Clarke confirms Smith's elevation

The make-up of Australia's side for the first Test against the West Indies became a little less clouded on Monday (Caribbean time), but mystery still surrounds both the identities of the 11 players who will take the field and the nature of the pitch here at Windsor Park.

One thing has been confirmed; Steve Smith will bat at No.3 for the first time in Tests, a decision Michael Clarke came to after a series of discussions with his New South Wales teammate, who turned 26 today (Tuesday), during the World Cup and this tour.

The captain also gave a strong indication that Australia will play both pace-bowling allrounders Shane Watson and Mitchell Marsh should they opt for a two-man spin attack on a surface that has traditionally taken turn.

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But Clarke, who is not a selector, didn't provide too much more insight on the side before he had talks with selector on duty Mark Waugh, who arrived from Antigua today.

Much of the uncertainty – at least publically – owes to the generous covering of grass that remains on the Windsor Park pitch, just two days out from the match.

The appearance of the centre wicket contrasts significantly with the two on either side, which both teams have been using during practice sessions this week in addition to the nets behind the Grayson and Irving Shillingford Stand.

The wicket on the eastern side of the centre has been used by the Australian spinners this week and has turned significantly, while the pitch on the western side has been used by the seam bowlers.

Head groundsman Richard LeTang told News Ltd on Sunday that he would be leaving the grass on the match wicket, and said the ground's reputation as a raging turner would mean little this week.

Clarke is unsure as to just how the centre wicket will play and selectors are likely to wait and see if LeTang is true to his word before making a final decision on the XI.

"Generally they do that (leave grass on the wicket) and then the day before it is normally all gone, a little bit like the practice game the other day (in Antigua)," Clarke said.

"So I haven’t taken too much notice of the actual game-wicket just yet.

"I’ve been taking a lot of notice of the difference in the wicket you are facing spin on versus the wicket you are facing the quicks on.

"And that probably sums up where we’re at, I think. It feels like raging turner or green seamer.

"I don’t think it’d be fair on any of the players to make a decision today just with how the wicket is.

"I think there’s still a lot unknown; it’s still quite wet, they are watering it a few times a day, so it looks very different to the two we’ve trained on.

"It probably looks a little bit more similar to the nets out the back.

"So yeah, we’ll see what that looks like tomorrow, I reckon we’ll probably have a better indication tomorrow, see if they cut that grass or leave that grass on it."

The absence of Chris Rogers due to concussion is an unexpected bump in the road for the Australians, but one that Clarke is more than confident of overcoming given both Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson have had experience opening the innings.

The most likely scenario is that Marsh will move to the top of the order, as he did in compiling an impressive 118 against a West Indies President's XI in Antigua last week.

Such a move would mean Watson, Mitchell Marsh and Adam Voges are battling it out for the No.5 and No.6 positions, with the balance of the bowling line-up set to influence the decision to play an extra allrounder.

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A two-man spin attack has long been touted at a ground where spinners have taken 58 of the 101 Test wickets to fall, but those expectations cooled when the wicket was revealed on Sunday and showed a closer resemblance to the outfield than it did the practice wickets on either side.

Should Fawad Ahmed debut alongside Nathan Lyon, it would mean two of Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Peter Siddle would miss out, with Hazlewood favoured to be picked alongside Mitchell Johnson after his stellar performance in last week's warm-up match.

But should conditions stay as they are, the Aussies may opt for a more traditional attack of three quicks and one spinner in Lyon, which would reduce the need for a second fast-bowling allrounder and bring Voges into the frame to make his Test debut.

Such is the depth in the squad and uncertainty surrounding the conditions, Clarke said all but two of the 15 man-squad – the injured Rogers and back-up wicketkeeper Peter Nevill – are a chance to play.

"I think it will depend on what the selectors want to do in regard to three quicks versus two spinners," Clarke said. "That plays a big part, so I definitely think there's a chance for ‘Vogesy’ to play.

"If you play two spinners you’re going to have to play two quicks and two allrounders, I would imagine, in ‘Watto’ and Mitch Marsh.

"So yeah, whatever two quicks miss out are going to be extremely unlucky."