Australia are closing in on a series-clinching victory over India after just two days of the third Test in Perth.
Michael Clarke’s side continued where they left off after the opening day and built a 208-run first innings lead before taking four Indian wickets as the tourists reached 88-4 second time around, still 120 runs behind.
The Aussie effort was built around opener David Warner's magnificent 180, the fourth-fastest century in test history. After Warner and fellow opener Ed Cowan put on 214 for the first wicket, Warner hitting 180 from just 159 balls which included 20 fours and five sixes, the home side had looked on course to post a mammoth first innings total but lost their remaining nine for just 155.
Debutant Vinay Kumar picked up 5-93, while Zaheer Khan took two wickets, including the scalp of Brad Haddin who, after claiming India were mentally weak in the lead-up to the Test, departed to the sight of Zaheer blowing him kisses after he failed to score. Only Peter Siddle (30) put up any real resistance to the Indian attack as seven wickets fell in the afternoon session.
But once the tourists were back in it was a familiar story of a faltering top-order who struggled to cope with the pacy WACA wicket. At one stage defeat inside two days looked a possibility, as they slumped to 51 for four. Openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag were dismissed in consecutive overs, both caught behind off Starc and Siddle respectively.
Starc then grabbed the prize scalp of Sachin Tendulkar when he trapped the great man leg before. Shortly afterwards the out-of-sorts VVS Laxman edged to Marsh off Hilfenhaus and departed without scoring. Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli held out for the final hour but a heavy defeat for the tourists looks almost certain.