Australia knock out India in Boxing Day Test, lead series 1-0

Melbourne ,DEC 29 - James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus ripped apart the much-hyped Indian batting with their pace and helped Australia thrash them by 122 runs in the first Test in Melbourne. Australia have taken a 1-0 lead in the 4-Test match series. After bowling out Australia for 240 runs in the second innings, India were given a target of 292 runs to win the match but they collapsed to a total of 169 runs.

History was against India to bring off victory as they faced up to the highest fourth-innings run chase in almost 60 years at the MCG. South Africa were the last team to achieve a higher fourth-innings target of 297 for four in beating Australia at the cavernous Melbourne ground in 1953.

India lost opener Virender Sehwag before lunch, caught brilliantly by Hussey above his head in the gully off Hilfenhaus for four. India, 24 for one at lunch, unravelled in the middle session with five wickets tumbling for 93 runs.

Gautam Gambhir fell to a fired-up Siddle, edging to the safe hands of Ricky Ponting at second slip for 13.Rahul Dravid was bowled for the second time in the match with a pearler from Pattinson that crashed into his middle-stump for 10 to leave India 58 for three in the 19th over.

V.V.S. Laxman was out cheaply again flicking Pattinson to Ed Cowan at square leg for just one after scoring two in the first innings.Virat Kohli was out first ball, leg before wicket to Hilfenhaus with Tendulkar fast running out of batting partners.

India's hopes dived once champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for 32 in the 27th over to leave his team wallowing at 81 for six. He sliced Siddle to Hussey in the gully. With his departure India's chances darkened considerably, silencing the "Swarmy Army" India supporters and prompting many to leave the ground.

Ashwin was 30 not out off 29 balls with captain MS Dhoni on 14. But immediately after the last session of the day resumed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, India lost R Ashwin as their sixth batsman. He perished after Peter Siddle had him caught by Ed Cown at short leg without any addition to his score.

Zaheer Khan added 24 runs for the eighth wicket with Dhoni before Pattinson dismissed him for 13 runs.

Dhoni also couldn't play a major role as Pattinson cleaned up his stumps for 23 runs. It was then just a matter of time for the proceedings to end.