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Sports

Australia win toss and opt to bat

Published Updated

PORT OF SPAIN: Australian captain Michael Clarke won the toss and opted to bat here on the first day of the second Test with the West Indies.

Australia can clinch the three match series if they win here after winning the first Test in Barbados.

Both teams made two changes to the sides from the first Test.

The West Indies left out vice-captain, Kirk Edwards, who had a sore left knee. They also brought in off-spinner Shane Shillingford for Devendra Bishoo who didn't perform up to expectations in Bridgetown.

Two of Australia's pace attack pulled up sore after their efforts in Barbados.

Both man of the match Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle have been rested.

This has given an opportunity to James Pattinson to come back into the side, while they also selected two spinners for the first time in nearly four years with Michael Beer coming in to partner Nathan Lyon.

Much of the talk before the match had centred around the condition of the wicket.

It appeared to be very dry and there were scuff marks on it.

Three days before the match there was also a track on it from what appeared to have been a wheel-barrow that had been trundled across it.

Those had disappeared but the heavy roller had been dripping oil and there were many spots that had clearly been repaired. Darker patches were, however, still visible the day before the Test.

Add all of that to the fact that there's a ridge in the pitch at the Brian Lara end on a good length to a right-handed batsman it was no wonder that the teams chose not to name their sides until the toss.

Trinidad is new territory for the Australian side with only Ricky Ponting having played in a Test at the Queen's Park Oval before.

It was a fine one for him as he landed the Man of the Match award having scored a double-century in the first innings.

Darren Bravo has played plenty of cricket here as it's his club ground but this is his first Test match on home soil.

Teams:

West Indies: Darren Sammy (capt), Adrian Barath, Kraigg Brathwaite, Kieran Powell, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Darren Bravo, Narsingh Deonarine, Carlton Baugh, Shane Shillingford, Kemar Roach, Fidel Edwards

Australia:  Michael Clarke (capt), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Matthew Wade, James Pattinson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Michael Beer, Nathan Lyon.

Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG), Marais Erasmus (RSA)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

Third umpire: Tony Hill (NZL)

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2012

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