Aust take 155-run lead in third Test

David Warner belligerently built Australia’s lead to 155 runs at lunch on day four of the Boxing Day Test against India.

Mitchell Johnson struck twice in 12 minutes on Monday morning, bowling India out for 465 at the MCG.

In response, Warner belted a quick-fire 40 as the hosts reached 1-90 at the meal break.

Nursing a sore left thumb and a badly bruised right forearm, even Warner had doubts whether he’d bat on Monday.

“I’m hopeful … it is quite painful, it is my top hand,” Warner told the Nine Network prior to batting in the nets before play.

Warner made a statement before his first shot – facing the opening ball for only the second time in his opening partnership with Chris Rogers.

Warner cut that delivery – unthreatening and wide from Umesh Yadav – to the rope.

An all-run four followed, prompting India captain MS Dhoni to remove one of his slips.

Warner started to swap barbs with Cheteshwar Pujara in the second over, while Ishant Sharma tried to verbally upset the opener.

“Bollywood,” Sharma quipped, while pointing at Warner from mid-on.

But words have never hurt Warner.

At the end of the eighth over, Warner was 37 off 23 balls and Dhoni threw the ball to offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Ashwin bowled with good control – something the tourists’ pacemen failed to do yet again – to dry up the runs.

Ashwin was rewarded with the scalp of Warner in the 15th over, trapping the 28-year-old lbw.

Rogers (33no) and Shane Watson (15no) couldn’t quite match Warner’s tempo, but both men scored freely and never looked uncomfortable.

Rain is expected to interrupt day four, meaning Australia will need to score quick runs and almost certainly make an aggressive declaration if there’s to be any result apart from a draw.

India will relinquish the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Melbourne if they are unable to snatch an unthinkable victory.

“We always try to play to win. I’m not saying we’re not going to do that, but we’ll see what happens,” Ryan Harris said after day three.

Johnson dismissed Yadav and Mohammed Shami on day four to finish with figures of 3-135 from 30.5 overs, having copped the brunt of the treatment dished out by centurions Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane in their 262-run partnership.

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