Australia goes with two spinners in third test against West Indies

Sat, Jan 2, '16

It was a decision a decade in the making: Australia selected Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe for the third test against the West Indies, marking the first time since 2006 that it has named two specialist spinners for a home test.

Captain Steve Smith said Saturday that O'Keefe would replace pace bowler Peter Siddle, who has ankle soreness, in the only change to the team which beat the Caribbean side by 177 runs in the second test at Melbourne, clinching the series.

Australia won the first test at Hobart by an innings and 212 runs.

The test at the Sydney Cricket Ground - the country's most spin-friendly international venue - begins Sunday. The last time Australia employed two spinners in a home test was at the same ground 10 years ago, when Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill played.

The Malaysian-born left-armer O'Keefe played his only test at Dubai against Pakistan in October 2014, when he took four wickets.