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SYDNEY—World
champions Australia left here Saturday for their tour of
the Caribbean with captain Ricky Ponting promising to be
wary of an improving West Indies team.
The Aussies tackle West Indies in three Tests and five One-Day
Internationals, beginning with the opening Test at Sabina
Park in Jamaica starting May 22nd.
“I
think of late they have probably played a little bit better
and I think they are starting to turn things around there
a little bit better at the moment,” Ponting said.
Ponting and Australia, who lifted the Cricket World Cup
in the Caribbean last year, are set to arrive in Jamaica
on Monday to prepare for the opening Digicel Test.
The 33-year old Ponting, who has led Australia in 41 of
his 116 Tests, will face a Windies side for the first time
in Tests without the presence of nemesis Brian Lara.
Champion batsman Lara retired after last year’s World
Cup and Ponting said his absence would weaken the Windies
side.
“He
was a great competitor and a great player and their side
will obviously be a lot worse off not having him around,”
Ponting noted.
Australia will follow up the Jamaica outing with the second
Test at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua from
May 30 to June 3 before moving on to Kensington Oval in
Barbados for the final Test from June 12-16.
They will kick off their ODI series in St Vincent on June
24th and continue with double headers in Grenada and St
Kitts, to complete the series. Australia hold the Sir Frank
Worrell Trophy after whipping the Windies 3-0 in the last
series Down Under in 2005.
West Indies have not beaten Australia in the Caribbean since
1991. (CMC)
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