India beat Australia test victory

PERTH: India beat Australia by 72 runs on Saturday to end the home team's hopes of becoming the first team to win 17 Tests in-a-row in the third cricket Test at the WACA.

Faced with a target of 413, a fourth-innings target which had only been successfully chased once in Test history Australia began the day on 65-2 and was bowled out for 340, as India took wickets at a steady clip to prevent the home side gaining momentum.

India looked on course for a comfortable win when it reduced Australia to 253-8, but tailender Mitchell Johnson (50 not out) and Stuart Clark (32) used the long handle in a 73-run ninth wicket stand that briefly threatened an extraordinary comeback. India

It is the second time India has ended Australia's hopes of 17 straight wins, having also done so in Calcutta in 2001.

India became the first team from the subcontinent to win at the WACA Ground, where the bouncy and pacey pitch usually negates teams whose strength lies in spin bowling. Of touring sides, only West Indies (five time) and England (once) have previously won test matches at the WACA in the 35 tests played here.

It was Australia's first defeat in 11 WACA tests since losing to the West Indies in February 1997.

It was also Australia's first defeat in 26 home tests over four years, with the previous loss also against India, in December 2003 at the Adelaide Oval.

From the time young fast bowler Ishant Sharma dismissed Ponting in the morning, Australia struggled to challenge the target, with no one able to make the big century the task required.

Ponting squared up to a delivery that bounced and swung away to be caught by Rahul Dravid at first slip.

In what was the best spell of swing bowling in the match, Sharma (1-63) had Ponting playing and missing repeatedly before finally dismissing him.

Mike Hussey (45) and Andrew Symonds (12) were then trapped lbw soon after lunch.

Virender Sehwag was the unlikely star of the afternoon session, using his part-time offspin to dismiss Adam Gilchrist (15) and Brett Lee (0) in successive overs. Gilchrist was bowled around his legs as he attempted to sweep.

Sehwag took 2-24 from his eight overs. Australia was then reliant upon last recognized batsman Michael Clarke to guide the tail-enders, and he hit a fluent 81. When he went, stumped off Anil Kumble's legspin, Australia's chances were effectively at an end.

Johnson and Clark indulged in some lusty late-order hitting as the hosts got the runs required into double figures, with the crowd willing them towards what proved impossible.

Leftarm swing bowler Irfan Pathan (3-54), who accounted for both Australian openers, finally claimed Clark who edged a delivery to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

R P Singh (2-95) bowled No.11 Shaun Tait soon after to end the match, leaving Johnson unbeaten after a maiden test half-century that included two sixes and five fours.

Australia leads the four-test series 2-1, with the final Test to begin in Adelaide claimed the last two wickets late on the fourth day. on January 24.