Clark stars in Australia's victory
Stuart Clark and Brett Lee shared five wickets to bowl Australia into a match-winning position in the opening Test against West Indies on Monday.
At the interval, West Indies, chasing 287 to win, reached 117 for six in their second innings with Denesh Ramdin not out on 22 and Darren Sammy not out on 13 in a morning period extended by half-hour to compensate for time lost for bad light the previous evening.
In their opening spells, Clark removed Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, and Dwayne Bravo, and Lee sent back Runako Morton and Shivnarine Chanderpaul to send West Indies reeling to 82 for six on the fifth and final day of the Test at Sabina Park.
Clark has been the pick of the Australia bowlers with four wickets for 22 runs from 17 overs, and Lee has provided spirited support with two for 56 from 16 overs.
Clark gave Australia a welcome start when he removed Sarwan and Smith in the first half-hour of the morning to leave the home team 60 for three. Sarwan was caught at extra cover for 12 in the third over of the morning from Clark to a fine catch from Andrew Symonds.
The West Indies captain was squared-up and was essaying a flick at a full length delivery and the ball flew from the leading edge high to the left of Symonds, who stretched himself, and contorted his body to allow him to palm the ball up before he quickly turned and clutched the ball with\ both hands.
Clark's dismissal of Smith was far more straightforward. The left-handed opener was adjudged lbw for 28 in the seventh over of the morning, when he offered no shot to ball that pitched and straightened.
Lee came close to removing Runako Morton, when the batsman was nearly bowled on one, after he inside-edged a delivery and almost played it into the stumps before he had the presence of mind to kick it away.
But there was no saving Morton, when he drove at a full length delivery from Lee, missed, and was adjudged lbw to Lee for four.
Lee was in the middle of an inspired spell, and had Chanderpaul dropped on five, when the left-hander edged a well-pitched delivery straight into the lap of first slip fielder Simon Katich, and next ball, he had an appeal for an lbw verdict turned down.
But Lee was on the receiving end, when Chanderpaul uncoiled and responded with a crunching pull through mid-wicket for four. The Australia strike weapon however, had the last laugh, when he held a return catch to remove Chanderpaul for 11.
Clark piled on the pressure, when he removed Dwayne Bravo for a duck caught by the short mid-on fielder deliberately positioned for the batsman's penchant to play uppishly through the leg-side.
But Australia could not complete the demolition job before lunch, since Sammy joined Ramdin at the crease, and they batted through the last hour before the interval to stem the fall of wickets.
Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin dropped Ramdin on one off Lee, and short leg fielder Phil Jaques dropped Darren Sammy on four off leg-spin bowler Stuart MacGill, but the Aussies remained on track for victory.
Australia have won 12 of the last 13 Tests they have contested against West Indies. They hold the Frank Worrell Trophy - symbol of Test supremacy against West Indies - and they have not lost a Test series in the Caribbean since 1991.
The second Test between the two sides starts on May 30 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, and the third Test starts on June 12 at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
The Aussies also contest a Twenty20 International and five One-Day Internationals.