KINGSTON (AFP) - A 52-run, fifth-wicket stand between Brad Hodge and Andrew Symonds stabilised Australia before lunch, but their batting continued its meltdown in the second innings in the opening Test against West Indies on Sunday. At the interval, Australia, leading by 119 runs from the first innings, were 93 for six in their second innings with Symonds not out on 30 and Brad Haddin not out on 10. Hodge and Symonds added 52 for the fifth wicket, after Australia crashed to 18 for five, when nightwatchman Mitchell Johnson was caught behind off Daren Powell for four in the first over of the morning. Australia had continued from their bedtime total of 17 for four, and the early wicket would have been the right tonic for West Indies. But Symonds joined Hodge and they steadied the ship with circumspect batting punctuated with the odd boundary. Symonds came close to being run out on 11 though, when Hodge failed to respond to his urgings for a second run. Fortunate for the dreadlocksed Australian batsman, Powell's throw to Denesh Ramdin was wide of the mark, and the West Indies wicketkeeper had too much work to do to complete the run out.Just when it appeared that the two Australian batsmen were getting into the thick of things, Hodge was caught behind off Dwayne Bravo for 27 edging a well-pitched leg-cutter that Ramdin swooped low to clutch with his right hand. Daren Powell has been the most successful West Indies bowler with three wickets for 20 runs from 12 overs, and Fidel Edwards has supported with two for 38 from 13 overs. Australia have won 12 of the last 13 Tests they have contested against West Indies. They hold the Frank Worrell Trophy - symbol of Test supremacy against West Indies - and they have not lost a Test series in the Caribbean since 1991. The second Test between the two sides starts on May 30 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, and the third Test starts on June 12 at Kensington Oval in Barbados. The Aussies also contest a Twenty20 International and five One-day Internationals. SCOREBOARD AUSTRALIA, 1st Innings: 431 (R. Ponting 158; F. Edwards 5-104) WEST INDIES, 1st Innings: 312 (S. Chanderpaul 118) AUSTRALIA, 2nd Innings: (overnight 17 for four) P. Jaques c wkpr Ramdin b Edwards 4 S. Katich lbw b Edwards 1 R. Ponting c Bravo b Powell 5 M. Hussey b Powell 1 M. Johnson c wkpr Ramdin b Powell 4 B. Hodge c wkpr Ramdin b Bravo 27 A. Symonds not out 30 B. Haddin not out 10 EXTRAS: (lb2, lb8, nb1) 11 TOTAL: (6 wkts) 93 Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Jaques), 2-10 (Ponting), 3-12 (Katich), 4-12 (Hussey), 5-18 (Johnson), 6-70 (Hodge) BOWLING: Powell 12-5-20-3 Edwards 13-2-38-2 (nb1) Bravo 8-1-22-1 Jaggernauth 1-0-3-0 Overs: 34 Position: Australia lead by 212 runs with four second innings wickets standing Umpires: Aleem Dar, R. Tiffin, TV Replays: N. Malcolm, Reserve: C. Mack. Match Referee: R. Mahanama.