THIRD TEST, Delhi (day one):
India 295-3 v Australia

By Ben Dirs

606: DEBATE Discuss the day's play on 606 after 0900 BST

INDIA FIRST INNINGS

1131 - Gambhir, looking for his 150 before stumps, attempts a late cut but, just as when he was on 99, is foiled by the diving Hussey. And that's that for the day. India racked up 138 runs in that final session and India have taken a very big step towards winning this series today. Great knock from Gambhir, vintage from Tendulkar, and a seriously tough slog for the Australian bowlers. I'll join you tomorrow morning to see if a refreshed Aussie attack can swing the game.

1121 - 295-3 India were 27-2 at one stage today, but a vintage knock from Tendulkar and a great dig from Gambhir have put them in a fantastic position. Just three overs to bowl, but Lee still not getting any swing with the new ball, it's all gun barrel straight. Lee digs one in and the ball gets very big on Laxman - Haddin fails to control it and India pick up a single. Gambhir picks up the first boundary for some time, easing Lee to the long-off fence with the minimum of fuss.

1116 - 290-3 As this first day drifts towards its conclusion, you have to think Australia are headed towards another heavy defeat: Katich is getting plenty of turn, and Katich is no Anil Kumble. Lee takes the new ball and gets one past the edge of Gambhir. Gambhir feeling for it.

1112 - 289-3 Haddin asks the question after whipping the bails off, but Laxman had both his feet in his crease. Sharp work off the bowling of Clark, but also rather desperate.

1106 - 289-3 Just one run from Clark's over, a leg-bye off Laxman's pad. Katich still has plenty of mongrel - he fields superbly off his own bowling to prevent a boundary. Laxman does pick up a single with a straight drive but India have the engine off and are rolling towards stumps.

1102 - 285-3 "Hey Ben!" emails Clive Cavanagh, "you didn't mention this is Ghambir's highest score in Tests". This is Gambhir's highest score in Tests. No idea why Punter left it so late to bring Katich into the attack, he looks twice the bowler of Cameron White. Maiden over.

1100 - 285-3 Ten overs remain, but it's doubtful if we'll get them in, the light's not looking too clever. Clark's back into the attack... Gambhir takes a silly run so late in the day - a direct hit from Katich would have had him, and how Katich would have enjoyed that.

"There once was a fellow named Ponting, Whose attack was suddenly found wanting, Though they toiled all day, They failed to make way, The memories of Warnie must be taunting!"
Cale, a Sydneysider ruing a past that is fast fading, in the TMS inbox

1045 - 277-3 Just two from Clarke's over, a couple of singles. Laxman and Gambhir happy to work in singles against Clarke and Katich. And the wheels are starting to come off Ponting's team here - Katich and Gambhir have a flare-up after Laxman is sent back by his partner. Not sure what happened there, but there was a fair bit of fruity language from Katich.

1043 - 273-3 Full-bunger from Katich and Gambhir tucks him away for one. Laxman goes back and across and whips Katich away for a single. Big lbw shout from Katich against Gambhir, but Umpire Bowden adjudges correctly that it was probably missing off. Both batsmen in cloth caps now. Old schoolie.

1039 - 270-3 The call goes out for helmets and Ponting puts himself at short leg. Gambhir gets off strike with a drive to mid-on before Laxman whips Clarke to mid-wicket for three. Clarke, who has a history of back trouble, doesn't look entirely comfortable out there, grimacing after a couple of those deliveries.

1034 - 264-3 Ponting turns to Katich, an occasional chinaman bowler. And that's not far away! Katich gets one to turn extravagantly and locate the edge of Gambhir's bat, but the ball falls short of the slip cordon. Gambhir comes down the wicket to Katich and slaps him over Lee at mid-off - Katich didn't like that and throws a few verbals Gambhir's way.

1030 - 258-3 Laxman takes a very risky single to Mitchell Johnson at mid-off and only just beats the direct hit by a foot. It was close enough for the man upstairs to get involved.

1027 - 257-3 Gambhir glides Lee to the third-man boundary for four. Exquisite shot and it looks like Lee might need a water cannon to remove this lad from the middle.

