Unless the West Indies can raise the standard of their play several notches, Australia, already with a 3-0 cushion, will not only wrap up the series but also extend their unbeaten streak to an unprecedented 22 consecutive victories.

Admitting the West Indies are in a “must win situation”, captain Brian Lara said his players are aware of the importance of the back-to-back encounters.

“We have to come up with two wins. I don’t feel that we can’t, I know we have to find the right formula to do so. We have to dissect the games that we played so far and see in what areas we need to improve,” Lara said on the eve of the match.

“I am almost certain the guys are mature enough to understand that it’s a do or die situation come this weekend. We need two wins to at least go to Grenada with the hope of squaring the series and the winning the series,” Lara added.

“In saying that, we are still playing against the world champions and we need to dissect professionally, do it as astutely as possible to ensure that when we get out there tomorrow, we know what we are about and we know the areas that we need to improve to beat the Australia,” Lara contended.

Despite losing all three matches, Lara said the team morale is still high.

“I think the guys are still in good spirits. A week and a half ago, we beat Australia in a Test match and I think the spirit is still very high,” Lara said.

Lara, who has been dismissed in all three matches cheaply with scores of 23, 5 and 4, again lamented the team’s disappointing batting performances in the One-Day Internationals.

“We understand and we are disappointed in the areas we went wrong, mainly in our batting and as a batter, I am definitely one you can point fingers at or the last few One-Day Internationals,” Lara said.

Lara noted the loss of form by the batsmen has come after encouraging performances in the preceding Test series when the West Indies defied the odds to successfully chase a winning target of 418 runs despite losing the rubber 3-1.

“We actually thought, the majority of us were in form and we would be able to do the job with the bat but that hasn’t happen so far so it’s about time, we start doing that, especially starting this weekend,” Lara contended.

“It’s a batting problem that we are having in the One-Days and I am sure that the guys are working in the nets. I know we have had a couple batting meetings, trying to organize the guys and get them to understand their role.

Lara said the responsibility is still on the batsman when he at the crease to heed to advice.

“It’s really and truly up to the guy when he gets out in the middle but we can try to prepare him mentally and try to make sure that he is confident in his own ability, don’t matter what has taken place so far,” Lara remarked.

“We have been trying to do a job off the field, trying to get the guys in the right frame of mind. We have had little meetings, one-to-one talk and hopefully that will be able to do the job,” Lara said.

Lara was however was full of praise for the West Indian bowlers.

“I think they did a very good job in Jamaica. We had two fast bowlers in St Lucia and we were still able to get them out for 258 which I think on that track and the outfield, was a very good job done by the bowlers in the field,” Lara said.

The West Indies are expected to make three changes to the team which lost Wednesday’s mid-week match in St Lucia by 25 runs with experienced wicket-keeper Ridley Jacobs and seamer Vasbert Drakes returning and diminutive Barbadian all-rounder Ryan Hurley making his debut.

Jacobs, who has rejoined the team after fully recovering from a groin injury, will replace 20-year-old Jamaican gloveman Carlton Baugh in the starting line-up.

“Yes, he is considered for this match and to my understanding he will be playing tomorrow so it would be nice to have the experience of Ridley back,” Lara said.

“He’s been out through injury and the main reason why he was not in the squad was through injury starting in Jamaica so hopefully, everything will go well before the game tomorrow and over the weekend,” Lara opined.

The West Indies skipper said it would also be nice to have the services of Jacobs “not just the weekend in Trinidad but for the remainder of the series against Australia and also the start and the remainder of the series against Sri Lanka.”

The Windies are almost certain to replace left-handed Grenadian opener Devon Smith following scores of 28, 1 and 9 as well as rookie Anguillan off-spinning all-rounder Omari Banks, who has done a fair job with bat and ball.

Hurley, a live-wire in the field, who bowls off spin and is a useful lower order batsman will take Banks’ place while Drakes, who missed the St Lucian match because of illness, returns to the team.

On the other hand, Australia, who have been rotating their players during the One-Day series are likely to rest left-handed opener Matthew Hayden and seamer Andy Bichel with Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee returning after their one-match break.

All-rounder Ian Harvey, who starred in the first match in Jamaica with bat and ball but missed the next two because of a stomach ailment, may also return to the team as well as recuperating middle order batsman Darren Lehmann.

Teams:

West Indies (likely XI) - Chris Gayle, Ricardo Powell, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara (captain) Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Ryan Hurley, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Corey Collymore. Reserves: David Bernard, Devon Smith, Omari Banks, Carlton Baugh.

Australia (from) - Ricky Ponting (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Darren Lehmann, Andrew Symonds, Michael Bevan, Jimmy Maher, Brad Hogg, Andy Bichel, Brett Lee, Ian Harvey, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Michael Clarke, Nathan Hauritz.