Australia out for 268 on 3rd day of1st test

Rookie legspinner Amit Mishra captured five wickets as India dismissed Australia for 268 runs Sunday to take 201-run lead after tea on the third day of the second cricket test.

Mishra finished with figures of 5-71 in a fine performance as Anil Kumbles replacement, while allrounder Shane Watson led Australias fightback with 78. Watson, appearing in his fifth test, looked the most comfortable of Australia's batsmen in the pressure situation and collected ten fours and a six from his 156-ball knock.

His only mistake came when he played back to Mishra and was struck on the pad in front. Mishras fifth wicket came when last man Peter Siddle was stumped by Mahendra Singh Dhoni to finish the innings. Mishra, who dismissed Michael Clarke and Simon Katich on day two, deserved his impressive return from 26.4 overs after displaying his effective variations. Support came from paceman Ishant Sharma, who had 2-68, and offspinner Harbhajan Singhs 2-60 off 25.

After surviving a close lbw appeal on 39, Watson smashed Mishra over the boundary and then pulled Sharma for four to bring up his fifty from 102 balls.

Watson was unable to find an able partner until Lee arrived to help the side out of the poor position of 167-7 before lunch.

Lee, who took a Sharma bouncer on the back, hit some fierce straight drives in a lively innings of 35, which ended when he edged Harbhajan to Rahul Dravid at slip.

All the runs were crucial for Australia, which resumed the morning on 102-4, in its push to get as close as possible to India's first-innings total of 469.

The partnership also meant Australia moved nearer to 270 and the mark at which it would avoid the possibility of being asked to follow-on by Dhoni. Australia fell two runs short but Dhoni chose to bat again.

Mishra claimed his third wicket of the innings before lunch when Cameron White misread a wrongun and was bowled for 5. Whites dismissal came after Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin had also departed in the first session. Hussey brought up his half-century with a hook to fine-leg, but he was dismissed two balls later when he nicked a delivery angling across him from Sharma. He spent 119 balls fighting over his 54 and his loss was a big blow for Australia.

Sixteen runs later Haddin (9) lost his off-stump attempting a big drive off a well flighted offspinner from Harbhajan.