Day 3 proved to be a fighting day from the West Indies especially from their lower-order batsmen.
REPORT: WEST INDIES LIFT THEIR GAME
They could have rolled out for next to nothing but the performances of Darren Bravo and Carlos Brathwaite lifted the team and kept the Aussie bowlers at bay.
Brathwaite was helped by two lives, both times getting out to Pattinson no-balls – before he went on to notch up a maiden fifty. The rest of the tail supported Bravo well to help the West Indies post 271.
Australia refused to enforce the follow-on, and piled up 3/179 by close, off just 32 overs. The West Indies chose to spread their field early and the hosts took advantage of that.
Australia will enter the fourth day with a lead of 459 runs.
Scores at end of day
Australia 3/551d & 3/179
West Indies 271
West Indies continue to stare down the wrong end of the barrel at the end of the second day of the second Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. You can follow the live scores and commentary of the third day of this game from 10:30am AEDT.
For a few overs, it looked like West Indies might at least go to stumps without a lot of damage.
They weren’t scoring too many runs but to have gotten to nearly 24 overs for the loss of just a wicket looked a bit of an improvement from the previous two innings.
The ball didn’t look like it was doing too much off the pitch or in the air at that stage, and while Nathan Lyon was bowling well, there wasn’t much turn either. West Indies, at that stage, were probably harbouring hopes, if not thoughts of going into the third day only a couple down at maximum.
Then the ball began to reverse. Something that the West Indian bowlers weren’t able to do when they bowled over the 135 overs, the Australians found quite early in the innings.
James Pattinson got Rajendra Chandrika out, lbw, after he decided to pad up to a delivery that jagged back into him. A review only confirmed the opener’s worst suspicions.
In his next over, Pattinson sent back the extraordinarily out of sorts Marlon Samuels, trapping him lbw to a reverse-swinging ball as well. Surprisingly, he played back to a delivery when the ball had shown every sign of going the other way.
Unfortunately for him, he didn’t review that because it looked like it was going to miss.
Jermain Blackwood resisted for a bit with a slightly more positive 28, but his aggression got the better of him as he slammed one from Nathan Lyon back at the bowler.
Peter Siddle then had two in two, sending back Denesh Ramdin to a flick, and getting captain Jason Holder bowled to leave West Indies struggling at 6-91 at stumps.
This was after Steven Smith and Adam Voges had added to the centuries list of the Aussie innings, following on from where Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja had left off on day one. The duo batted for 45 overs, adding 206 runs in the process without getting separated and had pushed them to 551 before the declaration came.
West Indies are staring at another big defeat.
Again, it looks like Darren Bravo might chip in with a few runs from his end but with debutant Carlos Brathwaite looking like he wants to play a shot-a-minute, the innings might not last that long.
A follow-on early in the first session could be followed by another capitulation if the tourists don’t find a way out of their mire.
The prospect of another three-day game looms large.
You can follow the live scores & blog of this third day of the Australia v West Indies second Test from 10:30 hours AEDT on Monday and post your comments in the section below.
Rodge
Guest
Surely the most insightful comment seen on these pages for many a year?
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A fighting day from West Indies, especially as far as their lower-order batting is concerned. They could well have been rolled out for next to nothing in not too many overs when they fell to six wickets down for 83. But Darren Bravo and Carlos Brathwaite batted well to keep the Aussie bowlers at bay. Brathwaite was helped by two lives, both times getting out to Pattinson no-balls - before he went on to notch up a maiden fifty. The rest of the tail supported Bravo well to help West Indies post 271. Australia refused to enforce the follow-on, and piled up 3/179 by close, off just 32 overs. West Indies chose to spread their field early and the hosts took advantage of that. The lead's already a lot, no team has ever chased down 460 to win a Test and given what's transpired so far in this series, it will be interesting to see whether West Indies can get close to even their first innings score. Be back tomorrow then with the fourth day's play of this Boxing Day Test. Ciao.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And that rounds off the third day's play with seven coming off the final over. Australia are ahead by 459 runs, having lost the wickets of Joe Burns, David Warner and Usman Khawaja. Smith is on 70, Marsh is 18 not-out at stumps.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Couple of runs off the first ball of the final over brings up the 50-run stand, from just 51 balls. Smith follows it up with another couple. Lead's 456.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Playing for stumps now, but still picking up the easily available singles. Four of them. 3/172 in 31, lead's 452.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Dropped! Ramdin has put Marsh down... ...short of length from Warrican and Marsh goes for a cut. Gets an outside edge but it's down. Three from the Warrican over, lead's 447.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Holder concedes five singles. Three overs remain for the day, which effectively means a declaration today is out of question. Australia's lead has gone up to 445.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Six from the Warrican over. Smith has been making expansive movements at the crease and helped himself to 59 from 60 balls. Lead's 440.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Just four from the Jason Holder over. A rarity. 3/154 in 27, lead's 434.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Fifty for Smith! Cut away through backward point, placed it late and fine to help himself to a four as he rounds off the year with another landmark. Highest scorer in Tests this year and with just Alastair Cook in with a chance to overtake him. 3/150 in 26. Lead of 430.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Four byes now, along with it being a no-ball too. Down the leg-side and it looked to have come off something on the ground and taken off, beating the keeper Ramdin. 15 from the Holder over. 3/143 in 25, lead's 423.
c
Guest
so who is going to win this game
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And another four, short of length and cracked through extra-cover by Smith. The ball just didn't come on to the bat but he does well to smash it away. 3/132 in the 25th
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
A change in the order, Mitchell Marsh being promoted up the order ahead of Adam Voges. 9 overs remain in the day.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And that Smith shot again, short of length from Holder that's grown on him and he has used a vertical bat to swat it down the ground for a single. Khawaja is happy to pull the next one to deep mid-wicket for a four... ...next ball though, Khawaja has been given! What a shot... Looking to ramp it over fine-leg there and Holder followed him, gets a bit of bat and gets caught by wicket-keeper. Three down.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Change in the bowling, Jason Holder returns to the attack.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Five from the Warrican over. 2/118 in 22, lead's 398.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Whoa, what a shot. That was short alright from Roach but Smith has absolutely hammered it through wide mid-off, bit like an smashing forehand shot. And then a single next ball takes the lead up to 393.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
And again, easily-taken six runs from the Warrican over. 12 overs remain in the day, are they looking to give West Indies a couple here? Tough to see that happen.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Runs are absolutely flowing here. Smith gets a single first ball of the Roach over, before Khawaja jogs down the track and pulls it away for three. Smith then opens the face of the bat and guides it through the cordon for a four. Interestingly, Smith then gives himself bit of room to push one through the covers too - really want to get going here - before finishing off the over with four leg-byes off a glance down to fine-leg. 12 off that over. 2/100 in 19.