Aussies held up by Harbhajan

Seamer Johnson sparks top-order collapse in morning session

Last updated: 12th October 2008

Aussies held up by Harbhajan

Johnson and Ponting celebrate the wicket of Laxman

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First Test Match
Bangalore - Day Three
Australia 430 (M E K Hussey 146, R T Ponting 123, S M Katich 66, Z Khan 5-91, I Sharma 4-77) v India 313-8 (Harbhajan Singh 54, R Dravid 51, M G Johnson 4-62)

India recovered from the perilous position of 155-5 to reach 313-8 at the close of day three of the first Test against Australia in Bangalore.

Battling half-centuries from Rahul Dravid and Harbhajan Singh helped the hosts get out of trouble, though they still trail by 117.

Sourav Ganguly played his part in the recovery mission with 47 but it was Harbhajan who really frustrated the Australians, his defiant 54 coming from 110 balls.

Crucial partnership

The off-spinner put on 80 for the eighth wicket with Zaheer Khan, who was unbeaten on 35 when bad light forced the players from the field well after the scheduled finish.

Mitchell Johnson was the pick of Australia's attack, the left-arm paceman claiming 4-62 with three of his victims coming in a one-sided morning session.

Having eased to 68 without loss before rain ended play early on Friday, India somehow suffered a top-order collapse, losing 4-38 before lunch.

Just two runs had been added to the overnight total when Brett Lee trapped Gautam Gambhir (21) plumb in front.

Opening partner Virender Sehwag followed him back to the pavilion three overs later, edging Johnson through to Matthew Hayden at first slip when well set on 45.

Needing 77 runs to get past Brian Lara's record for the most runs in Test cricket, Sachin Tendulkar made a positive start to his innings, stroking three classical cover drives to the boundary.

However, any hopes he would break the record in the first innings disappeared when he chipped a well-disguised Johnson slower ball straight to short point when on 13.

Follow-on threat

The same bowler also accounted for VVS Laxman, caught behind by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for a duck, and when Dravid fell soon after lunch to a dubious leg before decision, India were in danger of having to follow-on.

Ganguly dug in to try and rescue the situation before becoming Johnson's latest victim, while the normally aggressive Mahendra Singh Dhoni faced 51 balls to make just nine. He was eventually bowled by spinner Michael Clarke.

At 232-7 Australia still seemed certain to hold a massive first-innings lead, only for Harbhajan to once again frustrate them, scoring his fifth Test 50 and third in successive matches against Ricky Ponting's side.

By the time he was dismissed, caught by Haddin slashing at a wide ball from Shane Watson, he had helped repair the early damage and left the game intriguingly poised with two days to play.