West Indies fastbowler Fidel Edwards in action for his team against Australia at Sabina Park yesterday. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)

Fidel Edwards yesterday registered his sixth five-wicket haul in Test cricket that gave the West Indies a fighting chance against Australia on the second day of the first Test at Sabina Park yesterday.

But with ace seamer Jerome Taylor absent because of a back injury, Edwards thought he had to deliver for his team, as the Aussies lost six wickets for 130 runs after resuming on 301-4.

It was a matter of Edwards stepping up to the plate as he performed one of his best bowling displays in his Test career.

"Well you know (Jerome) Taylor is a big miss and also Chris (Gayle). I thought for myself that I really had to put in a big effort, not for myself, but for the team," said Edwards during the post-day press conference.

"When the skipper want you to do the job you always find yourself going out there and give a bigger effort as one of the main strike bowlers in the team," he added.

The diminutive pacer did just that for the Caribbean side, adding the wickets of Brad Hodge, Brett Lee and Stuart MacGill on the second day to end with figures of 5-104 from 26.4 overs.

Edwards struck early just like he did on day one, when Hodge gloved a sharp delivery to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin. He then returned in the post lunch session to trap Lee before bowling MacGill as the visitors found his pace difficult to handle on a track that offered invariable bounce.

"I try to focus on my rhythm a lot. When my rhythm is off, I tend to bowl the ball all over the place. But I have tried to work on my rhythm throughout the last season," Edwards noted.

It is Edwards' best bowling figures against the men from Down Under, bettering his 3-114 in the 2005 series in Australia. But if one should judge him by his words after yesterday, the visitors could be in for a rude awakening whenever he bows again.

Meanwhile, fast-medium bowler Stuart Clark, who has taken all three West Indian wickets made the obvious point that anchorman Shivnarine Chanderpaul will be the key wicket when play resumes this morning.

"It was good to get three wickets. If we can get a couple early, especially Chanderpaul, we hopefully can put them under more pressure," Clark said at the press conference.

"He showed that he's a very good player.hopefully we can grind him out or find a way to get him out and put ourselves in a good spot."

And with the pitch being abrasive, Clark believes they stand a very good chance of dismissing the Windies "for as little as possible".

"If you can get the ball in the right spot enough times, then no matter who's bowling you'll have a chance," said the 32-year-old Clark, who has an impressive Test average of 21.88 from 15 matches.