Windies win toss, elect to bowl

Kingston - West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin won the toss and put Australia in to bat on the opening day of the second and final Test at Sabina Park on Thursday.

In the wake of the second innings capitulation in Dominica that resulted in a nine-wicket defeat inside three days a week earlier, the home side suffered further setbacks with their most experienced batsman, Marlon Samuels, ruled out because of illness, while leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo's badly-bruised finger on his bowling hand has not healed sufficiently for him to be considered.

Taking their places are debutant opening batsman Rajindra Chandrika, which allows Shai Hope to move to a more familiar position in the middle-order, and left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul.

Fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has also been ruled out with a fever, paving the way for Kemar Roach, the most experienced and successful of the current crop of Caribbean bowlers, to return after he was dropped for a loss of form after two matches of the preceding three-Test series against England.

Needing just a draw for their first series success away from home since prevailing in a three-match duel with top-ranked South Africa 15 months ago, Australia retained the same team that won so convincingly at Windsor Park to extend their unbeaten run in Test matches against the West Indies to 13, spanning more than 12 years.

Opening batsman Chris Rogers was again not considered for selection as he still recovers from concussion caused by a blow to the helmet batting in the nets three days before the start of the first Test.

Teams:

West Indies

Kraigg Brathwaite, Rajindra Chandrika, Darren Bravo, Shane Dowrich, Shai Hope, Jermaine Blackwood, Denesh Ramdin (captain), Jason Holder, Jerome Taylor, Kemar Roach, Veerasammy Permaul

Australia

David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Steve Smith, Michael Clarke (captain), Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG), Ian Gould (ENG)

TV Umpire: Aleem Dar (PAK)

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)