Bravo leads WI resistance with classy unbeaten 94

HOBAR, Australia (CMC):

Darren Bravo is on the verge of a century, leading a courageous fight-back against Australia, who inflicted more misery on West Indies on the second day of their first Test here yesterday.

Bravo played with class to be undefeated on 94 as West Indies stumbled to 207 for six after Australia declared their first innings on 583 for four at Bellerive Oval.

After another dreadful performance in the field, the visitors put on a woeful batting display, capitulating to 89 for five before a sixth- wicket stand between Bravo and captain Jason Holder carried them past 100.

At the close, Kemar Roach on 31 with three fours was providing solid support to Bravo and their stubborn seventh-wicket stand is nine runs shy of a century.

Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh put on 449, the highest fourth-wicket stand in Test history after Australia resumed from their overnight score of 438 for three.

Voges, who resumed on 174, finished unbeaten on 269 after Steven Smith declared the innings closed during the lunch break.

He scored 33 fours, no sixes, and ended the day with a Test batting average of 76.83, second only to Australian legend Sir Donald Bradman.

Jomel Warrican broke the

stand by removing Marsh to finish with three wickets for 158

runs.

Marsh, 139 overnight, was caught by Bravo for 182 after sweeping to deep midwicket.

West Indies endured a disastrous start to their first innings, losing four wickets in their first session after Josh Hazlewood trapped Kraigg Brathwaite, who scored 2 from 26 deliveries.

Nathan Lyon claimed three for 43, including six maidens, with his spin attack to undermine the West Indies middle order, while Hazlewood picked up two for 43.

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA 1st innings

A. Voges not out 269

S. Marsh c Bravo b Warrican 182

M. Marsh not out 1

Extras (b4, lb3, w3, nb14) 24

Total (4 wkts, 114 overs) 538

Did not bat: +P Nevill, P Siddle, J Pattinson, J Hazlewood, N Lyon.

Fall of wickets: 1-75 (Burns), 2-104 (Smith), 3-121 (Warner), 4-570 (S March)

Bowling: Taylor 17-0-108-0 (w1, nb2), Roach 16-1-99-0 (w1, nb4), Gabriel 10-1-59-1 (nb4), Holder 24-3-75-0 (1w, nb4), Warrican 28-1-158-3, Brathwaite 13-0-52-0, Blackwood 6-0-25-0.

WEST INDIES 1st innings

K. Brathwaite lbw Hazlewood 2

R. Chandrika c Smith b Lyon 25

D.M. Bravo not out 94

M. Samuels c&b Lyon 9

J. Blackwood c Burns b Lyon 0

D. Ramdin b Hazlewood 8

J. Holder lbw b Siddle 15

K. Roach not out 31

Extras: (b7, lb10, w1, nb5) 23

Total: (6 wickets; 65 overs) 207

To Bat: J Taylor, J Warrican, S Gabriel

Fall of wickets: 1-17(Brathwaite),2-58(Chandrika),3-78(Samuels),4-78 (Blackwood), 5-89 (Ramdin), 6-116 (Holder)

Bowling: Hazlewood 16-4-43-2,Pattinson 15-0-68-0, Siddle 12-5-22-1,Lyon 19-6-43-3, Marsh 3-1-14-0.

Toss: Australia.