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Australia tour of West Indies (2025)

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Australia in line to play first day-night Test abroad

Planned upgrade to Sabina Park's floodlights expected to see final West Indies-Australia Test played with a pink ball

Australia will play their first day-night Test abroad if a planned upgrade to the floodlights at Jamaica's Sabina Park are ticked off in the coming months.

After Shamar Joseph led the famous ambushing of the Test world champions in their most recent pink-ball contest at the Gabba, Cricket West Indies (CWI) is hopeful of dishing out more pain under lights for the final match of Australia's three-Test tour of the Caribbean in July.

"The last time we played Australia in Australia we pulled off what they consider an upset – but we certainly don’t," CWI chief executive Chris Dehring said this week. "We intend to go one better."

Australia have a formidable day-night record – their defeat to the Windies in January last year marked their first in 13 Tests played with the pink ball – but they have never been challenged under lights away from home.

The first two Tests in Barbados and Grenada will remain red-ball contests but CWI say the final match of the series in Jamaica will be played as a pink-ball game once improvements to the ground's lights are finished.

"We're open to it," Cricket Australia's scheduling and operations boss Peter Roach told cricket.com.au. "We're awaiting further information from Cricket West Indies about the successful installation of the new lights at Sabina Park.

"But we encourage teams to play day-night cricket here in Australia once a season so when an opportunity to reciprocate comes up, we are very supportive.

"The planned lighting specifications look more than adequate to host day-night Test cricket and provided these are met then CWI and CA are aligned on playing the match as a day-night Test."

The Jamaican Cricket Association has conceded its facilities are well short of the standard set by other venues in the region. Jamaica did not apply to host games at last year's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

The most populous island among the cricket-playing West Indian nations was once a regular venue for touring sides but has hosted only three Tests over the past six years. Australia did play there on their last Test tour of the Caribbean in 2015, winning by 277 runs thanks to Steve Smith's 199.

"Sabina Park has been in decline over the past few years," Jamaica Cricket Association president Dr Donovan Bennett told SportsMax recently.

"We're without a scoreboard and the present lighting we have is inadequate to hold international cricket (at night).

"The entire lighting system needs to be and will be changed out in time for the Australian tour … we definitely need to have the lights up and running before then."

The uptake of day-night Test cricket outside Australia has declined in recent times, with England and India both abandoning previous trials. All but three of the last 11 pink-ball Tests (dating back to 2019) have been played down under.

Upgrades to the Sabina Park lights will meanwhile also permit the first two matches of Australia's five-T20 series against West Indies to be played under lights in Jamaica.

Green targets Ashes bowling return, stars on track for WTC final

A new scoreboard, a gift from the Indian government, is also said to be on schedule to be in place for Australia's visit.

Bureaucratic red tape has delayed improvement works for the ground which has a complex ownership structure, but the Jamaican government has tipped in JMD $75 million ($763k AUD) to complete the long-awaited lighting upgrade.

One-day and T20 Internationals at Sabina Park have previously been played as day games only. Bennett said the current lights at the venue are only about half as powerful as they need to be to host matches at night.

Cricket Australia officials are visiting Jamaica this month as part of a routine pre-tour inspection.

"The Australians have agreed for it to be a day-night Test match. It is of course subject to the new lighting system that's being implemented at Sabina Park is finished in time and to specification," said Dehring.

"We have in place a strong monitoring and support system to help the Jamaica Cricket Association and the Jamaica government to achieve this.

“If memory serves me right, the last time we beat Australia, it was a day-night Test match. It may be a superficial example to use but maybe it’s just a good omen.

“You simply have a much larger addressable audience for night events, and that’s why most sustainable stadiums around the world have lights.

"… The data absolutely supports us hosting a day-night Test match at Sabina Park."

Qantas Tour of the West Indies

First Test:
June 25-29, Bridgetown, Barbados (midnight AEST)

Second Test: July 3-7, St George's, Grenada (midnight AEST)

Third Test: July 12-16, Kingston, Jamaica (1am AEST)

First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica (Jul 21, 9am AEST)

Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica (Jul 23, 9am AEST)

Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 26, 8am AEST)

Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 27, 8am AEST)

Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 29, 8am AEST)

 
Australia in line to play first day-night Test abroad

Planned upgrade to Sabina Park's floodlights expected to see final West Indies-Australia Test played with a pink ball

Australia will play their first day-night Test abroad if a planned upgrade to the floodlights at Jamaica's Sabina Park are ticked off in the coming months.

After Shamar Joseph led the famous ambushing of the Test world champions in their most recent pink-ball contest at the Gabba, Cricket West Indies (CWI) is hopeful of dishing out more pain under lights for the final match of Australia's three-Test tour of the Caribbean in July.

"The last time we played Australia in Australia we pulled off what they consider an upset – but we certainly don’t," CWI chief executive Chris Dehring said this week. "We intend to go one better."

Australia have a formidable day-night record – their defeat to the Windies in January last year marked their first in 13 Tests played with the pink ball – but they have never been challenged under lights away from home.

The first two Tests in Barbados and Grenada will remain red-ball contests but CWI say the final match of the series in Jamaica will be played as a pink-ball game once improvements to the ground's lights are finished.

