Aussies look to equal Test record
Traditionalist Steve Waugh has his eyes on a cricket record that may take some topping as the rampaging Australians begin the first of five Tests against the West Indies in Brisbane on Thursday.
Australia can equal the 1984 record of Clive Lloyd's terrorising West Indies team of 11 straight Test wins if they beat, as expected, the fallen Caribbean giants at the Gabba.
They would then have the opportunity of setting a new record if they repeat the dose in the second Perth Test from December 1-5.
Although careful not to take things for granted, skipper Waugh believes his players could establish a record that can last for some time.
"If we get there, it's going to be tough to beat," Waugh said Wednesday.
"The record of the West Indies was a great record. They were a great side and for us to get there would be a tremendous achievement.
"It's stood for a long time and if we get it it's going to stand for a long time to come.
"But you need a lot of things to go your way -- weather and a little bit of luck here and there.
"We've had our fair share of it but we've played some great cricket as well and it takes a special side to win that amount of games."
The cycle has turned for the West Indies. No longer are they feared in the cricket world as they were back in the 1980s when their quartet of pacemen would intimidate their way to success.
The one-time Calypso Kings are struggling to replace their old greats, with Curtly Ambrose the latest of their magnificent strike bowlers to retire.
And their batting form is equally worrying. Coming off their disastrous 3-1 series loss to England earlier this year with capitulating defeats in the final two Tests, the West Indies don't appear to have recovered from the humiliation.
Last weekend Jimmy Adams' tourists crashed to an embarrassing innings and 63-run defeat to an under-strength Victoria inside three days.
That followed an emphatic seven-wicket loss to Western Australia in Perth.
Bookies have Australia overwhelming favourites to crush the West Indians, some even forecasting a loss inside three or four days.
Waugh is talking up his opponents' chances amid the general consensus that this could become a decidedly one-sided series this summer.
"They have had pretty poor lead-up form and everyone knows about that but Test matches are different," Waugh said.
"They have got quality players there and they're looking for someone to put their hands up."
Adams conceded his team faced a big challenge in turning things around and upsetting the unofficial world champions on their own patch.
"In terms of the here and now, playing Australia in Australia is the biggest challenge that would face any international cricketer now," said Adams.
"First and foremost we've come to win a Test series, but looking long-term what we have to come to terms with is an overseas record in recent years that isn't really very good.
"Where we have suffered in the last few years is our consistency in every department and this is a good opportunity for us to start putting that right.
"We all want to win, but we also want to start playing some consistently good cricket away from home."
The West Indies have lost 13 of their last 15 overseas Tests.
Waugh insists complacency will not be a problem for his team and the captain will address the issue only once.
"We'll talk about it and we'll try and mention it just once this season," Waugh said.
Both teams will be anxious to win the toss on Thursday with the Gabba pitch looking uneven with green tinges, the result of a lack of preparation through persistent wet weather.
The West Indies will go into the Test with a four-strong pace attack.
The tourists named their side late on Wednesday and made spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo 12th man.
The teams:
West Indies: Sherwin Campbell, Darren Ganga, Brian Lara, Shivarine Chanderpaul, Jimmy Adams (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Mervyn Dillon, Marlon Black, Courtney Walsh. Mahendra Nagamootoo 12th man.
Australia: Steve Waugh (captain), Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Andrew Bichel, Stuart MacGill, Glenn McGrath, Damien Martyn (12th man).
Umpires: Daryl Harper (Aus) Denis Cowie (Nzl)
Match referee: A.C. Smith (Eng)
Mail Cricket Editor
