AP
India's wicketkeeper, Mahendra Dhoni (left), prepares to stump Australia's Michael Clarke off the bowling of India's Anil Kumble at the WACA yesterday.

PERTH (AP):

INDIA BECAME the first subcontinent team to win a Test in Perth and crushed Australia's world-record winning-streak ambitions with a 72-run victory in the third Test yesterday.

Following the bitter second-Test controversies, India responded best to post a victory that gave them hope of squaring the four-Test series when the final match is played in Adelaide from January 24.

India are making a habit of upsetting Australia's winning streaks.

Australia had been aiming for a 17th consecutive Test victory but - as they did when Australia last won 16 straight in 2001 - India brought that run to an end.

India also appear the only team capable of testing Australia on home soil. This home loss was the first Australia had suffered in 26 Tests since India won in Adelaide in late 2003.

Faced with a target of 413 - a fourth-innings target which had only been successfully chased once in Test history - Australia began the day on 65 for two and were bowled out for 340, as India took wickets at a steady clip to prevent the home side gaining momentum.

India looked on course for a comfortable win when they reduced Australia to 253 for eight, but tailenders Mitchell Johnson (50 not out) and Stuart Clark (32) used the long handle in a 73-run ninth-wicket stand that briefly threatened an extraordinary comeback. India claimed the last two wickets late on the fourth day.

"When you look at the victories I've been involved in both home and away, this will rate as one of the best, if not the best," India captain Anil Kumble said.

Great team effort

"We had our moments in the first two Tests, but we grabbed it here and nailed it.

"It was a great team effort, and the way we regrouped says a lot about the character this team has. It was a very special win.

"We know Australia will bounce back and come back at us hard (in the last Test in Adelaide) and we look forward to that challenge."

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting blamed the defeat on poor batting, but promised greater effort in the coming days to protect a series victory .

"We didn't lack in intensity but the skill factor made the difference between the two sides," Ponting said.

"You will see that we will train harder than India in the next few days, and it is up to us to show what this team is made of. We didn't produce the brand of cricket we are renowned for, and let ourselves down. "It was tough four days, and the bowlers did an outstanding job by dismissing India for manageable totals but when it mattered we didn't produced the runs."

From the time Ishant Sharma had Ponting caught in slips in the morning, Australia struggled to challenge the target, with no one able to make the big century the task required.

Mike Hussey (45) and Andrew Symonds (12) were then trapped lbw soon after lunch.

Virender Sehwag (2-24) was the unlikely star of the afternoon session, using his part-time offspin to dismiss Adam Gilchrist (15) and Brett Lee (0) in successive overs. Gilchrist was bowled around his legs as he attempted to sweep.

Australia were then reliant upon last recognised batsman Michael Clarke to guide the tail-enders, and he hit a fluent 81. When he went, stumped off Kumble's leg spin, Australia's chances were effectively at an end.