Injured pace bowler Shamar Joseph rocked the Australians with a remarkable bowling effort but Steve Smith remained firm as the second Test was left on a knife’s edge at the first break in Brisbane Sunday.
Joseph bowled 10 straight overs and took all six wickets in the morning session to change the momentum of the Test after Australia at one stage looked to be cruising to victory.
Australia were 187-8 at the dinner break on the fourth day of the day-night Test, still needing another 29 runs to take a clean sweep of the two-Test series and deny the West Indies a stunning upset.
Smith was not out 76 at the break, with Nathan Lyon alongside him on five.
However, the Australians had to survive an inspired spell from Joseph, who was on a hat-trick at one stage as he put the West Indies right back in the hunt.
Joseph, who had to retire hurt after being hit on the toe in the second innings on Saturday night, did not bowl Saturday and only came into the attack 45 minutes into the first session.
He dismissed Cameron Green when the Australian No.4 chopped on, then bowled Travis Head with a beautiful yorker, Head’s second first-ball duck of the match.
Australia, cruising at 113-2, were suddenly 113-4, although Smith looked unperturbed as he reached his half-century.
However, Joseph struck again when Mitchell Marsh edged to Alick Athanaze at third slip and, although the ball popped out of Athanaze’s hands, it went straight to Justin Greaves to leave Australia 132-5, 84 runs from victory.
Carey was next to go, clean bowled by a 145 km/h thunderbolt that crashed into off stump, with Australia 136-6.
Mitchell Starc decided the best path to victory was attack and smashed 21 runs from just 14 balls before trying one big hit too many and holing out to Kevin Sinclair in the covers.
Cummins was next to go, getting an edge to a diving Joshua Da Silva behind the stumps with Australia still 41 runs from victory with only Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood left to bat.
