Once known for being hard and fast, the wickets of the Caribbean are turning as much as Australian captain Michael Clarke has seen anywhere for a long time.
The turn has been so significant that Clarke admitted on Sunday Australia could play two spinners in the first Test against West Indies in Barbados starting on April 7.
Clarke flew out on Sunday to join the squad in the Windies after watching the tourists struggle in the one-day series from his loungeroom while recovering from a hamstring injury.
“The wickets look really slow and have spun as much as any wickets around the world,” said Clarke at Sydney airport.
“We always talk about spin in India and Sri Lanka but the wicket in St Vincent … that’s as much as I’ve seen the ball spin and bounce for a long time.
“If conditions are like what we’ve seen in the one-dayers, then it’s something we definitely need to consider.”
Spinners Michael Beer and Nathan Lyon impressed Clarke in recent months and he believes they could make a good double act in the Test series.
“They’re two very good spinners who have great control,” he said.
“I’ve seen them both throughout the Australian summer bowl very early in an innings, so they can control the new ball as well.
“From what I’ve seen in the one-dayers, I think they’ll both be a handful.”
Fortunately for Australia, impressive West Indies offspinner Sunil Narine isn’t expected to line up for the home side in the Test series.
“I don’t think he’s playing. The last I heard he was going to the IPL,” Clarke said.
“(But) if he does take part in the Test series, I’m sure we’ll all have a really good look at him.”
While he admits Australia haven’t been at their best in the one-day series, Clarke said it was always going to take some players time to adjust to the Caribbean.
“I would like to have won every game but conditions have been tough,” he said.
“It’s a lot different from what we’ve been facing in Australia. It’s been a great experience for guys who haven’t been to the West Indies before.
“We’ve got plenty of time plus we’ve got a three-day tour game before the first Test and we will be 100 per cent ready to go for that first Test match.”
Clarke has come through a couple of weeks of intense physio treatment in great shape and will be ready for the opening Test.
He was ruled out during the home tri-series finals earlier this month with a hamstring injury suffered against Sri Lanka.
But following two weeks of rehabilitation under the guidance of physiotherapist Alex Kountouris Clarke said he was feeling great.
“He’s really confident at where I’m at now. Knowing that we’ve got that time before the tour game, I’ll be 100 per cent,” he said.