India regains Nagpur advantage

Source: Agencies  |   2008-11-9  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

INDIA led Australia by 86 runs at stumps on the third day of the series-deciding fourth test yesterday after dismissing the visitors for 355.

India ended at 0-0 after Virender Sehwag safely negotiated one over at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

Offspinner Harbhajan Singh earlier led a tight Indian bowling performance to counter the hardworking efforts of Michael Hussey and opener Simon Katich.

Australia trails 0-1 in the four-test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Hussey edged the visitors closer to India's 441 with a 229-ball innings of 90 after Katich scored his fifth test century, but the hosts held the upper hand.

Australia was doing well in its chase with Hussey and Katich dragging the team slowly to 229-2 before India fought back and regained control with three wickets in the middle session.

Allrounder Cameron White steered a lower-order fightback with 46, but the end of the innings came when he holed out to deep mid-on off Harbhajan and Mitchell Johnson followed in a similar manner.

Harbhajan finished with figures of 3-94, while legspinner Amit Mishra collected 2-58.

India employed defensive tactics for its pacemen throughout the day and slowly wore down the batsmen.

"We're very satisfied to keep them down to 166 runs in a day and have most of our plans work out," paceman Ishant Sharma said.

Australia scored just 42 runs in the morning session for the loss of Katich, managed 49 between lunch and tea, and collected another 75 before the innings ended shortly before stumps.

Katich was not surprised by the Indian plan, but it left the Australians frustrated at their inability to score.

"They know they don't have to win the test match," Katich said. "Judging by the scoring rate today, we'd have to keep them to around 300 on the last day. We'll have to bowl well tomorrow and take our chances."