BRISBANE, Australia (CMC):

Chris Gayle will have a new partner if and when he walks out to bat in the opening Test against Australia at the Gabba, starting on Thursday (Wednesday evening East Caribbean Time).

At the risk of using the overworked cliché, it will be the long and short of it when Adrian Barath accompanies him to the middle at the top of the West Indies innings whenever it occurs.

Great confidence

Gayle towers over the 5-ft-5 Barath by more than a foot, but the West Indies captain believes size does not matter in this instance, since he has great confidence that his teenage fellow opener will do very well in the series.

"Barath is pretty short," said Gayle. "It's going to be the first time I'll open the batting with him.

"He's been around in first-class (cricket), and he's certainly got a few hundreds underneath his belt. He's a pretty decent player."

Talent and toughness

Barath have been credited with talent and toughness - two qualities that he will need in abundance in conditions that offer bowlers much more bounce and movement than he may be accustomed.

"I had a discussion with him and he knows what to expect out there," Gayle said. "It's never going to be easy. The pitch is going to be a bit bouncier and he is very much short as well.

"We will not put any pressure on him," said Gayle. "I had some discussions with him and we spoke about what it will be like out there in the middle.

Barath fell for a 20-ball duck in the first innings after spending nearly half-hour in his first appearance on Aussie soil against the Queensland Bulls in last weekend's tour match.

But he seemed to have acclimatised quickly, though, since he top-scored with 74 in the second innings.