While Chanderpaul was his typically obdurate self, Bravo gave Beau Casson a memorable welcome to Test cricket. Casson was bowling quite flat with little spin and he got away with it against Chanderpaul but the first three deliveries he sent down to Bravo were deposited for a six over long-on and two fours down the ground.

Chanderpaul was mostly content to deflect in his usual manner, but even he could not resist the wide and short gifts given by a wayward Mitchell Johnson. Twice in one over Chanderpaul dispatched Johnson to the boundary with confident pulls and Ricky Ponting had some concerns as the fast-bowling load was again falling back on Lee.

The mini-battle between Lee and Xavier Marshall, which began in Antigua, continued as the young Jamaican batsman refused to back down against some fast and fiery bowling. Despite taking a blow to the badge on the front of his helmet from a Lee bouncer, Marshall also sent the fast man packing for a string of confident cover-drives.

Marshall looked to be getting the better of Australia when Andrew Symonds, called on to bowl his medium-pace variety, tied things up with a string of four consecutive maidens. His nagging little spell culminated in a soft dismissal for Marshall, who clipped one off the stumps straight to Casson at midwicket to give Australia their only success of a slightly calmer session than the hectic pre-lunch period.

The two attacks shared the quick and lively pitch in the morning, West Indies knocking over Australia's tail within an hour before Lee and Stuart Clark both made inroads into the hosts' top order. West Indies began with the same approach Australia had used on the first day: all-out aggression. Not surprisingly several of their batsmen had similar results to Australia, impressing for a while before trying one shot too many. Chris Gayle in particular was looking powerful until he drove a wide Lee half-volley hard in the air wide of mid off, where Casson dived to his right to grab a tough chance in both hands, goalkeeper style.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was also keen to dominate the Australians and he cut a cracking six away behind point when Lee dropped short. But Sarwan (20) also fell victim to a super catch when his back-foot drive rocketed away wide of gully, where Michael Hussey dived to his right and grasped a flying chance. It gave Clark his first wicket and a confidence boost after he struggled to move the ball anywhere near as much as Lee.

Lee was clearly enjoying the sharp bounce, getting his speed well above 150kph and cracking Marshall on the head with a bumper - the first of two - that then raced away for four leg byes. He also found some healthy inswing to the left-handed openers and picked up Sewnarine Chattergoon with a good variation, pushing a straighter one across him to entice a tickle through to Brad Haddin.

The early wickets showed just how important it was for West Indies to have restricted Australia, who could only add 25 in the morning as they lost their last three wickets. Australia had been hoping their usually reliable lower order could nudge them up towards 300 but they had to settle for 251 thanks to some excellent fast swing bowling from Fidel Edwards and Jerome Taylor.

Edwards found some late inswing and when he curved one back in to Casson, striking him in line, Aleem Dar decided it was close enough to be lbw although the ball appeared to be sliding down leg. Johnson followed quickly when he got a leading edge to gully trying to work an awkward short ball on the body away to leg off Taylor, and Clark did not hang around, losing his off stump to a cracking Edwards inswinger.

Even that early in the day it was clear the frenetic finale to an intriguing series was set to continue. At least the rapid pace of action meant there was little chance the first draw between the two sides in 13 years, which was sealed in Antigua ten days ago, would be closely followed by the second.

Brydon Coverdale is a staff writer at Cricinfo
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