1024 - 253-3 Clarke continues after the drinks break and Gambhir flips him away for a single. Clarke keeps it tight for a few balls before dragging one in short and allowing Laxman to whip him away for a couple.

1015 - 250-3 Big lbw appeal from Lee against Gambhir and at first it looks like a decent one. But replays show the ball struck him just outside the line and that Gambhir was a fair way outside his crease. Gambhir skews a Lee full-toss through point for a single and India's 250.

1012 - 249-3 It has now reached the stage where I have no idea what anyone is talking about. I just called my editor 'mum'. Three singles from Clarke's over and two through the covers from Laxman.

"Gramophone, Paul in Lancs? I prefer the more up-beat Dansette, especially with my state-of-the-art autochanger. Why, I can happily stack all my Val Doonican, Jim Reeves and Peter, Paul and Mary Long Playing 33 rpm records."
Carole in Maidenhead

1009 - Lee finds a yorker from somewhere, but it missed the stumps by some way, despite the ooas and aahs form the Aussie fielders.

1005 - 243-3 Clarke drops short and Laxman whips him through mid-wicket for four. Clark really should have got down to that, but there are tired legs all over the pitch.

1002 - 238-3 Laxman stands tall and steers Lee into the covers for a single before Gambhir picks up one with a tuck round the corner. Four singles from Lee's over and India are in cruise control at the moment. Still 24 more overs to bowl today. A team of bed-bound Chelsea Pensioners could have bowled at a quicker rate than this Australian outfit today.

0959 - 234-3 Gambhir reaches for a wide one from Clarke and misses. He picks up a single with a clip into the on-side. Laxman and Gambhir exchange two more singles... and another, and they're happy to milk the slow left-arm stuff of Clarke rather than give it some clatter.

0955 - 230-3 Ooh, that's a plum of a stroke from Gambhir, he's stroking it about as if he were playing in his backyard against his seven-year-old niece. Another magnificent on-drive, surely the left-hander's signature stroke. A single through the covers off Lee to end the over.

"I very much appreciated M Beat Featuring General Levy when it appeared in the pop parade a few summers ago. Particularly inspired, I thought, were the following lyrics: 'So wah: Booyaka booyaka, When the general ah pass, Booyaka booyaka, M-Beat run the dance, Booyaka booyaka, We nah tek back nah talk, Booyaka booyaka'. Rather like a pared down Rabindranath Tagore for the 21st Century, I thought to myself, when I first played it on my gramophone."
Paul in Lancs in the TMS inbox

0949 - 223-3 It's time for some Michael Clarke tweakers. Clarke tosses one up and Laxman whips the ball to mid-wicket for a couple.

0945 - 219-3 Lee is back into the attack for the first time in two hours and Gambhir picks up another boundary in more demure fashion, opening the face and diverting the ball through the third-man region. Lee appeals for lbw, but Umpire Bowden adjudges that the ball struck Gambhir outside the line. It's looking pretty desperate at the moment for Australia.

0935 - 203-3 Laxman happy to farm out the strike to Gambhir, who is homing in on his third Test century, and his second in a row. He moves to 95 with a savage cut for four off Johnson and Johnson hits back with a bumper, which is easily evaded. Johnson errs down leg-side next ball and Gambhir helps it over the boundary rope to move to 99.

"Incidentally, when I was a Junior Bear many moons ago Asif Din bought me an ice cream, a 99 flake with hundreds and thousands no less. Top bloke." John, London, in the TMS inbox

0930 - 194-3 Watson dredges up some venom from somewhere, that was a brute. Gambhir gets hit gloves up to fend it off and the ball ricochets between wicket-keeper and slip and runs away for four. Nasty delivery that. A fine over altogether from Watson, he's probably been the pick of Australia's bowlers.

0926 - 189-3 Short from Johnson and Laxman yanks him away for two to deep square-leg. Contemptuous. Laxman defends down the ground and Johnson grabs the ball and makes to shy at the stumps before breaking into a broad smile.

0918 - 187-3 Three singles from Johnson's over before Gambhir unfurls another sweet on-drive for four off the bowling of Watson to move to 87. Before anyone else emails in, I don't really think Tendulkar has scored 19,000 Test fifties, it was my little overnight joke to myself.

