West Indies struggling in chase of 392

Josh Hazlewood took career-best figures to secure a first-innings lead of 179, David Warner and Shaun Marsh built on that with a patient century opening stand, and Steven Smith reeled off another unbeaten fifty. The highlight of Australia's outstanding third day at Sabina Park, though, was Michael Clarke's declaration. He set West Indies 392 to win in two days and eight overs.

With so much time left in the Test, most of today's captains would have waited until the lead was closer to 500, but not Clarke. He was rewarded immediately, as Mitchell Starc razed West Indies openers in the first over of the chase. Kraigg Brathwaite dragged a full and wide ball on to his stumps, and Rajendra Chandrika edged to gully to become the second West Indian after Alf Valentine in 1950 to bag a pair on debut. Both batsmen had attempted to drive away from their bodies.

From 1 for 2, Darren Bravo and Shane Dowrich batted the remaining seven overs before stumps and will return on the fourth morning to face Australia's charge towards taking home the Frank Worrell trophy with a 2-0 sweep. Bravo survived only because he reviewed an lbw decision - Nathan Lyon hit the pads in line once again - and replays indicated the ball was going to go over the stumps. It was an extremely close call.

The West Indian batsmen would do well to pay heed to how Warner and Marsh went about their innings when run-scoring was difficult. Against accurate bowling from a quartet of bowlers - and not just Jerome Taylor - both openers struggled for fluency and the run rate hovered at about two for the first 20 overs.

They did not give up. With the cushion of a comfortable lead, they played with patience, knowing the bowlers would eventually tire under a harsh sun. The 50 partnership came up in 22.1 overs and in the 24th, bowled by the left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, the shift in momentum came.

Both batsmen had previously used their feet to advance and drive Permaul through covers, and now Marsh did it again before Warner unfurled a reverse sweep, an indication that he was feeling more settled. Warner had used 41 deliveries for his first 10 runs but took only 49 for his next 40.

Marsh had been marginally quicker than Warner in the early part of the innings before slowing down. Now he too went after Permaul, using the depth of the crease to cut and then getting to the pitch of the ball and lofting straight for six. His half-century came off 109 deliveries.

It looked as though Australia would go to tea with all ten wickets intact as Warner feasted on buffet bowling from part-time spinner Jermaine Blackwood. However, on 62, he skied an attempted pull off Roach and Denesh Ramdin settled under the catch. Marsh and Smith took the lead past 300, capping off a 115-run session for Australia after lunch.

Marsh was caught at midwicket off Permaul shortly after the tea break, but by this time Smith had settled in and was building the lead fluently. A flurry of boundaries from Smith off Holder and Permaul took him past his half-century and indicated that Australia might declare before stumps. Few expected Smith and Clarke to be sprinting off before the lead had reached 400 though.

When the third day began, there was debate over whether Australia would enforce the follow-on if they had the opportunity to do so. Holder took that decision out of Clarke's hands. With his team 57 short of making Australia bat again, Holder combined clean hitting and assured defence in a ninth-wicket partnership of 77 in 12.3 overs with Kemar Roach, whose contribution was 7.

His method against all the fast bowlers was the same: stay balanced, clear the front foot towards leg, press forward and slam the ball between point and long-off. It wasn't manic slogging, for Holder was resolute in defence when the delivery demanded it.

Roach had been sensible, moving on to 7 off 35 balls, before his patience ran out. Instead of leaving or blocking like he had done so well, Roach drove loosely at a good-length ball from Hazlewood and edged to Brad Haddin. Two balls later, Taylor offered no shot and was plumb lbw, leaving Holder stranded on 82 off 63 balls.

Holder had only delayed Clarke's decision to ask West Indies to bat again.