Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport

Australia's Simon Katich salutes the crowd after reaching his century at Kensington Oval in Barbados yesterday. Katich will resume today on 148.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados:

THE WEST Indies' hopes of winning the third and final Test of the Digicel series and earning a 1-1 draw with world champions Australia were all but extinguished at Kensington Oval yesterday.

The Windies, conceding a first-innings deficit of 35 runs and in arrears by 70 in all going into the third day, needed wickets early and in bunches to keep the dream alive. However, that didn't transpire as the Australian top order batted their hosts to the brink of hopelessness, reaching 330 for three at stumps for an overall lead of 365.

chasing quick runs

With two days to play, the Aussies have the luxury of chasing quick runs today and then giving themselves at least a session and a day to bowl the Windies out and seal a 2-0 victory.

Openers Simon Katich and Phil Jaques, on a pitch which has become more and more batsman friendly as the game has progressed, struck patient and chanceless centuries in a first-wicket stand of 223 to set a mighty platform for the side.

Jaques, who compiled a steady 108 with nine boundaries, and Katich, undefeated on 148, put together the third highest opening liaison for Australia on Caribbean soil; behind Bill Lawry and Bob Simpson's 382 at the same ground in 1965 and Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer's 241 in Antigua in 2003.

Katich, whose century was his second of the tour, said he expected captain Ricky Ponting to declare some time in today's afternoon session.

"I think we probably need to get only nine wickets because I am assuming (Sewnarine) Chattergoon is finished for the match, unfortunately. That's something we will take into account, but I would have thought at least four and a half sessions - maybe more," Katich said alluding to a severe ankle sprain suffered by the Guyanese opener yesterday.

"It depends how quickly we score. We were expecting to be a bit more (runs) tonight but once they didn't take the new ball it just got harder and harder to hit it," he said. "That slowed us down. If they take the new ball (today), hopefully that will give us more opportunities to score."

Katich, who was recalled shortly after the Ashes tour in 2005, started proceedings breezily yesterday, driving Daren Powell for two boundaries in the first over of the day.

However, that was not the tempo the two New South Wales players wanted to set as they preferred to pick holes in the field and put away the occasional bad ball.

In the first innings, on a far more lively strip, both fell hooking; they shelved that shot yesterday and looked far more steady coming on to the front foot to drive.

minimum of fuss

They advanced the score from the overnight 35 to 163 at lunch, after an extended morning session, with a minimum of fuss and without giving even a half chance.

If there was an element of high drama yesterday it came three balls after the break when Chattergoon, just back from a shoulder injury which sidelined him for the first two Tests, damaged his left ankle chasing down a boundary in front of the scoreboard at mid-off.

His teammates ran to his assistance and he was eventually carried by stretcher from the field. He will be further evaluated today, but would appear unlikely to bat in the Windies' second innings unless absolutely required.

That interruption in play didn't break the openers' concentration and Jaques brought up his third Test century and first on foreign soil with two superb cover drives off left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.

A half hour before tea, the grand stand was finally broken when hard-toiling Fidel Edwards tempted Jaques to swing at a wide, short ball and nicked it through to 'keeper Denesh Ramdin.

Soon after, a mistimed hook brought up three figures for Katich, his fourth Test century. Meanwhile, new batsman Ponting was greeted at the crease by the return to the attack of Jerome Taylor, who had claimed the Aussie skipper's wicket in their three previous Test encounters.

The Jamaican quick failed to work that charm again and Ponting, who was dropped on 18 by Edwards at mid-off off Benn, reached 39 before he casually flicked Daren Powell off his legs and gave substitute fielder Runako Morton the simplest of catches at midwicket.

The second wicket of the day fell with the score on 299 and the West Indians had one more moment to celebrate when Michael Hussey (18) dabbed Benn to leg slip Dwayne Bravo in the third last over of the day.

Katich, who has struck 13 boundaries in his 465-minute stay, and new partner Michael Clarke (0) saw the final balls off with a couple of mild scares.

For all the runs scored, the West Indian bowlers stuck to their tasks manfully - and Benn bowled much better than his 1-107 off 36 overs suggests, but none really looked like ripping through the Australian line-up.

"I thought the left-arm spinner (Benn) bowled pretty well, he set some good fields and got some bounce," Katich said.

"The quicks all stuck to their jobs pretty well. I think they have done that all series. I think, if anything, they are pretty disappointed their batsmen didn't make more in the first innings," he said.

That aside, the Windies bowlers will have to continue to toil today, while keeping an eye on the Aussies' balcony for a signal.

Play starts today at 9:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. Ja time).