Cricket: Australia level series against India with 146-runvictory

Australia players celebrates after Pat Cummins takes the wicket of Ishant Sharma to win the Test. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

PERTH, December 18 (Reuters) – Australia cleaned up India’s lower order through a barrage of hostile bowling before lunch on the fifth day to secure a series-levelling 146-run victory in the second test on Tuesday.

Having set the tourists a daunting 287 runs to win on amenacing Perth Stadium pitch, Australia dismissed top-ranked India for 140midway through the first session to win an engrossing, low-scoring contest.

The wickets were shared around with spinner Nathan Lyon(3-39) and quick Mitchell Starc (3-46) the pick of the bowlers.

Lyon claimed eight wickets for the test and has 16 overallin the series.

It was sweet revenge for Australia after a nail-biting31-run defeat in the series-opener in Adelaide, and ensured captain Tim Paine’sfirst win as skipper.

India, who made 283 in the first innings, pinned their fainthopes on Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant when they resumed on 112-5, but theflicker quickly evaporated when Vihari fell for 28 in the morning’s sixth overafter inside-edging a short Starc delivery to square leg.

The aggressive Pant tried to chance his arm in a desperatesearch for runs, but miscued a slog off Lyon to be brilliant caught by a divingPeter Handscomb at mid-wicket for 30.

Umesh Yadav copped a barrage of short-pitched bowling fromStarc and his ungainly stonewalling effort did not last long, spooning abouncer back to the left-arm bowler for two.

Ishant Sharma fell for a duck handing Pat Cummins his firstwicket and the scoreless Jasprit Bumrah was dismissed three balls later tospark scenes of jubilation from the Australian players.

Australia ended a run of eight tests without a victory, abig relief following a turbulent period marred by the damaging Newlandsball-tampering scandal.

The test was the first at the new 60,000-seat stadiumlocated in Burswood after a 47-year run at the WACA but crowds were sluggishwith fierce heat blighting the early part of the match.

The series shifts to the traditional Boxing Day Test at theMelbourne Cricket Ground followed by the finale in Sydney, as India attempttheir first series win in Australia.

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