BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) - Given the most bowler-friendly pitch of the season, West Indies, riding on the back of five wickets between Dwayne Bravo and Jerome Taylor, gained the upper hand over Australia on a rain-curtailed opening day of the third Digicel Test at Kensington Oval yesterday.

Backed up by splendid catching that accounted for three wickets, West Indies had restricted the world-ranked No one team to 226-7 when rain sent the players off the field at 3:39 pm to force an early finish with only 56.4 overs completed.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - West Indies' fastbowler Fidel Edwards (left) watches an attempted run-out of Australian batsman Brett Lee on the opening day of the third Test yesterday. (Photo: AP)

Australia, sent in on a pitch that offered more pace and bounce after the first hour, were struggling on 111-5, but were pulled around by a sixth-wicket partnership of 87 between Andrew Symonds and Brad Haddin after Bravo and Taylor started to make inroads.

Taylor, brought on as the first-change bowler, took the first two wickets after Australia were given an opening stand of 46 at a run-a-minute pace, while Bravo claimed a double-strike just short of lunch.

Symonds hit the topscore of 52 off 84 balls with five fours and a six, but appeared to benefit from an umpiring error when he was on 14.

Television replays suggested that Symonds had gloved a leg-side catch off Bravo, but umpire Mark Benson ruled in favour of the batsman.

It was a big setback for West Indies and they had to wait until 15 minutes after tea to remove Symonds from a catch to cover that gave Bravo his third wicket.

In the first session, Australia scored freely before losing three wickets in a 35-minute period and went to the lunch break at 98-4.

Taylor removed opener Phil Jaques for 31 and captain Ricky Ponting for 18, while Bravo dismissed Mike Hussey for 12 and Michael Clarke without scoring to leave Australia under pressure in spite of scoring at four runs an over for most of the session.

After the start was delayed by 10 minutes because of problems in adjusting the sightscreen at the southern end, Jaques and Simon Katich batted without much bother.

The partnership was broken when Taylor struck in the second over by having Jaques well caught by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, who ran back several yards to settle under the ball at short fine-leg.

Ponting was into stride, hooking Daren Powell for successive sixes before he was lbw to a ball of fullish length by Taylor.

Bravo gave West Indies the upper hand just before lunch by having Hussey and Clarke dismissed in the same over.

The left-handed Hussey fell to an outstanding catch by Daren Powell on the long-leg boundary after top-edging a hook, while Clarke edged a defensive prod to the keeper.

West Indies started the second session on a positive note when left-hander Simon Katich fell for 36 to another excellent catch that was taken by captain Chris Gayle running back from first slip after the batsman attempted to hook fast bowler Fidel Edwards.

Gayle fell to the ground immediately after taking the catch and appeared to have some discomfort in his back. He received onfield treatment from physiotherapist C J Clark, but after returning to his position, he left the field for a brief period.

After Katich was dismissed, wicketkeeper Haddin joined Symonds to lead a fightback before the partnership was broken just before tea.
Haddin, in his best effort of the series, made 32 before he was lbw to left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.

Benn was one of three changes to the team that played in the second Test. Skipper Gayle and fellow opener Sewnarine Chattergoon also returned and the three to make way were Devon Smith, Runako Morton and Darren Sammy.

In spite of the good catching by West Indies, they would have been disappointed that they missed three chances.

Powell could not hold onto a return offering from Ponting and Xavier Marshall also put down two sharp chances at second slip. The first went to Symonds at seven off Bravo and the other let off Brett Lee from the bowling of Fidel Edwards.

With the loss of 33.2 overs on the day, there will be a 9:30 am start today.

Powell, F Edwards.

Toss: West Indies.

Umpires: A Dar, M Benson, TV Replays: G Greaves, Reserve: V Bullen.
Match Referee: R Mahanama.

Scoreboard

Australia 1st Innings
P Jaques c wkpr Ramdin b Taylor 31
S Katich c Gayle b Edwards 36
R Ponting lbw b Taylor 18
M Hussey c Powell b Bravo 12
M Clarke c wkpr Ramdin b Bravo 0
A Symonds c Chattergoon b Bravo 52
B Haddin lbw b Benn 32
B Casson not out 6
B Lee not out 7
Extras (lb5, w20, nb7) 32
Total (7 wkts) 226

To bat: M Johnson, S Clark

Fall of wickets: 1-46 (Jaques), 2-75 (Ponting), 3-96 (Hussey), 4-96 (Clarke), 5-111 (Katich), 6-198 (Haddin), 7-213 (Symonds)
Bowling: Powell 11-5-43-0; Edwards 11-1-47-1 (nb2, w10); Taylor 9-1-44-2 (w10); Gayle 7-2-6-0; Bravo 12.4-4-48-3 (nb5); Benn 6-0-33-1
Overs: 56.4

West Indies: C Gayle, S Chattergoon, R Sarwan, X Marshall, S Chanderpaul, D Bravo, D Ramdin, S Benn, J Taylor, D