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3 changes in Prime
By GEOFF THOMSON
Withdrawals through injury have
forced a reshuffle in the Prime Min
ister's XI team to play the West Indies
at Manuka Oval today, with the result
that there have been three changes
from the original team.
NSW paccman Dave Gilbert, a late
replacement for Geoff Lawson, was
hurt in the Sheffield Shield match
against Tasmania in Newcastle and
withdrew on Sunday, while young
fast-bowling sensation Craig
McDcrmott was hurt in Australia's
loss to the West Indies in Melbourne,
also on Sunday.
South Australian speedster Ian
Carmichacl replaces Gilbert; Tasma
nian all-rounder Peter Faulkner,
McDermott.
The loss of McDermott and Gilbert
will be felt by the Prime Minister's XI
as both have been in outstanding
form during the season.
Carmichacl has been battling to
produce the form that he showed in
recent seasons for his State and lacks
the pace McDermott and Gilbert
possess.
Faulkner has been showing consis
tent form for Tasmania with bat and
ball and his presence in the side will
add some strength to the lower-order
batting.
Long-serving Australian wicket
keeper Rodney Marsh will keep
wicket for the Prime Minister's XI
and will be making his farewell in
ternational appearance since retiring
at the end of last season.
Marsh follows in the footsteps of
Dennis Lillee and Greg Chappell,
who made their farewell appearances
in this match last year.
Australian captain Allan Border
will look for a morale-boosting win in
this match after Australia's poor per
formances in the limited-over
matches in Melbourne last weekend,
but the West Indies will be keen to
reverse their loss in the corresponding
match last year.
With the West Indies taking all
before them in the summer so far, the
Prime Minister's XI will be hard
pressed to repeat last year's effort.
Captain Clive Lloyd heads an
awesome array of batting with Vivian
Richards, Richie Richardson, Larry
Gomes, Gus Logic and openers
Desmond Haynes and Gordon
Greenidge in top form.
Richards has hit his straps after a
slow start to the tour and has been a
thorn in the side of the Australian
bowlers in recent weeks.
Lloyd has been displaying excellent
form.both with the bat and in the field
and his leadership has played a big
part in the success of his side.
The West Indies attack is based
around its pacemen with Malcolm
Marshall, Michael Holding and Joel
Garner dominating the batsmen dur
ing the summer with Roger Harper,
Gomes and Richards providing the
spin.
Whatever bowlers are taken into
the match the team will be regarded
. as 11 batsmen as the bowlers arc rated
in the all-round class rather than spe
cialist bowlers.
Greg Ritchie is the only surviving
player from the corresponding match
last year in the Prime Minister's team.
Much will depend on Border's bat
ting prowess along with Australian
opener Andrew Hilditch, Mick Taylor
from Victoria and NSW's exciting
prospect, Peter Clifford.
The Prime Minister's team is:
Border (c), Marsh, Clifford, Hilditch,
Taylor, Ritchie, Faulkner,
Carmichael, Murray Bennett, Rod
McCurdy, Simon O'Donnell and
Grant Woodbridgc (ACT, 12th man).
Gates will open at 9am with the
match to start at 1 lam.
The West Indies will play another
match tomorrow against the ACT
with tickets on sale at the gate and
Canberra Building Society branches.
That match is due to start at 10am.
Both matches arc being supported by
The Canberra Times.
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