09 October 2004	Saturday	23 Shaban 1425

BANGALORE, Oct 8: Australian bowlers led by Glenn McGrath's four-wicket haul quashed Indian hopes of a fight back to tighten their grip in the first test on Friday.

Fast bowlers McGrath and Jason Gillespie ran through the tail with the new ball to dismiss India for 246 to take a big first innings lead after amassing 474 all out batting first.

Australia then opted against the follow-on, reaching 127 for four wickets in their second innings at the close to extend the overall lead to 355 runs. First innings centurion Michael Clarke (11) and Damien Martyn (29) were together after openers Justin Langer (0), Matthew Hayden (30), Simon Katich (39) and Darren Lehmann (14) were out.

Australia were favourites to push for victory by building their lead further on day four to bring pressure on the host batsmen, who will bat last on a breaking pitch.

The visitors chose not to enforce the follow-on because of the pitch and their experience on the previous tour three years ago. In 2001, Australia looked set to win their first Test series in India since 1969 after claiming the first Test by 10 wickets and asking India to follow on in the next in Calcutta. But Vangipurappu Laxman hit a record 281 to spark a memorable Indian victory after the Australian batting caved in on a last-day pitch. India went on to win the series 2-1. Australia lost regular wickets in their second innings.

Left-hander Langer was trapped lbw by Irfan Pathan playing half forward for a fourth ball duck before Hayden was run out to a direct hit by Harbhajan Singh from square-leg going for a quick single.

Katich edged a drive against Kumble to slip fielder Rahul Dravid for 39 before Darren Lehmann gloved a catch to silly mid-off against Harbhajan Singh. India, reeling at 150 for six over night, added another 96 runs before being dismissed half-an-hour before tea.

McGrath, back in the side after a long injury lay-off, was the chief wicket-taker with four for 55 as Australian fast bowlers came on top of a slow pitch to share eight wickets.

Wicket keeper Parthiv Patel (46) and tail ender Irfan Pathan (31) clung on to add 60 runs for the seventh wicket to prevent a total collapse, and their last four wickets added 110 runs. But the fightback subsided once the new ball was taken. Gillespie bowled Patel middle-stump with his first delivery with the new ball and then pegged back Anil Kumble's off-stump after he made 26 to wrap up the innings.

Leg spinner Shane Warne gave Australia the initial breakthrough by having Pathan caught behind to reduce India to 199 for seven at lunch. The other three Tests will be played in Madras, Nagpur and Bombay.

SCOREBOARD

Australia (1st innings): 474 (M.Clarke 151, A.Gilchrist 104, H.Singh 5-146)

India (1st innings) (overnight 150-6)

A.Chopra lbw b McGrath 0

V.Sehwag c Langer b Kasprowicz 39

R.Dravid b McGrath 0

S.Ganguly c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 45

V.Laxman b Warne 31

Y.Singh c Gilchrist b McGrath 5

P.Patel b Gillespie 46

I.Pathan c Gilchrist b Warne 31

A.Kumble b Gillespie 26

H.Singh c Lehmann b McGrath 8

Z.Khan not out 0

Extras (b-5 lb-2 nb-3 w-5) 15

Total (all out, 89.2 overs) 246

Fall of wkts: 0-1 2-4 3-87 4-98 5-124 6-136 7-196 8-227 9-244

Bowling: McGrath 25-8-55-4 (nb-1), Gillespie 16.2-3-63-2 (w-5), Warne 28-4-78-2, Kasprowicz 20-4-43-2 (nb-2)

Australia (2nd innings)

J.Langer lbw b Pathan 0

M.Hayden run out 30

S.Katich c Dravid b Kumble 39

D.Martyn not out 29

D.Lehmann c Chopra b Harbhajan 14

M.Clarke not out 11

Extras (b-2 nb-1 w-1) 4

Total (four wickets, 42 overs) 127

To bat: A.Gilchrist, S.Warne, J.Gillespie, M.Kasprowicz, G.McGrath

Fall of wkts: 1-0 2-65 3-86 4-104

Bowling (to date): Pathan 9-2-29-1 (w-1), Zaheer 7-1-27-0, Harbhajan 15-2-43-1, Kumble 11-2-26-1 (nb-1). -Reuters