Sunday’s third Test with the Calypsos is pivotal not only in Australia’s quest to again be the No 1 Test nation – the odds of which continue to improve with South Africa’s faltering home performances against England – but the stakes are huge for cricket in general.
The West Indies are a fading drawcard and unless they can force this final Test into a fifth day I think it will be the last time we’ll see them at this peak holiday time of the year.
They’ll be reallocated to the back blocks, with wintertime Tests in Cairns and Darwin, maybe even Alice Springs… but never again at the MCG or at the SCG.
It has been a long time, maybe even 10 years since Australia went into a home Test match with two specialist spinners, but it could happen this time depending on the weather which is a little unsettled.
Mitch Marsh’s career best bowling performance in melbourne has suddenly re-opened some extra options the Australians once enjoyed with a younger Shane Watson.
Darren Lehmann says Steve O’Keefe is more than likely to play in tandem with Nathan Lyon who was man of the match in Melbourne.
Unless there’s an injury the team is keeping quiet about, it means Scot Boland who has been on the fringes of the starting XI since early December will miss out again but the experience is invaluable and he could find himself on Australia’s 2 test tour of NZ from next month