Cricket: India recover after veterans lift Aussies

Australia held a lead of 230 runs at stumps on day three of the first Test against India at the MCG, after reaching 179 for eight in their second innings.

Michael Hussey (79 not out) and Ricky Ponting (60) combined for a 115-run stand that halted a damaging top-order collapse – but the latter’s dismissal means India are in command of a see-saw contest. Hussey and No 10 James Pattinson held home hopes when play resumed early this morning.

The hosts’ top four each failed to reach double figures, undoing the superb work of Ben Hilfenhaus – who earlier claimed his first Test five-wicket haul to earn Australia a 51-run first-innings lead.

Veterans Hussey and Ponting came to the crease after young Indian quick Umesh Yadav (4-49) rifled through the top order to leave Australia teetering on 27 for four. Ponting hit his second half-century of the match by driving off the back foot to deep point and then running all four runs to raucous applause from the 40,000-strong crowd. Hussey, out for a golden duck in the first innings, reached his 50 the next over. But 36-year-old Ponting presented a catch to gully off veteran seamer Zaheer Khan (two for 32). And, when out-of-form Brad Haddin was out for six, caught at second slip also to Zaheer, and tail-enders Peter Siddle (4) and Nathan Lyon (0) followed, the tourists had wrested back control with two days to play.

The visitors had earlier lost seven wickets for 68 runs during the morning session to be all out for 282 after Hilfenhaus claimed five for 75 in a devastating spell.

He removed Rahul Dravid (68), Virat Kohli (11), MS Dhoni (six) and Ishant Sharma (11) to dent India’s challenge after they resumed at 214 for three, in reply to Australia’s first-innings 333.

Dravid was bowled second ball of the day and Siddle (three for 63) had VVS Laxman caught behind by Haddin for two. Australia took control when Hilfenhaus struck twice within three overs. Kohli was caught behind and skipper Dhoni lasted three deliveries before picking out Hussey at gully. Nightwatchman Sharma presented Haddin with his fifth catch of the innings.

However Australia blew a chance to take control. David Warner (5) was the first to go chopping a ball from Yadav onto the stumps while Ed Cowan (8) was out three balls later, leaving a ball that straightened and struck him on the pads. Shaun Marsh was bowled for three then captain Michael Clarke (one) made it a pair of failures in the series opener when Sharma tore through his defence.

Australia 333 (E J M Cowan 68, R T Ponting 62, Z Khan 4-77) & 179-8 (M E K Hussey 79 no, R T Ponting 60, U Yadav 4-49) v India 282 (S R Tendulkar 73, R Dravid 68, V Sehwag 67, B W Hilfenhaus 5-75).