Australia hold upper hand

A flurry of key wickets in the final session handed Australia a narrow advantage at the end of the first day of the third Test against India in Perth.

Ticking along nicely at 198 for two at the WACA, Brett Lee struck to remove Sachin Tendulkar with a controversial lbw early in the final session to break up the veteran batsman's 139 third-wicket partnership with Rahul Dravid.

Dravid, earlier dropped on 14 by Michael Clarke, was dismissed for 93 after a wild swing at an Andrew Symonds' delivery late in the day while Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman also succumbed to the Australia attack as the tourists closed on 297 for six.

Tendulkar might feel aggrieved to have been dismissed lbw for 71, with the ball hitting the top the jumping player's pads and replays showing that Lee's delivery was clearing the stumps.

Australia swiftly capitalised on the generosity of umpire Billy Bowden, who replaced Steve Bucknor following the controversial Test in Sydney.

Just three overs passed before the next man fell, Ganguly (nine) getting an outside edge on Mitchell Johnson's delivery and Michael Hussey took the catch at gully.

Laxman then enjoyed a brief cameo alongside Dravid, the pair adding a swift 64 for the fifth wicket before the latter fell seven runs short of his ton in the 77th over.

Symonds' delivery landed well outside off stump but Dravid suffered a rush of blood and played an ugly swipe that caught a top edge and Ricky Ponting took an easy catch at cover.

And India's late capitulation was completed four overs later, Laxman caught by Shaun Tait at mid-off off the bowling of Lee for 27.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Irfan Pathan were both unbeaten on eight runs each at stumps.