MELBOURNE (Reuters) -- Australian captain Steve Waugh said Sunday he was fit to return for the fourth test against the West Indies starting on December 26, saying it was a great opportunity to sweep the series 5-0.

Waugh, 35, missed the third test in Adelaide last week which Australia won by five wickets to take a 3-0 lead in the series.

The 130-test veteran, who is nursing a buttock muscle strain, said the Australians were keen to extend their world record winning streak to 14 tests and beyond.

Waugh, who rated himself about 95 per cent fit, trained at full-pace on Sunday to indicate he had fully recovered from the injury which allowed vice-captain Adam Gilchrist to step into the leadership role in Adelaide.

"I haven't made a final decision, but unless anything goes radically wrong tomorrow, I'll be playing," Waugh told a news conference.

"We've got a great opportunity to win 14 in a row. The West Indies have never been beaten 5-0 in a series so there is plenty to play for.

"Spots are up for grabs and guys want to keep a high standard so that doesn't come into it, the complacency factor."

The Windies' star batsman Brian Lara has been cleared of injury after being struck in the eye while batting in the nets Saturday.

Martyn makes way for Waugh

Waugh's likely inclusion means Damien Martyn is left out, despite some superb catching and unbeaten innings of 46 and 34 in Adelaide.

Australian fast-bowler Brett Lee was ruled out of the series Saturday night because of back problems after originally being rested from the third test and then failing to convince selectors he was worth the risk for the Melbourne and Sydney back-to-back tests.

The Sydney test starts on January 2 and Lee is now aiming for the triangular limited-overs series which starts on January 11 and includes Zimbabwe.

Australia must also decide on its bowling attack with two spinners, Colin Miller, fresh from a 10-wicket haul in Adelaide, and Stuart MacGill battling paceman Andrew Bichel for the chance to partner opening bowlers Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie.

Big occasion

A crowd of more than 60,000 is expected for the opening day's play Tuesday and West Indies captain Jimmy Adams says his memories are mixed on the challenges Melbourne tests pose.

"It's obviously one of the biggest stadiums in the world and to have it nearly full is something special," Adams told a news conference.

Australia vs. West Indies Test Stats Played  Australia  West Indies  Drawn  Tied  93 (13)  40 (9)  31 (3)  21 (1)  1 (0)  Melbourne figures in parentheses

"I've won one and lost one and the atmosphere is simply quite extraordinary."

Adams said the players knew they had let an opportunity slip in Adelaide when they made only 141 in the second innings, setting Australia 130 to win on a difficult wicket.

Lara had made 182 in the first innings to put the Windies in the contest but none of his teammates made a half-century in either innings.

"As a group we'd like to prove that we're capable of carrying our performances for five days," Adams said.

Adams said the Windies were considering promoting spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo although he lacks match practice and has not played a test in this series so far.

Waugh bans night-watchmen

Waugh, having watched the third test with his family in Sydney on television, has returned to the group with fresh ideas including banning the use of night-watchmen, where lower order batsmen are sent in to "protect" leading batsmen from the demands of surviving the last few overs of the day's play.

One of the problems has been the ploy means Gilchrist, who averages 53.28 in 12 tests, comes in as low as number eight the day after a nightwatchman is used.

"We want to try to set the standard and do things a little bit differently than they've been done in the past," Waugh said.

"We just threw it around... do we just do it for the sake of it? And we all came to the conclusion we probably do."

West Indies (probable 12) – Jimmy Adams (captain), Sherwin Campbell, Daren Ganga, Wavell Hinds, Brian Lara, Marlon Samuels, Ridley Jacobs, Nixon McLean, Mervyn Dillon, Marlon Black, Courtney Walsh, Mahendra Nagamootoo.

Australia (squad of 13) -- Steve Waugh (captain), Adam Gilchrist, Michael Slater, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Mark Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Colin Miller, Stuart MacGill, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Bichel.