West Indies 40-3 (Kieran Powell 19, Darren Bravo 16, James Pattinson 1-6) trail Australia 311 all out (Michael Hussey 73, Shane Watson 56, Kemar Roach 5-105) by 262 runs.
The West Indies top three batsmen put their team under pressure as Australia started dictating their terms in the second Test.
The Knagaroos scored 311 runs in their first innings before they were bowled out in 135 overs and the Windies were fighting for their survival at 49 for the loss of three wickets after 25.3 overs.
The second day’s play came to an end at Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad on April 16, 2012.
Earlier, Australia started their first innings at 208 with five wickets still in hand at the end of the 90th over, Michael Hussey was batting at 26 and Matthew Wade was still at the crease for 11 runs. Darren Sammy took the new ball immediately at the start of the second day’s play and got the immediate reward when Wade was caught at first slip by Darren Bravo off Kemar Roach without any addition to his overnight score.
James Pattinson came in next, joined with the reliable Hussey and they crept to 223 at the end of the 91.1 overs when rain interrupted the game for about 16 minutes. Hussy got life at 47 runs when the wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh missed a stumping on the third ball of the 105th over off Shane Shillingford. He utilized the opportunity and achieved fifty on the second ball of the 108th over as Pattinson kept on securing the other end while adding useful runs.
Early lunch was taken at 11.50am due to drizzle as the play was suspended until 2.10 pm and that was the second interruption of the day. The consolidation process was continued by the two batsmen with odd boundaries and they survived at few times as well. The seventh wicket contributed useful 89 runs partnership when Michael Hussey was caught at short extra cover off Narsingh Deonarine for a patience knock of 73 from 207 balls with one six and 4 fours.
The wicket fell at 297 runs and James Pattinson followed him at the same score for 32 runs as the tail was vanished quickly by the Caribbeans and the visitors were sent back to the pavilion for 311 runs in exact 135 overs.
Kemar Roach was the best bowler for the home side who grabbed five wickets, Shane Shillingford held three and Narsingh Deonarine got two wickets.
Michael Clarke made an interesting move when he handed over the new ball to the left arm spinner, Michael Beer and Ben Hilfenhaus took charge from the other end as the duo bowled three consecutive maiden overs. Australia got the first success when Kraigg Brathwaite was declared leg before wicket without opening his account.
Kieran Powell joined with Adrian Barath as the score board started crawling with occasional boundaries. They enhanced the score to 26 when Barath was gone for just seven runs off 41 balls and Powell added the miseries for the home side when he became the third lbw victim for 19 runs.
Darren Bravo and the most experienced batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul survived the anxious moments as they saw off the day’s play when the game was called off after 25.3 overs due to the diminishing light. The Windies reached at 49 with seven wickets in hand whereas Bravo and Chanderpaul were at the crease with 16 and one run respectively.
Michael Beer, Ben Hillfenahus and James Pattinson claimed one wicket each in the early part of the hosts innings and there is inevitably still a lot to come from the Aussies bowlers.
Australia looks in total command of the situation and a first innings lead of nearly 100 runs can put them in a winning position whereas West Indies will bank on their present duo at the crease that can bring stability to them.
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