Hinds ruled out of first Test with broken finger

West Indies have suffered a blow ahead of next week's first Test with the injury-enforced withdrawal of the batsman Wavell Hinds. Hinds broke the little finger on his left hand while fielding in the tourists' opening tour match against Queensland on Thursday.

A team spokesman said Hinds, the left-handed batsman with 44 Test appearances, had to keep the finger immobilised for ten days, which would also force him out of the three-day match against Victoria in Melbourne, starting on November 11. Hinds is not expected to be fit until the second Test in Hobart, beginning on November 17.

The unavailability of Hinds, who averages 33.54 in Tests with five hundreds, will solve a selection riddle for West Indies over who will open the innings with the World XI one-day representative Chris Gayle. Devon Smith is now expected to partner Gayle for the first Test starting next Thursday.