PORT OF SPAIN: A spell of five for sixteen by Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon put Australia in charge at Queen's Park Oval at the end of the third day of the second Test in the West Indies on Tuesday.
It was the first time that Lyon had taken five wickets in an innings since his debut Test in Sri Lanka.
"I'm over the moon, even though I didn't run around like I did in Galle," Lyon said. "Still over the moon and really happy with the way things panned out but, saying that, we've still got a lot of work to do to win this Test match."
West Indies finished the day at 252 for nine, still trailing by 59 runs, having, at one point, looked as though they would have a lead after a sterling fifth partnership work from Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine roused home hope before tea.
But Lyon gave Australia a good chance of wrapping up the three-match series after they won the first Test in Barbados.
The Decision Review System (DRS) caused controversy before a ball had even been bowled.
There were 5.3 overs still to be sent down from the previous day following rain on Monday, with the West Indies due to resume on 49-3.
Michael Beer was set to bowl the first ball when everyone started walking back off the field, as it transpired that there was no power supply for the cameras and hence DRS was not available.
After much discussion, power was restored and play resumed with only 20 minutes lost.
The first major incident on the field happened in Lyon's third over of the morning.
He found the edge of Chanderpaul's bat and the ball hit wicket-keeper Matthew Wade on the left thigh before deflecting straight to Michael Clarke at first slip, but the Australia captain was unable to re-adjust.
After about an hour's play, Clarke turned to his support bowlers, with Mike Hussey coming on at one end and Shane Watson at the other.
The tactic worked. With the fifth ball of his second over, Hussey appeared to have Darren Bravo plumb lbw for 38.
In a desperate decision the batsman decided to use the DRS but to no avail.
The 62-run fourth-wicket partnership had been broken and all four dismissals had been lbw.
Chanderpaul and Deonarine then almost saw their hard work undone in a risky moment off the last ball before lunch.
Chanderpaul pushed wide of mid-on, where Hussey swooped and threw to Wade, who broke the wicket.
Deonarine just made his ground.
After lunch, the West Indies batsmen started to attack and in the 14 overs before rain arrived, the fifth wicket partnership produced another 56 runs.
David Warner was finally given a bowl in the 74th over having taken two wickets in the first Test and his first delivery here struck Deonarine on the pads.
Surprisingly, Clarke decided to review the decision after it had been given not out.
It was ambitious as the batsman was down the wicket and it was no surprise when it was not overturned.
Following a ninety-minute rain delay, the one hundred partnership was brought up when Chanderpaul swung Michael Beer for a six over mid-wicket.
The new ball was only seven overs old when Clarke turned to Nathan Lyon.
"I enjoy bowling with the new ball and would love to bowl with the new ball every chance I get," Lyon said. "I'm loving bowling at the moment and just have to keep working hard."
His first ball had Deonarine coming down the wicket to him but he didn't get to the pitch of the ball.
It spun past his bat and Wade knocked off the bails.
The fifth wicket partnership with Chanderpaul had finally been broken.
They had added 130 runs in 44 overs taking West Indies to 5-230.
Deonarine had played a fine supporting role, one that pleased the West Indies coach Ottis Gibson.
"Batting with Shiv, somebody that he idolised coming through as a batsmen in Guyana, he played very well," Gibson said. "He played a very mature sort of innings. It's a bit disappointing how he got out in the end but the fact that he batted so long and played with so much control was very good to see."
At the end of his next over, Lyon took the wicket that Australia really wanted, trapping Chanderpaul lbw for 94 when he beat the inside edge.
Nathan Lyon knew that it was a big wicket.
"He's one of the best batsman going around in world cricket," Lyon said. "You look at all the other best batters in the world, they're not easy to get out. It's Test match cricket for a reason and full credit to Chanderpaul.
"He's a great player and it's definitely a challenge for all our players and we're looking forward to every challenge when we walk out to the crease. It's difficult to bowl to him but it's a great challenge and we're definitely up for it."
Darren Sammy tried to crash the second ball that he faced over long-on but Hussey took the catch and it left the West Indies captain rueing an irresponsible shot.
Three wickets had gone down for seven runs but worse was to come for the home side.
West Indies had lost five wickets for nineteen runs with Lyon taking them all.
It was the second time that he had taken a five-wicket haul and it put Australia back in charge after the West Indies had been on top for much of the third day.
