Clark gives Australia momentum

Stuart Clark strives for another breakthrough amid his 3-18

West Indies trailed Australia by 316 runs at the close of play on day two of the first Test after Stuart Clark ripped through their top order.

Having bowled the tourists out for 431 midway through the second session, the hosts found closing down the total tough going and were 115 for three at stumps at Sabina Park, Kingston.

Clark’s deadly pace and accuracy restricted the Windies and he ended the day with figures of 3-18 off eight overs.

He made the breakthrough by dismissing Devon Smith for 32, while Brenton Parchment (nine) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (seven) fell victim soon after.

Runako Morton (23 not out) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (25no) remained unbeaten overnight and needed to build on a promising partnership tomorrow if the Windies were to get anywhere near Australia’s total.

Earlier in the day, the tourists made just 130 for the last six wickets after failing to fully capitalise on their commanding overnight position.

Having started the day on 301 for four, Brad Hodge (67) was caught behind off an in-form Fidel Edwards and no batsman was able to stay long with Andrew Symonds, who ground out an unbeaten 70.

Brad Haddin’s departure for 11 when he bottom-edged Darren Sammy behind to Denesh Ramdin sparked a low-order collapse, with Brett Lee (four), Clark (three) and Stuart MacGill (two) all falling cheaply.

In reply, Smith and Parchment put on 47 for the first wicket before the former played on to his stumps off Clark in the 15th over.

It was a blow for the Windies as Smith had looked the far more likely of the opening pair to post a good knock.

Parchment, a Jamaican playing on his home ground, took seven overs to get off the mark and struggled to hit the ball off the square.

He appeared unable to read the line of the bowlers and had several play-and-misses even before Lee sent him firmly on the back foot after hitting him on the helmet with an aggressive bouncer.

Brett Lee appeals for Runako Morton's wicket

Sarwan offered little support and was in for just three overs before attempting to cut Clark but top-edged to Haddin for seven.

Parchement eventually fell for a dismal nine off 60 balls when Clark lured him into a forward prod which edged behind to Haddin to leave the Windies on 68 for three.

Morton and Chanderpaul steadied the ship and the latter brought up 100 runs for the hosts by clipping Mitchell Johnson through square leg for four, having guided another four past gully the previous ball.

The runs dried up towards the end of the day as the pair ensured no further wickets were lost before close of play.

Earlier, Hodge had just started to find some rhythm when he became the Windies’ first victim of the day, nicking a Fidel Edwards delivery to wicketkeeper Ramdin, who dived to his right to take a sharp one-handed catch.

Johnson struggled to contend with the pace and accuracy of Daren Powell and Edwards and eventually succumbed when he misjudged the length of a Sammy delivery and spooned it up to Powell at mid-on.

Haddin followed and the tail added few runs before the tourists were all out for 431.