Noffke left out of West Indies match

Simon Katich was all but given the green light to resume his Test career after Australia opted against playing Queensland allrounder Ashley Noffke in their opening West Indies tour match on Friday.

Australia reached 0-89 in reply to Jamaica XI's 297 when bad light stopped play on day one of the three-day match.

Katich was unbeaten on 35 and took 2-51 bowling his left-arm spinners.

But perhaps the most noteworthy moment at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium came at the toss when Australia announced a near full-strength Test team, with Katich and Brad Hodge included, but Noffke left out.

While Katich was always the frontrunner to replace Michael Clarke (compassionate leave) and end a two-and-a-half-year absence from the Test team, Noffke was tipped to come into consideration with his bowling adding a fifth option to Australia's attack.

He still might come into the frame, depending on the wicket at Sabina Park.

But given Friday's events, it seems unlikely, with Katich given a lengthy 13-over spell with the ball before filling in nicely for the rested Matthew Hayden at the top of the order alongside Phil Jaques (45 not out).

Veteran legspinner Stuart MacGill (4-79) was the pick of the bowlers as Carlton Baugh's unbeaten 111 guided Jamaica to a credible 297 on a slow wicket described as "rolled mud" by 'keeper Brad Haddin.

MacGill, who missed most of the summer with wrist and knee injuries, was particularly impressive in his opening spell, turning the ball prodigiously in claiming 3-23 from 12 overs.

"He started basically where he left off last season in the Shield final," said NSW teammate Haddin.

"The wicket was particularly conducive to spin, and I thought `MacGilla `bowled quite well. Simon too.

"Stu looked like he had good rhythm, which is a good sign leading into the tour and having the Test match start in less than a week. He looked really good."

As did Haddin, who had a hand in five dismissals, including a pair of stumpings, ahead of his Test debut.

The only black spot on a day which otherwise had plenty of positives for both MacGill and Australia, was the spinner's regular overstepping - he was no-balled nine times in 21 overs, more than all three of Australia's pacemen combined.

Australia's fielding was sharp, with Ricky Ponting taking three catches at slip.

They missed just two difficult chances, both early on, with Mitchell Johnson tumbling over the fine leg boundary while trying to claim a catch and Brett Lee failing to grab another tough catch over his shoulder.

Opener Simon Jackson (29), however, failed to make the most of both misses, which also came of the bowling of Lee and Johnson.

Baugh was far and away the standout for Jamaica, playing the leading role in an 89-run ninth-wicket stand with Gavin Wallace (22) that frustrated Australia's Test-strength bowling attack for more than two hours.

Wallace eventually became MacGill's fourth scalp.

But his dismissal was in no small part due to a brute of Brett Lee delivery the previous over which struck the No.10 batsman flush on the helmet and left him shaken for several minutes.

Lee finished with figures of 1-52 after claiming the final wicket of the innings, with Johnson (2-64) and Stuart Clark (1-41) also bowling well in patches.

"We haven't played cricket for a while and today was basically just about getting some cobwebs out of the system," said Haddin.

Meanwhile, the West Indies' hopes of an upset in the first Test suffered a critical blow on Friday with skipper and opening batsman Chris Gayle ruled out of the match with a groin injury.