SYDNEY. Dec 31: Just four days after one of their heaviest defeats, the beleaguered West Indies back up lot more against Australia here Tuesday trying to avoid being marked down as the Caribbean's worst-ever team, reports AFP.

The West Indies, who have never before suffered a 5-0 pounding by Australia, have five days at the Sydney Cricket Ground to fight off the ignominy of a series whitewash.

The omens do not look good. Steve Waugh's champion Australian team crushed them by 352 runs In the fourth Melbourne Test last Friday to lead the series 4-0. Their match-winning streak stands at a record I 4 Tests

The humiliation down under has come on the back of the West Indies series defeat to England in the northern hemisphere summer, their first in 31 years.

Skipper Jimmy Adams can only shuffle the squad of players'at his disposal to come up with a combination that won t readily show the mental scars so prevalent through this onesided series.

Fast bowler Mervyn Dillon is one who won't be there as he is living ankle surgery on Tues-da) opening the way for the return of Marlon Black, dropped for (he Melbourne Test, or possibly the first use of legspinner Mahendra Na-gamootoo.

“It's not going to be easy, but it's something we have to face and we have to try to deal with it." Adams said.

T can't speak for everybody tn the team, but what I will say

is that this (playing Australia in Australia) is the biggest challenge in intematlonalcricket.

I think as a player, this is what you should want, to be tested to the limit said Ad ams

Steve Waugh knows he's got the beleaguered West Indies where he wants them with their second innings demise for 109 in Melbourne having a feeling of inevitability about II.

"Mentally we've got it over the West Indies at the moment but we're still playing really good cricket." Waugh said

"Our challenge Is to keep ourselves going. We Just really enjoy being out there and playing Test match cricket and to win 14 in a row is a great thing.

"You can say what you want about the quality of the opposition but we want to be the best wc can. That's why we plav cricket."

One bright spot for the tourists. for whom senior batsmen. Brian Lara (except for his 182 in the Adelaide Test). Sherwin Campbell and Adams, have been rank failures, is the emergence of 19-ycar-old Jamaican right-hander Marlon Samuels, who will be making only his third Test appearance in Sydney.

Samuels, playing without the scars of continual Test failure. showed the way for the future with his refreshing 46 in the second Innings at the MCG.

That followed his unbeaten 60 in the first innings In only his second Test since being summoned from Jamaica as an injury replacement for Shiv-narme ('handerpani early (his month.

Samuels revealed his positive altitude when he said after the Melbourne Test “Test

cricket is difficult, right now it's not

It hasn't affected me In any way because I'm positive in everything that I'm doing.

I've learned that I have to be focused on everv ball at Test level."

The Sydney Test also offers Australian legspinner Stuart MacGIII the opportunity to hammer down his Test place before the return of Shane Warne.

MacGIII has lo perform against the West Indies to prove he can't he left behind when the Australian squad heads to the turning wickets ol India on February 13.

Selectors haven't yet decided whether to lake two or three spinners lo India but offspinner Colin Miller appears the only certain selection at this stage following his outstanding season.

That could leave MacGIII and Warne In a race for selection. with Warne. Australia's greatest Test wickct-taker. set to return to state cricket with Victoria on Tuesday after recovering from-a broken finger which has kept him out of the current series

TEAMS

Australia: Stephen Waugh (captain). Adam Gilchrist (vicecaptain). Michael Slater. Matthew Hayden. Justin Langer. Mark Waugh. Ricky Ponting. Stuart MacGIII. Colin Miller. Jason Gillespie. Andrew Bichel. Glenn McGrath.

West Indies (likely 12): Jimmy Adams (captain). Sherwin Campbell. Daren Ganga. Wavell Hinds. Brian Lara. Marlon Samuels. Ridley Jacobs. Nixon McLean. Marlon Black. Mahendra Nagamootoo. Colin Stuart. Courtney Walsh.