
“[He’s had] limited opportunity in a long time being in the squad. It feels like he’s played a lot more than he has for Australia. Once he gets his extended stay in the team, I think he’ll excel.
“He’s already showed great application in Sri Lanka. He’s [been] in some tough roles as well… I think he’s well-adapted and ready to go. He’s been waiting for a long time.”
The batting line-up isn’t the only unknown with an analysis of the wicket also unclear which has prompted the Aussies to brace for all conditions.
“Unknown at the moment, I would like to see one,” Australian star Travis Head said when asked what he made of the wicket.
“I think we’re prepared for anything, really, and we’re prepared for probably both in the same game.
“It could be starting a game and then it could shift into different modes, different, I guess, plans of attack.
“As a batter, you’re sort of planning for anything at the moment and then once you get a look at the lay of the land you come up with a plan.
“At the moment, we’re trying to cover all bases.”
The West Indies use a Dukes ball but it is dissimilar to the one used in England.
Australia used the Caribbean-style Dukes in Sheffield Shield for a number of seasons before abandoning it and returning to the Kookaburra in 2020.
Head played Shield during the Dukes ball experiment and remembered it offering assistance to both bowlers and batters.
“It always offers something through the whole time, it’s a little bit harder and plays a little bit different to the English one,” he said.
“If there’s any grass on the wicket or any assistance, then the bowlers will be happy – which is good, it makes for good cricket.
“It makes you always feel like you’re in the game and as a batter through those years I did enjoy batting through those periods because I felt like there was always runs on offer if the bowlers slightly missed.”
When asked to weigh in on teammate Alex Carey’s assessment of the ball being a brighter red in colour, Head joked: “Sh*t, (Carey) must be looking at it harder than me. Are there whiter ones? Bigger ones? Mine looks small at the moment.”
Originally published as Australia braces for unknown conditions in West Indies as weather interrupts preparation
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