India set 292 for victory

India has been set 292 for victory following finally bowling out Australia for 240 in their second innings in the opening session on day four of the Boxing Day Test being played in Melbourne on Thursday.

Australia who resumed on 8 for 179 added 61 valuable runs for the final two wickets with paceman Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma snaring the final two wickets on a picture perfect day at the MCG.

Those valuable runs means that India will be forced to chase 292 for victory and should they be successful it will be the highest fourth run chase at the MCG in 58-years.

Resuming on 8 for 179 the hosts lost the early wicket of Michael Hussey (89) before an unlikely 43-run 10^th wicket partnership before James Pattinson (37 not out) and Ben Hilfenhaus (14) ensured the hosts scored some valuable runs towards the end of their innings.

Pattinson, who has done the damage with the ball this time did it with the bat and had some luck as well as he was dropped in the outfield by Khan with the Australian score just past the 200 mark.

No such luck went Hussey’s way who missed out on what would have been his 16^th test century after being caught behind off the bowling off Khan having just added 10 to his overnight total.

Australia all out 333

Ed Cowan 68 (177)

Ricky Ponting 62 (94)

Peter Siddle 41 (99)

Zaheer Khan 4 for 77 (31 overs)

Ravichandran Ashwin 3 for 81 (29 overs)

Umesh Yadav 3 for 106 (26 overs)

India all out 282

Sachin Tendulkar 73 (98)

Rahul Dravid 68 (187)

Virender Sehwag 67 (83)

Ben Hilfenhaus 5 for 75 (26 overs)

Peter Siddle 3 for 63 (21.1 overs)

James Pattinson 2 for 55 (23 overs)

Australia all out 240

Michael Hussey 89 (151)

Ricky Ponting 60 (97)

Umesh Yadav 4 for 70 (20 overs)

Zaheer Khan 3 for 53 (20 overs)