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BJP holds demonstration outside Cong office against 'shirtless' protest

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11:32

Militant arrested in Manipur's Imphal West

3rd Test Live! Australia end Day Four on 261-7, lead by 326

Mon, 29 December 2014

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13:38

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 261-7 (75 overs)

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

An exquisite cover drive by Marsh, off Shami, helps the batsman to his seventh boundary and takes his team past the 250-run mark, in the 70th over. Two balls later, the batsman repeats the feat.

Australia end Day Four at 261 for seven, for an overall lead of 326.

Marsh is unbeaten on 62 and giving him company is Harris on eight, the two having added 27 so far for the eighth wicket.

That's all for today. See you tomorrow.

13:04

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 246-7

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

The Australian total (207) at the moment is the fourth highest fourth innings total at the MCG. South Africa's 273-7 in the drawn affair in 1997 remains the highest.

Ishant is back, replacing Yadav (12-0-72-2) in the 60th over. He gives away a single first up. In his second, he does induce an inside edge off Marsh but the ball goes to the fence. Lucky Marsh.

He is lucky again as he survives a loud leg before appeal. Ishant was certain. So was umpire Dharmasena.

Shami replaces Ishant (19-4-49-2) in the 66th over. Johnson gets a boundary apiece off Ashwin and Shami to take the lead close to 300.

However, before that happens Shami has Johnson (15) caught by Rahane at midwicket. Ryan Harris is the new man in. A couple off his blade takes the Australian lead past the 300-run mark.

A huge six off Ashwin helps Marsh reach his second Test fifty, and a well-deserved one at that.

12:12

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 205-6

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Just when things looked to be settling down for Australia, a horrendous decision cuts short Haddin's (13) stay at the crease.

The Australian wicketkeeper is adjudged caught behind off Yadav, even as the television replays clearly suggest he didn't nick.

Mitchell Johnson is the new man in.

12:06

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 200-5

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Ashwin is back in the attack in the 51st over, replacing Shami (16-2-57-0). He gives away just a single.

It's a twin bowling change again, with Yadav replacing Ishant (16-4-42-2). A single by Haddin in the over extends the Australian lead to 250.

For the record, the highest successful chase at the MCG, in the last 30 years, is 237 by Australia in 2012. Have Australia got enough?

Marsh cuts loose with a couple of boundaries off Yadav before a single by Haddin off Ashwin takes the home team to the 200-run mark, an overall lead of 265.

11:29

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 176-5

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

We are back. The last session will be an extended one, with about two hours and 40 minutes of play stipulated.

Ishant starts the proceedings. The only run in the over is courtesy a no ball.

Shami to bowl the second over. He also concedes a single.

Ishant strikes in the third over after tea, having Burns (9) caught behind. It's a twin failure for the debutant.

Brad Haddin is the new man in.

10:56

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 174-4

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Debutant Joe Burns is the new man in.

Australia go into tea at 174 for four (43 overs), an overall lead of 239 runs.

Marsh is unbeaten on 15 and Burns on eight.

The good news for India is Ashwin is getting some purchase from this wicket. See you in a while.

10:44

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 165-4

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Rogers (on 56) is out caught behind off Shami but the ball has touched the ground. The opener survives.

A single by Rogers, off Shami, takes the home team to 150, in the 37th over.

Ashwin is back into the attack, replacing Shami (13-1-54-0) in the 39th over. He gives away two runs first up.

It's a twin bowling change, with Ishant replacing Yadav (8-0-55-1). Rogers welcomes him with successive boundaries. Having got dismissed in the 50s thrice in succession, the opener is now past that jinx.

But he doesn't survive for long, Ashwin crashing through his defense. He goes for 69, having added 33 for the fourth wicket with Marsh, having added as much for the third wicket with his captain.

10:10

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 135-3

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Smith gets into the groove with successive boundaries off Umesh Yadav. The bowler has been wayward on the day, going for almost nine runs per over.

However, he finally has some reason to cheer as Smith (14) is caught by Ajinkya Rahane at leg slip. A crucial wicket for India this.

It was a poor delivery but Smith rushed onto the shot.

