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Leg-spinner Anil Kumble took five wickets to overshadow Matthew Hayden's 28th test century and put India in a strong position after the first day of the first cricket test against Australia yesterday.
Indian captain Kumble captured five for 84 to make it clear his team would not be intimidated by the big-name Australians, claiming the wickets of Phil Jaques, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee to leave the home side on 337 for nine at stumps.
Stuart Clark cracked 21 runs from 17 balls as he and fellow tailender Mitchell Johnson weathered the final overs to see out the day on a flat, but deteriorating Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch.
After combining with Jaques for a steady first-wicket stand of 135, Hayden brought up his century when he cracked an RP Singh ball for four runs in the 43rd over.
The century was his 19th scored in Australia, surpassing Donald Bradman and Ricky Ponting with 18 each.
Hayden was eventually dismissed in the 63rd over when he spooned a delivery from Zaheer Khan to Sourav Ganguly at mid on for a simple catch, leaving Australia at 241 for five.
Jaques overcame a shaky start to hit a half-century before being dismissed by Kumble for 66, sparking a mini-collapse.
After Australia ended the first session at 111 without loss, Kumble made his breakthrough in the 34th over when he had Jaques stumped by wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni. Jaques' 108-ball knock featured eight boundaries.
India maintained their momentum, dismissing Ponting and Hussey in the space of just four deliveries to dent Australia's confidence.
Captain Ponting managed just four runs before he was bowled by paceman Khan in the 39th over, ushering Hussey to the crease.
Hussey faced three balls and scored two runs when he became Kumble's second dismissal, trapped leg before wicket in the 40th over with the score at 165 for three.
Hayden and Michael Clarke, who made 20, shared a 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket and looked to be settling in before Clarke was caught by VVS Laxman at second slip off RP Singh in the fourth over after tea.
Symonds compiled a quickfire 35 off 42 balls, including five boundaries, before he became Kumble's third victim when he mistimed a pull shot and was caught by substitute fielder Dinesh Karthik at mid on with the total at 281 for six.
Gilchrist followed shortly after, caught by Sachin Tendulkar off Kumble, and Lee was sent packing for a duck off Kumble's 19th over of the day. Brad Hogg made 17 before being caught by Rahul Dravid off Khan in the final overs.
Australia's opening pair got off to a slow start under some intense pressure from India's pace attack after Ponting won the toss and elected to bat first.
Hayden finally found his first run with a single in the fifth over.
Former Indian captain Ganguly, playing in his 100th test, bowled three overs of medium pace, conceding 14 runs.
Ganguly joins Dilip Vengsarkar, Kapil Dev, Tendulkar, Kumble and Rahul Dravid in an elite group of Indian players to make 100 test appearances.
India have never won a test series in Australia, but are buoyed by recent wins against England and Pakistan, and are looking to better their effort in drawing the series in their 2003-2004 tour.
* Matthew Hayden built on his superb record at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with another century yesterday. Hayden reached three figures for the sixth time in tests at the ground. The opener's century - he eventually fell for 124 - drew him level with Don Bradman on 29 test hundreds, and also made him the seventh man to notch 1000 runs at the MCG. His century, reached in just 126 deliveries, steadied the Australian batting, which had threatened to come unstuck against some inspired Indian bowling.
- AAP
