Australia ended day three of the third Test against West Indies with a commanding 310-run lead despite a brave fightback by the hosts at Windsor Park in Dominica.
The tourists were 6 for 200 at stumps, losing its last three wickets for 32 runs after Ricky Ponting and Ed Cowan shared in a vital 87-run third-wicket partnership to rescue a rocky start.
David Warner (11) and Shane Watson (5) both fell cheaply either side of lunch after the plucky West Indies were bowled out for just 218 in reply to Australia's first-innings total of 328.
In difficult conditions to make runs, West Indies will need to produce a comeback similar to their remarkable chase down of 418 against the Australians in Antigua nine years ago to level the three-Test series.
Cowan, for one, believes that is an unlikely outcome.
"I think we're in control, definitely. I think 300 already is a big score. If we can get to lunch unscathed and maybe have 350, 360 lead, all of a sudden I think that's a winning total," he told reporters.
"We're confident we've got heaps of runs on the board already."
Warner started aggressively but, in the last over before the interval, he drove loosely at a Kemar Roach delivery and edged to Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the slip cordon.
Spinner Shane Shillingford then struck in his second over. Watson guided a ball off the face of the bat straight to leg slip where Darren Sammy held on to a sharp chance and the tourists were looking shaky at 2 for 25.
Cowan made it to 20 for the fourth consecutive innings and went past his highest score of the series when he reached 35.
The opener eventually departed for a typically patient 55 before Ponting (57) followed in strange circumstances after adding 56 runs with skipper Michael Clarke.
The former Australian captain looked to have found his feet in his final Caribbean knock when he ducked under a Roach bouncer but left his bat telescoped in the air.
The ball hit it and looped up for Chanderpaul to scoot around from slip and take the catch.
Roach has dismissed Ponting more times than any other West Indian bowler.
"Unbelievable, I guess if you play cricket long enough you are going to be dismissed every which way, I guess he was due for a periscope," said Cowan of Ponting's wicket.
"I feel sorry for the bloke because he has been batting beautifully and again it will give ammunition to some bloody journalist back home.
"Ammunition to lampoon, but you guys have seen how well he is playing in tough conditions."
Clarke (25) and Matthew Wade (4) followed in quick succession as West Indies showed spirit in a Test series now slipping out of reach at 1-0 down.
Mike Hussey (17) and Ryan Harris (4) took Australia to stumps without any further scares.
West Indian all-rounder Narsingh Deonarine admitted it would be tough for his team to get the win it needs.
"Whatever Australia put on the board we have to go there and look to get it," said West Indian all-rounder Narsingh Deonarine, who picked up the wicket of Wade.
"The first thing is to try and get those four wickets for as low as possible tomorrow morning and when the time comes to bat you're just going to have to fight very hard because the pitch is not conducive to stroke play as we've seen.
"Everybody will have to dig in there, score some runs and hopefully when we get a chance to bat again we just knock off the runs"
Earlier, the hosts' total owed much, as ever, to a typically stubborn innings of 68 by veteran Chanderpaul.
West Indies had been 8 for 165 overnight with Chanderpaul and Ravi Rampaul having already put on 45 for ninth wicket.
They took their partnership to 66 before Nathan Lyon (4 for 69) broke through for his fourth wicket.
The visitors took the new ball after 83.1 overs and in the end it was Chanderpaul that fell lbw to Mitchell Starc (2 for 29).
Chanderpaul had faced 164 balls for his 68 as he once again top scored for the home side.
He is also the highest scorer in the series with 277 runs at an average of 92.33.
He has managed to face up to the Australian's bowling for more than twice as many balls as any of his team-mates.
ABC/AFP
Tags: cricket, sport, dominica, australia First posted April 26, 2012 07:47:49
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