BRISBANE–West Indies may not be the powerhouses of the past but Australia opener Joe Burns remains wary of the touring side.
Though the Caribbean side have been listed as underdogs for the upcoming three-Test series, Burns said they remained a threat as they possessed a number of players who were potential match-winners.
One such player is fast bowler Kemar Roach who Burns remembers well from their time together at Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.
"He hit me a lot in the ribs in the nets," Burns recalled.
He added: "I think they have a pretty decent new ball opening partnership with Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor. They can be quite quick and they move the ball around."
West Indies open the series in Hobart starting next Thursday but have been given little chance against a rampant Aussie side ranked number two in the World.Ranked six spots below their opponents, the Windies also have not won a Test in Australia since Courtney Walsh's side visited 18 years ago.
Burns, a right-hander with just five Tests to his name, said Australia needed to remain focused despite the recent struggles of their opponents."It is exciting to play against the West Indies, it was a team I grew up watching," the 26-year-old said.
"They have shown over a long period win, lose or draw, they are worth watching. And in international cricket there are no easy games. You have to make sure you are switched on."
Much has been made in Australian media of the absence of players like Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy, all of whom are expected to play in the Big Bash League starting later this month.
However, Burns said even without these players, the Windies remained a dangerous side.
"I think they have had a pretty settled Test team for a few years now � we are not sure if those guys are even good at Test match cricket," he pointed out.
"All you can do is go on who they are selecting, and they are good players. You can't say their BBL guys should be playing because they (current squad) are decent players."
CMC
