Benn restricts Aussies to 438

Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn and pace bowler Kemar Roach combined well to help the West Indies end in a better position on Day...

Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn and pace bowler Kemar Roach combined well to help the West Indies end in a better position on Day Three of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval here on Sunday.

The hosts,who were 174 for no loss at stumps on Saturday,were bowled out for 438 to give the visitors a 13-run first innings lead. West Indies batted out the remaining overs on Sunday to reach 23 for no loss,with skipper Chris Gayle (12) and Adrian Barath (10) at the crease.

Australia were expected to build on a solid start provided by openers Shane Watson and Simon Katich,but both perished early in the day. Watson failed to add to his overnight score of 96 and was bowled by Benn off the second ball of the day. Katich,too,fell soon after,but the Australian middle-order managed to arrest the slide,as skipper Ricky Ponting (36) Michael Hussey (41),Michael Clarke (71) and Bradd Haddin,who remained unbeaten on 55,negotiated both pace and spin well to help the team go past the 400-run mark on a difficult pitch.

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Benn was forced to send down 53 overs for his 5 for 155 while Roach worked hard for his three wickets. Clarke reached 71 while Michael Hussey compiled a painfully unconvincing 41.

Brief scores: West Indies 451 and 23/0 (C Gayle batting 12,A Barath batting 10) vs Australia 438 (S Watson 96,S Katich 80,M Clarke 71; S Benn 5/55,K Roach 3/93)