Australia 431 & 93-6 West Indies 312: Symonds' rearguard effort slows West Indies momentum

Andrew Symonds and Brad Hodge put on a 52-run stand for Australia to lead by 212 at lunch yesterday on day four of the opening Test against West Indies here in Kingston, Jamaica.

Symonds is 30 not out and Brad Haddin unbeaten on 10 at the break, with Australia 93 for 6 after Hodge (27) was one of two wickets to fall in the first session for the addition of 76 runs at Sabina Park. Resuming on 17 for 4, Australia lost a wicket one run later on the fifth ball of the day when nightwatchman Mitchell Johnson wafted outside off stump and bottom-edged to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin off Daren Powell.

Symonds, who made 70 not out in the first innings, again battled hard with Hodge and gradually extended Australia's advantage. Hodge, who also hit a half century in Australia's first innings, notched four fours before he edged a ball from Dwayne Bravo and Ramdin flung himself to his right to haul in a one-handed catch.

Symonds and Haddin added 23 to further frustrate the West Indies before the break. Haddin hit one four off 27 balls, while Symonds lashed four fours off 63 deliveries. Powell had the best figures with 3-20 while Fidel Edwards took 2-38. Meanwhile West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul said his whole body went numb when he was hit by a bouncer before going on to score a century in the hosts' first innings.

Chanderpaul received a nasty blow to the back of the helmet by Brett Lee's bouncer when on 86 on Saturday, and laid on the ground for several minutes. But he batted on to complete a brilliant 118 and spur a West Indies revival on the third day here.

"When I went down I did not know where I was," Chanderpaul said. "My body went numb. I could not move my hands and nor my feet. I was down but when I found myself I decided to get up and continue the fight."