ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

Brittle batting returned to haunt West Indies yesterday as they suffered a now familiar collapse to leave Australia in control of the third and final Test at Windsor Park.

Chasing Australia's first innings of 328, West Indies ended the second day tottering on 165 for eight, still 163 runs adrift of their target.

They were battling on 62 for one at one stage after lunch but lost seven wickets for 58 runs as off-spinner Nathan Lyon undermined the innings with three for 49.

dependable

The damage could have been greater but the ever dependable Shiv Chanderpaul joined Ravi Rampaul in a 45-run ninth-wicket stand to prop up the innings late in the day.

Chanderpaul was unbeaten on 34 from 110 balls with two fours while Rampaul has scored a breezy 24 from 33 balls with four fours.

Earlier Matthew Wade's maiden first-class century robbed West Indies of any early advantage as the left-hander played superbly to convert his overnight 22 into 106.

He outshone off-spinner Shane Shillingford who picked up two of the three wickets to fall in the morning session to finish with six for 119, to log his first-ever five-wicket haul in Tests.

Wade, however, played outstandingly and once he reached his half-century, accelerated to post his second 50 off just 33 balls.

Overall, he faced 146 balls and hammered 10 fours and three sixes.

He led a strong lower order revival, ensuring Australia added 159 runs for the last three wickets and further frustrate West Indies.

Wade extended his overnight eighth-wicket stand with Mitchell Starc (35) to 57 before snuffing the life out of the regional side with an exhilarating 102-run, ninth-wicket partnership with Ben Hilfenhaus (19).

Resuming the day on 212 for seven, Wade and Starc carried on from where they had left off the previous evening, appearing untroubled by the West Indies attack.