Ganguly hits half-century

Ganguly's unbeaten 80 and a partnership worth 101 with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (43 not out) took India to a commanding 404 for five at lunch.

Ganguly, playing his final Test before he walks off into retirement, had shown steely resolve as he resumed from his 27 overnight.

Runs came in a steady flow right through the session - 93 in all from 26 overs - but remarkably most of them through strong running between the wickets as the duo consolidated.

Dhoni, playing a dominant hand in the partnership earlier on, struck the first boundary in the day well into the seventh over when he whipped Brett Lee through square-leg.

Ganguly got his first boundary of the day in the next over, square driving left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson and then hit off-spinner Jason Krejza for a six over long-on as he slowly came into his own.

The 36-year-old left-hander brought up his 34th half-century by pushing Krejza through mid-off for a couple of runs.

Dhoni had grown in confidence, audaciously reverse-sweeping Krejza to good effect despite a slip being in place as he closed in a half-century.

The run rate dipped in the last half-hour of play as Australia's bowlers, Shane Watson in particular, channelled deliveries in the corridor outside off stump.