Australia hardly left second gear as they decimated West Indies inside three days in the first Test at Windsor Park in Dominica. Attention shifts today to Sabina Park in Kingston for the start of the second Test of the two-match series and the West Indies, bruised by the first-Test loss, are defiantly optimistic of levelling the series 1- 1.

Such an undertaking would mean the regional team’s first Test match victory over Australia in 12 years.

Based on the capitulation in the opening match of the series, a West Indies victory in the second Test appears an unlikely outcome. But those who witnessed the backs-to-the-wall fight to snatch a 1-1 draw versus England in the preceding home series are hoping for a repeat.

“The guys are pretty confident, [though] they were hurting with that loss in Dominica. Looking at the series against England where we came back and won the last Test match in Barbados, I think that’s the self-belief we have so we’ll take that into this Test match,” said Denesh Ramdin, the West Indies Test captain.

“They [Australia] are always a tough team, no doubt about it, so we have to come with our A-plus game. Each one of us, as players and individuals, has to go out and do it for the team,” the 30-year-old continued.

Australia’s Adam Voges, on Test debut, struck 130 not out and the fast bowling trio of Josh Hazlewood and leftarmers Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc set up the win.

For the West Indies, wrist spinner Devendra Bishoo, who troubled the Australians while claiming 6-80, and the middle-order pair of Marlon Samuels and Shane Dowrich, who struck 74 and 70, respectively, provided moments of hope. Ramdin urged his players to “score big hundreds” and to “take six and seven [wickets], like Bishoo did in Dominica”.

Expectedly, plenty focus has been placed on the Sabina Park wicket and how it will play. Pacers and spinners have both enjoyed bowling at Sabina Park in recent years. Yesterday afternoon there was a fair amount of live grass on the surface and the Jamaica Observer understands that it appeared even greener on Tuesday.

With the high quality Australian fast bowling attack causing the West Indies so many problems in the first Test, it would come as no surprise if the grass is trimmed ahead of today’s start to the match. Ramdin said he was uncertain what the wicket would look like in the morning, but said it looks a “good pitch”, suggesting he expects a fair tussle between bat and ball. The West Indies captain said the batting pair of Samuels and Jermaine Blackwood are both being observed by the medical team.

Samuels is said to be “under the weather”, while Blackwood was said to have been hit on the helmet during practice. By all indications, Australian skipper Michael Clarke has no reason to let up, despite his team being far superior in the series opener last week. “We’re certainly not overconfident.

This Test will be no different… we are coming out hard to win,” Clarke said.

“We are looking forward to some entertaining cricket for the people who come out and watch and those watching on television,” he added, while saying that he wants Australia to improve their win record on overseas soil. Outside of Voges, the Australian batting is yet to get going.

The visiting team’s captain says he is expecting things to change for this encounter. Clarke, 34, is entering his 110th Test for Australia, but his first in Jamaica after missing out in 2008. While giving West Indies credit for some fight they showed in Dominica, Clarke predicts the match to be “extremely tough”.

“It’s going to be extremely tough. I thought they [West Indies] fought really hard, especially on that third day in the first Test. We are hoping as a team to improve and we have to be at our best to beat them,” he said, while acknowledging that finishing the first Test so early gave them extra days to “freshen up” for this one.

Possible teams :

West Indies — Denesh Ramdin (capt), Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope, Darren Bravo, Shane Dowrich, Marlon Samuels, Jermaine Blackwood, Jason Holder, Jerome Taylor, Devendra Bishoo, Shannon Gabriel.

Australia — Michael Clarke (capt) David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Steven Smith, Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.