A stirring Indian charge with Rudra Pratap Singh (4/108) in the forefront was cruelly nipped in the bud by two glaring umpiring errors at the SCG on Wednesday. Principal beneficiary Andrew Symonds capitalised with an otherwise magificent second Test hundred, linking up with Brad Hogg in a potentially decisive seventh-wicket association.

Tempting as it might be to slam India's bowlers for their inability to clean up the tail, it has to be acknowledged that their spirits had been broken by Steve Bucknor's inability to hear the thickest of edges, and third umpire Bruce Oxenberg's reluctance to press the red button. Riding on those two decisions that could decide the destination of the contest, Australia rallied magnificently from the misery of 134 for six midway through the second session to a commanding 376 for seven.

A dramatic day that began with Zaheer Khan sitting out with a heel injury ended with Australia posting the second highest first-day total at the SCG on a good track and a fast outfield. The cricket was at once absorbing and entertaining, the ball dominating the first half before Symonds and Hogg redressed the balance with a spectacular counter-attack.

Anil Kumble's luck with the coin deserted him again, but thrust into the leadership role in Zaheer's absence, Rudra Pratap quickly brought the smiles out as he elicited a loose upper cut from Phil Jaques in the third over which Mahendra Singh Dhoni took high above his head. It was to set the tempo for another excellent catching day by the Indians — Sachin Tendulkar was brilliant at first slip with three catches of varying degrees of difficulty, all off Rudra Pratap — though the ground fielding again was way below Test standard.

Rudra Pratap was in his elements through his first two spells, procuring nice shape, aided by a gentle breeze. Enjoying the pace and carry, he hustled the batsmen and had exceptional success against the left-handers. Ishant Sharma, a last-minute replacement for Zaheer, was no less impressive, though he was the least fortunate when Bucknor turned down the most straightforward of decisions as Symonds hit the cover off the ball on 30 out of 193 for six.

The first indication that this might not be India's day had come much earlier. Ricky Ponting, edgy and hesitant to start with, glanced Sourav Ganguly fine when 17 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni took a smart catch, but umpire Benson didn't hear the nick. Ponting ground it out in Mike Hussey's company, never on top of his game but determined to battle on at a venue where he has scored more Test runs than anyone else.

Ponting and Hussey added 92 (97m, 127b) when, out of nowhere, the slide began. Benson failed to pick an inside edge off a Harbhajan Singh doosra that thudded into Ponting's pads, sparking a spell of four for 15 in 31 deliveries as the two Singhs teamed up to form a deadly tandem.

With the cream demolished, Australia ought to have been on the back foot. Instead, Symonds and — more tellingly — Hogg mounted an exceptional fightback based on aggression. Symonds showcased his growing maturity as a Test batsman with a wonderfully crafted and paced innings, controlling his natural instincts in the early part before latching on to the demoralised bowlers.

Despite the slices of luck, it was an innings worth its weight in gold, punctuated by screaming cuts off the pacers and meaty blows against the spinners. Symonds holding back when Hogg began in a blaze of boundaries was a sign of perfect teamwork as India began to wilt under the onslaught.

Hogg himself played some glorious strokes through the off-side, showing why he has four first-class hundreds and an average of 35. There was seldom a moment of hesitancy, half-measures were nowhere in evidence. Their cause was helped by Wasim Jaffer dropping Hogg (on 58) at short-leg off Kumble, and Symonds being adjudged not out by Oxenford as Dhoni whipped off the bails with the batsman's right foot still in the air, again off Kumble. The pair didn't look back, putting on 173 (149m, 218b).

Symonds and Brett Lee added a further 69, emphasising the easing out of the surface. Thursday and Friday are expected to be the best batting days. Will they be?!

Score board

AUSTRALIA (I Innings):
Jaques c Dhoni b RP Singh 0
(11m, 9b)
Hayden c Tendulkar b RP Singh 13
(43m, 26b, 2x4)
Ponting lbw Harbhajan 55
(128m, 69b, 9x4)
Hussey c Tendulkar b RP Singh 41
(100m, 79b, 3x4)
Clarke lbw Harbhajan 1
(11m, 4b)
Symonds (battng) 137
(246m, 173b, 17x4, 2x6)
Gilchrist c Tendulkar b RP Singh 7
(14m, 8b, 1x4)
Hogg c Dravid b Kumble 79
(149m, 102b, 10x4)
Lee (batting) 31
(73m, 67b, 5x4)
Extras (B-2, LB-4, W-3, NB-3) 12

Total (for 7 wkts, 89 overs) 376
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Jaques), 2-27 (Hayden), 3-119 (Ponting), 4-119 (Hussey), 5-121 (Clarke), 6-134 (Gilchrist), 7-307 (Hogg).

Bowling: RP Singh 21-3-108-4 (nb-1), Ishant 17-2-65-0 (w-3, nb-2), Ganguly 6-1-13-0, Harbhajan 20-2-88-2, Kumble 20-0-82-1, Tendulkar 5-0-14-0.