0913 - 180-3 Watson too straight again and over-pitched and Gambhir twirls him through wide mid-on for four. Classy stroke that. Keith has asked me to explain the meaning of the term "jungle is massive". Surely, Keith, you remember M-Beat featuring General Levy? "Wicked a Wicked a Junglist massive!" No? Thought not...

0908 - 175-3 Gambhir steers Johnson through backward point for four before nibbling the Aussie paceman to the long-leg fence to move to 75.

0905 - 164-3 Players are back out after tea. Pretty abysmal over rate by Australia today - just 52 overs bowled before tea. Watson to resume after the restart and Laxman is off the mark with the most languid cover-drive you'er ever likely to see. Lip-smackingly good. Watson strays onto Gambhir's pads and is fiddled away for two more.

0833 - 157-2 Good lines from Watson today, drip-dripping away outside Gambhir's off-stump. Too straight from Watson and Gambhir angles him away through mid-wicket for two. BIT OF BEEF! A few words are exchanged between Watson and Gambhir and Gambhir gives Watson a nudge as he trots back for his second run. Watson very nearly makes him pay next ball, getting one to dart back off the seam and very nearly rip out the batsman's off-stump.

0829 - 155-2 Too straight from Johnson and Gambhir turns him away for a single...

0825 - 154-2 White's short spell is over and he's replaced by Shane Watson. Watson bowled a very tight first spell - six overs for eight runs - and he continues where he left off with another maiden. Unfortunately for the tourists, they need more than maidens at the moment.

0819 - 154-2 That's India's 150 courtesy of a clip to mid-wicket for one off Johnson and that's Gambhir's shot of the day so far, a peach of an on-drive that would have had Geoffrey Boycott frothing at the mouth. Safe to say, Boycott's nan could not have played that shot with a stick of rhubarb.

0815 - 149-2 White being milked like a faithful old cow by Tendulkar and Gambhir. But that's a high risk shot for only one run by Tendulkar, a full-blooded swing across the line.

0812 - 142-2 That's a doozy of a drive from Gambhir, steering Johnson through the covers for four. The Aussies need someone to pull a rabbit out of a Baggy Green here, this pair are really taking control of proceedings. Gambhir plays the ball into the ground and the ball almost dribbles back onto his stumps. It could take something like that for the Aussies to make the breakthrough.

0807 - 138-2 Tendulkar comes over all Fred Astaire but White sees him coming, spears the ball wide and Tendulkar has to reach for the ball in order to club it through the covers for four. "If you're not going to turn it, you're going to get whacked!" cries the man to my left, as Tendulkar falls to one knee and slog-sweeps White for four. Chilling.

0802 - 129-2 Haddin once again standing up to Clark - they realise Gambhir has a habit of advancing down the track and could be susceptible to a stumping. Neat shot that from Gambhir, riding a bumper from Clark and diverting it to fine-leg for one. And that's glory glory alleluia from Tendulkar, taking a stride, closing the face and watching the ball race away to the deep mid-wicket fence. Tendulkar 56 from 100, Gambhir 54 from 134.

0800 - 123-2 Bit of reverse swing there from Stuart Clark, but Tendulkar manages to jam his bat down on it. Gambhir nurdles White to leg for one before Tendulkar picks up a single with a push to cover.

"Another thing to add, Tom, (see below) is the security arrangement. You can't even carry a bottle of water to the ground these days. On one hand it's understandable, but this sort of security arrangement reduces the spectator comfort to almost nil. Which contributes to us Delhiites not ditching work to catch Tendulkar and co�"
Saurabh in the TMS inbox

0743 - 108-2 Clark nag, nag, nagging away and he very nearly forces Gambhir to snap and chop onto his timbers. Gambhir opens the face and the ball lands just short of Hayden at first slip. Risky shot for one. Umpire Bowden does his best Paul Merson impression and I'm guessing that means it's time for drinks.

0739 - 107-2 I should have added that Tendulkar's fifty came off 80 balls, which is a pretty decent lick. Gambhir turns Johnson away for a single, and for the time being at least Tendulkar is becalmed.

