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The third Test between the West Indies and Australia gets underway at Kensington Oval next Friday and with the four-match series locked at one-one it should be a thriller - from start to finish.

After routing the West Indies for a record low 51 and winning the first Test by 312 runs, Australia lost the second by 10 wickets almost by an innings and regardless of captain Steve Waugh's attempt to dismiss it as just one defeat caused by one brilliant innings from Brian Lara, when they left Kingston, the swagger was not as pronounced as when they arrived from Port of Spain.

After losing the first Test and hitting back immediately, the West Indies, on the other hand, are bubbling with confidence - despite manager Clive Lloyd's sensible warning that one swallow does not make a summer.

As the two teams prepare for the battle at Kensington, a number of things must be going through their minds, including, and probably most importantly, putting together the right combination for what could well be the decider.

The West Indies, for example, need a pair of opening batsmen and Australia must be looking at their number three and their attack.

Based on reports, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul should be in the line-up, obviously, Lara and James Adams will be there and, despite his suspect technique, so too should Dave Joseph - an aggressive batsman who rose to the occasion in his first Test innings and has taken some fine catches in the slips.

With five batsmen selecting themselves one of them will have to open the innings, and although it should be Hooper, although the selectors should ask him and let him demonstrate his commitment to West Indies cricket, it is likely that it will be Chanderpaul, who in the interest of West Indies cricket has always been willing to bat anywhere in the order.

As far as the other opener is concerned, the selectors have no choice but to stick with Sherwin Campbell - unless, despite his disappointing performances to date, Stuart Williams comes up with a big score in Antigua.

The real problem the selectors could have is what to do with Rose if he proves he is fit and ready and if he takes some wickets against the tourists in Antigua.

Rose is the best of the young fast bowlers and, after his brilliant seven-wicket haul in the one Test he played in South Africa, he should be in the team.

The problem, however, is this: Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose are there, left-arm swing bowler Pedro Collins and offspinner Nehemiah Perry have done well and with them around the attack is nicely balanced.

The thing to do, once he is fit, is to play Rose and not Ambrose.

As far as Australia are concerned, they must be looking at Ricky Ponting for Justin Langer at number three and to swing bowler Adam Dale in place of Shane Warne appears to be struggling following his shoulder injury and, on top of that, an attack of two legspinners against a batting line-up which includes three left-handers in Lara, Chanderpaul and Adams could be begging for trouble - especially at Kensington Oval.