West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite asserted that the team is eager to put up a fight against Australia after a much improved performance with the bat in the third day of the second Test in Melbourne.

Brathwaite, who is playing his first Test match, scored an important fifty and shared a 90-run stand with Darren Bravo to push the West Indies total to 271 - their highest total since May 2015.

Despite the efforts of Brathwaite and Bravo, West Indies ended up conceding a 280-run first-innings lead, which quickly swelled to 459 runs by the end of the day’s play.

Admitting that they are still a long way behind in the second Test, Brathwaite is hoping that West Indies’ performance with the bat will bring smiles on the face of the fans.

“The game is still very, very far out of our hands and it will take a monumental effort to bring ourselves back into the game and even try to draw it or win it, but that’s a challenge we’ll look at tomorrow.

“I was just happy that I could contribute to a fighting day’s performance and hope that the fans in the West Indies get to put a smile back on their faces and realise that we’re not just here for being here’s sake, we actually want to compete and do well.”

After having struck a fifty on his Test debut, the 27-year-old rued the fact that the hard work being put in by the West Indies team is not showing on the field.

“I know I desperately want to represent the West Indies.

“It’s the stuff dreams are made of.

“It’s something I will hold dear to my heart every second I’m out there representing West Indies with that maroon cap on.

“I think the team spirit is there.

“When performances aren’t going well it’s difficult to see energy, difficult to see how hard guys work.

“I don’t think the wider public is seeing the effort that we put in, which is unfortunate.”

The West Indian all-rounder was involved in a banter with David Warner and managed to dismiss the Australian vice-captain for his first Test wicket.

Denying that there was any ill-intention in his banter with Warner, Brathwaite is looking forward to sharing a drink with the Australian team after the end of the Test match.

“It’s been documented I bowl quite slow, which is true, so if the revs aren’t on the ball from my hand then I need to have something inside to try to get myself up, try to show some aggression.

“That’s what I tried to do today, thankfully it worked.

“I don’t know if it (the banter with Warner) was heated.

“There’s a war between bat and ball, West Indies and Australia.

“I don’t take anything off the field personally, so if the opportunity presents itself I’ll still have a drink with them (the Australian team) after the Test.

“But out there representing West Indies and the couple of hundred thousand persons back home, I need to do everything to represent this badge and represent them, because everyone can’t be here to do it for themselves.”

With two days left in the second Test, West Indies have an enormous task on their hand to save the match to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat against Australia in the longer format.  

© Cricket World 2015