BOTH West Indies and Australia began preparations for the three-Test home series yesterday in Barbados where the opening encounter will he held.
The West Indies team will be using the nets at the Kensington

Oval in Barbados. The home team will also have special practice nets adjacent to the ‘square’ at Barbados’ lone Test venue.
The Australians, who arrived on the 166 square mile Island on Sunday, will practise at the Windwards ground in St Phillip, which was used as practice during the last World Cup.
Some of the West indies players who live in Barbados and those who arrived early have already commenced practice sessions.

All of the players were expected to arrive on Sunday evening and commenced their first ‘official’ practice yesterday.
West Indies were at Kensington Oval and Australia at the Windwards ground.

The first match in the three-Test series is scheduled for Barbados from 10:00hrs Wednesday.
The second Test will be played on July 3 at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada, while the third and final Test will be played under lights at Sabina Park in Jamaica and is scheduled to start at 15:30hrs (ECT) on Saturday July 12.

This home series against Australia starts the new cycle of the World Test Championship and will be the first for newly appointed WI captain, Barbadian Roston Chase, who has not played Test cricket in over two
Years, while it will also be the first for Daren Sammy as-all formats coach.

The West Indies have lost five of their last eight Tests while drawing with South Africa in August last year in a two-Test series.
Australia have won five of their last eight Tests while their two defeats during that period were in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in England last week, when they were beaten by South Africa. Their other

defeat was against India in November 2024, while drawing the third Test in that five-Test series.
The home series will also feature five T20Is with the first two in Jamaica and the other three in St.Kitts at Warner Park.