ROSEAU, Dominica: West Indies continued their fightback against Australia when they finally erased their run deficit in the first test in Dominica on Friday.

At tea on day three, West Indies were 189 for four in their second innings, a lead of 19 runs at Windsor Park.

Although Australia still had the upper hand, the second session again belonged to West Indies, who lost one wicket while adding 92 runs. They had also lost a wicket in the first session.

Debutant Shane Dowrich (70) was the man to go, caught at short mid-on by Shane Watson off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood just before tea.

His departure ended a 144-run fourth-wicket partnership with Marlon Samuels, who survived some perilously close chances to advance to 71 at tea, with Jermaine Blackwood on six.

There was drama in the last over before tea when Samuels was rapped on the pad by Hazlewood, and Australia captain Michael Clarke decided after deliberating for 19 seconds to challenge the not-out lbw call.

But umpire Aleem Dar ruled that Clarke had taken too long to challenge.

It ended up being a blessing in disguise for Clarke, because a replay showed the ball would have just missed the stumps, so the not-out call would have stood anyway.

Clarke rotated his bowlers in his quest for a breakthrough on the slow pitch, giving two overs each to part-time spinners Adam Voges and Steve Smith, as well as himself.

But it was specialist fast bowler Hazlewood who got a much-needed wicket, giving the Australians renewed hope as they looked forward to getting their hands on the new ball in the final session.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies (first innings): 148

Australia (first innings): 318

West Indies (second innings):

K. Brathwaite b Starc 15

S. Hope c Clarke b Johnson 2

D. Bravo c Warner b Hazlewood 5

S. Dowrich c Watson b Hazlewood 70

M. Samuels not out 71

J. Blackwood not out 6

Extras: 20

Total: (for 4 wkts) 189.

Fall of wkts: 1-21, 2-21, 3-37, 4-181.

Bowling: Johnson 10-1-26-1 (1w), Starc 13-4-24-1, Hazlewood 13-5-16-2, Lyon 20-7-59-0, Smith 2-0-16-0, Watson 7-3-6-0, Voges 2-0-15-0, Clarke 2-0-8-0.