Australia 517/7d & 290/5 lead India 444 by 363 runs
Agencies
Adelaide, December 12
Nathan Lyon completed a five-wicket haul before David Warner scored his second hundred of the match as Australia moved into a commanding position against India on day four of the first Test.
Lyon (5-134) collected three scalps in Adelaide on Friday to add to the two he picked up on Thursday afternoon as the hosts bowled out their opponents for 444.Warner (102) then backed up his first knock of 154 with another three-figure score as Australia closed on 290-5 in their second innings, handing them a lead of 363.
Michael Clarke’s side, playing in their first Test since the tragic passing of batsman Phillip Hughes in a Sheffield Shield game in late November, will now be hoping to force victory on day five.
India began day four on 369-5 but registered just 75 more runs before they were dismissed, with Lyon’s spin accounting for Rohit Sharma (43), Wriddhiman Saha (25) and Ishant Sharma (0) and seamer Peter Siddle snaffling Karn Sharma (4) and last man out Mohammed Shami (34).
The visitors were indebted to some late fireworks from Shami, who plundered three fours and a six during a thrilling 24-ball innings before he was pouched by Shane Watson.
Australia, holding a lead of 73 as they began their second innings, lost Chris Rogers (21) with 38 on the board, the veteran caught by Rohit Sharma off the spin of Karn Sharma.
But Warner pushed on and proceeded to notch his sixth ton in 11 innings – and the 11th of his Test career – though India did believe they had got their man when he was on 66.
The left-hander’s stumps were smashed by a fiery Varun Aaron delivery but replays showed the bowler had sent down a no-ball and Warner swiftly returned to the crease.
The opener and Aaron exchanged words and Shane Watson, Virat Kohi and Shikhar Dhawan also became involved in verbals as umpire Ian Gould was forced to calm the situation down.
Spinner Sharma finally bowled Warner, who was also dropped on 89 by Murali Vijay and given not out earlier on when he gloved a delivery down the leg side to wicketkeeper Saha.
But with Watson (33) playing watchfully, Mitchell Marsh (40) smacking four fours and a trio of sixes in his 26-ball knock, and first-innings centurion Steven Smith (52 not out) shining again, Australia are in pole position ahead of the final day.
