Australia toil on day one in Antigua

West Indies President's XI 5-288 (Dowrich 78, Chandrika 74, Chase 65no, Mohammed 42 no; Hazlewood 2-26, Ahmed 2-95, Lyon 1-73)

A pair of wickets helped boost Fawad Ahmed's Test chances but Australia have been made to work hard on day one of their tour match in Antigua.

The tourists began their tour of the Caribbean perfectly, nabbing three quick wickets in a rain-affected opening session at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

But in the end it was the West Indies Cricket Board President's XI who finished the day stronger, with half-centuries by Rajendra Chandrika (74), Shane Dowrich (78) and Roston Chase (65no) lifting them to 5-288 by stumps.

Shaun Marsh takes a great catch at cover to give Ahmed his first wicket // cricket.com.au

Ahmed, the Pakistani-born leg-spinner, is poised to make his Test debut for Australia next week against the West Indies at spin-friendly Windsor Park in Dominica.

The 33-year-old made the perfect start to his audition on Wednesday, snaring a wicket with just his fifth ball.

He then secured the only wicket to fall in the post-lunch session, bowling Chandrika with a straight and quick delivery that the opener failed to keep out.

As the pitch flattened and the ball got softer the toil became harder for Fawad, who ended the day with 2-95 off 25 overs with five maidens.

WICB Pres XI captain Leon Johnson wins the toss and elects to bat. Dawes and Imran Khan miss out on their XI #WIvAUS pic.twitter.com/zwGR3fcTGi — cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) May 27, 2015

Josh Hazlewood, who himself picked up two wickets in an opening spell from the Curtly Ambrose end that the great West Indian would've been proud of, said Fawad had done well considering the stakes riding on this match.

"He bowled pretty well in patches, a few loose ones here and there but you're going to get that with a wrist spinner," Hazlewood said.

"You're always going to be nervous in your first tour game for Australia. Especially with the current Test spinner at the other end.

"He dealt with it pretty well ... he'll get better from there on."

Hazlewood picked up two early wickets // cricket.com.au

Hazlewood ended the day with figures of 2-26 from 15 overs, including six maidens, to boost his own chances of retaining his spot in the Test lineup for the series opener starting on June 3.

Mitchell Marsh bowled a tidy 10 overs for 37 runs but worringly gave away three no balls and a wide.

Adam Voges, whose performance with the bat is the key to his hopes of a Test debut next week, showed his versatility with four tidy overs towards the end of the day.

Incumbent spinner Nathan Lyon spent most of the day bowling well with turn and bounce but perhaps a bit too straight to lure the hosts' batsmen into trouble.

Lyon did eventually get one wicket when Dowrich tamely chipped a catch to Peter Siddle at mid-on but figures of 1-73 off 24 overs will not be the benchmark the 27-year-old will want to make on this tour.

Hazlewood conceded conditions had got tougher for the bowlers as the day wore on but he was hopeful a second new ball in Thursday's morning session will bring a reversal in fortune.

"Mixed feelings, obviously started well, and then they got away and built a few partnerships through the middle," the NSW quick said.

"On that wicket I think if we can take a few early ones tomorrow with the second new ball and get the ball rolling again it should be fine."

Play is set to resume on Thursday at 9.40am (2340 AEST).

WICB President's XI v Australian XI Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua, May 27 - 29

Australia XI: Chris Rogers, Shaun Marsh, Michael Clarke, Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Nevill, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Fawad Ahmed

WICB President's XI: Tyrone Theophile, Rajindra Chandrika, Leon Johnson (c), Sharmarh Brooks, Shane Dowrich, Roston Chase, Jason Mohammed, Carlos Brathwaite (vc), Jomel Warrican, Marquino Mindley, Miguel Cummins