Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Australia, chasing 382 to avoid its first Test cricket series loss since 2005, fell to 111-3 at lunch on the last day of the series against India in Nagpur.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma combined with Mahendra Dhoni to dismiss Simon Katich and Michael Clarke, while Amit Mishra ran out Australia captain Ricky Ponting. Opener Matthew Hayden, who was twice dropped, was 46 not out at the interval with Mike Hussey on 14.

Top-ranked Australia, trailing 1-0 in the four-Test series, needs another 271 runs from 68 overs to pull off the biggest fourth-innings run chase on Indian soil and retain the Border- Gavaskar trophy. England was the last team to beat Australia in a Test series in the 2005 Ashes contest.

An Indian victory in the fourth Test is the most likely outcome at odds of 8-13, according to U.K. bookmaker Ladbrokes. Australia is rated a 12-1 outsider with the draw an 11-8 chance.

Hayden and Katich added 16 runs to the overnight score of 13-0 before Katich skied a Sharma delivery and wicketkeeper Dhoni took the catch. Ponting, facing criticism for his tactics, followed 12 balls later when Mishra swooped on the ball from mid-off and hit the stumps with a one-handed diving throw.

Clarke survived an appeal for leg-before-wicket on his second ball that television replays suggested should have been given out. He made 22 before edging Sharma behind to Dhoni, leaving Australia at 82-3.

Hayden Dropped

Hayden, who was dropped when on 30 and 35 by Dhoni and Rahul Dravid respectively, then combined with Hussey for an unbeaten 29-run partnership to lift the score past 100.

Ponting was criticized in the Australian media for addressing his team's slow over rate yesterday instead of using his frontline pace attack with India struggling on 166-6 at tea.

The decision to use part-time bowlers Clarke and Hussey after the interval released the pressure, allowing Dhoni and tail-ender Harbhajan Singh to lift their team out of trouble with a 108-run stand.

Sydney Morning Herald cricket columnist Peter Roebuck described Ponting's tactics as ``one of the most baffling displays of captaincy'' in Australian cricketing history, while the Australian newspaper said it was Ponting's ``worst day'' as national skipper.

Ponting, who has twice been fined twice this year for not getting through enough overs in a day's play, had been facing a possible one-match ban for repeat offenses.

India already ended Australia's run of eight straight series victories after securing a 320-run victory in the second Test in Mohali. The other two matches were drawn.

To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Baynes in Sydney at dbaynes@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 10, 2008 01:24 EST