BRISBANE, Australia (CMC):

Rookies Adrian Barath and Travis Dowlin hit attractive half-centuries yesterday as West Indies launched their bid to save their four-day first-class match against Queensland Bulls.

Facing a huge deficit of 346 runs on first innings after Queensland piled up 617 for seven declared, West Indies finished the third day at Allan Border Field on 133 for one, still requiring 213 runs to stave off an innings defeat.

Barath was leading the resurgence with a stroked-filled, unbeaten 65 while Dowlin cracked a measured 53, as West Indies flourished in the evening session after being kept in the field for the better part of two days.

The teenaged Barath stroked nine fours off 114 balls in just over two-and-a-half hours at the crease while Dowlin hit seven boundaries off 100 balls in his 115-minute knock.

Earlier, Nathan Reardon completed the third, maiden first-class century of the match when he hammered a robust 147 to extend Queensland's dominance after they resumed the day on 384 for four.

SCOREBOARD

West Indies 1st Innings 271 (Ramnaresh Sarwan 73; Daniel Doran 3-107)

Queensland 1st innings

(overnight 384 for four)

R Broad c wk Ramdin b Roach 29
N Kruger c wk Rampaul b Benn172
W Townsend c wk Ramdin b Rampaul 100
L Carseldine c Bravo b Deonarine 6
N Reardon c wk Ramdin b Bravo 147
+C Hartley c wk Ramdin b Roach 12
*C Simpson b Roach 73
N Rimmington not out 20
D Doran not out 31
Extras (b8, lb9, w3, nb7) 27
TOTAL (7 wkts decl; 155 overs) 617

Did not bat: A McDermott, L Feldman.

Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Broad, 17.2 overs), 2-296 (Kruger, 74.4), 3-303 (Carseldine, 79.4), 4-342 (Townsend, 96.4), 5-386 (Hartley, 109.1), 6-542 (Simpson, 139.5), 7-566 (Reardon, 142.2).

Bowling: Rampaul 29-4-131-1, Roach 32-3-135-3, Bravo 28-5-86-1, Benn 34-3-151-1, Deonarine 28-3-93-1, Nash 4-3-4-0.

WEST INDIES 2nd innings

A Barath not out 65
T Dowlin c wkp Hartley b Reardon 53
N Deonarine not out 9
Extras (b4, lb1, nb1) 6
TOTAL (1 wkt, 40 overs) 133

Fall of wickets: 1-95 (Dowlin, 30 overs)

Bowling: Feldman 12-3-29-0, McDermott 6-0-24-0, Rimmington 7-0-23-0, Doran 11-1-41-0, Reardon 4-0-11-1.

Toss: West Indies.

Umpires: N. McNamara, B. Oxenford.