"Indian perspective for Tom from Sydney (see below): Test cricket in India sells only in more traditional centres like Mumbai, Kolkata (Eden Gardens) and Chennai. Otherwise the shorter versions of the game is what attracts the common public in India."
Bharath in the TMS inbox

0734 - 106-2 Tight over from Johnson to Gambhir, a maiden. We have a little delay as Haddin dons lid and stands up to the stumps to Clark. Tendulkar plays a peculiar shot, an attempted shovel, and Clark appeals for a highly optimistic lbw. Fine over from Stuart Clark, wobbling the ball about just short of a length, and that's another maiden.

Hi Tom (see below). One reason, without any doubt is Twenty20 version of the game. And the second is the festive season is going on right now. It is a New Year's day for Indians (Hindus, approx. 70% of the population) and they normally spend it visiting the relatives and close friends."
Kavit, India, in the TMS inbox

0722 - 102-2 There's the India ton courtesy of a clip to deep square-leg from Tendulkar. Tendulkar homing in on his 51st Test fifty, he's on 46 now. When he gets there, he will actually have made more half-centuries than many children in Britain have had hot dinners.

0717 - 99-2 Clever shot from Gambhir, waiting on a delivery from Clark and flipping it between second slip and gully for a couple. Just 38 from 103 balls from Gambhir, it's been a nuggety little innings, and a very important one after the loss of two early wickets.

0712 - 97-2 Gambhirflays at one outside off-stump but is unable to find the gap... but it's second time lucky for the left-hander, the ball racing away to the cover boundary.

"With Tendulkar batting like a prince, why are there so many empty seats in the stadium? It was the same in the first two Tests. I can't understand why attendance seems so poor for Test cricket in India. Can we get an Indian view on this?"
Tom, Sydney, in the TMS inbox

0707 - 92-2 Tendulkar misses out for once on some width from Clark. And Tendulkar is beaten! Bit of wobble from Clark and the ball just misses the edge. Maiden from Clark and he's doing his usual manful job for the Aussies - 0-13 from 10 overs so far.

0703 - 92-2 Decent bumper from Lee and Tendulkar plays it well, swaying out of the line before sharing a grin with the Aussie paceman. Sachin whips Lee from middle and off through mid-wicket for two before unveiling a crackerjack stroke through point for four. You could take a picture of that stroke, blow it up, laminate it, stick it in a grotto and venerate it as a god.

0659 - 85-2 Loose from Gambhir, losing concentration and wafting at Clark outside off-stump. Gambhir picks up a couple with a clip off his pads.

0655 - 83-2 Tendulkar opens the face and picks up one. Gambhir and Tendulkar milk the pace of Lee for a few more singles.

0650 - 77-2 StuartClark gets the treatment, Tendulkar twirling him through point for four. This is looking ominous for the Aussies, Tendulkar looks in vintage nick. Clark pitches one up and coaxes a false drive from Tendulkar - that was like spotting a false brush stroke on the Mona Lisa.

0645 - 71-2 Lee bowls the first ball after lunch and Tendulkar defends into the on-side. Ponting is fielding at short mid-on, waiting for the mis-timed drive. But what a shot that is, Tendulkar swaying back and lifting the ball over Hayden at slip and away for four. The Little Master looks in frightening nick. Lee getting a bit of reverse swing going with his final delivery.

0638: I just had an embarrassing little incident while I was outside having a fag. I caught myself talking to myself, as I sometimes do, and I said aloud, "I really must stop talking to myself", and a rather pretty cleaner heard me say it. She laughed and laughed and laughed. Bore off Dirs... players are back out after lunch.

0558 - 67-2 For the second over in a row Tendulkar finds the fielder at point with a chunky cut. Lee offers more width and again Tendulkar is unable to get the ball through. Watson bowls the last over before lunch, and there's just one leg-bye from it. Gambhir 25, Tendulkar 26, but you'd have to say that's Australia's session. Back in a bit.

