KEY POINTS:
Only the rewriting of test history stands between Australia taking a 1-0 series win over India in the first test.
Australia set India a fourth innings target of 499 after declaring their second innings closed at 351 for seven late on the third day yesterday, setting the tourists an awkward little session before stumps.
Openers Rahul Dravid on three not out and Wasim Jaffer, two not out, survived eight overs and took India to six without loss.
But they and their batting colleagues face a mountainous challenge over the next two days to either win or even save the match against Australia's in-form bowlers.
With good weather forecast, Australia are strongly placed to win unless the tourists can produce a remarkable turnaround with the bat, after their first innings of 196, and post the biggest score of the match.
The hot and dry conditions, with more of the same expected at the weekend, means the pitch has started wearing and offering some spin and reverse swing for the bowlers, as well as playing slow and potentially low.
Only three teams in 130 years of test history have scored more than 400 in the last innings to win a match, while England's 1928 side is the only one to have posted more than 300 in a successful run chase at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Even if they cannot win, India will have to bat for one of the longest fourth innings in history - there are another 180 overs potentially remaining - just to save the match.
Only two teams - England, who drew a timeless test played across 10 days against South Africa in 1939, and New Zealand, who lost to England in 1973 - have batted longer than 180 overs in the fourth innings of a test.
Australia spent almost all of yesterday grinding down the tourists and steadily building their total, without too much pressure from the Indian bowlers.
Michael Clarke top scored with 73, opener Phil Jaques made 51, Matthew Hayden hit 47 and Andrew Symonds made 44 after getting a nice share of luck early in his innings.
Mike Hussey, with 36, Adam Gilchrist, 35, Brad Hogg, 35 not out, and Brett Lee, 11 not out, were also among the runs, which left captain Ricky Ponting as the only batsman ruing a poor match with the bat, after scores of four and three.
Symonds was bowled off a Zaheer Khan delivery when on eight, but got a reprieve when umpire Billy Bowden signalled no-ball.
Symonds made good that slice of luck by hitting two sixes, while Clarke also batted nicely until he was out stumped to a nicely flighted delivery from Anil Kumble.
Kumble, with two for 102, and offspinner Harbhajan Singh, three for 101, were the most successful of India's bowlers, but were unable to exert any sustained pressure on Australia's batsmen.
The only moment Australia were under the slightest bit of pressure came when Harbhajan dismissed Hayden and Ponting in successive overs, but Jaques and Hussey steadied.
- AAP
