Australia fails to do research on West Indian cricketers

According to a report in the Herald Sun Tuesday, Australia has failed to contact the one man who could have helped unearth some inside intelligence on the Windies: Queenslander turned Jamaican batsman Brendan Nash.

Australia has not played the West Indies since 2005 and has been unable to dig up video footage of some of the locals' new players such as spin twins Amit Jaggernauth and Sulieman Benn.

Coach Tim Nielsen considered seeking information from Nash, who moved to the Caribbean last year to restart his first-class career.

Nash, whose father Paul was an Olympic swimmer for Jamaica, had a strong domestic season and would have been close to making the West Indies Test squad.

But he is playing league cricket in England and could not be contacted.

Nielsen admitted he would have liked more information on some of the Windies players, but said it was not a major problem.

"We don't know a lot about some of their newer players. Hopefully we can adapt to what goes on in the course of the game," Nielsen said.

"We are very aware they have been playing some very good cricket."

Australia lost its tour match against a Jamaican XI in Telawny when rain intervened late on the final day with the tourists needing just 31 to win.

But the Aussies were satisfied with their hitout, with Stuart MacGill taking 3-50 and 4-79, and Simon Katich showing his worth as a backup spinner with 2-51 and 4-15.

Captain Ricky Ponting hit an unbeaten 20 in the second innings and looked to be finally hitting some decent form when the rain came.

Katich also had a good match with the bat (97 and 37 not out) and will take the absent Michael Clarke's spot for the first Test.

The only worry was the bowlers sending down plenty of no-balls, including 13 in the second innings.vs/abr/jg

(384 Words)20051240NNNN (IANS)

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