A disastrous decision by captain Jason Holder added to the West Indies’ woes before a Darren Bravo fightback on Friday in the first Test against Australia in Hobart.

At stumps on a rain-hit day two, the Windies were 6-207 with Bravo not out 94.

They trailed Australia by 376 runs after Adam Voges and Shaun Marsh put on a fourth-wicket Test record stand of 449.

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Marsh went for a Test-high 182 in Australia’s second-highest Test partnership.

Voges was 269 not out when captain Steve Smith declared Australia’s first innings at 4-583.

On a tour in which nothing has seemed to go right for the hapless West Indies, they somehow found a new low on Friday.

The Windies’ dire plight was summed up by Holder’s unfortunate dismissal for 15 that left the tourists reeling at 6-116.

Given out lbw by umpire Marais Erasmus off Peter Siddle, Holder opted not to call for a review after consulting sceptical teammate Bravo at the other end.

Holder then walked despite the two-metre tall allrounder being hit on the pads high and was the last of the recognised batsmen.

Ball-tracking technology showed the ball would have comfortably bounced over the top of the stumps on big screens as he trudged off.

Holder appeared to baulk at a challenge after Kraigg Brathwaite’s unsuccessful review when he was trapped in front by Josh Hazlewood (2-43) for two.

“That sums up how the Windies have done,” Nine Network commentator Shane Warne said of Holder’s call.

Bravo did his best to make up for his lousy advice by sparking a fightback in an unbroken 91-run stand with tailender Kemar Roach (31no).

He also enjoyed a rare piece of luck.

He had a life on 74 when his nick off Hazlewood sailed between Voges and Steve Smith in the slips.

Offspinner Nathan Lyon (3-43) celebrated his 50th Test with quick wickets – including two in five balls – to leave the Windies reeling at 4-81 by tea.

But that was not the only milestone celebrated on Friday – not by a long shot.

Marsh and Voges broke the Test fourth-wicket record, overtaking 437 by Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera in 2009 against Pakistan.

It was also the second-highest Test partnership for Australia, the biggest on home soil and sixth-largest overall.

Voges’ knock was the highest Test score against the Windies and 10th biggest overall by an Australian.

He also set a new Hobart Test highest score.

The Windies’ attack was without Shannon Gabriel, who arrived at the ground on Friday on crutches.

Scans have cleared Gabriel of an ankle fracture but his availability for the rest of the tour is still unknown.

He broke down late on day one.

The Bellerive Oval lights came on as rain hit throughout a frustrating final session.

– AAP