Dominant Australia seal series victory over India

Australia sealed a series win over India by racing to an innings victory in the third Test in Perth.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 15:  David Warner (L) and Peter Siddle of Australia celebrate their victory during day three of the Third Test match between Australia and India at WACA on January 15, 2012 in Perth, Australia.  (Photo by Hamish Blair/Getty Images)
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Australia crushed India by an innings and 37 runs in the third Test on Sunday to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the four-match series.

Ben Hilfenhaus (four for 54) took three wickets in one over after lunch before Peter Siddle removed Virat Kohli for 75 to bowl the tourists out for 171.

India, who were bowled out for 161 in the first innings, had resumed on 88 for four still needing 120 runs to match Australia's first effort of 369 and make the hosts bat again.

Australia won the first Test in Melbourne by 122 runs and the second in Sydney by an innings and 68 runs. The fourth Test begins in Adelaide next week.

Any faint hopes of an unlikely India comeback were dashed with Rahul Dravid's removal by Ryan Harris for 47.

Captain MS Dhoni then went for two off the bowling of Siddle to leave India relying on the inexperienced but gritty Kohli, who was fighting his way to a maiden Test century.

One-day specialist Kohli also top-scored with 44 in India's first innings of 161, and he offered stoic resistance in his innings before being the last wicket to fall.

Resuming at 88 for four, he and Dravid, so often a thorn in Australia's side, set about trying to rescue the Indian cause in sweltering conditions.

The pair put on 84 for the fifth wicket in dogged fashion, despite the ball beating the bat on numerous occasions.

However, Dravid's once-famed 'wall' defence was again breached by Harris, who knocked the 39-year-old's leg stump out of the ground.

The delivery didn't do anything significant off the pitch, but found the gap between bat and pad, ending the veteran's vigilant innings after 177 minutes and 114 balls.

It was the fifth time in six innings this series that Dravid had been bowled, and his average for the series of 28 is well down on his career average against Australia of 52.62.

Dravid has now been bowled more times in Test cricket than any other batsman – 54 times.

Dhoni again failed, caught in slips by a diving Ricky Ponting for two, and the skipper has made just 102 runs in the series at 20.40, with 57 of those runs coming in the first innings in Sydney.

Dhoni has not made a century in 13 Tests against Australia.

Hilfenhaus then charged through the lower order after lunch to ensure Australia won at a canter.