Sport - Cricket

Hodge likely to make debut

Sydney: Brad Hodge is expected to make his long-awaited Test debut on Thursday as Australia look to wrap up its Test cricket series against the struggling West Indies in the second Test at Hobart.

Hodge, who battered the tourists' bowling attack with 177 for Victoria last week, looks likely to play in a straight swap for deposed batsman Simon Katich, hoping to prove his mettle at the Test level.

Mike Hussey is likely to hold down his opener's spot in the absence of injured Justin Langer, and main selection interest centres on whether Stuart MacGill will be recalled to bowl in a leg-spin tandem with Shane Warne on an expected Bellerive Oval `turner.'

To preserve team balance if MacGill plays, selectors may want the added security of Symonds's superior batting rather than Bracken in a five-prong bowling attack.

West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul said he will try to exploit the inexperience of Australia's revamped Test side, but he may be forced to eat his words.

But Chanderpaul has enormous problems of his own. His team massively under-achieved in the first Test at Gabba, collapsing to a 379-run drubbing, one of the West Indies' worst defeats against Australia. — PTI

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