Cricket: Aussies hold on for draw

ADELAIDE - Australian batsmen wondered, then wobbled, before weathering the West Indies bowlers to secure a draw in the second test in Adelaide.

Set 330 runs to win, Australia were 5-212 at stumps on the final day.

The home side retained their 1-0 lead in the three test series which continues in Perth from December 16.

The Australians initially wondered if they could rewrite history by making the highest fourth innings total to win an Adelaide test.

But when quickfire knocks from Simon Katich (21 from 26 balls) and Ricky Ponting (20 from 34 balls) were extinguished, so was Australia's intent to chase the target.

Opener Shane Watson laboured for 172 minutes for 48, while vice-captain Michael Clarke's unbeaten 61 was top score in an innings in which Katich, Ponting, Mike Hussey (29) and Brad Haddin (20 no) all contributed.

But the wickets of Watson, Hussey and Marcus North (two) in the space of 25 runs created wobbles until Clarke and Haddin notched an unbroken 73-run stand to ensure the draw.

Windies' allrounder Dwayne Bravo completed a superb match, claiming 3-37 with his swingers to back up his century with the bat in the visitors' first innings.

Bravo's feats were matched only by a game-defining knock by Chris Gayle, who yesterday progressed to 165 not out before his side was bowled out for 317 in their second innings.

Gayle, in a gritty 441-minute epic, became the first West Indian captain to carry his bat through a test innings.

The laconic lefthander also proved a wily tactician throughout the match, particularly as the Windies pressed for an unheralded victory.

Gayle set novel attacking fields when his hosts were no chance of surpassing the record for the highest fourth innings total to win an Adelaide test - Australia's 6-315 against England in 1902.

The only blemish on the Windies skipper was extending his second innings yesterday by 32 minutes - time he could have used later in the day to press for victory.

In that period, West Indies added 33 runs for the loss of their final two wickets in an innings notable for Australian quick Mitchell Johnson's 5-103 and Doug Bollinger's test best figures of 3-50.

But their pace partner Peter Siddle didn't take the field yesterday, troubled by a left hamstring injury which places him in doubt for the series decider in Perth.

WEST INDIES
* First innings 451
* Second innings 317
AUSTRALIA
* First innings 439
* Second innings 5-212

- AAP