Stuart replaces Black in Windies team for fourth Test

Black made an impressive Test debut in Brisbane last month but he was dumped after last week’s third Test loss in Adelaide, enabling Stuart to join the pace attack of Courtney Walsh, Mervyn Dillon and Nixon McLean.

Stuart, 27, from Guyana played in the West Indies’opening tour match against Western Australia, taking three wickets, but has subsequently struggled for opportunities.

Meanwhile in the opposing camp, the Brian Lara menace could cost leg-spinner Stuart MacGill a place in Australia’s team for the fourth Test.

MacGill is likely to carry the drinks in the fourth game of the series as Colin Miller and Andrew Bichel loom as the likely support duo to fast men Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie.

The door opened for Miller after captain Steve Waugh again labelled Lara the key to the Windies’ hopes of stopping Australia’s 13-match winning streak.

The star batsman plundered 182 and 39 in last week’s third Test in Adelaide, taking plenty from MacGill, but Miller dismissed him both times as his off-spin tormented the Windies’ left-handers.

Waugh on Monday said his team will no longer use the traditional ploy of sending in lower order batsmen to protect their main strokemakers when a wicket falls in the final overs of the day.

Australia have used nightwatchmen in all three Tests against the West Indies this summer, sending in Andrew Bichel (eight) at No.3 in the first Test before Jason Gillespie (23 and four) was promoted in Perth and Adelaide.

“We’ve decided as a group we’re not going to use it anymore,”Waugh said.

“We all came to the conclusion that we probably do it just for the sake of it, so there is no real need for it and we’ve made a decision we’re just going to go out there whenever the next wicket falls.

“There are certain things in cricket that just go on and on and on without changing and I think it’s a great opportunity for us to try and change a few little things.

“This is an example. We want to try and set standards and do things a little differently than they’ve been done in the past.”

Waugh has already made a significant impact on the game since assuming the captaincy last year, displaying an aggressive style which has led to results in 17 of his 19 Tests at the helm.

He has ignored traditional tactics before, including bowling first in matches, and has publicly backed his team to set records which could last decades.

The nightwatchman concept has long divided cricket watchers, with some questioning why captains reshuffle the batting order.

Waugh admitted the prospect of leaving talented no.7 batsman Adam Gilchrist with little support was among the factors considered by his players.

Tony Mann remains the only Australian to score a century during a nightwatchman’s shift, hitting 105 against India in 1977-78.

Teams(from):

Australia: Steve Waugh (capt.), Adam Gilchrist, Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Jason Gillespie, Andrew Bichel, Colin Miller, Glenn McGrath, Stuart MacGill.

West Indies: Jimmy Adams (capt.), Sherwin Campbell, Daren Ganga, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Mervyn Dillon, Colin Stuart, Courtney Walsh, Mahendra Nagamootoo (12th man).