The pink-ball Test is beautifully poised after a career-best batting performance from Australian captain Pat Cummins denied the West Indies a noteworthy first-innings lead on an eventful second day at the Gabba.

Australia’s impeccable record in day-night Tests was under serious threat when the hosts crumbled to 5-54 under heavy cloud cover on Friday afternoon, with the West Indies seamers wreaking havoc in front of 29,216 Brisbane spectators.

However, opener Usman Khawaja and wicketkeeper Alex Carey notched fifties in a gritty rearguard before Cummins rescued his teammates with an unbeaten 64 during the evening session, steering the hosts towards 9-289 declared.

“He’s an amazing cricketer, isn’t he?” Carey told reporters at stumps.

“That’s probably the best I’ve seen him bat.”

The Australians, who scored at a Bazball-adjacent run rate of 5.45 in the first innings, are vying to become just the third team to win a Test match after declaring while behind on the scoreboard, despite the ominous weather forecast.

Cummins’ bold decision to declare while trailing by 22 runs almost paid dividends when West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite nicked behind in the fifth over, but Steve Smith uncharacteristically grassed a regulation chance at second slip to deny Mitchell Starc an early breakthrough.

But on what was ultimately the last delivery of the day, Josh Hazlewood snared the crucial scalp of West Indies opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who tickled the Kookaburra through to Carey with the gloves. The on-field decision of not out was successfully overturned after Australia called for a review, with a tiny spike appearing on Snicko.

The West Indies were 1-13 at stumps, leading by 35 runs, with Brathwaite unbeaten overnight on 3.

Earlier during the afternoon session, West Indies veteran Kemar Roach stunned the Brisbane crowd with an inspired bowling performance that tore the heart out of Australia’s top order.

The 35-year-old removed Smith in the opening over of the innings, trapping the New South Welshman on the pads with for 6; the West Indies called for a review after umpire Nitin Menon initially neglected to raise the finger, with Hawkeye replays confirming Smith was absolutely plumb.

“He gets really far across,” Roach told reporters at stumps.

“I backed myself to get him out today, and it happened, so lucky me.”

After surviving a first-ball review for LBW, hometown hero Marnus Labuschagne fell victim to West Indies vice-captain Alzarri Joseph the following over for 3, edging towards third slip where debutant Kevin Sinclair held onto a superb diving catch.

On the final over before the dinner break, Roach knocked over Cameron Green and Travis Head in consecutive deliveries to leave Australia reeling at 4-24; Green chipped a drive towards Brathwaite at mid-off for 8 before Head tickled a wayward delivery down the leg side to wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva for a golden duck.

Khawaja survived the hat-trick delivery before all-rounder Mitchell Marsh miscued a pull shot against Joseph, spooning the ball towards mid-on where Roach swallowed a regulation catch. Australia had lost half its wickets in less than 12 overs, still trailing the West Indies by 257 runs.

Carey was handed a massive reprieve on 8 when paceman Shamar Joseph clipped the top of the stumps, only for the bail to spin in its groove without dislodging.

“There was a noise, but everyone thought it was pad,” Roach explained.

“It’s cricket, sometimes you need some luck … but it would have been a different game at 6-70.”

The South Australian promptly switched to white-ball mode, cracking a trio of boundaries through to covers before nailing a couple of reverse sweeps against Sinclair through backward point. He raced towards a half-century in just 38 deliveries, combining with Khawaja for a counterpunching 96-run partnership before top-edging a pull shot against Joseph towards deep square leg for 65.

On the final delivery before tea, Starc became Alzarri Joseph’s third victim of the afternoon by feathering the ball through to Da Silva for 2.

Cummins should have been run out for a golden duck, but Kirk McKenzie couldn’t hit the stumps at the striker’s end from the slips cordon. The missed chance proved costly, with Khawaja and Cummins taking advantage of the softened ball by forming an 81-run partnership for the eighth wicket.

The West Indies quicks peppered Cummins with bumpers, but the New South Welshman weathered the storm, ducking and weaving away from the short-pitched barrage.

Khawaja, the anchor of Australia’s innings, lost his patience in the 48th over, lazily driving at wide delivery from Sinclair and edging behind to Alick Athanaze at first slip; the debutant celebrated his maiden Test wicket with a trademark cartwheel.

“He does that a lot back home in the CPL,” Roach laughed.

“It’s scary to watch.”

Cummins picked up the tempo after Khawaja’s departure, bringing up his third Test half-century and combining with tailender Nathan Lyon for a rapid 47-run partnership. The Australian captain declared with 45 minutes left in the day, exposing the West Indies openers to the swinging pink Kookaburra under lights.

Earlier, the West Indies were bowled out for 311, with Sinclair scoring his maiden Test fifty during a chaotic afternoon session. Sinclair and Roach, batting at No. 8 and No. 10 respectively, survived the first hour of play unscathed, combining for a 31-run partnership for the ninth wicket to thwart the Australians.

Labuschagne gifted the tourists extra runs with some sloppy fielding, while Green put down a regulation chance at gully off Cummins’ bowling, giving Sinclair an extra life on 30. Australia’s frustration grew the following over when off-spinner Lyon found Roach’s outside edge, with the ball dropping short of Smith at first slip.A calamitous run out was required to break the partnership, with Roach pressing into the covers for a quick single and falling on his backside mid-pitch after Sinclair sent him back. Head whipped off the bails at the striker’s end, with Roach sheepishly trudging off for 8.

Sinclair steered the team total beyond 300 before bringing up his half-century by thumping Lyon over long-off for six, reaching the minor milestone in 97 deliveries. However, the 24-year-old was stumped the very next delivery despite a minor fumble by Carey, wrapping up the innings in the 108th over.

Earlier on Friday afternoon, patrons were briefly disallowed from entering the Gabba after the Brisbane venue went into lockdown following a security breach. At least two Invasion Day protesters entered the venue, which triggered a security alert and forced Cricket Australia to put the Gabba into lockdown as a precautionary measure.

During the first over of the day, a protester holding an Aboriginal flag entered the field of play, lying down in the outfield before security staff escorted them off the ground. Another pitch invader hopped over the fence during the tea break, but his sole intention was to retrieve a beach ball that had rolled onto the field.