Cricket: Aussies close in on victory

Mitchell Johnson celebrates the wicket of Ravi Rampaul during day four of the third test in Perth. Photo / Getty images

PERTH - Bravely led by the gastro-stricken Mitchell Johnson, a hurt Australia have staggered to within one wicket of victory over the fighting West Indies after four days of a fiery and engrossing third test at the WACA ground.

Johnson and Nathan Hauritz both spent considerable time off the field with stomach problems, adding to captain Ricky Ponting's own elbow tendon trouble that has put him in major doubt for the Boxing Day test in Melbourne.

The West Indies' chase of 359 to win began poorly, found mid-innings spine through Narsingh Deonarine (82) and Brendan Nash (65), then subsided again before last pair Kemar Roach (13no) and Gavin Tonge (12no) crept to within 51 runs of paradise as Ponting claimed the extra half hour to force a result.

Johnson (3-67) showed real heart to keep bowling through what was clearly a high level of discomfort.

Shane Watson (2-24) also bowled well despite his charge for a screeching sending-off to Caribbean skipper Chris Gayle, and Doug Bollinger (2-62) maintained his sterling form in the West.

"It's been a tremendous test match, a real contest," said Australian coach Tim Nielsen.

"Both sides have never really given in."

Dwayne Bravo (4-42) Sulieman Benn (3-29) had earlier wrapped up Australia's second innings for a pitiful 150.

The rapid conclusion to the innings consigned Australia to their lowest score in a home test since the 1996 Boxing Day test and leaving them with some 52 runs fewer to defend in the fourth innings than last year's loss to South Africa.

The chase began in an unfamiliar vein with Travis Dowlin scoring more freely than Gayle, and the momentum seemed to get to the junior partner.

Hooking at Bollinger, he could only pick out Michael Clarke at square leg in a wasteful dismissal.

Gayle was subdued next to his first innings whirlwind, and soon he was out to an awkward delivery from Watson that clipped inside edge and thigh on the way through to Brad Haddin.

Watson's dubious celebration saw him screaming loudly and provocatively in the direction of Gayle, suggesting he thought this wicket would decide the match.

Ramnaresh Sarwan waited until the final ball before lunch for his characteristically frustrating exit, snicking Hauritz behind from a chancy cut shot, and 68-3 was an unpromising lunchtime score.

Deonarine and Nash were not yet prepared to kneel, and their partnership took the visitors closer.

They batted through the whole of the afternoon at a good rate, and Johnson's gastro gave the attack an uncomfortably slim look.

Play took on a glacial pace after tea, as Nash waited 73 minutes and 37 balls to go from 48 to 52.

In that time he lost the determined Deonarine, bowled off his pads by Watson, and Bravo, who sliced the brave Johnson - running in despite being clearly inconvenienced by stomach trouble - to gully.

Denied a first test wicket by the referral system when replays indicated that Ian Gould's initial lbw verdict against Denesh Ramdin was flawed, McKay removed all doubt by nipping one back into the Caribbean 'keeper's stumps.

That made it 231-6, and Benn very nearly made it seven by hooking unwisely at McKay to send a top edge in Bollinger's direction at fine leg.

Bollinger was unsure of the catch, Benn was adamant it wasn't, and after several replays the verdict was not out.

Nash's resistance was ended by the second new ball and a tired decision to shoulder arms to a straight ball from Bollinger, which duly took off stump.

Australia claimed the extra half hour, and after a few angry shots, Benn swung Johnson into the deep where substitute Theo Doropoulos held the catch, having dropped Benn a few overs earlier.

- AAP