Shane Watson hit a patient half-century as Australia reached 208 for five on the first day of the second Test against West Indies on a slow Queen’s Park Oval pitch.
Mike Hussey, on 26, and Matthew Wade, with 11, were unbeaten at the close, putting on a useful 30-run partnership after both men had survived dropped catches.
Watson was Australia’s top scorer, making a solid 56 in 219 minutes.
The day was also a mini-triumph for Windies’ off-spinner Shane Shillingford who came in for Devendra Bishoo to play his first Test for 18 months after having to undergo remedial work on his action.
He bowled 32 overs, taking two for 56, including opener David Warner in his first over.
Australia, who won the first Test in Barbados by three wickets, decided to play two spinners for the first time in nearly four years, with Michael Beer coming in to partner Nathan Lyon.
Warner (29) and Ed Cowan (28) put on 53 for the first wicket to provide the foundation for Australia, while seamer Kemar Roach was the pick of the West Indies seam attack.
He removed Cowan and later Ricky Ponting (seven) before the tea interval.
Shillingford bowled the first over of spin in the match in the 15th over and had immediate success.
Warner did not quite get to the pitch of his fifth ball but continued through with a drive and the ball came off the outside edge straight to Sammy at slip.
Roach, who had opened the bowling from the Media Centre End, was brought back by Sammy at the Brian Lara Pavilion End for a couple of overs before lunch.
The third ball of his new spell hit Cowan low on the front pad and despite a review, the opener was on his way back to the pavilion as Australia went to lunch on 74 for two. In the sixth over after the break, Roach took his second wicket.
Ponting was man of the match in his last appearance in a Test at Queen’s Park Oval, having scored a double-century in the first innings.
It was not to be this time around. He had scored just seven by the time he was squared up by a delivery outside off-stump that took the edge and flew to wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh at chest height.
Somehow the keeper spilt it but he had got enough glove on the ball that Sammy had time to step across from first slip to grab the rebound.