Live With Cricket

Tea West Indies 0 for 69 (Gayle 52*) trail Australia 7 for 520 dec (Katich 99, Watson 89, Haddin 88, Hussey 82, North 68) by 451 runs

Chris Gayle showed West Indies would not be pushed over as they sped to 0 for 69 at tea after Australia declared at 7 for 520. Ricky Ponting did not bat but he closed the innings midway through the second session after Haddin had breezed to 88, building on work of Shane Watson, Simon Katich, Michael Hussey and Marcus North.

A heated session included Gayle taking four boundaries from Mitchell Johnson's opening two overs and he was 52 from 34 deliveries at the break. The debutant Clint McKay's first ball was pushed for four in front of point by Gayle and he brought up his fifty with a jaw-dropping six that was flicked to square leg off Doug Bollinger. At the other end Travis Dowlin was getting used to the conditions with 19 during a stunning counter-punch after West Indies' bowlers had suffered over the first day and a half.

Haddin threatened to become the first Australian of the series to score a century during his 91-ball innings, but instead became the 15th local to reach a fifty during a dominant innings that also included an extended argument with Sulieman Benn. Benn showed his angry side in a complicated exchange with Haddin that inadvertently brought in Johnson when the bowler pointed at Haddin and accidently brushed his partner's shoulder.

Johnson pushed Benn away as the argument raged and things were slow to cool down. It had begun when Haddin took offence at Benn and Johnson running into each other when the bowler was fielding in his follow-through. The ultimately harmless episode was an unnecessary and ugly period that showed both teams have some fight left after three weeks of play. It didn't help Benn though, as he returned 1 for 87 off 28 overs.

Haddin defended his next over from Benn and lifted Narsingh Deonarine for a six to long-on instead, while Johnson slog-swept Benn over the rope to gain some revenge. Haddin forced another clearance down the ground, this time off Dwayne Bravo, but even though he was in sharp form the pace of Roach cut down his reaction time.

His feet did not move as he tried play off the back foot, with the bat well away from his body and the edge heading to Denesh Ramdin. For a moment he was like a new batsman, not one who was set and excelling.

The innings ended shortly after when Benn caught Johnson (35), who was hitting out to speed up the declaration. Ponting had spent the day in the dressing room after Kemar Roach's short ball hit his left elbow on Wednesday and the wave to his batsmen was his biggest move of the day.

Australia resumed at 3 for 339 and quickly lost Michael Hussey, who added a single to his overnight 81 before prodding at a ball going across him from Ravi Rampaul. Ramdin accepted an easy catch and all eyes went to the dressing room wondering if Ponting was coming out. It was Haddin and he was soon doing his best to impersonate Adam Gilchrist.

He arrived in a flurry of boundaries, with a stinging cover drive off Roach taking him to 20, and in the following over he hit Rampaul for three fours, including two pulls. There was a short lull before Haddin brought up his half-century from 43 deliveries and then slog-swept Benn, who was already feeling the discomfort of a sore knee.

North was more patient on his home ground, but was not slow by normal standards, his half-century arriving in 77 balls. North survived a tough miss from Ramnaresh Sarwan at second slip in bringing up the milestone and gave up his chance of a century when he popped a full toss back to the offspinner Deonarine on 68.

Rampaul was tricky in his opening spell but the tourists once again struggled to put lasting pressure on the batsmen - unless you count Benn's lip. Roach's 2 for 104 off 22 overs looks expensive but doesn't tell of the concerns he created, while Deonarine benefitted from bad errors for his two breakthroughs.