PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AFP) — A spell of 4-11 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 yesterday.

West Indies finished the day at 252-9, still trailing by 59 runs having, at one point, looked as though they would have a lead after a sterling fifth-wicket partnership 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 wicketkeeper Matthew Wade on the left thigh before deflecting straight to Michael Clarke at first slip, but the Australia captain was unable to readjust.

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 stand 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 90-minute rain delay, the century partnership was brought up when Chanderpaul swung Michael Beer for a six over mid-wicket.

Australia didn’t take the new ball when it was due and Lyon was asked to start a new spell from the Media Centre End. 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.

At the end of his next over, Lyons took the wicket that Australia really wanted, trapping Chanderpaul lbw for 94 when he beat the inside edge.

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.

Shane Shillingford had only lasted five balls when he gave a bat-pad catch to Ed Cowan at short-leg. Lyon sealed a five-wicket innings when he had Kemar Roach neatly taken down the leg-side by Wade before he had scored. West Indies had lost four wickets for 19 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.