India tried to stage a fightback but still faced anuphill task to save the first Test as Australia tightened the noose around thehosts with a massive overall lead of 355 runs today.
After conceding a 228-run first innings lead, India hitback to reduce Australia to 127 for four in their second innings but with themiddle order defending stoutly, the world champions remained in the driver'sseat.
Damien Martyn was unbeaten on 29 with first inningscenturion Michael Clarke on 11 at stumps after the visitors decided not toenforce the follow on despite India falling 28 runs short of the mark.
India's defiance after a top-order slump waspersonified by the tailenders who resisted the Australian attack for close tofour hours, forcing skipper Adam Gilchrist to decide against enforcing thefollow-on.
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Indian bowlers then did well to get regularbreakthroughs and not allow a big partnership to build up.
With two full days play left, and the pitch holding outbetter than expected, the Australians can look to add some more runs to pile onthe misery.
Parthiv Patel (46) and Irfan Pathan featured in a 60-run partnership for theseventh wicket before India were bowled out for 246 with 20 minutes to go fortea in reply to Australia's first innings score of 474. Resuming at 150 for six,India added only 49 runs in the opening two hours but it was a frustratingsession for the Aussies.
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The visitors had a lucky break when Pathan, aftermaking a disciplined 31 from 96 balls, was ruled caught behind by Billy Bowdenmoments before the break.
Television replays, however, showed a huge gap betweenbat and pad as Pathan stretched forward to defend against Shane Warne's legbreak.
The Aussies had to withstand another partnershipbetween Patel and Anil Kumble before the second new ball did the trick.
Patel showed gumption in handling the Aussie quicks whogot little help from the slow pitch, and played Warne with a broad bat.
His 46 came off 125 balls and contained five fours. Hisinnings came to an end when Jason Gillespie made the new ball skid through andtake the inside edge off his angled bat before hitting the stumps.
Glenn McGrath foxed Harbhajan Singh with a slower onebefore Gillespie uprooted Kumble's off stump.
Australia lost Justin Langer in the very first over to Pathan but stillmaintained a brisk scoring rate. Matthew Hayden (30) and Simon Katich (39)pushed the total to 65 in 16 overs. Hayden once again fell after being in goodtouch, having struck four boundaries in his 53 ball knock before he was run out.
But Katich, who in the first innings had handled the spinners comfortably,was guilty of a casual shot.
After an attacking innings in which he hit five fours, Katich tried to hitKumble across and popped a simple catch to Rahul Dravid in the first slip.
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Darren Lehmann (18) seemed to feel the pressure to hold his place afterClarke's magnificent performance as he fell cheaply for the second time.
Damien Martyn then turned out to be the key for the tourists as they setabout to post a huge target for the Indians.
Martyn was impressive in his varying tactics to counter the 'Turbanator' and'Jumbo'. He batted with an off-stump guard to counter Harbhajan's viciousoff-spinners but was less worried to come out in front against Kumble.
He repeatedly cut Kumble behind point while managing to keep himself out ofdanger of becoming a bat-pad catch victim, as had been the case in the firstinnings.
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Harbhajan bowled better than he did on the second day when he had adopted anegative line and length. Today, he not only spun from outside the off, but alsoextracted considerable bounce to push the batsmen on the back foot.
Whereas he attacked the left-handers' leg yesterday, today he was willing tocome round the stumps even to the right handers in order to give himself abetter chance of a leg before decision.
Pathan was the other bowler who troubled the batsmen with his accurate arcsfrom middle and off to outside off.
Unfortunately, the other two specialist bowlers failed to rise to theoccasion. Both Kumble and Zaheer Khan were guilty of bowling more loosedeliveries than wicket-taking ones.
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Kumble was clearly struggling at one stage, so much so that after claimingKatich, he bowled a rank full toss for Lehman to open his account with aboundary.
Zaheer, although he beat the bat regularly, released the pressure by strayingdown the leg side.
PTI
