ACT hopes for star power to take on West Indies - Sydney Morning Herald

Joint Man of the Match award winners, Tom Cooper, left and Chris Gayle with PM Kevin Rudd in 2010. Photo: Graham Tidy

Power-hitter Chris Gayle is set to ignite Manuka Oval twice in eight days and Cricket ACT is hopeful Australian selectors will pick a full-strength side to take on the West Indies master blaster in Canberra.

Gayle will headline the West Indies' 15-man squad for their tour of Australia with their first clash against the Prime Minister's XI on January 29.

It will be the first match under lights at Manuka Oval and the Australian team then takes on the West Indies in a one-day international at the ground on February 6.

The selectors are continuing their controversial rotation policy in the 50-over format and it remains unclear which players will be available to celebrate Canberra's centenary.

With the Twenty20 world champion West Indies naming their best squad, Cricket ACT boss Mark Vergano is confident there will be ample star power under lights.

Gayle smashed 146 off just 89 balls when he led the West Indies against the PM's XI three years ago.

The West Indies squad also boasts captain Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who is returning from an 18-month absence from the team.

Marlon Samuels is a notable absentee as he recovers from a facial injury suffered while playing for the Melbourne Renegades.

Cricket Australia is confident wicketkeeper Brad Haddin will recover from a hamstring injury and has not named a replacement for the former Queanbeyan junior.

''It's fantastic Chris Gayle is in the side and what better place to get back in form than here, remembering what he did here a few years ago,'' Vergano said.

''There's so much batting firepower in the West Indies and it should be excitement plus.

''The [international match] is in the hands of the Australian selectors … you like the drawcard players there but you don't know what's happening from one game to the next.

''The main thing is it's the first time the Australian team is playing in Canberra, it's under lights and it's the centenary.''

The lights at Manuka Oval are almost operational with a full test expected next week.

WEST INDIES SQUAD

Darren Sammy (captain), Dwayne Bravo, Tino Best, Darren Bravo, Johnson Charles, Narsingh Deonarine, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Thomas.