Watson digs in for Australia

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Shane Watson struck a battling half-century as Australia were made to work for their runs by West Indies on the first day of the second Test at Port-of-Spain.

The normally free-hitting Watson showed unusual self-control as he top-scored with 56 off 172 deliveries while captain Michael Clarke fell five runs short of a fifty after choosing to bat on a dry track. Australia closed on 208 for five.

The tourists are looking to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series after beating West Indies by three-wickets in a thrilling encounter last week.

However, they were made to toil for large spells by Shane Shillingford, who gave Australia’s batsmen several problems on his return to the side.

The off-spinner bowled 11 maidens in his 32 overs and finished the day with 2-56, while paceman Kemar Roach also picked up two wickets.

West Indies thought they had got off to a dream start when David Warner was given out after he was pinned in front of his off stump by Fidel Edwards.

Shane Watson takes the chance to make a rare attacking shot. The right-hander was unusually subdued on his way to 56 off 172 deliveries

However, after the pads had been rapped, the ball flew behind the stumps to Carlton Baugh, who caught the ball on the bounce as it dropped just short of him.

Confused West Indies captain Darren Sammy thought Edwards had gone up for a caught behind and told umpire Marais Erasmus to withdraw the appeal, meaning Warner stayed at the crease.

He went on to add 25 runs to the four he had at the time, before he was held by a grateful Sammy at slip when he chased one from Shillingford.

Ed Cowan then followed for 28 when a low Roach delivery hit him just above the ankle, with ex-skipper Ricky Ponting joining him back in the pavilion just after lunch.

Roach drew some extra pace out of the pitch and tucked the former Australian captain up, with Sammy pouching another after Baugh had initially fumbled Ponting’s edge.

The tourists were wobbling on 83 for three but Clarke and Watson then came together and put on an 84-run stand to help steady the ship.

Clarke also successfully reviewed an lbw appeal against him off Shillingford as although the length delivery looked to be hitting the stumps, the projection system showed the delivery to have hit Australia’s captain outside the line.

Clarke would add only four more runs, though, and departed for 45, hooking Narsingh Deonarine towards the boundary where Shillingford ran in and took an impressive catch.

That brought Mike Hussey to the crease and he should have gone soon after, prodding at one from Shillingford that was edged behind and was put down by Baugh.

But Shillingford got his reward, snaring Watson for 56 thanks to a stunning short-leg catch from Adrian Barath.

The durable Hussey remained to stumps, though, leaving the field with 26 to his name, while Matthew Wade was unbeaten on 11.