Matthew Hayden joined a select group of cricketing greats but Australia could not assert the same control as they and India grappled hard for the upper hand in a deadlocked last Test at Adelaide Oval.

Hayden’s 103 put him in a group of only six players to have scored 30 or more hundreds, but his knock was unable to assert Australia into control, as they still trailed by 204 runs at stumps on day three.

In a match similar to two of the epics played at this venue over the past five summers, Australia spent the middle day of the match slowly but steadily building in reply to India’s 526, and finished on 3-322.

The ability of India’s bowlers to stifle the usually fast-scoring Australians and keep them to 260 runs for the day, plus dismiss three of them with superb deliveries, kept alive their dream of squaring the series 2-2, although the last two days will be pivotal.

In a knock symbolic of the contest, Australian captain Ricky Ponting overcame battles with two of his recent tormentors – Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma – to finish 79 not out, his highest score of the series.

Michael Clarke was 37 not out in a 81-run stand with his skipper.

Hayden and Phil Jaques gave Australia a dream reply to India’s imposing total by posting a 159-run opening stand, their second century partnership together following a union of 135 on Boxing Day.

With Hayden in an imperious mood and Jaques also effective, Australia hoped to take decent inroads into the deficit, quickly.

But Anil Kumble bowled Jaques for 66 with a big-spinning legbreak, and not long after Hayden registered three figures he was bowled by Sharma, who swung one back into the left-hander at pace.

Sharma’s 1-10 from nine overs in the middle session helped India restrict Australia to 67 runs for the session, and the tourists again kept it tight after tea.

Mike Hussey had his struggles against Kumble, and was dropped at slip early in the final session, but on 22 lost his off stump to an Irfan Pathan snorter which also came back in.

This match has a similar feel in the 2003 and 2006 Tests here, when India and then Australia (over England) conceded big totals in the first innings but then won batting last.

On another hot, hard-fought day, some frustrations simmered.

Harbhajan, who had dismissed Ponting three times from four attempts this series, traded words with his rival when they made contact when the bowler tried to field off his own bowling off a Clarke drive.

Umpire Asad Rauf spoke with Kumble to make sure the incident did not escalate into trouble, following the central role Harbhajan played in the controversial second Test in Sydney.

India were also dismayed when Billy Bowden ruled not out to an appeal against Clarke, when he correctly ruled Virender Sehwag’s delivery hit the Australian on the forearm before it lobbed to slip.

Hayden’s 30th century was his third this series, after tons in Melbourne and Sydney before a hamstring injury prevented him playing in Perth, and put him past Don Bradman’s tally of 29.

India’s Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, the West Indies’ Brian Lara and Australians Steve Waugh and Ponting are the only others to have scored more centuries than Hayden, but he has the best ratio of the group.

India used seven bowlers today, but could not call on paceman RP Singh, who was absent for the day because of a hamstring injury he suffered yesterday.

Snapshot from day three of the fourth Test between Australia and India at Adelaide Oval.

India 526, Australia 3/322

Man of the moment: Matthew Hayden. A potentially difficult day for Australia was made immeasurably easier by a square jawed Hayden century that dominated the opening session and underlined his worth after missing the Perth Test. He looked good for many more until…

Moment of the day: Ishant Sharma cast a spell on Ricky Ponting in Perth but here it was a ball to remember. Gaining reverse swing is no longer an exclusive artform but an old ball outswinger – an inswinger to Hayden – certainly is. Hayden wouldn’t have seen the like of it since Simon Jones did the trick during the 2005 Ashes series.

Stat of the day: 3.13 is Hayden’s Tests per hundred ratio. Of those with more than 15 centuries only Sir Donald Bradman and Sir Clyde Walcott have done better.

Quote of the day: “It is with great pride and happiness that I make the decision to retire from Test and one-day cricket.” – Adam Gilchrist shocks the cricket world after play.

Summary: India’s toil was headed off by Hayden’s attack in the morning and Ricky Ponting’s more stolid effort in the afternoon. However the visitors remain a strong chance if they can find a burst of three or four breakthroughs tomorrow.

Similarities between recent cricket Tests at Adelaide Oval:
2003 – Second Test between Australia and India
2006 – Second Test between Australia and England
2008 – Fourth and final Test between Australia and India

After day 1
2003 – Australia 5-400 in first innings
2006 – England 3-266 in first innings
2008 – India 5-309 in first innings

After day 2
2003 – Australia 556, India 4-180 in first innings (376 behind)
2006 – England 6(dec)-551 in first innings, Australia 1-28 in first innings (523 behind)
2008 – India 526, Australia 0-62 in first innings (464 behind)

After day 3
2003 – India 7-477 in first innings (79 behind)
2006 – Australia 5-312 in first innings (239 behind)
2008 – Australia 3-322 (204 behind)

After day 4
2003 – India 523 in first innings, Australia 196 in second innings, India 0-37 in second innings (193 needed)
2006 – Australia 513 in first innings, England 1-59 in second innings (97 in front)

After day 5
2003 – India 6-233 in second innings (won by four wickets)
2006 – England 129 in second innings, Australia 4-168 in second innings (won by six wickets)

© AAP 2012

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