Third Test, Perth, day three (close):
Australia 520-7 dec & 137-8 v West Indies 312
Dates: 16-20 December Start time: 0230 GMT Coverage: Score updates plus daily reports on BBC Sport website. Also live on Sky Sports
Match scorecard
 Bravo took three late wickets as the Windies kept the Perth match on edge |
West Indies produced a stirring late comeback to leave the third Test against Australia in the balance as 16 wickets fell on day three in Perth. Resuming on 214-2, Ramnaresh Sarwan fell without adding to his 42 and only Brendan Nash (44) dug in thereafter. Six wickets fell for 27 runs as Doug Bollinger (5-70) skittled them for 312. But Australia were soon rueing their decision not to enforce the follow-on as Suliemann Benn and Dwayne Bravo reduced them to 137-8, a lead of 345. The Windies will need something special to win the match and square the series, but have relatively recent experience of chasing down a mammoth target. In May 2003 they made 418-7, current batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan scoring a century, to beat the all-conquering Australians featuring Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee, but lost that series, and should they fail to force victory here it would be a fifth successive series defeat against the baggy greens. The tourists began day three in a strong position but the combination of left-arm seamer Bollinger and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz destroyed their first innings, with the last four wickets falling for just two runs in 10 balls.  | 606: DEBATE |
Having chosen to bat on, Australia lost Simon Katich in the fourth over but Shane Watson and Michael Clarke shared a fifty partnership in 13 overs. Gavin Tonge trapped Watson lbw to claim his maiden Test wicket, Clarke edged Bravo behind and giant left-arm spinner Benn, finding turn and bounce, had Michael Hussey caught at short- leg for three. Marcus North was superbly caught by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin off Bravo and Benn was delighted to claim the scalp of Brad Haddin, with whom he was embroiled in an unseemly row on day two, with one that gripped, caught the shoulder of the bat and was taken at slip. After Mitchell Johnson was well caught low in the gully by his former house-mate Brendan Nash, Australia skipper Ricky Ponting walked out at number nine, clearly still troubled by a tendon injury in his elbow. He was immediately peppered with short deliveries, and soon fended one to short-leg, and he will hope his tailenders can make a significant contribution on Saturday to help to minimise the chances of Chris Gayle and his team blasting their way to another momentous run chase.
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