Lara must nurture young West Indies talent

Brian Lara will lead the youngest squad ever selected by the West Indies into their one-day series against Australia.

Having lost their first three Tests against the Aussies, the pressure is on the home team to start winning in the limited overs version of the game.

And the burden falls to several inexperienced players among the 15-man squad.

All-rounder Ryan Hurley earns his first international call-up.

And he joins Devon Smith, David Bernard, Omari Banks and Tino Best, all of whom made their West Indies debuts in recent Tests against Australia.

Hurley, 27, has had a prolific 2003 spell for regional champions Barbados, scoring 337 runs and taking 18 wickets with his off-spin.

With an average age of just under 25, the Windies are clearly building for the future.

Opening batsman Smith, all-rounder Bernard and fast bowler Best are all 21. Banks, the first player from the Leeward island of Anguilla to represent the West Indies, is 20.

Captain Lara has said that his players have been batting well but need to improve their bowling.

And Barbadian Corey Collymore, a one-day specialist, has been called up to add weight to the pace attack.

The 25-year-old joins Test pacers Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Jermaine Lawson and Best.

Experienced 35-year-old wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs was picked ahead of 20-year-old Carlton Baugh, while highly-rated opening batsman Chris Gayle was also selected.

The seven-match series begins in Jamaica on 17 May.

West Indies squad:

Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Omari Banks, Tino Best, David Bernard, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Corey Collymore, Mervyn Dillon, Vasbert Drakes, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hurley, Ridley Jacobs, Jermaine Lawson, Marlon Samuels, Devon Smith.

Michael Bevan averages 54.78 in 186 one-day internationals

Australia will fly a quartet of one-day specialists including Michael Bevan to Antigua for the limited-overs series against the West Indies starting next week.

Bevan will join all-rounders Andrew Symonds and Ian Harvey and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz on the flight, the Australian Cricket Board has announced.

Left-handed batsman Bevan has hit 5,807 runs at an average of 54.78 in 186 one-day internationals including six hundreds.

The 32-year-old averages little more than half that figure (29.07) with no centuries in his 18 Tests.

Ricky Ponting captained Australia to victory in the World Cup final against India in South Africa in March.

Steve Waugh has led the Test side to victory in the opening three Tests of the four-match series against Brian Lara's West Indies.

The fourth Test starts in Antigua on Friday.

The seven-match limited-overs series starts in Jamaica on 17 May and concludes in Grenada on 1 June.