MacGill claimed four wickets but it was Jamaica XI wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh who impressed most as Australia opened their tour of the Caribbean and Baugh scored an unbeaten 111 as Jamaica’s tail wagged to post a creditable 297 at the Trelawny Multi Purpose Stadium. Australia were 0-89 in reply before bad light stopped play on day one of the three-day match with Phil Jaques on 44 and Simon Katich 35 not out. Baugh who has played five Tests for West Indies but missed out on selection for the first Test next week struck nine fours and two sixes in his run aball ton leaping high in delight as he reached three figures. He shared in an 89-run ninth-wicket stand with Gavin Wallace 22 which frustrated Australia’s Test-strength bowling attack for more than two hours. Wallace eventually became MacGill’s fourth scalp and but his dismissal was in no small part due to a brutal Brett Lee delivery the previous over which struck the No.10 batsman flush on the helmet and left him shaken for several minutes. MacGill ended with deserved figures of 4-79 and was quite impressive in his opening spell before lunch when he took 3-22 from 12 overs. Brad Haddin despite dropping a sharp leg side chance when Baugh was on 7 enjoyed a confidence-boosting day behind the stumps ahead of his Test debut snaring five dismissals - including a pair of stumpings. Ricky Ponting also took three catches at slip. Left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson 2-64 and part-time spinner Simon Katich 2-51 were the other multiple wicket-takers for the bowlers with Katich given a lengthy 13-over spell with the ball. The NSW skipper is likely to end a two-and-a-half-year absence from the Test team when Australia begin the first Test against West Indies at Sabina Park on Friday EST. Katich and Ashley Noffke were both expected to vie for the spot left vacant by Michael Clarke compassionate leave and but with Queensland allrounder Noffke not selected in a near Test-strength Australia line-up in teh warm-up match Katich appears almost certain to take that spot. Opener Matthew Hayden was rested for the game with Clarke’s shadow player Brad Hodge added in his place.
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