Australia’s batsmen were Thursday night lamenting an opportunity lost as they took the foot off West Indian throats at the Gabba.
After winning the toss and dominating with the bat to be 2-200, Ricky Ponting’s men were left to wonder what could have been as they went to stumps at 5-322.
Simon Katich (92), Ponting (55), Mike Hussey (66) and Michael Clarke (41) looked set to ram home the advantage with triple-figure scores against the embattled tourists before being undone.
Making the missed chances harder to deal with was the fact all bar Ponting – caught behind off the lively Kemar Roach – were victims of soft dismissals on a belter of a batting track.
“I think it was good to get to 60-odd but probably all of us are a little bit disappointed we couldn’t go on and one of us get a big hundred,” Hussey said. “It’s very good batting conditions out there.
“But on the whole the team’s in a pretty good position, if Brad (Haddin) and Marcus (North) kick on tomorrow and add another 150 or even 200 we’d be in excellent position.”
North (42 not out) and Haddin (nine not out) will resume against the second new ball on Friday in a pivotal morning session.
Pace tyro Roach said the Windies were intent on restricting the home side to 350, but their fielding must improve on their first-day efforts.
Tall spinner Sulieman Benn dropped Katich and Dwayne Bravo let Hussey off the hook, while their ground fielding was also poor at times.
Skipper Chris Gayle did take a screamer at slip to dismiss Clarke and even the scales, while keeper Denesh Ramdin also grabbed a lunging leg-side catch when Katich appeared set for his sixth Test century in 18 months as opener.
His opening partner, Shane Watson, lasted only seven balls before shouldering arms to Jerome Taylor for a dismissal which is sure to re-open the debate over his top-order position.
While he scored three half-centuries in three Tests during the Ashes, it was the former Queenslander’s fifth duck in seven innings as opener in first-class games at the Gabba.
It was also the sixth time in his last seven Test innings Watson has been dismissed LBW.
The day started poorly for the Windies with key batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan ruled out before play with a back injury after failing a morning fitness test.
A Windies spokesman said Sarwan was rated 50-50 by medical staff who played it safe to ensure his availability for the upcoming Tests in Adelaide and Perth.
The tourists also lost out with Test cricket’s new decision review system with Ponting, on 30 when struck in front by Ravi Rampaul, allowed to stay after it was used for the first time on Australian soil.
Later the gun-shy Windies refrained from sending another lbw appeal upstairs which the technology showed Ponting plumb out to Roach, who finished with 1-50 from 16 fiery overs.
All-rounder Bravo (2-66) also bowled well and Hussey praised Benn’s efforts (1-54 off 21 overs) in the conditions.
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