BRISBANE, Australia (CMC) – West Indies bowled purposefully in the opening Test against Australia yesterday, and gave some early proof that they may yet be a competitive force in this three-Test series.

None of the West Indies bowlers distinguished themselves, as Australia – choosing to bat – reached 322-5 in their first innings at the close on the opening day.

All of the West Indies bowlers had decent spells at crucial points throughout the day, but Dwayne Bravo was the most successful with 2-66 from 21 overs.

For the most part, the West Indies bowlers maintained a fullish length on the helpful Gabba pitch, and typically bowled on or just outside the line of the off-stump.

This brought them rewards, as Australia’s top-order batsmen got starts, but failed to carry on – Simon Katich hit the top score of 92, Mike Hussey supported with 66, Ricky Ponting made 55, Marcus North was not out on 42, and Michael Clarke got 41.

West Indies failed to build on an early breakthrough from Jerome Taylor, and Katich and Ponting carried Australia to 114-1 at lunch.

Sharing the new ball with Roach for the first time, Taylor bowled steadily and struck when Shane Watson offered no stroke to a ball moving back, and was trapped lbw for a duck in the third over of the day.

But the West Indies’ bowlers strayed from the plan, and Katich and Ponting both scored freely to pass 50 before lunch to help the home team shrug off their early setback.

Ravi Rampaul, playing in his first Test for West Indies, discovered the narrow margin for error in Tests, when both batsmen struck him for sixes, and used him to bring up their landmarks.

Rampaul was tucked behind square for a single for Katich to reach his 50 from 68 balls, and the West Indies fast-medium bowler was hooked over deep fine leg for a six for Ponting to land his 50 from 64 balls in the final over before the interval.

In between periods of toil, West Indies created a few anxious moments for the two Australian batsmen – and Ponting in particular.

Taylor had Ponting, on 17, for what television replays showed was a palpable lbw decision, but umpire Asad Rauf ruled not out, and West Indies declined the chance to refer it to the video umpire under the new Umpire Decision Review System.

In the second over after the drinks interval, Rampaul had a big shout for lbw over Ponting turned down by umpire Ian Gould when the Australia captain was on 30.

This time, West Indies requested that Gould refer the decision to video umpire Mark Benson, whose “not-out” verdict was supported by Hawkeye’s analysis of the television footage.

After lunch, West Indies fought their way back into the match, as they finished the afternoon session as brightly as they started, despite a period of inconsistency between.

West Indies sparkled, when they removed Ponting in the fourth over after lunch, and then snared Katich in the third over before tea.

Their position might have been enhanced had Bravo and Sulieman Benn both held catches off each other’s bowling in successive overs in the last hour before the break.

Kemar Roach had lifted West Indian spirits, when Ponting was caught behind playing defensively forward, and edging a leg-cutter, after sharing 126 for the second wicket with Katich.

Bravo and Benn however, offered reprieves to Hussey and Katich respectively, as the two left-handers added 74 BRAVO… We had a game plan to stick to good lines and lengths and it worked quite well for mefor the third wicket.

Bravo put Hussey down on 28 at slip off Benn, and next over, the beanpole West Indies left-arm spinner returned the favour to him, when he dropped Katich, on 81, at square cover.

Bravo got the breakthrough a few overs later though, when he had Katich caught down the leg-side essaying a leg-glance to give wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin his second catch of the innings.

In the second over after tea, Benn was clipped into mid-wicket for two to bring up Hussey’s 50 from 94 balls, but the West Indies spinner was just getting into his work.

Scoreboard

Australia 1st Innings

S Watson lbw b Taylor 0

S Katich c wkpr Ramdin b Bravo 92

*R Ponting c wkpr Ramdin b Roach 55

M Hussey c and b Benn 66

M Clarke c *Gayle b Bravo 41

M North not out 42

+B Haddin not out 9

Extras (b1, lb1, w1, nb14) 17

TOTAL (5 wkts, 90 overs) 322

M. Johnson, N. Hauritz, P. Siddle, B. Hilfenhaus to bat

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Watson), 2-126 (*Ponting), 3-200 (Katich), 4-253 (Hussey), 5-287 (Clarke)

Bowling: Taylor 9-2-43-1 (nb4, w1); Roach 16-3-50-1 (nb5); Rampaul 14-1-71-0 (nb4); Bravo 21-3-66-2 (nb1); Benn 21-4-54-1; *Gayle 9-0-36-0

WEST INDIES: *C Gayle, A Barath, T Dowlin, S Chanderpaul, D Bravo, B Nash, +D Ramdin, J Taylor, S Benn, R Rampaul, K Roach

Toss: Australia

Umpires: Asad Rauf, I Gould, Video replays: M Benson

Match Referee: C Broad