Jamaica: Exceptional performances from Steve Smith and Nathan Lyon have put Australia in the driver's seat in the second test against West Indies at Kingston in Jamaica.
At the end of the second day, the hosts were at 143-8, still trailing by 256 runs. It was an absorbing day of test cricket as 14 wickets fell in the day for 284 runs.
Earlier, Smith fell short of luck as he got out one run short of scoring his first double hundred, becoming the sixth scalp of Jerome Taylor who trapped him in front of the wicket at 199.
Resuming at an overnight score of 258-4, Australia lost wickets in quick succession as Taylor scalped Shane Watson (25) and Brad Haddin (22).
West Indies started off their innings poorly once again as Mitchell Starc dismissed debutant Rajindra Chandrika for a duck.
Darren Bravo looked good for a while, but Lyon decieved him with an arm-ball. Shane Dowrich then chased a wide one and gifted his wicket to Josh Hazlewood.
Hazlewood came back into the attack and trapped skipper Dinesh Ramdin plumb in front. Blackwood fought hard and registered his fifth Test fifty, but played a needless shot with ten minutes to go for close of play and hit Hazlewood straight to David Warner at mid-off.
Johnson then found the outside edge of Veerasammy Permaul to sign off what was a perfect day for the Aussies
Brief scores:
Australia - 399 (Smith 199, Taylor 6-47)
West Indies - 143 for 8 (Hazlewood 3-15, Lyon 3-35)
Status - West Indies trail by 256 runs