In the 15th over, Ponting drove Taylor into the covers and took off. Sarwan, racing around to his right, fielded and, with one stump to aim at, threw it down to catch the fleet-footed Ponting short by a foot (35/36; 76/2).

Michael Clarke, too, found run-making a struggle as the West Indies tightened its grip, and the run rate began plummeting (from 5.13, when Ponting was out, to 4.18, at the end of 20 overs; the Hayden-Ponting partnership was at a rollicking 6.28).

Hayden had one of his now-on moments in the 21st, when he came down the wicket, twice, to Powell. On both occasions the bowler saw him come and dropped it short; Hayden adjusted and swung him for fours through midwicket.

Lara changed tack, looked to take the pace off the ball, and brought Chris Gayle on as early as the 22nd over; Colleymore came back in the 23rd. Hayden, who today seems settled into anchor mode, and Clarke settled down to turn the strike over, hitting out only when errors in line and length afforded opportunity and, at the 25 over mark, the game is in balance with both teams vying to take control of the board.

Australia needs around 275 to feel reasonably safe on this deck; to get there, in the second half of this innings, will take a couple of blinders. The West Indies will rely on the slower bowlers, and excellent ground fielding led by the two Dwaynes, Bravo and Smith, to torpedo that attempt.

Windies Progression: 1-25 overs

5 overs: 16/1 at 3.2 runs per over (Mathew Hayden 0/16; Ricky Ponting 2/5) 10 overs: 56/1 at 5.6 (Hayden 17/27; Ponting 24/24) 15 overs: 77/2 at 5.13 (Hayden 26/44; Michael Clarke 0/1) 20 overs: 96/2 at 4.18 (Hayden 32/56; Clarke 13/19) 25 overs: 130/2 at 5.2 (Hayden 55/78; Clarke 21/28)

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