Lee and Clark leave India on ropes

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australian fast bowlers Brett Lee and Stuart Clark claimed four wickets apiece as India crumbled to 196 all out, 147 runs behind, on the second day of the first Test at Melbourne.

The home side increased their advantage by a further 32 runs without loss and appeared to be well on course for a 15th consecutive Test victory on a pitch showing signs of wear.

Clark picked up three wickets in 12 deliveries as he took four for 28, while Lee continued his run of success with four for 46.

Lee said: "We've been talking about being patient, especially on this low, slow MCG wicket, so it's about patience and building up momentum from each end."

Clark struck an important blow by removing Sachin Tendulkar just when the 'The Little Master' was in ominous touch and followed up with the dismissals of Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Dhoni in the same over either side of tea.

Clark, whose Test debut came at the age of 30, has now taken 58 wickets at 19.32 in 12 Tests, while Lee, man-of-the-series against Sri Lanka last month, took his Test tally to 250 wickets.

Tendulkar looked in supreme form and hit leg-spinner Brad Hogg for a huge six before he chopped a Clark delivery on to his stumps for 62 nearing tea.

Tendulkar, playing in his farewell MCG Test, slowly left the arena to sustained applause and India's chances of getting close to the Australian first innings total faded abruptly.

"Yesterday we were in good position and today it's not the same for us," Tendulkar said. "We definitely should have played better but the match is not over yet and we will continue to fight.

"We will have to get 10 wickets as early as possible and that would be our first target and then we have to win whatever sessions are left in the test match."

India's openers had struggled against accurate Australian bowling but Tendulkar made his 62 off 77 balls with eight boundaries and a six.

Singh was out in Clark's final over before tea, edging to Adam Gilchrist for a duck and Clark removed Dhoni for a duck to complete his over after the resumption.

Hogg, playing in his first Test for more than four years, grabbed the wickets of Sourav Ganguly (43) and Harbhajan Singh (2).

Australia's new-ball pair Lee and Mitchell Johnson tied down the Indian openers Wasim Jaffer and Rahul Dravid and the first 14 overs yielded a paltry 13 runs.

Lee forced Jaffer (4) to edge to Gilchrist and Dravid's ponderous innings of five off 66 balls was ended when Clark had him lbw with the third-last ball of the morning session.

Dravid needed 41 balls to get off the mark after he was dropped at fourth slip by Phil Jaques off Johnson and was caught at first slip off a Johnson no-ball.

After lunch Lee sent back Laxman for 26 when the batsman gloved a catch to Ponting at second slip as he tried to avoid a vicious rearing delivery.

Lee also picked up Anil Kumble caught behind for 27 to take his 250th Test wicket, becoming the sixth all-time leading Australian wicket-taker by overtaking Richie Benaud. He finished with the dismissal of Zaheer Khan (11).

Australia's last-wicket pair, Clark and Johnson, lasted 16 balls at the start of the day and added six runs before Clark was out for 21 hooking paceman Zaheer Khan. Zaheer finished with four for-94 off 23.4 overs and Kumble claimed five for 84 off 25 overs. E-mail to a friend