India fightback pushes the Aussies

Steve Waugh was given out handling the ball as Australia collapsed from 340 for three to 391 all out on the second day of the…

Steve Waugh was given out handling the ball as Australia collapsed from 340 for three to 391 all out on the second day of the third and final test against India today.

Australia's collapse - in which their last seven wickets fell for 51 - started with Waugh's unusual dismissal for 47 in the sixth over of the day.

He was hit on the pad as he shaped to play a sweep-pull against off-spinner Harbhajan Singh then palmed the ball away as it bounced towards the stumps.

Opener Matthew Hayden, who finished with 203, scored 56 of the 65 runs added to the overnight 326 for three. The left-hander had just claimed his maiden test double century before he was last out on the stroke of lunch.

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India's openers began their reply strongly as Shiv Sundar Das and left-hander Sadagopan Ramesh spurred their side to 107 without loss at tea.

Das and Ramesh played confidently and were comfortable against off-spinner Colin Miller and leg-spinner Shane Warne on a dusty pitch.

Ramesh was later out for 61 but Das (84 not out) and Vangipurappu Laxman (59 not out) led the fightback to leave India on 211 for one at the close on the second day.

The series is level 1-1.

Reuters