Rain ruins play in Port of Spain

Heavy rain ruined the prospects of a decisive result in the second test between West Indies and Australia in Trinidad on Wednesday with Australia ending on 73-3 in their second innings, a lead of 127.

Less than 31 overs were completed on the fourth day when a second torrential storm drenched Queen's Park Oval, forcing the teams to scurry from the field before tea.

The storms eventually passed and the puddles on the outfield drained away but too late for play to resume. With just one day to go and more rain forecast for Thursday, a draw loomed large.

Ricky Ponting was unbeaten on 32 and Michael Clarke not out three after West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach captured all three wickets to put the brakes on Australia's push for a series-clinching victory.

Roach, who bagged five wickets in Australia's first innings, took two wickets in his first over before lunch and collected a third in the shortened second session.

Australia polished off the West Indian innings in the first over of the day when left arm spinner Michael Beer trapped Carlton Baugh lbw for 21.

Baugh cut the third ball of the day to the rope for four to move on from his overnight score of 17 but fell to the next ball when he mistimed an attempted sweep and was struck on the pads.

Australia, who won last week's first test in Barbados and only need to draw one of the last two tests to retain the Frank Worrell Trophy, made a bright start to their second innings despite batting on a pitch that has proved hard to score freely on.

They put on 26 runs in the first 10 overs after West Indies opened the bowling with Fidel Edwards and spinner Shane Shillingford.

Ed Cowan was given a life before he had got off the mark when West Indies captain Darren Sammy dropped a regulation catch at first slip off Edwards but the introduction of Roach into the attack quickly turned things around.

In his first over, Roach angled the ball in and found the outside edge of David Warner's bat and Darren Bravo safely held a low catch at second slip to send the left-hander on his way for 17.

Three balls later, Roach knocked out Shane Watson's off stump for a duck with a good length ball that kept low, forcing the Australians to adopt a more cautious approach.

Roach got rid of Cowan for 20 after lunch when he trapped him lbw plumb in front but was unable to make any more inroads before the foul weather settled in.

Report Day 1
Report Day 2
Report Day 3

WEST INDIES: AB Barath, KC Brathwaite, KOA Powell, DM Bravo, S Chanderpaul, N Deonarine, CS Baugh (wk), DJG Sammy (capt), S Shillingford, KAJ Roach, FH Edwards

AUSTRALIA: EJM Cowan, DA Warner, SR Watson, RT Ponting, MJ Clarke (capt), MEK Hussey, MS Wade (wk), MA Beer, BW Hilfenhaus, NM Lyon, JL Pattinson

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