BRISBANE, Australia (CMC) — An unlikely hero in Travis Dowlin was leading a West Indies fight back after Australia’s seamers cruelly exposed their brittle batting late on the second day of the opening Test at the Gabba yesterday.

The Caribbean side, replying to Australia’s imposing 480 for eight declared, were struggling at 134 for five at the close, still 346 runs adrift of their target with their top order already wiped out.

Dowlin, in only his third Test match and first Down Under, was unbeaten on an obdurate 40, an innings that prevented West Indies from total collapse in the face of disciplined Aussie bowling.

Striding to the wicket after captain Chris Gayle perished for 31 in the sixth over after tea, the 32-year-old right-hander survived a scratchy, uncertain start to flourish under pressure with wickets tumbling around him.

He watched as four wickets crashed for 14 runs in the space of 30 balls but resisted stoutly to be the pick of the West Indies batsmen.

Dowlin has so far faced 82 balls in a shade over two hours at the crease and has shared a crucial, unbroken fifth wicket stand of 38 with vice-captain Denesh Ramdin whose 22 has come from 23 balls and included three attractive boundaries.

Gayle and debutant Adrian Barath gave the Windies a flying start, posting 49 for the first wicket before being separated. They had been forced to navigate seven tricky overs before tea after Australia’s declaration but did so in style, belting 41 by the break with a plethora of boundaries.

The left-handed Gayle looked in ominous form and his 27 before tea came from a mere 22 balls and was decorated with four fours.

Gayle, whose fitness has been under close watch following his hectic travels in recent days, showed no sign of weariness as he quickly got into stride with a cover driven four off medium pacer Ben Hilfenhaus in the first over of the innings.

He proceeded to smash similar boundaries off the right-armer in his next over that cost 11 and a trademark whip off the hip through square for four off fast bowler Peter Siddle hinted at things to come.

After the break, however, Gayle found scoring difficult and he added just four off 21 balls before falling lbw to Hilfenhaus. The decision was challenged but upheld by the third umpire.

The teenaged Barath had a nervous start to his Test career. Nearly run out off the fourth ball of the first over attempting a quick single before he had scored, he was then spectacularly caught by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin off a no-ball when he was six off Siddle, at 13 without loss.

Only a few balls earlier, Barath had announced himself to the Test arena Down Under with a spanking off drive for four off the same bowler.

His innings too was short-lived as he pushed firmly at left-armer Mitchell Johnson and was caught low down at third slip by Shane Watson for 15 to leave the Caribbean side ailing at 49 for two.

Shiv Chanderpaul, long the side’s bedrock, never settled and he was trapped lbw on the back foot to Siddle at 58 for three. Like Gayle, the left-hander challenged the decision but got no reprieve.

West Indies were hurled into strife four balls later in the next over when Dwayne Bravo, surprisingly batting at number five, fell for a two-ball ‘duck’ after sparring at Johnson and being well taken by Watson at third slip at 63 for four.

The Australia-born Brendan Nash, who scored 18 from 42 balls in just under an hour’s batting, then set about repairing the innings with Dowlin in a partnership of 33 for the fifth wicket.

Gathering most of his runs square on the offside, Nash appeared at home in familiar territory until gifting his wicket to an innocuous delivery. Attempting a cut of medium pacer Watson, he top-edged a catch through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to depart at 96 for five and leave West Indies in danger of collapse.

However, Ramdin joined the unflappable Dowlin to guide the Windies to the safety of close. Dowlin, dropped by captain Ricky Ponting at second slip off Johnson when he was seven, slowly great in confidence to strike six fours.

Ramdin, playing positively, produced a couple of lovely drives down the ground as Windies strode boldly to the close.

Earlier, Bravo finished with three for 118 while left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn claimed two for 86, as Australia piled up their huge total after resuming at their overnight 322 for five.

Marcus North, unbeaten on 42 at the start, completed the fourth half-century of the innings with 79 before edging Bravo behind to give Ramdin his fifth catch.

He hit seven fours off 157 balls in 258 minutes at the crease and posted 84 for the fifth wicket with Haddin who carried his overnight nine to 38 before becoming the first wicket of the morning session, caught at the wicket off fast bowler Ravi Rampaul.

Benn gained a similar verdict against Johnson for seven but Nathan Hauritz, put down by substitute fielder Darren Sammy at second slip on five, collected a maiden Test match half-century, finishing on an even 50 from 90 balls with six fours.

West Indies were missing fast bowler Jerome Taylor who was kept off the field with a stiff left hip.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA 1st innings

(overnight 322 for five)

S Watson lbw b Taylor 0

S Katich c wkp Ramdin b Bravo 92

*R Ponting c wkp Ramdin b Roach 55

M Hussey c & b Benn 66

M Clarke c Gayle b Bravo 41

M North c wkp Ramdin b Bravo 79

+B Haddin c wkp Ramdin b Rampaul 38

M Johnson c wkp Ramdin b Benn 7

N Hauritz not out 50

P Siddle not out 20

Extras (b2, lb9, w1, nb20) 32

TOTAL (8 wkts decl; 135 overs) 480

Did not bat: B Hilfenhaus.

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Watson, 2.1 overs), 2-126 (Ponting, 27.5), 3-200 (Katich, 48.1), 4-253 (Hussey, 65), 5-287 (Clarke, 79.3), 6-371 (Haddin, 104.5), 7-386 (Johnson, 111.2), 8-444 (North, 124.5)

Bowling: Taylor 9-2-43-1 (w1, nb4), Roach 25-4-76-1 (nb6), Rampaul 26-4-110-1 (nb10), Bravo 32-4-118-3, Benn 34-5-86-2, Gayle 9-0-36-0.

WEST INDIES 1st innings

*C Gayle lbw b Hilfenhaus 31

A Barath c Watson b Johnson 15

T Dowlin not out 40

S Chanderpaul lbw b Siddle 2

D Bravo c Watson b Johnson 0

B Nash c wkp Haddin b Watson 18

+D Ramdin not out 22

Extras (b1, lb3, nb2) 6

TOTAL (5 wkts, 39 overs) 134

To bat: J Taylor, S Benn, R Rampaul, K Roach.

Fall of wickets: 1-49 (Gayle, 12.3 overs), 2-49 (Barath, 13.5), 3-58 (Chanderpaul, 16.5), 4-63 (Bravo, 17.3), 5-96 (Nash, 29.2).

Bowling: Hilfenhaus 11-5-33-1, Siddle 7-3-27-1 (nb2), Johnson 12-3-45-2, Watson 5-0-14-1, Hauritz 4-2-11-0.

Position: West Indies trail by 346 runs.

Toss: Australia.

Umpires: Asad Rauf, I Gould; TV – M Benson.