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Australia took control of the third Test match at West Indies by scoring 328 in the first innings and then knocking eight home team wickets down by close. Third day’s action begins at 1 am AEST on Thursday.
West Indies needed to eke out the remaining Australian wickets quickly on the second day but Matthew Wade’s century and his two stands with Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Starc made the opponents struggle.
The partnership with Starc was worth 57, before Wade and Hilfenhaus added 102 for the ninth wicket. Wade got to his maiden century, two days after his captain Clarke had indicated that Brad Haddin was still their number one wicket-keeper.
On a difficult pitch, 328 was always going to be a stiff ask and West Indies capitulated after a decent start.
After Kraigg Brathwaite had collected his third duck in as many games, Adrian Barath and Kieran Powell added 61 for the second wicket to raise the West Indian hopes.
The pair seemed to have seen through the session when Nathan Lyon got one to bounce on Barath, who gloved it to the short-leg. Next over, in an inspired move, Michael Clarke brought on Dave Warner, and he sent back Darren Bravo in the same way as Barath.
Powell’s 40-run vigil was ended after the break and the rest of the side bar Shivnarine Chanderpaul fell away to some good bowling on an aiding pitch.
In fact, at 8/120 with 13 overs still to be bowled, the chances of a follow-on on the same day loomed large. But Chanderpaul battled through to an unbeaten 34 and Ravi Rampaul slammed a 33-ball 24 to take West Indies to 8/165 by close.
It should be a matter of time before Australia scythe through the remaining two wickets and then take it from there to build on a healthy lead. The way the pitch’s playing, a target of anywhere around 225 to 250 could well be a match-winning one.
Of course, Australia will want to set much more than that.
We will bring you the coverage throughout this third Test match of the series between West Indies and Australia from Dominica and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds from 1.00am AEST.
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