West Indies skipper's tactics criticised

West Indies fast bowler Jerome Taylor has defended the tactics of his captain Denesh Ramdin after the opening day of the second Test against Australia in Kingston.

Ramdin came under the microscope following his decision to bowl strike bowler Taylor for just six overs in the opening session and his call to not take the new ball late in the day, with centurion Steve Smith saying he was "surprised" by some of the tactics from the home side.

Ramdin won the toss and elected to send Australia in on a tacky surface and the decision was validated almost immediately when Taylor picked up two early wickets to leave the Australians 2-16.

Two down was almost three when Michael Clarke chipped a return catch to Kemar Roach when the score was just 22, but replays showed the Windies quick had overstepped and the Australian skipper was called back.

Steve Smith has made himself at home on the Kingston pitch, leading Australia to a commanding 4-258 at stumps on day one of the first Test

The decision to bowl first could hardly be considered a wrong one considering early wickets fell, and Smith said the Australians weren't surprised they were sent in given the state of the wicket.

What was surprising, though, was the decision to wait until five minutes before the lunch break to bring Taylor on for his second spell after he'd taken 2-0 from his opening five-over burst.

Taylor's morning session tally of six overs was less than all of his bowling partners; Veerasammy Permaul (eight overs), Jason Holder (seven) and Kemar Roach (seven) all bowled more overs before lunch.

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Jerome Taylor looked dangerous, when he had the ball

It was a situation that drew criticism from the commentary box, including from Australian selector and former Test batsman Mark Waugh, and Smith said after play he was surprised that Taylor didn't bowl more in the first session.

The vice-captain was even more surprised when the home side turned down the option of the second new ball, with Ramdin opting instead to bowl Permaul along with part-time spinners Kraigg Brathwaite and Jerome Blackwood with the old ball in the final ten overs of the day.

"I actually thought (Taylor) might have bowled a few more to start with," Smith said.

"He only bowled five overs in his spell and he had two for nought.

"I was a little bit surprised with that and I was very surprised they didn't take the new ball at the end tonight.

"It worked out well for us I guess.

"I thought they bowled pretty well to start with today. They obviously sent us in so there was a bit in the wicket.

"That was the challenging part, getting through that. We're always pretty sure if we came through that it'd come a lot easier and it turned out to be that way."

Taylor finished the day with 3-18 from 15 overs with eight maidens, sending down less deliveries than Permaul (24 overs), Brathwaite (19), Holder (16) and the same number as Roach (15).

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A penny for your thoughts? Denesh Ramdin questioned

The speedster leapt to Ramdin's defence after play, emphasising that it was not up to him alone to make inroads into the Australian batting order.

"(Electing to bowl was a) decision that the captain took and ... we have to support the skipper 100 per cent so as the bowling leader it was up to me to lead the charge from the front," Taylor said.

"I'm only one person. It is a bowling unit and each of us have to get a fair chance out there.

"So it is a case where each and every one has to chip in. And I think the effort was good at the end of the day.

"The old ball was working for us. We didn’t know what the new ball would have been like.

"So, what was happening was the work we were doing, bowling as well as possible, and see what we could get out of it.

"So, it is about taking the new ball tomorrow, at whatever time, and at the end of the day it is what it is."

Taylor's performance today continued his love affair with Sabina Park; he has now taken 26 wickets at an average of 13 in five Tests at his home ground, including two five-wicket hauls.