Melbourne, Australia: Chris Rogers made his fourth straight half century to help Australia to 174-4 in its second innings at tea on day four of the third test against India, for an overall lead of 239 runs.
Rogers smashed eight boundaries to bring up 69 before he was clean bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin (2-21) on Monday.
Shaun Marsh was 15 not out at the interval with Joe Burns on 8 at the break as Australia looks to post a challenging second-innings target and still give itself a chance to bowl out India on the final day.
David Warner slogged 40 runs off 42 balls before lunch, but Australia's charge was slowed by the loss of Shane Watson and Steven Smith in the second session, which was delayed more than an hour by rain.
Warner opened the innings with boundaries off the first two balls and hit four more before being trapped lbw by Aswin.
Ishant Sharma (1-38) claimed Watson shortly after the start of the second session when the batsman offered a thick outside edge that was caught behind for 17.
Stand-in captain Smith's fine run of form stalled when he made just 14 before edging an Umesh Yadav (1-55) ball to leg slip, where it was snapped up by Ajinkya Rahane.
Rogers survived two close calls — firstly when on 33 in the first over after lunch when an outside edge carried to a diving Dhawan at first slip but bobbled out of his hand, then on 56 when a nick behind failed to carry to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Earlier, Mitchell Johnson claimed two quick wickets as India lasted just 15 balls and added only two runs to its overnight score to finish with 465 in its first innings.
Yadav was caught behind for a duck with the second ball of the morning and Smith took a regulation catch at second slip to dismiss Mohammed Shami for 12.
Johnson (3-135) had dismissed Virat Kohli with the last ball of the third day to end an impressive knock of 169 that featured a prodigious 262-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane (147).
India needs to win the third test to stay alive in the four-match series. Australia can reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy with a win or draw in Melbourne after a 48-run win in the first test and a four-wicket victory last week in the second test at Brisbane.