0552 - 65-2 Watson putting in a yeoman's spell here for Australia - four overs for just seven runs, but he's also asking all the right questions outside Gambhir's off-stump. And when Watson does bowl one too straight, Gambhir misses out. Just one from the over, a big 'no-y', as our Australian cousins might call it.

0549 - 64-2 Brett Lee to have a burst just before lunch... he over-pitches and that's meat and drink for Tendulkar who places the bat in the way and watches the ball race away for four. Peachy.

0544 - 60-2 Gambhir losing concentration, flashing hard and missing outside off-stump against Watson before skewing a drive to backward-point for one. A strangled lbw appeal from Watson against Tendulkar, but the batsman got a bit of wood on it. One more for Tendulkar with a tickle to fine-leg.

0540 - 58-2 Tendulkar clips Johnson to mid-wicket for a couple. Jamie in Melbourne reckons his nan recommends Irn Bru for heart burn. What does she drink when she's got a spot of guts ache - Tizer? Johnson continuing with these sweeties outside off-stump, but Tendulkar hasn't got a sweet tooth today.

0535 - 56-2 Watson gets one to nip back off the seam and waft Gambhir's off-stump. Watson nagging away again outside off-stump before serving up a bit of chin music. Gambhir plays it with the minimum of fuss. Thanks for the advice Dav, but there is one problem: I would rather drink Tipp-Ex than milk. Actually, Tipp-Ex smells quite alkali, I might give it a whirl.

"The solution to heartburn is easy - drink milk. One glass should see you right."
Dav in the TMS inbox

0528 - 56-2 Vulcanised wrists from Tendulkar, whipping Johnson to the square-leg boundary for four. Tendulkar hitting his straps here, carving Johnson to the point boundary next ball. But Johnson hits back well, serving a sweetie up in the slot, but Tendulkar isn't tempted.

0525 - 48-2 Bit of aggro! Gambhir walks down the track to play a Watson delivery and Watson waves his handbag at him at the end of his follow-through. No slouch Watson, serving it up in the high 80mphs. Maiden over.

0520 - 48-2 Tendulkar stays back and punches Johnson through mid-wicket for a couple. Johnson cuts his fingers across the seam to take the pace off the ball, but Tendulkar watches it pass safely by his off-stump. Johnson mining that area outside Tendulkar's off-stump, but the Little Master's having none of it. A couple of Aussies in fancy dress, one dressed as an emu and another as a kangaroo. Give it until tea and they'll both be no more than a couple of sweaty globules.

0516 - 46-2 All-rounder Shane Watson is brought into the attack and he starts from around the wicket to Gambhir. A strangled lbw appeal first up, but Gambhir got a nick on it. Watson drags one down and Gambhir's onto it in a flash, larruping the ball to the mid-wicket fence. Gambhir 24, Tendulkar 9. Anyone got any cures for heart burn? It feels like someone's taking a blow torch to my chest.

0512 - 41-2 Johnson angles one across Tendulkar and Tendulkar flashes and misses, but very nearly goes the same way as Dravid. Tendulkar eases Johnson through the covers for a couple. Johnson up to 93mph, he generates some pace off such a stubby little run up.

0505 - 37-2 Clarknagging away at Gambhir from over the wicket before changing his angle of attack and going around. Either way, that's a maiden over.

0459 - 37-2 Johnson working up a lather, getting up to 92mph. Not sure about his hair though, it looks like it's made of acrylic. Maybe he and Tom Jones share the same weaver. Cracking shot from Tendulkar, standing tall and creaming Johnson through the covers for his first boundary. Players have a wet.

0455 - 33-2 This haze isn't clearing, it looks like the Bethnal Green Working Man's Club before the smoking ban. Clark digs one into Gambhir's ribs and is turned away for a single. Apparently the 'reaction time' on that Hayden catch was 0.60 seconds. Is that any good? No idea.

0441 - 22-1 Lee strays on to Gambhir's pads and is turned away for a couple... by the way, I'd just like to point out that this forum is a place for good, wholesome fun and at no stage will I be making nasty comments about much-loved veteran comedy actors. If that's your bag, I suggest you go elsewhere. Holy mother of KP I'm tired...