"We're open to it," Cricket Australia's scheduling and operations boss Peter Roach told cricket.com.au. "We're awaiting further information from Cricket West Indies about the successful installation of the new lights at Sabina Park.

"But we encourage teams to play day-night cricket here in Australia once a season so when an opportunity to reciprocate comes up, we are very supportive.

"The planned lighting specifications look more than adequate to host day-night Test cricket and provided these are met then CWI and CA are aligned on playing the match as a day-night Test."

The Jamaican Cricket Association has conceded its facilities are well short of the standard set by other venues in the region. Jamaica did not apply to host games at last year's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

The most populous island among the cricket-playing West Indian nations was once a regular venue for touring sides but has hosted only three Tests over the past six years. Australia did play there on their last Test tour of the Caribbean in 2015, winning by 277 runs thanks to Steve Smith's 199.

"Sabina Park has been in decline over the past few years," Jamaica Cricket Association president Dr Donovan Bennett told SportsMax recently.

"We're without a scoreboard and the present lighting we have is inadequate to hold international cricket (at night).

"The entire lighting system needs to be and will be changed out in time for the Australian tour … we definitely need to have the lights up and running before then."

The uptake of day-night Test cricket outside Australia has declined in recent times, with England and India both abandoning previous trials. All but three of the last 11 pink-ball Tests (dating back to 2019) have been played down under.

Upgrades to the Sabina Park lights will meanwhile also permit the first two matches of Australia's five-T20 series against West Indies to be played under lights in Jamaica.

Green targets Ashes bowling return, stars on track for WTC final

A new scoreboard, a gift from the Indian government, is also said to be on schedule to be in place for Australia's visit.

Bureaucratic red tape has delayed improvement works for the ground which has a complex ownership structure, but the Jamaican government has tipped in JMD $75 million ($763k AUD) to complete the long-awaited lighting upgrade.

One-day and T20 Internationals at Sabina Park have previously been played as day games only. Bennett said the current lights at the venue are only about half as powerful as they need to be to host matches at night.

Cricket Australia officials are visiting Jamaica this month as part of a routine pre-tour inspection.

"The Australians have agreed for it to be a day-night Test match. It is of course subject to the new lighting system that's being implemented at Sabina Park is finished in time and to specification," said Dehring.

"We have in place a strong monitoring and support system to help the Jamaica Cricket Association and the Jamaica government to achieve this.

“If memory serves me right, the last time we beat Australia, it was a day-night Test match. It may be a superficial example to use but maybe it’s just a good omen.

“You simply have a much larger addressable audience for night events, and that’s why most sustainable stadiums around the world have lights.

"… The data absolutely supports us hosting a day-night Test match at Sabina Park."

Qantas Tour of the West Indies

First Test:
June 25-29, Bridgetown, Barbados (midnight AEST)

Second Test: July 3-7, St George's, Grenada (midnight AEST)

Third Test: July 12-16, Kingston, Jamaica (1am AEST)

First T20I: July 20, Kingston, Jamaica (Jul 21, 9am AEST)

Second T20I: July 22, Kingston, Jamaica (Jul 23, 9am AEST)

Third T20I: July 25, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 26, 8am AEST)

Fourth T20I: July 26, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 27, 8am AEST)

Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (Jul 29, 8am AEST)

Bruh, why make this now? This series is after WTC?
 
3 tests nice.

Australia are also boosting their stats playing these kind of series these days bro. Controversial call but true.
 
3 Tests and 5 T20s.

Aussies should win the Test series 3-0. T20 series can go either way.
 
3 Tests and 5 T20s.

Aussies should win the Test series 3-0. T20 series can go either way.
T20 series will mostly be a transition series for Aus. Their whiteball side is undergoing a transition.

Problem with Australia atm is that they have upcoming World class talent like konstas, Harry Dixon, campbell kellaway however they just aren't ready yet, their raw and undercooked
 
T20 series will mostly be a transition series for Aus. Their whiteball side is undergoing a transition.

Problem with Australia atm is that they have upcoming World class talent like konstas, Harry Dixon, campbell kellaway however they just aren't ready yet, their raw and undercooked
Aus don't really care about T20s, right bro? After 2 T20 WCs, I doubt Aus care.
 
Will watch this but don't see WI's batting able to post competitive totals.

Lot depends on their pacers pulling off a worldie like Shamarh Joseph did in Brisbane. Barbados and Jamaica are usually seam friendly pitches.

Have a soft spot for this fixture. It was THE series of the 1990s and often an unofficial test world championship.
 
T20 series will mostly be a transition series for Aus. Their whiteball side is undergoing a transition.

Problem with Australia atm is that they have upcoming World class talent like konstas, Harry Dixon, campbell kellaway however they just aren't ready yet, their raw and undercooked
Often rotation goes out the window for these tours as cricketers like a free holiday in the Caribbean :ROFLMAO:
 
Australia men's squad for the World Test Championship and Test tour of the West Indies

The National Selection Panel (NSP) has named a 15-player squad for the final of the ICC Men’s Test World Championship against South Africa at Lord's in London next month.

