India close to win in 3rd Test

Mohali, Mar 18 (PTI) India closed in on achieving their best-ever series win over Australia after quickly snapping up five wickets, including skipper Michael Clarke, which left the visitors staring at another heavy defeat in the third cricket Test here today. Resuming on 75 for three, India grabbed the five Australian wickets while giving away 95 runs in 46 overs, before the two teams went to lunch on the fifth and final day at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium. At lunch, Australia were ahead by 79 runs, with Brad Haddin and Mitchell Starc batting on 23 and nine respectively. With 98 overs to be bowled today, 46 of which has already been delivered, India will look to bundle out the visitors as quickly as possible and then chase down the target within the stipulated overs. Nathan Lyon, Clarke, overnight batsman Phillip Hughes (69), Mosies Henriques and Peter Siddle were the batsmen to have been dismissed, which left India within sniffing distance of winning their third straight Test against Australia. Leading the four-match series 2-0, India, since playing their first official match 81 years ago in 1932, have never won more than two matches against Australia in the longer format of the game. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja again turned out to be the star performer for India, picking up the wickets of Henriques (2) and Clarke (18) –- this was the fifth time in six outings that the Saurashtra player had taken the Australian skipper's wicket. After night-watchman Nathan Lyon was caught behind off Pragyan Ojha for the day's first wicket in the innings' 28th over, in walked Clarke, who demoted himself in the batting order due to a recurring sore back. Clarke survived 49 balls for his 18 while hitting three boundaries, before Jadeja came back to get his bunny, caught at forward short-leg by Cheteshwar Pujara who held on the catch after the Aussie got an inside edge onto his pads. PTI AH ATK ATK