Perth Test: India close in on a win over Aus

Associated Press

Posted online: Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 0929 hrs IST

Perth, January 19:
Swing bowler Ishant Sharma claimed the key wicket scalp of Ricky Ponting as India closed in on a win over Australia in the third cricket Test Saturday.

Resuming the fourth day on 65 for two, Australia went to lunch 142-3 and needing 413 runs for an unlikely win.

Michael Hussey was unbeaten on 39 at the break with Michael Clarke 11 not out.

Sharma made the day's breakthrough, when Australia captain Ponting shaped up to a delivery that bounced and swung away to be caught by Rahul Dravid at first slip.

The pair earlier accounted for Ponting's first innings wicket, with Dravid taking that catch at third slip.

In what was easily the best spell of swing bowling in the match, Sharma (1-41) had Ponting playing and missing repeatedly before finally dismissing him.

Ponting and Hussey shared a run-a-minute 74 runs for the third wicket after coming together soon after the two openers – Chris Rogers and Phil Jacques - fell with the score on 43 for two.

Ponting hit six boundaries in his 71 balls innings that lasted 139 minutes.

Australia, which ended the match aiming for its 17th straight Test win, may now be looking to salvage a draw from the remaining five sessions as scoring becomes increasingly difficult on a WACA ground surface that is beginning to produce uneven bounce.

Australia leads the four-Test series 2-0 following wins in Melbourne and Sydney.

Australia coach Tim Nielsen said his team were confident of getting the runs because the WACA pitch was holding up so well, although history is heavily stacked against them.

Only one side in 131 years of Test cricket have ever scored more runs in the fourth innings to win a test. That was in 2003 when the West Indies made 418-7 to beat Australia in Antigua.