Australia win toss and bats in 1st test against West Indies

PERTH: Australia won the toss and decided to bat in the first cricket test against the West Indies in the opener of a two-Test series Wednesday at Perth Stadium.

West Indies capped Tangenarine Chanderpaul, the son of former batting great Shivnarine, for his first test. Chanderpaul, 26, a lefthander like his father, will open the batting for the tourists alongside captain Kraigg Brathwaite.

Left-arm swing bowler Mitchell Starc will spearhead the three-pronged pace attack for Australia that includes captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who returns to the side after missing the last four tests in Australia's matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in the Asian subcontinent earlier this year.

Nathan Lyon is the only spinner in the Australian side.

West Indies lefthanded allrounder Raymon Reifer has been ruled out of the series with a groin injury. The West Indies players wore black armbands as a tribute to former test wicketkeeper David Murray, who died on the weekend at the age of 72. It is the first test between the two sides in seven years. The second test, a day-night game, will be played in Adelaide beginning December 8.

Teams:

Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon.

West Indies: Kraigg Brathwaite (captain), Tagnarine Chanderpaul, Nkrumah Bonner, Kyle Mayers, Jermaine Blackwood, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Joshua Da Silva, Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach, and Jayden Seales.

Umpires: Richard Illingworth, England, and Rod Tucker, Australia.

TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena, Sri Lanka. Match Referee: Chris Broad, England.