By IANS
Perth : India were 245 for eight wickets at tea on the third day of the third Test against Australia here Friday to extend their overall lead to 363.
At the interval, V.V.S. Laxman was batting on a fine 57 (114 balls, 5x4s) and Rudra Pratap Singh was on seven as India scored 87 and lost three wickets – Irfan Pathan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Anil Kumble – in the post-lunch second session.
In the two sessions so far Friday, India have scored 193 runs and lost seven wickets with some of the mainline batsmen failing.
India, who trail 0-2 in the four-Test series, made 330 in their first innings and bowled out Australia for 212 to take a 118-run lead at the Western Australian Cricket Association ground.
Night watchman Pathan (46, 64 balls, 6x4s) was dismissed soon after lunch. He pushed at a Michael Clark delivery and perished in the hands of captain Ricky Ponting at the lone slip. He and Laxman added 35 for the sixth wicket.
Then, part-time off-spinner Andrew Symonds snared Mahendra Singh Dhoni (38, 78 balls, 2x4s, 2x6s) and captain Anil Kumble (0) in the same over to give India a jolt.
Adam Gilchrist took a good diving catch to his left as Dhoni tried to play a scoop shot over the wicket-keeper. Dhoni and Laxman added 75 for the seventh wicket.
Kumble lasted four balls before Michael Clarke took the catch at first slip as Symonds exulted.
The morning session had not been a fruitful one for India either. They lost Virender Sehwag (43, 61 balls, 7x4s), Rahul Dravid (3, 5 balls), Sachin Tendulkar (13, 25 balls, 2x4s) and Sourav Ganguly for a duck while adding 106 to the overnight total of 52 for one.
In the morning session, the visitors lost two key wickets in six balls to reduce them to 82 for three from 79 for one.
Sehwag, the first to depart, hit Michael Clark for two boundaries in successive overs, but departed soon. He had got a life at 43 when Michael Hussey juggled the ball and dropped it at gully off fast bowler Brett Lee.
Dravid, trying to cover drive a wide ball from Lee, only managed to snick it to wicket keeper Adam Gilchrist.
Sachin Tendulkar did not last long. He fell leg before wicket to Lee as he tried to play the ball to the on side off his front foot.
Sourav Ganguly went for a duck, caught by Clarke at first slip off speedster Mitchell Johnson, as India suddenly found themselves at 125 for five.