Setting themselves a target of 359 runs after dismissing Australia for 150 in the seond innings on the fourth day, the Carribeans suffered a late collapse to be stranded at 308 for nine leaving the pair of Kemar Roach and Gavin Tonge the task of denying Australia a win on the morrow.
The match seemed headed for a quick finish when West Indies were 68 for three at lunch - the dangermen Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan dismissed - but Narsingh Deonarine (82, 202M, 171 balls, 4x10, 6x2) and Brendan Nash (65, 258M, 183 balls, 4x7) combined in a brave partnership to instil hope.
By the scheduled end Australia needed three wickets and took the extra half hour, succeeding only in dismissing Sulieman Benn and Ravi Rampaul. Roach and Tonge not only held on, but added 29 in 30 balls, extending the game into a fifth day.
At the beginning of the day the tourists' bowling surge continued as Australia were dismissed for 150, their lowest completed innings since 93 in a dead rubber against India in 2004. They lost their final two wickets in the first 27 balls of the morning, adding 13 valuable runs to their overnight advantage of 345.
Score board
AUSTRALIA (I Innings): 520/7 decl.
WEST INDIES (I Innings): 312 all out.
AUSTRALIA (II Innings, O/n: 137/8)
Watson lbw Tonge 30
Katich b Rampaul 10
Clarke c Ramdin b Bravo 25
Hussey c Dowlin b Benn 17
North c Ramdin b Bravo 1
Haddin c Bravo b Benn 23
Johnson c Nash b Bravo 5
Hauritz c Sarwan b Bravo 11
Ponting c Dowlin b Roach 2
McKay c Deonarine b Benn 10
Bollinger (not out) 2
Extras (B-9, lb-2, W-1, nb-2) 14
Total (all out; 51.3 overs) 150
Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-66, 3-81, 4-89, 5-109, 6-117, 7-125, 8-134, 9-146.
Bowling: Roach 6-0-18-1, Rampaul 6-1-21-1, Tonge 10-2-28-1, Deonarine 1-0-1-0, Bravo 17.3-6-42-4, Benn 11-2-29-3.
West Indies (II Innings)
Gayle c Haddin b Watson 21
Dowlin c Clarke b Bollinger 22
Sarwan c Haddin b Hauritz 11
Deonarine b Watson 82
Nash b Bollinger 65
Bravo c Hussey b Johnson 1
Ramdin b McKay 14
Benn c sub b Johnson 33
Rampaul c McKay b Johnson 10
Roach (batting) 8
Tonge (batting) 10
Extras (B-5, lb-9, W-1, nb-5) 20
Total (for 9 wkts; 88.2 overs) 297
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-52, 3-68, 4-196, 5-197, 6-231, 7-245, 8-279, 9-279.
Bowling: Bollinger 17.2-3-58-2, Johnson 16-5-67-3, McKay 14-2-56-1, Watson 11-4-21-2, Hauritz 23-7-61-1, North 7-1-20-0.
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