Determined Aussies launch grim fightback

NEW DELHI (AFP) - Part-time off-spinner Virender Sehwag picked three key wickets to thwart Australia's grim fightback on the third day of the third Test here on Friday.

Sehwag, 30, denied centuries to captain Ricky Ponting (87) and Matthew Hayden (83) before dismissing Michael Hussey (53) as the tourists finished the day on 338 for four in reply to India's imposing 613 for seven declared.

They are still 275 runs behind with six wickets in hand and face the unenviable task of batting on a wearing fifth-day track at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.

The tourists, who trail the four-Test series 1-0 after a 320-run thrashing in Mohali, must avoid defeat here if they are to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy, with one Test to go after this.

Michael Clarke was batting on 21 with Shane Watson on four at close after surviving some close chances against the spinners, who managed to extract good turn from the track.Ponting hit 14 fours in his fine 163-ball knock and also shared a vital 82-run stand with the in-form Hussey.

The Australian skipper looked set for his 37th ton following his 123 in the drawn Bangalore opener but was bowled by Sehwag, who gave away just 66 runs off his impressive 22 overs.

Ponting is currently second behind India's Sachin Tendulkar (39) in the highest Test century-makers' list."The wicket was turning," Sehwag said after the day's play."I was just trying to contain the batsmen and got wickets in the process. They could not read which way my ball would go. They expected it to spin every time but the ball was actually keeping straight."