Teenager Kraigg Brathwaite and Kirk Edwards both hit half-centuries as the hosts made slow progress after winning the toss and choosing to bat first at the Kensington Oval.

Ryan Harris, preferred to James Pattinson in the final XI, and Peter Siddle both claimed a wicket apiece for Australia, while there was also a maiden Test scalp for David Warner's leg spin.

However the tourists were left to rue three missed chances when bad weather arrived to force the players from the field after 73 overs of play.

Let-offs

Siddle failed to hang on to a caught-and-bowled opportunity when Braithwaite had only 10 to his name, and the same batsman was also given a repreive again 34 runs later by a diving Ricky Ponting at third slip.

Shane Watson was the unfortunate bowler on the second occasion, though he too then got a case of butter fingers in the same position as Ponting, letting Edwards off the hook.

The newly-appointed West Indies vice-captain looked set to make Australia pay until he somewhat gave his wicket away on 61, slapping a Warner long hop straight back to the part-time bowler.

Edwards' departure ended a 104-run stand for the second wicket after Adrian Barath (22) had fallen in the first session, the opener hooking Harris straight down the throat of Siddle at fine leg.

Brathwaite also failed to cash in on the let-offs, edging the 199th ball he'd faced to give Siddle a deserved wicket and provide debutant wicketkeeper Matthew Wade with his first catch behind the stumps.

The 19-year-old opener hit four boundaries in his battling knock of 57 before paying the price for playing loosely outside his off stump.

Darren Bravo, who finished proceeding unbeaten on 20, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (8no) looked untroubled up until the time rain intervened midway through the evening session.