Australia hit blip in whitewash Andrew Wu Tom Decent Australia remain confident they can defy a bleak forecast and an improving West Indies side to win in Sydney and complete a 3-0 series whitewash.
Although Australia claimed the honours on a rain-shortened first day things did not exactly go to plan for Steve Smith's team.
For starters, they lost the toss and were asked to bowl first -- hardly the ideal scenario after picking two spinners -- then they met stiff resistance from Kraigg Brathwaite and Darren Bravo. 
With more than two inches of rain forecast on Monday and Tuesday, time is not on Australia's side.
They must claim the final four wickets of the Windies' first innings, then compile enough runs to ensure they do not have to bat twice before dismissing the visitors a second time.
"I think this pitch will speed the game up, it'll have a lot of movement and spin," Australian spinner Nathan Lyon said. "I definitely think there's enough time even if we get rain affected. I know Smudger [Smith] is a pretty proactive captain and I know we'll be pushing for a victory, that's for sure."
The hosts will be helped by an SCG pitch which is offering plenty of turn to the spinners. Of the 75 overs bowled on the first day, 46 were delivered by spin twins Lyon and Stephen O'Keefe.
Even O'Keefe, not known for being a big turner of the ball, was able to extract prodigious movement.
The conditions shocked the Windies, who played on the subcontinent in   November leading into this series.
"I was quite surprised, I didn't expect the first day to spin," Kraigg Brathwaite said. "I've heard that Sydney spins a lot but I didn't know on the first day."
Lyon described the conditions as sub-continental-like. Surprisingly for a spinner, Lyon averages 49 in Asia though he is now a far more accomplished bowler.
"It's a big challenge for me, it's spinning pretty big," Lyon, who claimed 2-68 from 32 overs said.
"And it's got decent bounce, it's a challenge for me to try and hit the stumps. I'm enjoying that challenge right now."
West Indies opener Brathwaite said he was pleased with the way he went about his innings but was reluctant to talk about the mix-up involving Marlon Samuels which cost the No.4 batsman his wicket and continued his horror run.
Brathwaite top-scored for the tourists with 85 from 174 balls and negotiated Lyon, who claimed his wicket in both innings during the Boxing Day Test, with relative ease throughout the day.
The 23-year-old's technique held him in good stead on a day when Lyon and O'Keefe extracted more spin than usual on a dryer Sydney pitch. "It's a good challenge, he [Lyon] is bowling quite well and you just have to keep believing in your ability," Brathwaite said.
"He bowled well to his field and for me it's about trusting my defence because he obviously turns the ball a bit.
"Going forward I just have to keep believing in my ability and working at my plans. It's a tour where I'm learning. I just want to keep going out there and building a foundation for my team and learning the process."