Shaun Marsh replaces his captain at the crease. He starts off with a boundary, the shot taking the lead to 200.

09:37

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 112-2

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Captain Steven Smith is the new man in. Successive boundaries by Rogers, off Shami, takes the home team total past the 100-run mark.

News is, we are going to have an early start in Melbourne tomorrow.

A boundary off Shami helps Rogers complete his eighth Test fifty. The Australian opener has now scored a fifty in each of his last four innings - two apiece in Brisbane and Melbourne.

09:19

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 982

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

After an 80-minute delay we have the batsmen walking out to bat again.

Rogers (on 33) is fortunate in Ishant's second ball, Dhawan putting down a simple chance in second slip. The batsman expresses his gratitude with a boundary.

Shami starts off at the other end. However, Ishant provides India with a second wicket, having Watson (17) caught behind.

07:42

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 90-1 (22 overs)

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

The covers are on at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Forecasts have partly come true. There is no rain yet but the wind did pick up during the break and the covers were brought.

Australia has an overall lead of 155 with nine of their second innings wickets intact.

07:02

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 90-1 (22 overs)

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

A boundary by Watson, off Shami, helps take the Australian lead past the 150-run mark.

At lunch, Australia have reached 90 for one (22 overs), for an overall lead of 155.

Chris Rogers is unbeaten on 33, and giving him company is Shane Watson on 15, the two having added 33 runs for the second wicket so far.

See you in about 40 minutes for the second session.

06:54

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 83-1

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Warner's 42-ball 40 was inclusive of six boundaries and he helped Rogers add 57 runs for the opening wicket.

Shane Watson is the new man in. He starts off with a couple. Rogers eases the pressure, with a boundary each, off Ishant - and his replacement Shami.

Ashwin has slowed down the proceedings considerably, especially after the aggressive start the Australians had.

06:32

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 57-1

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Spin is introduced in the ninth over, R Ashwin replacing Ishant (1-1-0-0). Ishant has a change of ends, replacing Shami (4-1-13-0) in the next over. He bowls another maiden.

Rogers (on 9) survives a loud leg before appeal in the first ball of Ashwin's second over. A single by Rogers, off Ishant, helps Australia get to the 50-run mark, in the 12th over.

Ashwin strikes in his fourth over, having Warner (40) out leg before. Australia 57-1.

06:01

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 45-0

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Shami induces an outside edge off Rogers but it doesn't carry to Dhawan at second slip.

Umesh Yadav continues with his horrible start to the second innings, 14 runs coming off his third over, with Warner hitting successive boundaries and also running four on another occasion.

India affect the first bowling change in the day's seventh over, Ishant Sharma replacing a wayward Yadav (3-0-32-0). He starts off with a maiden.

The lead is already over 100.

05:37

Scorecard:

Australia: 530 & 20-0

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

David Warner and Chris Rogers open the batting for Australia and it will be Umesh Yadav first up for India.

Warner smashes the first ball through point for a bounadry. They run four off the second ball as 10 runs come off the first over.

Mohammed Shami to bowl the second over. He gives away just two runs.

Warner smashes the first ball of Yadav's second over to the fence to surpass 3,000 Test runs. He also hits a boundary off the last ball

05:15

Scorecard:

India: 465 (128.5 overs)

Australia: 530

Ryan Harris to bowl the second over and we get the first run of the day, from Shami's bat.

Johnson wraps up the Indian innings inside three overs. In the fifth ball of his second over (of the day) he has Shami (12) caught by Smith at slip.

India bowled out for 465, giving the home team a lead of 65 runs. Will it be a vital advantage?

Or can India capitalise on Kohli and Rahane's hard work?

We will come back in a while.

05:06

Scorecard:

India: 462-9

Australia: 530

Good morning and welcome to the live coverage of the fourth day's play of the third Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Am afraid the news is not very good. Like on Day Three, India lose an early wicket on the fouth as well, Johnson having Umesh Yadav (0) caught behind.

It is overcast in Melbourne with chances of rain in the afternoon.

3rd Test Live! Australia end Day Four on 261-7, lead by 326

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