Aussies edge ahead of India with Smith ton

BRISBANE, Dec 19 (AFP): India were fighting back after Australia gained a 97-run innings lead on the back of another century from new skipper Steve Smith and a wagging tail in the second Gabba Test Friday.

The tourists had cut the deficit back to 26 runs by the close on the third day at 71 for one with Shikhar Dhawan on 26 and Cheteshwar Pujara not out at 15.

The day belonged to the Australians, trailing by 187 runs at the start but piling on 258 runs for the last four wickets with Smith leading the way.

Smith posted his second ton of the series and Johnson a swashbuckling 88 off 93 balls to give Australia the edge to win the Test over the closing two days and take a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

Smith and Johnson shared in a ground record 148-run stand for the seventh wicket to take the steam out of the Indians.

"It was six for 240-odd and India were bowling well and Mitchell Johnson came out and really took it to the Indian bowlers," Smith said.

"Our whole tail batted beautifully and to get us above 500 was remarkable, we had a good day of cricket and hopefully we start well in the morning and pick up a few wickets."

Mitchell Starc chipped in with 52 off 59 balls, Nathan Lyon hit 23 and Test debutant Josh Hazlewood cracked an unbeaten 32 to frustrate India's attempts to wrap up the innings.

Starc bounced back from his indifferent bowling in the first innings and struck a major blow with the wicket of Murali Vijay for 27 in the 11th over of India's second innings.

Vijay, who had scored three consecutive half-centuries including 144 in the first innings in Brisbane, was in two minds whether to play only for the ball to strike his bat and hit the stumps.

The day's highlight was Johnson's game-changing innings, which finished tantalisingly short of his second Test century when he was caught behind off Ishant Sharma for 88 off 93 balls with 13 fours and a six.

Smith followed five balls later when he was finally dismissed in the series for 133.

India 408 and 1 for 71 trail Australia 505 (Smith 133, Johnson 88) by 26 runs.