PORT OF SPAIN: Shivnarine Chanderpaul once again proved key to theWest Indies' innings, batting through to tea in Tuesday's second Test againstAustralia at Queen's Park Oval with Narsingh Deonarine lending vital support in an unbeaten fifth wicket partnership of 88.
At the break the hosts were trailingAustraliaby 123 runs but having seemingly found the measure of a tricky wicket with Chanderpaul on 74 and Deonarine still there on 37 as control looked to be shifting away from visitors looking for a win to wrap up the series after they won the first Test inBarbados.
Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine's partnership was slow going at first, producing only 32 runs from 17 overs before they found their rhythm to take their side to 188-4.
The Decision Review System (DRS) caused controversy again on Tuesday, but this time before a ball had been bowled.
There were 5.3 overs still to be sent down from the previous day after they had been lost to rain on Monday, with the West Indies due to resume on 49-3.
Michael Beer was set to bowl the first ball when everyone started walking back off the field, as it transpired that there was no power supply for the cameras and hence DRS was not available.
After discussions between the umpires and the players, power was restored and play resumed with only 20 minutes lost.
The first major incident on the field happened in Nathan Lyon's third over of the morning.
He found the edge of Chanderpaul's bat and the ball hit wicket-keeper Matthew Wade on the left thigh before deflecting straight to Michael Clarke at first slip, but theAustraliacaptain was unable to re-adjust.
After about an hour's play, Clarke turned to his support bowlers, with Mike Hussey coming on at one end and Shane Watson at the other.
The tactic worked. With the fifth ball of his second over, Hussey appeared to have Darren Bravo plumb lbw for 38.
In a desperate decision the batsman decided to use the DRS but to no avail.
The 62-run fourth-wicket partnership had been broken and all four dismissals had been lbw.
Chanderpaul and Deonarine then almost saw their hard work undone in a risky moment off the last ball before lunch.
Chanderpaul pushed wide of mid-on, where Hussey swooped and threw to Wade, who broke the wicket.
Deonarine made his ground - but only by a whisker.
After lunch, theWest Indiesbatsmen started to attack and in the 14 overs before rain arrived, the fifth wicket partnership produced another 56 runs.
David Warner was finally given a bowl in the 74th over. He had taken two wickets in the first Test match and almost had another with his first delivery here, striking Deonarine on the pads.
Surprisingly, Clarke decided to review the decision after it had been given not out.
It was ambitious as the batsman was down the wicket and it was no surprise when it was not overturned.
Two balls later Deonarine was even further down the track but this time he connected sweetly and the ball sailed over midwicket for the first six of the innings.
The rain then arrived but at that point Chanderpaul and Deonarine had taken much of the initiative away fromAustralia.
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