India win to end Australian streak

India once again halted a record Australian winning streak with a famous 72-run victory in the third Test against Australia at the WACA Ground here.

Set 413 to win an unprecedented 17th Test in succession, Australia were dismissed for 340 on the fourth day.

Although several batsmen scored, the home side never really threatened to pull off what needed to be the second biggest run chase in 131 years of Test cricket.

Australia's previous Test defeat was against England during its ill-fated Ashes campaign in August, 2005, at Trent Bridge.

Despite Saturday's victory, India still trails 2-1 in the four-Test series and Australia has retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the final Test to be played in Adelaide starting Thursday.

With Australian pair Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist fighting to keep the chase alive, an inventive piece of captaincy by Anil Kumble ensured India would win its first ever Test at the WACA.

Kumble's surprise decision to throw the ball to part-time spinner Virender Sehwag just before tea proved masterful, as he claimed two crucial wickets in his first eight balls.

The recalled opener broke the threatening sixth-wicket partnership between Gilchrist and Clarke by bowling the former around his legs with just his third ball.

It ended a 50-run stand between the pair, with the dangerous Gilchrist back in the pavilion for 15.

In his next over, Sehwag (2-24) had Brett Lee caught at mid-off by VVS Laxman for a duck as Australia slumped to 229 for seven.

Any hope the Australians had was extinguished when an advancing Clarke was beaten by Kumble and stumped by Mahendra Singh Dhoni for 81.

Clarke was at the crease for 160 minutes and faced 134 balls, hitting eight fours, but his departure left Australia on the brink of defeat at 253 for eight, needing 160 runs more.

There was a late flurry from tailenders Mitchell Johnson, who was bowled by a Kumble no-ball and then dropped twice as he lashed out on his way to an unbeaten 50, and Stuart Clark.

However, man-of-the-match Irfan Pathan (3-54) capped a fine return to Test cricket when he had Clark caught behind for 32 to end an entertaining 73-run partnership in 55 minutes consisting almost entirely of leg-side slogs.

When RP Singh (2-95) clean bowled number 11 Shaun Tait for four, the Indians had recorded one of their best wins in recent years and it sparked boisterous celebrations.

Spinner Harbhajan Singh, who was dropped for the third Test to make way for Pathan in what proved to be an inspired decision, and team manager Chetan Chauhan immediately dashed to the middle carrying Indian flags.

The home side initially made steady early progress after resuming at 65 for two, but young paceman Ishant Sharma claimed the prized wicket of Australian captain Ricky Ponting for 45, caught by Rahul Dravid at first slip, to end a 74-run stand with Hussey.

It was due reward for the emerging Sharma, who bowled an impressive nine-over spell.

He used his height to gain good bounce and troubled Ponting consistently as he bowled high pace off cutters that continually jagged back into the batsman.

RP Singh then trapped Hussey LBW for 46 before Symonds was unlucky to be adjudged LBW off an inside edge for 12, Australia 177 for five and struggling.

India broke Australia's previous record 16-Test winning streak when it notched a memorable victory in Kolkata in 2001.

Australia hadn't lost a home Test since December 2003, also against India in Adelaide, and was last beaten at the WACA by the West Indies in 1997.

SCOREBOARD
India 1st innings 330 R. Dravid 93; S. Tendulkar 71; Lee 3-71
Australia 1st innings 212 A. Symonds 66; A. Gilchrist 55; RP. Singh 4-68
India 2nd innings 294
Australia 2nd innings
C. Rogers c Dhoni b Pathan 15
P. Jaques c Jaffer b Pathan 16
R. Ponting c Dravid b Sharma 45
M. Hussey lbw RP Singh 46
M. Clarke st Dhoni b Kumble 81
A. Symonds lbw Kumble 12
A. Gilchrist b Sehwag 15
B. Lee c Laxman b Sehwag 0
M. Johnson not out 50
S. Clark c Dhoni b Pathan 32
S. Tait b RP Singh 4
Extras 6lb, 10nb, 8w 24
Total 340
Fall of wkts 1-21, 2-43, 3-117, 4-159, 5-177, 6-227, 7-229, 8-253, 9-326
Bowling RP Singh 21.5-4-95-2 (3w)
Pathan 16-2-54-3
Sharma 17-0-63-1 (5w, 7nb)
Kumble 24-2-98-2 (3nb)
Sehwag 8-1-24-2
Result India win by 72 runs
Man of the match Irfan Pathan (IND)