PHOTOS: Australia pacemen crush India to win MCG Test

Australia were dismissed for 240 runs in their second innings before lunch, after Mike Hussey and James Pattinson resumed on 179-8, with a lead of 230, on day four of the first Test at Melbourne, on Thursday.

Hussey, who survived a dropped catch on 69 by Dravid on day three, rode his luck to beat a big caught behind appeal down the leg side but was soon out for 89, feathering a catch to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni off a stinging Zaheer Khan delivery that moved away slightly.

Chasing 292 for victory, India's famed batting line-up failed to live up to their top billing as they were bowled out for 169 in 47.5 overs to lose the first Test by 122 runs.

Paceman Zaheer's joy was cut short when he blew a golden chance to end Australia's innings early by dropping Pattinson on 15 after lumbering in from fine leg to spill a low catch from a skied slog off Umesh Yadav's bowling.

The 21-year-old Pattinson, playing his third Test, went on to blast an unbeaten 37 and build an invaluable partnership of 43 with Ben Hilfenhaus. Ishant Sharma wrapped up the innings by having Hilfenhaus caught in the slips for 14.

Set 292 for victory, India lost an early wicket in the form of opener Virender Sehwag.

Hilfenhaus, who took a career-best five-wicket haul in the first innings, tempted Sehwag with a short and wide delivery that the hard-hitting 33-year-old slashed straight into the gully, where Mike Hussey leapt into the air to snaffle it with both hands.

Gautam Gambhir failed with the bat for the second time in the match.

The left-hander was once again caught behind the wicket as he poked at an outgoing delivery from Peter Siddle to be dismissed for 13.

Rahul Dravid was bowled by Pattinson for 10 with a venomous off-cutter that crashed through the gate into middle stump.

That sparked a calamitous collapse, with VVS Laxman departing 10 runs later for one and middle order batsman Virat Kohli out for a golden duck on the next ball to leave the tourists flailing at 69-5.

Sachin Tendulkar entered the ground to a huge roar from the crowd, where one of the many tribute banners read: "100 or no 100, Sachin is number one."

The master batsman raised his head briefly as if seeking inspiration from higher powers, then settled down on a mission to rescue India's innings and secure an elusive 100th international century in the process.

The veteran batsman played a fluent innings of 32 before he was caught by Hussey at gully off Siddle.

Tendulkar received another standing ovation from the MCG crowd as he trudged off with head bowed, while Siddle was mobbed by his joyous team-mates, who knew they had got their man.

Siddle's delight was obvious as he scalped Tendulkar for the second time in the match.

The Aussie pacer ripped the heart out of India's innings, tempting Tendulkar with a fuller delivery and the talisman drove it straight to Hussey in the gully.

Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and wicketkeeper captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni threw caution to the wind in an unbeaten 36-run stand before the interval.

After leaving India reeling on 117-6 at tea, the hosts clinched the remaining four wickets for 52 runs at a sun-drenched Melbourne Cricket Ground to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series.

Ashwin made a quick 30 from 35 balls, before he was undone by a quick bouncer from Siddle.

Any faint hopes of a late fightback were snuffed out in the second over after the interval when paceman Peter Siddle fired a short delivery that cannoned into a leaping Ashwin's gloves.

The rebound popped into the air allowing Ed Cowan to jog under the ball and take a simple catch behind the wicket, cutting short an enterprising knock of 30 from the spinner.

India's wicketkeeper captain MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan tried to rally with a defiant 24-run stand before James Pattinson removed his fellow paceman with a thick edge off his pad that also looped to Cowan at short leg.

Man of the Match Pattinson struck again in his next over when the Indian captain played onto his stumps as he launched an ambitious swipe at a delivery that had kept its line outside the off stump.

Spinner Nathan Lyon took the last wicket when Umesh Yadav, who blasted a six in his 21, was caught by David Warner near the rope after trying the same shot two balls later.

The catch sparked jubilant scenes as Australia's players charged to the middle to embrace, whooping with joy.