Testing time in Trinidad

The second round of the Frank Worrell Trophy starts in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, on Saturday (April 19), and there's not much to suggest that it will be anything but another knockout for West Indies.

The head-to-head at Port-of-Spain currently stands at three wins apiece with five draws, but Australia hold the fonder memories after their crushing 312-run win here last time round in March 1999, when Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie blew West Indies' second innings away for a demoralising 51.

That was the first Test of that series, and West Indies managed to fight back to end it 2-2. But a combination of injuries and unrest in the camp suggests they are unlikely to do the same again this time. Ridley Jacobs and Jermaine Lawson are the two casualties from the first Test. Dr Terry Ali, a member of the West Indies Cricket Board's medical panel, ruled that Jacobs needed more time to recover from his groin strain, while Lawson has been diagnosed with chickenpox.

"Ridley will remain in Trinidad for a few days to start rehabilitative work before he returns to his native Antigua on Saturday," said Ricky Skerritt, the West Indian manager. "Jermaine will return home on Wednesday, and we hope that he will recover in time for the third Test in Barbados."

Jacobs's absence ensures that Jamaica's 20-year-old Carlton Baugh , who made a century for the President's XI against the Australians in their first tour game, will make his Test debut. Tino Best, Barbados's leading wicket-taker this season - his 39 scalps have come at just 18.25 - has been named as Lawson's replacement.

The other changes in the 14-man squad included the welcome return of Ramnaresh Sarwan ,back from a finger injury, and a first call for the 20-year-old offspinner Omari Banks . If the recall of Sarwan was not surprising, then the continued omission of Chris Gayle was. Gayle was left out of the squad for the first Test in Guyana after he opted to play in a double-wicket competition rather than the Carib Beer Series final. His continued exclusion indicates that despite comments to the contrary he is still very much out of favour with the selectors.

The inclusion of Banks is a reward for a solid first-class season in which he took 25 wickets at 36.40 and scored 270 runs at 33.75 for the Leeward Islands. He is the first cricketer from Anguilla to be picked for a senior West Indies side.

For Australia, however, it's business as usual as they search for their 13th win in 16 Tests. Steve Waugh is expected to play, despite having six stitches in his left hand after injuring it while fielding in the first Test. And with Australia again likely to include their two spinners, Stuart MacGill and Brad Hogg, it's probable that Martin Love will have another chance to polish his 12th-man skills.

Teams (probable)
West Indies 1 Wavell Hinds, 2 Devon Smith, 3 Daren Ganga, 4 Brian Lara (capt), 5 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 6 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 7 Carlton Baugh (wk), 8 Vasbert Drakes, 9 Pedro Collins, 10 Mervyn Dillon, 11 Tino Best.

Australia 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Steve Waugh (capt), 5 Darren Lehmann, 6 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 7 Brad Hogg, 8 Andy Bichel, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Jason Gillespie, 11 Stuart MacGill.