Hopes took two wickets as Australia hit back after posting a low total

Australia produced a superb bowling display to beat India by 50 runs and go nine points clear in the CB Series.

The Aussies needed Michael Clarke (79) and Brad Hogg (32) to help them to 203-9 as Irfan Pathan (4-41) and Ishant Sharma (2-32) shone for the tourists.

Sachin Tendulkar fell for only five as India slumped to 59-4 in reply before Yuvraj Singh (26) and Mahendra Dhoni (37) rallied them with a stand of 56.

Once they went the Indians were out for 153, with Mitchell Johnson taking 3-42.

It earned Australia a bonus-point win to leave them on 17 from five games, with India on eight and Sri Lanka six from four matches.

The second half of the match was quite a turnaround after the Australian top order, which has struggled in the series, misfired again on a decent batting wicket.

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Adam Gilchrist, who made a century in Friday's win over Sri Lanka, was cramped for space by a good Sharma delivery and chopped the ball on to his stumps for 15.

Ricky Ponting cut Munaf Patel straight to point to leave his tally 53 runs in five games, while the equally out-of-sorts Matthew Hayden struck a massive six off Patel before cutting Pathan behind.

Andrew Symonds dabbed Sharma to gully to make it 38 runs in four games for him and even the normally reliable Mike Hussey nicked to the keeper for just five.

Clarke, who was a doubt before the game with bruised ribs, showed his more experienced colleagues the way with a patient knock spanning 108 balls and featuring only six boundaries.

Pathan bowled beautifully to leave the Aussies on the rack

After Hogg was run out, Clarke was caught on the mid-wicket boundary off Pathan, who also snapped up Nathan Bracken in the same 47th over as three wickets fell for three runs.

India, who were without Virender Sehwag because of a back strain, were a batsman light after going in with five frontline bowlers.

They suffered an early blow when Tendulkar was lbw trying to flick Bracken across the line.

And they lost three more wickets for four runs as Pathan edged James Hopes to gully, Gautam Gambhir slashed Johnson to backward point and Rohit Sharma lazily wafted Hopes behind.

Yuvraj, who clubbed Hogg over mid-on for six, and Dhoni set about repairing the damage in aggressive fashion with some meaty blows to bring up the fifty partnership in quick time.

However, Yuvraj undid his good work by smacking a Hogg long-hop to wide long-on where Stuart Clark took a good catch and Dhoni, who was using a runner because of cramp, was brilliantly run out by Hayden to make it 134-6.

Johnson then saw the last recognised batsman Robin Uthappa nick behind for 18 after Harbhajan Singh had skied a pull off him as the visitors succumbed in tame fashion.

"The bowlers held us up, we were sharp in the field and although we haven't played our best cricket we're still on top of the table.

"It didn't come off with the bat but it's a good sign that we're winning games - and some of them comfortably - when we're not playing well."

"They have to realise when they are chasing such totals they have to take more responsibility, especially if we are playing five bowlers and are one batsman short.