Australia declare at 318/9, set India 384-run target

Melbourne, Dec 30: Middle-order batsman Shaun Marsh missed his maiden Test century on home soil, getting run out on 99 runs, but steered Australia to 318 for nine declared at lunch, to set India a 384-run target in 70 overs, on the fifth and final day of the third Test here Tuesday. Marsh was dismissed by a direct hit from an onrushing Virat kohli from mid-on while trying to complete what would have been his third Test century with a quick single at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Ran Harris, unbeaten on eight overnight, was first batsman dismissed during the morning session that was halted twice by rain. He was out for 21 by Mohammed Shami, who picked up his second wicket of the innings to give two wickets each to India's four bowlers. Rain stopped the action twice but Australia weren't willing to declare their innings despite the time loss. They waited till Marsh's century to declare their innings, but Marsh was dismissed just on the stroke of lunch. The overnight unbeaten pair of Marsh and Harris began the day's proceedings were watchfully, managing just 17 runs from the first nine overs. India didn't take the second new ball as the old one was offering some reverse swing. Australia were uncharacteristically slow as they batted without any urgency, with the intention of batting India out of the game. The scoreboard at lunch on day five of the third Test between Australia and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Tuesday. Australia (first innings): 530 all out India (first innings): 465 Australia (2nd innings): David Warner lbw b Ashwin 40 Chris Rogers b Ashwin 69 Shane Watson c Dhoni b Sharma 17 Steven Smith c Rahane b Yadav 14 Shaun Marsh run out 99 Joe Burns c Dhoni b Sharma 9 Brad Haddin c Dhoni b Yadav 13 Mitchell Johnson c Rahane b Mohammed Shami 15 Ryan Harris c Dhoni b Mohammed Shami 21 Nathan Lyon not out 1 Josh Hazlewood not out 0 Extras (lb 13, w 2, nb 5) 20 Total (for nine wickets in 98 overs) 318 Fall of wickets: 1-57 (Warner, 14.2 ov), 2-98 (Watson, 24.1), 3-131 (Smith, 33.3), 4-164 (Rogers, 40.3), 5-176 (Burns, 45.3), 6-202 (Haddin, 55.2), 7-234 (Johnson, 67.1), 8-303 (Harris, 93.4), 9-317 (Marsh, 96.6) Bowling: Umesh Yadav 22-3-89-2 Mohammed Shami 28-4-92-2 Ishant Sharma 20-5-49-2 Ravichandran Ashwin 28-4-75-2 Match Details: Test debuts: Joe Burns (Australia), Lokesh Rahul (India) Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) and Richard Kettleborough (England) TV umpire: John Ward (Australia) Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka) Reserve umpire: Geoff Joshua (Australia)