The Aussie middle order fought back yesterday to push the second-innings total to 167, but West Indies vice-captain Dwayne Bravo believes his side still has the edge going into the final day.

"We are in a very good position. It is up to us as a team to move forward and continue the good work tomorrow (today)," Bravo, who claimed four second-innings wickets yesterday, said.

"It's important for us to get off to a good start and not let Australia back into the game," he said. "A victory for us is very important. To kick off the series with a win would do our confidence good as a team playing against the number one side in the world."

Australian batsman Brad Hodge was equally optimistic about his team's chances.

"Australia go out with a mentality of defending anything, be it 100, 150, 200 or even 280. It's going to be a real testing day of Test cricket, no doubt about that. Both teams think they can win but on a fifth-day wicket, we feel we can bowl the West Indies out," Hodge said.

"I think (legpsinner) 'Stewie' MacGill will have a big part to play," he said.

Resuming at 17 for four yesterday, the visitors fell into even deeper trouble in the first over of the morning when Powell induced an edge from night watchman Mitchell Johnson with only a single having been added to the total.

However, Hodge and Andrew Symonds, who led the middle-order rally superbly, set about rebuilding the tourists' innings and advanced the total to 70 before Hodge, on 27, received a lethal leg cutter from Bravo and edged to diving 'keeper Denesh Ramdin to have Australia still teetering at 70 for six.

Symonds then found another willing ally in debutant wicketkeeper Brad Haddin as they put on 74 crucial runs for the seventh wicket.

Haddin, who is cut more out of the mould of Ian Healy rather than his immediate predecessor with the Australian gloves - Adam Gilchrist - advanced the Aussies lead to 200 runs just before lunch with a superb drive through covers but he looked anything but comfortable against off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth.

Symonds solved that problem straight after the break by bludgeoning the Trinidadian for three sixes and straight out of the attack. The first blast just reached the Headley Stand, the second was hooked into the Mound area, and the third was a massive drive deep into the Headley Stand.

The onslaught prompted some Jamaican fans to rename the spinner 'Jaggersix'.

Just as Symonds and Haddin looked like they were about to wrest control of the game from the Windies, the latter, on 23, fell to a brilliant leaping catch by Runako Morton at short mid-off off the bowling of Bravo.

That key wicket, at 144, led to a minor collapse as Australia lost their last three wickets for the addition of only 23 more runs.

Brett Lee (nine) was softened up by a series of short balls from Fidel Edwards before nicking the Bajan to Ramdin.

Symonds, who made an undefeated 70 in the first innings, comfortably advanced to 79 before he slogged Bravo to deep mid-off where Darren Sammy dove to catch the ball while just avoiding a collision with Powell.

Apart from his three sixes, the strongly built Queenslander also struck nine boundaries, the best of which were a couple of superbly timed cuts. However, his greatest achievement was keeping what was left of the Australian innings together when it seemed set to implode.

Bravo delivered the coup de grâce by having legitimate bunny Stuart MacGill caught at point for a duck.

The Trinidadian all-rounder finished with the best figures (4-47) but the efforts of Edwards (3-40) and Powell (3-36) were just as important in keeping Australia down to 167 and putting their side in position to push for a stunning victory today.