Cricket:Australia failed to cash in on Simon Katich's century as their hopes of a series-levelling victory took a nosedive on day three of the fourth Test against India in Nagpur.
Katich hit a fine 102 and Michael Hussey a determined 90, but a hard-working home attack saw Australia slip from 231 for three at lunch to 355 all out — despite a 52-run seventh-wicket partnership between Cameron White and Brad Haddin which briefly threatened to carry their team close to India's first-innings 441.
There was time for one over of India's second innings late in the day, Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay surviving intact but runless.
Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma began this morning in patient vein, and Katich edged to first slip only for Rahul Dravid to drop the chance.
Katich, with 92 already to his name overnight, completed his century by steering Sharma to third man for his ninth boundary — but then fell to a swinging yorker from Zaheer just before lunch.
India conceded only 42 runs in the first session, Hussey reaching his half-century with an edge which fell between Dravid and VVS Laxman in the slips.
The left-hander eventually went to a fine piece of fielding from debutant Vijay, run out attempting a single off Harbhajan Singh and undone when the ball failed to beat the close-in fielder on the offside.
Michael Clarke had already been caught behind off Sharma, and Shane Watson went cheaply — playing the ball on as he pushed forward to Harbhajan.
After tea, Haddin and White had to battle against spin as Mahendra Singh Dhoni chose not to take the second new ball.
Haddin was eventually dismissed by leg-spinner Amit Mishra, caught by Dravid from a delivery which bit out of the rough.
Dhoni took the new ball 44 overs after it became available — and almost immediately Sharma trapped Jason Krejza lbw.
White attempted to up the pace but was caught in the deep off Harbhajan — and Mitchell Johnson was last out, skying Mishra to long-on.
4th Test, Day 3: India 441(S Tendulkar 109, S Ganguly 85, V Sehwayg 66, VVS Laxman 64, MS Doni 56; J Krejza 8-215) & 0-0, Australia 355(S Katich 102, M Hussey 90, C White 46; H Singh 3-94, A Mishra 2-58, I Sharma 2-64).