Australia:

Pat Cummins (NSW/Penrith Cricket Club) (c)
Scott Boland (VIC/Frankston Peninsula Cricket Club)
Alex Carey (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)
Cameron Green (WA/Subiaco-Floreat Cricket Club)
Josh Hazlewood (NSW/St George Cricket Club)
Travis Head (SA/Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club)
Josh Inglis (WA/Joondalup Cricket Club)
Usman Khawaja (QLD/Valley District Cricket Club)
Sam Konstas (NSW/Sutherland District Cricket Club)
Matt Kuhnemann (TAS/Clarence Cricket Club)
Marnus Labuschagne (QLD/Redlands Cricket Club)
Nathan Lyon (NSW/Northern District Cricket Club)
Steve Smith (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club)
Mitchell Starc (NSW/Manly Warringah Cricket Club)
Beau Webster (TAS/Kingborough Cricket Club)
Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)

Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green return from injury.

Chair of Selectors George Bailey: “We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat (Cummins), Josh (Hazlewood) and Cam (Green) back in the squad.

“The team finished the WTC cycle with an impressive series victory in Sri Lanka following an equally strong summer in defeating India for the first time in a decade.

“Those series capped a consistent performance across the two-year cycle and now presents us with the incredibly exciting opportunity to defend the World Test Championship.

“It means a lot to the group to reach the final and they are very much looking forward to the challenge South Africa will present at Lord’s.”

The squad will remain the same for the Qantas Test tour of the West Indies following the WTC final.
 
Australia men's squad for the World Test Championship and Test tour of the West Indies

The National Selection Panel (NSP) has named a 15-player squad for the final of the ICC Men’s Test World Championship against South Africa at Lord's in London next month.

Australia:

Pat Cummins (NSW/Penrith Cricket Club) (c)
Scott Boland (VIC/Frankston Peninsula Cricket Club)
Alex Carey (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)
Cameron Green (WA/Subiaco-Floreat Cricket Club)
Josh Hazlewood (NSW/St George Cricket Club)
Travis Head (SA/Tea Tree Gully Cricket Club)
Josh Inglis (WA/Joondalup Cricket Club)
Usman Khawaja (QLD/Valley District Cricket Club)
Sam Konstas (NSW/Sutherland District Cricket Club)
Matt Kuhnemann (TAS/Clarence Cricket Club)
Marnus Labuschagne (QLD/Redlands Cricket Club)
Nathan Lyon (NSW/Northern District Cricket Club)
Steve Smith (NSW/Sutherland Cricket Club)
Mitchell Starc (NSW/Manly Warringah Cricket Club)
Beau Webster (TAS/Kingborough Cricket Club)
Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett (SA/Glenelg Cricket Club)

Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Cameron Green return from injury.

Chair of Selectors George Bailey: “We are fortunate and looking forward to having Pat (Cummins), Josh (Hazlewood) and Cam (Green) back in the squad.

“The team finished the WTC cycle with an impressive series victory in Sri Lanka following an equally strong summer in defeating India for the first time in a decade.

“Those series capped a consistent performance across the two-year cycle and now presents us with the incredibly exciting opportunity to defend the World Test Championship.

“It means a lot to the group to reach the final and they are very much looking forward to the challenge South Africa will present at Lord’s.”

The squad will remain the same for the Qantas Test tour of the West Indies following the WTC final.
Solid lineup, for wtc aus should go with

1) Sam Konstas
2) Usman Khawaja
3) Labu
4) Smith
5) Travis Head
6) Webster
7) Carey
8) Cummins
9) Starc
10) Hazelwood/Boland
11) Lyon

Best to let konstas open and place Head back at 5. Theirs no need to fix what isn't broken. Travis head is alot better at no 5 and the opening experiment with him in sri lanka failed.

He's best utilised when the ball is old so he can smack and smack and give Australia a solid lead. Let young konstas lead the charge as he's a gun prospect.
 
1. Konstas
2. Khawaja
3. Labuchagne
4. Smith
5. Head
6. Cam Green
7. Carey
8. Cummins
9. Starc
10. Boland
11. Lyon
 
T20 series will mostly be a transition series for Aus. Their whiteball side is undergoing a transition.

Problem with Australia atm is that they have upcoming World class talent like konstas, Harry Dixon, campbell kellaway however they just aren't ready yet, their raw and undercooked

Australia does not have a T20 transition problem. The issue is in the longer formats. The T20 side will be fine, mostly, as long as they select properly.

ODI's and Tests are a different issue. Prospects are nowhere close to international standard, yet.

If Campbell Kellaway has one more Shield season like he did recently , he'd be the most ready of your younger bats.
 
Australia does not have a T20 transition problem. The issue is in the longer formats. The T20 side will be fine, mostly, as long as they select properly.

ODI's and Tests are a different issue. Prospects are nowhere close to international standard, yet.

If  Momin has one more Shield season like he did recently , he'd be the most ready of your younger bats.
Why thank you, I cant wait to represent the side.
 
Good to see the return of test cricket. T20 made be boring tbh. Too much T20 cricket atm.
 
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