Australia win toss, choose to bat in Hobart

Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and chose to bat first in the opening test against West Indies at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Thursday.

West Indies captain Jason Holder said he probably would have chosen to bowl first had he won the toss and was fielding four pacemen in himself, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor and Shannon Gabriel.

Left-arm orthodox spinner Jomel Warrican will play his second test after getting the nod over leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo.

Opener Rajendra Chandrika was preferred to Shai Hope alongside Kraigg Brathwaite at the top of the West Indies batting order and will also win his second cap.

The 26-year-old right-hander will be hoping for a great improvement on his debut against Australia in Kingston earlier this year, when he failed to score in either innings.

Smith had already announced the Australia team, which included one change from the side which wrapped up a 2-0 series win over New Zealand with victory at the Adelaide Oval last month.

James Pattinson joins Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle in the pace attack in place of left-armer Mitchell Starc, who will miss the three-match series because of an ankle injury.

"He gets another opportunity back in the side and let's hope he makes the most of it," Smith said of Pattinson, who will be playing his first test in 18 months.

"(The wicket) looks pretty good, I think it might do a little bit early on then flatten right out so hopefully we can make a good start this morning."

Head groundsman Marcus Pamplin said on Wednesday he expected the captain who won the toss to bat first and played down reports that the wicket would be a lively greentop.

"I think the ball will come right through to the batsmen," he told reporters. "It will be pretty tough for the first session but then it will be a nice batting track."

The series continues with the Boxing Day (Dec. 26) test at Melbourne Cricket Ground and concludes with the New Year's test in Sydney in early January.

Teams:

Australia - David Warner, Joe Burns, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon

West Indies - Kraigg Brathwaite, Rajendra Chandrika, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Jermaine Blackwood, Denesh Ramdin, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor, Jomel Warrican, Shannon Gabriel

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by John O'Brien)

Triple-century stand as Aussies pound Windies

HOBART, Australia (AFP) — Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh pounded tons in a triple-century unbroken stand to crush the dispirited West Indies and put Australia in immediate command of the first Test in Hobart on Thursday.

In a grim foreboding of what lies ahead for the Caribbean tourists in the three-Test series, Australia cruised to 438 for three at stumps on the opening day with the West Australian pair taking the game away from the Windies.

It was the most runs scored by Australia on an opening day of a Test in 85 years against the West Indies. At the close, Voges was unbeaten on 174 with Marsh not out 139 in a unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership of 317.

Voges slammed the fastest century for Australia in Hobart, his ton coming off 100 balls and eclipsing another West Australian Adam Gilchrist's hundred off 110 balls against Pakistan in 1999.

"It's been a great day," Voges said. "To be able to bat with Shaun for as long as I have and to put on over 300, it's been terrific.

"We're obviously good mates as well as team-mates so to spend a lot of time out there together was tremendous."

It was Voges's third Test century and second against the West Indies after scoring an unbeaten 130 on his Test debut in Dominica last June.

Marsh, in scoring his third Test century and first at home also posed a dilemma for selectors about whether he will make way for the imminent return of Usman Khawaja from a hamstring injury.

"I worked really hard over the last couple of days on my preparation and I felt really confident coming into the game," he said.

"I definitely feel comfortable at this level. I just have to keep working on my consistency."

- 'Not disciplined enough' -

The West Indies had got themselves into a reasonable position to have Australia at 121 for three at lunch with key batsmen David Warner (64) and skipper Steve Smith (10) back in the dressing room.

But Voges and Marsh batted through the remaining two sessions without difficulty to leave the West Indies in despair. 

"I thought it wasn't disciplined enough – there were too many boundary balls and we just let the game get away from us," Windies spinner Jomel Warrican said.

"That Voges and Marsh partnership was very key as well. I think they batted very well. But I also think we didn't bowl as good as we can."

Voges reached his Test century on the penultimate ball before tea, scampering through for two with Marsh taking the risk running to the danger end. 

The West Indies did not help their cause with a painfully slow over rate.

They bowled only 50 overs in the first two sessions of play and needed to call on part-time spinners to get to 89 of the regulation 90 overs under the threat of disciplinary action from the match referee Chris Broad.

Australia lost three wickets in a breezy first session of play, after openers Warner and Joe Burns set about helping themselves to the West Indian bowling attack.

Warner, who was dropped on four, was out nearing lunch for 64 off 61 balls to a leg-side catch by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin off left-arm spinner Warrican.

It was a big relief for Ramdin, who had dropped Warner in the second over from a tough chance off Kemar Roach, diving across first slip with his outstretched left glove.

The tourists had two other successes in the morning session with muscular paceman Shannon Gabriel bowling Burns on the top of middle stump for 33 in the 11th over.

Warrican, picked as the West Indies' spin option ahead of wrist-spinner Devendra Bishoo, then had Smith caught by Jermaine Blackwood at first slip for 10.

Gabriel left the field with ankle trouble and will be further assessed overnight, a team spokesman said.