In one of the best swing bowling performances of his career, Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has turned this match on.
Australian spin bowler Stuart MacGill again bowled expensively, and there was no call for Lee until Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds had been tried.
The West Indies showed no hint of collapse with Chanderpaul and Bravo serenely scoring in a solid century partnership. But when Lee took entered the attack he immediately began to shape the ball, in the accustomed old ball style of an accomplished swing bowler.
The cue for his remarkable burst was the first of three dubious decisions given by Zimbabwean umpire Russell Tiffin; who has only recently been restored to the elite panel. Bravo aimed to leg the ball, Tiffin saw a nick and a stand of 132 was over; it appeared to glance his thigh pad as it swung down the legside.
Lee's next ball was a sharp inswinger, hitting Ramdin low down moving forward, that was judged to be out. Replays showing that it had clearly struck the pad outside the off stump. Then three balls later Sammy is struck close on the off stump by another inswinger. Again maybe just outside the line, but close enough in the split second flurry of contact that the umpire has to consider.
Despite all this mayhem West Indian Chanderpaul reached his 19th Test century, but couldn't shield the aggressive Taylor and Powell from Lee's missiles. Lee cleaned up Taylor, and Powell was plumb in front - Mesmerising.
Finally Edwards flashed at a wide Johnson delivery and the West Indies had collapsed, losing their last six wickets for 38.
In Australia's second innings Hussey opened with Jaques, while Katich continued to nurse his bruised ribs. At last Jaques found his touch, adjusting to the variable bounce; that will make survival difficult for the West Indies on the last day.
As Australia consolidated its lead, there were a few more contentious umpiring calls. Symonds appeared to glove a ball down the legside from Taylor, but survived a unanimous appeal to Mark Benson; who adjudged Haddin leg before to a ball just missing leg.
Then in the last over of the day Lee, nursing a blow to his jaw that his visor had saved from a fracture, was given out caught from an Edwards's bouncer that brushed him but not on the gloves.
The decision momentarily took Lee by surprise, but later he reflected on the rough 'n smooth that defines this game, and what triggered his own remarkable spell of bowling.
- JIM MAXWELL