0436 - 20-1 Srikanth, let's just say it's two-paced... actually, that does seem to be the case - Lee and Clark have both got balls to hurry the batsman, while other deliveries have gone through to the wicket-keeper rather apologetically. Let's just say it's got more juice than the average Indian pitch. Just one run from Clark's over, a glance from Gambhir past short leg.

"You say it's a fast track. Cricinfo says it's a sluggish track. Who am I, cooped up in Atlanta and depending on live text to get me through the night, to believe?"
Srikanth, staring quizzically at live text, in the TMS inbox

0433 - 19-1 One for Gambhir with a nurdle to leg. Ponting posts a second man in the cover region so we can expect Brett Lee to be sticking it right in the slot. Oooh! Nasty! Lee digs in a short one, Dravid arches his back but is struck on the right arm. Good bouncer that from Lee. Just one run, a Gambhir single, from Lee's over.

"The Aussies are getting the excuses in early! They're complaining about the balls being used! Apparently India are using the same balls as England used in the Ashes 2005 (which are made in India). Everybody else uses the Kookaburra. First it was the bowling coach Troy Cooley that was responsible for the reverse swing, then it was Trescothick and his sweeties and now it's the ball!"
Sunil Bhogal in the TMS inbox

0427 - 18-1 Ponting posts a short leg for Dravid and Clark digs one in - Dravid controls it well but it falls short of the man under the lid. Gambhir flashes and gets an under-edge, but the ball doesn't carry to Brad Haddin behind the sticks.

0422 - 16-1 Gambhir looks to have packed his Mohali form in his coffin and brought it along to Delhi - that's Rolex timing and four courtesy of a whip through square-leg. Good running from the Indians, Gambhir nicking a single after a drop into the leg side, before Dravid eases Lee through then covers for two and follows up with a similar stroke for three. Ten runs from that over.

0419 - 6-1 Dravid looks like he's going to have a nibble at a tempter from Clark, but instead demonstrates an exaggerated leave. Looks to be plenty of pace in this pitch, which will suit the Aussie seamers just fine. That's a good over from Clark, making The Wall play at almost every ball and finishing off with a bouncer. Cheeky.

"Aussie TV recently showed an interview with Matty Hayden in which he said the Aussies at 1-0 are 'where they like to be'. Right! So let's hope the Indians can make our antipodean pals even happier by making it 2-0."
Dave, Sydney, in the TMS inbox

0404 - India 4-0 Right, we're off and it's Brett Lee wit the new ball. His first is dragged down the leg side, while his second is wide outside the off-stump. The Aussies need him to slip into gear here. Over-pitched and Gambhir gets India under way with a crashing square drive for four. Paul (see below), I know nothing about 'nomics, that's what Robert Peston's there for. And by God is Robert Peston everywhere at the moment.

"I'm hearing that the ICC have agreed in principle to the injection of extra runs in the event of a mid-order collapse, in order to maintain the liquidity of Test cricket in uncertain times. Is this true?"
Paul in Lancs in the TMS inbox

0359: You've got to fancy the Aussies to hit back here - stuffed by 320 runs in the second Test, their biggest defeat in 10 years, and plenty of people have been queuing up to write them off. What odds a Hayden double ton and a Brett Lee 10-fer? Hayden averages 10 so far and Lee's four wickets have cost 237 runs.

0355: Ricky Ponting had spoken of chancing off-spinner Jason Krejza in this match but has kept faith with leggy Cameron White instead. Still a bit hazy overhead because of the smoke caused by last night's festival of Diwali.

0344: Morning everyone. The news from Delhi is that India have won the toss and decided to have a bat. Harbhajan Singh misses out with a toe injury meaning Anil Kumble returns to skipper the side, while Amit Mishra retains his place. For Australia, Stuart Clark is fit and replaces Peter Siddle.

India: Gambhir, V Sehwag, R Dravid, SR Tendulkar, SC Ganguly, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni, A Kumble, Z Khan, I Sharma, A Mishra

Australia: SM Katich, ML Hayden, RT Ponting, MEK Hussey, MJ Clarke, SR Watson, BJ Haddin, CL White, B Lee, MG Johnson, SR Clark

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