Australia go with spinners O'Keefe, Lyon for Sydney Test against West Indies
Paceman Peter Siddle, who has been suffering from an ankle injury, drops out of the side despite bowling in the nets on Saturday and will be rested in preparation for the upcoming two test series in New Zealand.
Australia will field two specialist spinners at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for the first time in a decade when they host West Indies in the dead rubber third test starting on Sunday.
Left-arm orthodox spinner Steve O'Keefe will play his second test -- his first on home soil -- and join Nathan Lyon in Australia's first twin spin attack at the SCG since Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill took on South Africa in 2006.
"We're happy with the side with the two spinners and we think it's going spin," captain Steve Smith told reporters at the SCG on Saturday. "It's really been skidding off the surface here recently and hopefully the guys will get some traction."
Paceman Peter Siddle, who has been suffering from an ankle injury, drops out of the side despite bowling in the nets on Saturday and will be rested in preparation for the upcoming two test series in New Zealand.
A 3-0 series sweep over the West Indies would send Australia above India to second in the test rankings.
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Steve O'Keefe.