Wade and Starc rally Australia after Shillingford strikes

Roseau (Dominica), April 24 (IANS/CMC) A four-wicket haul by off-spinner Shane Shillingford underlined a disciplined West Indies bowling effort while an unbroken 43-run eighth-wicket stand rallied Australia on the opening day of the third and final Test here Monday.

The 29-year-old Shillingford claimed four for 77 as the Aussies, winning the toss, finished the day at 212 for seven at Windsor Park.

Shillingford erupted in the first hour after tea, snatching three wickets cheaply as Australia slipped to 169 for seven.

However, wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade and fast bowler Mitchell Stark, in for his first match of the series, combined to deny the West Indies any further success.

Wade was unbeaten on 22 from 72 balls with three fours while Starc's 24 came off 40 balls and included a six -- a straight hit off Shillingford in the day's last over.

Opener David Warner stroked an even 50 and vice-captain Shane Watson 41 as they pulled Australia around from the loss of Ed Cowan in only the day's second over.

The left-handed Cowan misjudged one from seamer Ravi Rampaul pitched on middle and off-stump and shouldered arms to the eighth ball of the day, and was adjudged lbw for one.

Warner and Watson then put on painstaking 83 for the second wicket as the West Indies bowlers bowled a disciplined line and length.

The left-handed Warner faced 136 balls and struck six fours while Watson's innings required 120 balls and included three fours.

Both players departed after lunch, forcing Australia to rebuild yet again.

Watson was first to go when he pulled a short ball from West Indies captain Darren Sammy to deep square leg where Narsingh Deonarine pouched an easy catch at 84 for two.

Warner, dropped on five by Sammy at second slip off Rampaul in the day's eighth over, followed Watson, slapping an easy catch to Kieran Powell at cover off Shillingford.

Captain Michael Clarke (24) and former skipper Ricky Ponting (23) put on 37 for the fourth wicket before Australia lost four quick wickets for 27 runs, as Shillingford ripped through the middle order.

Clarke faced 59 balls and struck one four while Ponting hit two fours off 60 balls.

Ponting's miserable series continued when he popped an easy catch to Sammy running around to leg slip at 142 for four before Clarke was taken low down at short leg by Adrian Barath.

Shillingford snared his fourth scalp when left-hander Mike Hussey edged to first slip where Sammy dived one-handed to his left to take a brilliant catch (164 for six).

Soon Ryan Harris fell, trying to pull fast bowler Kemar Roach, gloving a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh.

Then came the breezy Wade-Starc stand that carried Australia to a relative safety by stumps.

--IANS/CMC

vs/vt