Australia v West Indies: Tourists show fight but hosts dominate

Skipper Steve Smith and in-form Adam Voges pounded the West Indies bowlers to push Australia’s first innings towards 500 on the second day of the second Test in Melbourne on Sunday, reports BSS.

Kraigg attempted to cut Lyon (3-85) in the 12th over and edged it to Steven Smith (0-5) in the slips.

Should Australia head to Sydney with the series won, as expected, selectors may deem it the ideal time to bench Hazlewood, who is warming to the title of Australia’s pace spearhead. The duo took the team through to lunch with the score at 64 for one.

The current Test record stands at 418 and with no incentive for Smith to declare Australia’s second innings closed with two more days remaining, the Windies would have to make this literally the greatest Test match of all time to have a chance.

Brathwaite was earlier given out twice only to be recalled both times for a front-foot no-ball by paceman James Pattinson.

Lehmann told CA’s official website that he plans to enjoy his first extended break since taking on the role of national coach in 2013 by sitting out the ODI tri-series in June featuring the West Indies and South Africa.

Lyon claimed his second dismissal in the second over after tea when he trapped Jermaine Blackwood lbw for 20, before Ramdin and Holder combined to frustrate the Australian attack.

That was not the end of the procession back to the Windies changing room either, with Siddle dismissing Denesh Ramdin and Jason Holder for ducks off successive deliveries at the start of the 41st over.

“It’s about doing the things but not just for an hour, it’s about doing it for two hours, come in, rest, then do it for another two hours, that’s where we’ve fallen down”, said Windies coach Phil Simmons.

Ramdin brought up his half-century with a boundary to mid-wicket and Holder soon followed it up with a fifty of his own two overs later.

West Indies captain Jason Holder was putting up a good fight until he was beaten by a Mitchell Marsh delivery at 68. I just saw the bail pop off and I was confident (referring to Carlos Brathwaite’s wicket).

Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor both stuck around for a while to hold up the hosts.

The partnership with Bravo gave West Indies hope of pushing the match into a fourth day, which would lessen their blushes after their innings and 212-run humiliation in the series-opener in Hobart.

Marsh picked four wickets while Lyon managed three.

Siddle was well down on pace and went off the field for treatment on his ankle in the morning, but grabbed the prized scalp of Darren Bravo after lunch – the in-form first drop caught behind for 21.