“Two-Test match series, to me, is a joke to be quite frank. Minimum three,” Ambrose told reporters earlier this year. “Australia won the first Test, West Indies came back and won the second, and a third Test that would have been massive. That would set up the series perfectly. But it didn’t happen.”
Australian coach Andrew McDonald and CA boss Nick Hockley have expressed their desire for future Test series to be played as a three-match minimum.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has not announced fixtures for the tour but according to two sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity as they did not have permission to discuss the tour, said the first Test of the series is set to begin on June 25 in Barbados. Grenada and Jamaica have been discussed as likely venues for a tour that is expected to last about a month.
Australia supporters celebrate Steve Smith’s century on day one of the second Test against the West Indies at Sabina Park, Jamaica, in 2015. Credit: AP
There is also the possibility one of the matches could be a pink ball fixture, which would be more appealing for Australian broadcasters given the timezone.
Australia has not played a three-Test series in the West Indies since 2012. The last time a four-match Test series was held between Australia and the Windies in the Caribbean was in 2003 when Steve Waugh was skipper.
The West Indies’ performances last summer will give them renewed hope of beating Australia at home in a Test series for the first time since 1991.
Joseph’s heroics in Australia last summer helped revitalise the West Indies after the fast bowler took a five-wicket haul on debut at the Adelaide Oval.
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He backed it up with a famous second innings haul of 7-68 in Brisbane to spearhead the tourists to an eight-run win.
Australia’s matches against the West Indies will be the first of a new World Test Championship cycle. South Africa’s recent success has put Australia in danger of missing next year’s WTC final, which will be held at Lord’s from June 11 to 15.
Australia, sitting third on the WTC ladder, will need to beat India this summer and have success in Sri Lanka to qualify.
