Hilfenhaus' maiden five-for rolls India for 282

India 282 (Tendulkar 73, Dravid 68, Sehwag 67, Hilfenhaus 5-75) trail Australia 333 by 51 runs

	Ben Hilfenhaus helped craft an unlikely 51-run lead for Australia © Getty Images Indian wickets tumbled to the recalled and renewed Ben Hilfenhaus on the third morning, as Australia fully exploited the opening created by Sachin Tendulkar's day-two departure to claim a critical advantage in the first Test at the MCG.

From the strength of 2 for 214, India surrendered 8 for 68 to slide ingloriously to 282 all out at lunch, 51 runs short of Australia's 333. Hilfenhaus defeated Rahul Dravid with the second ball of the day and followed up with the wickets of Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and the dogged nightwatchman Ishant Sharma, while Peter Siddle neutralised the threat of VVS Laxman and rounded things off by disposing of R Ashwin for a useful 31.

All the wickets were attained through the employment of a full length and Spartan line around off stump, drying up runs and creating chances, while the captain Michael Clarke deserved credit for his artful use of the bowlers. Hilfenhaus' efforts were a vast improvement on his showings in the Ashes last summer, as he offered subtle variation in addition to sharp pace. His first five-wicket haul in Tests was richly deserved.

Less laudable was India's approach, tentative at first then increasingly panicked as wickets fell. The visitors' susceptibility to the moving, bouncing ball was a world away from the command demonstrated by Tendulkar, and a tonic for Australia's young attack.

Dravid and Ishant walked to the middle on resumption, their sights set on establishing a first-innings advantage. Hilfenhaus had been ineffective late on the second day, yet started things off on the third and enjoyed instant success. Dravid played the day's first delivery to mid-on, but the second slid subtly away from him to elude his defensive bat and flick off stump. A second wicket in as many overs had Australia back in the match.

Laxman walked to the middle at a ground where he has never enjoyed success, in marked contrast to the rest of Australia. There is no rhyme, nor reason for the anomaly, the habit compounding itself with each tour. This time he lingered 21 balls for two, before finally being undone by a Siddle delivery that shaped nicely away to catch an edge that Brad Haddin pouched. Given the torment he has inflicted on them in the past, the Australians were understandably exultant.

Ishant was finding a way to survive, nudging, prodding and occasionally scoring, and Kohli was momentarily comfortable against Nathan Lyon's spin. Clarke only allowed three overs of this before recalling Hilfenhaus, and second ball the Tasmanian found the ideal line to draw Kohli's outside edge and grant Haddin another catch. Six wickets were down before the arrival of the second new ball.

Dhoni, so difficult to contain on India pitches, has shown vulnerability in foreign climes before, and there was a whiff of the England tour about his brief stay. Now using a fresh projectile, Hilfenhaus gave India's captain a trio of straight deliveries before floating one wider, with bounce. An airy drive and a catch in the gully ensued, sinking the visitors deeper into the morning mire.

James Pattinson was denied an lbw decision against R Ashwin for reasons known only to the umpire Marais Erasmus, leaving Hilfenhaus to turn his attention to Ishant. Let down by his batsmen, Ishant finally lost patience, and swished at another outswinger.

Zaheer Khan was not inclined to hang around it was not long before he was bowled by Pattinson, having an unsightly heave at a full-length ball. Ashwin and Umesh Yadav offered a cheeky last-wicket stand of 23 before Siddle nipped out Ashwin to present Haddin with a fifth catch of the innings.