McGrath returns, Windies give debuts to Best and Banks

In the maroon corner, the man with centuries in each of his last five home Tests against Australia. In the baggy green, the man who has dismissed his opponent on 13 occasions in Test cricket, almost twice as often as any other player. Without question, the third Test between West Indies and Australia will be dominated by the contest between two men, Brian Lara and Glenn McGrath. It would be stretching credulity to suggest that Australia have missed McGrath, who flew home ahead of the series after his wife fell ill, and returned midway through the second Test. With the Frank Worrell Trophy in the bag, a series whitewash is looming large against a team that fielded only three frontline bowlers in Trinidad and has seemingly abandoned the art of wicket-taking.

But in the absence of his nemesis, Lara has run amok, scoring 349 runs in four innings with inimitable panache. While he and Ramnaresh Sarwan were chiselling towards their final-day target at Port-of-Spain, Australia's 2003 Test record was in danger of reading: played three, lost two.

The Lara factor is the one reason why Australia are taking nothing for granted in the bowling department. For the first time since the Perth Test of 1991-92, when Shane Warne was an international toddler, they are set to take the field with four seamers, which means a reprieve for the usual fall-guy in such situations, Andy Bichel, whose superlative year continued with three important wickets in the afternoon session in Trinidad.

Stuart MacGill is certain to be retained, after picking up ten wickets in the recent match against the University of West Indies, so Australia will once again rely on the six batsmen who have rustled up the small matter of 1264 runs for the loss of 14 wickets so far this series. Steve Waugh, who wasn't even required to bat in the last match, has probably relished Lara's challenge more than anyone. As he said after the Ashes, "It's all a bit easy these days".

All the same, there were some concerns about McGrath's lack of match fitness after he picked up three wickets in a gentle warm-up against the University XI. "He's a fair way behind where he would like to be," said Waugh. "He's gradually getting better, but he's still short of a bowl, there's no doubt about that. He's got to trust himself and we've got to trust him that he's bowled the right amount of overs. But he's a great performer and he'll lift for the Test match."

It may be a sign of the times, but Waugh's greatest concerns were reserved for the state of the opposition, in particular their lack of bowling penetration. "The wickets have been really slow and it's a major problem over here for cricket in the Caribbean," said Waugh. "They're not going to produce any quick bowlers if they keep putting pitches out like that. There's no encouragement for them; it's too much hard work."

The trio of Merv Dillon, Pedro Collins and Vasbert Drakes, backed up by David Bernard's ineffectual seamers, were roundly criticised for their lack of incisiveness at Trinidad, and it seems certain that Jermaine Lawson, who missed that match with chickenpox, will be drafted in to give the attack a little more oomph. Tino Best, on his home ground, will make his debut, as will 21-year-old offspinner Omari Banks. Carlton Baugh is also retained after Ridley Jacobs failed to recover from the groin strain he picked up in the first Test. But cosmetic changes will have little impact on Australia's relentless run machines.

As always, West Indies' best chance of avoiding defeat will come from Australia's eagerness to force victory - it is 18 months and 16 Tests since Australia were last involved in a draw. In an age where the follow-on has been put out to pasture, Lara and Sarwan - and the sturdy Daren Ganga - will await the size of their fourth-innings run-chase with interest.

Teams West Indies 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Daren Ganga, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Brian Lara (capt), 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Marlon Samuels, 7 Omari Banks, 8 Carlton Baugh, 9 Vasbert Drakes, 10 Jermaine Lawson, 11 Tino Best.

Australia (probable) 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Justin Langer, 3 Ricky Ponting, 4 Darren Lehmann, 5 Steve Waugh (capt), 6 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 7 Andy Bichel, 8 Brett Lee, 9 Jason Gillespie, 10 Stuart MacGill, 11 Glenn McGrath.