A fighting yet fluent 73 not out from VVS Laxman saw India to a thrilling one-wicket victory over Australia in one of the all-time great Test matches, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the series.

Those looking to the contest to reaffirm the beauty of cricket after a fractious English summer were fully rewarded, as the first Test went right down to the wire before two scrambled leg-byes gave India victory by the narrowest of margins.

So small was the difference between the two sides that Australia perhaps should have clinched victory two balls prior, when Mitchell Johnson appeared to have trapped last batsman Pragyan Ojha lbw with India six runs short of their victory target of 216.

Yet Billy Bowden shook his head and Michael Clarke's shy at the stumps in the ensuing melee - which would have run Ojha out had it hit - flew away for four overthrows. It was upon such marginal decisions and actions that this game was decided.

An epic final day began with India requiring 161 runs to win with six wickets in hand, their legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar at the crease alongside nightwatchman Zaheer Khan. The duo added 21 runs in good time to put India in control, but then Nathan Hauritz had Zaheer caught at slip to kick off an assortment of fluctuations.

The wicket brought Laxman to the crease along with his runner Suresh Raina, with doubts over Laxman's fitness prevalent after he'd suffered from a stiff back for most of the match. He survived a tough early examination of Johnson's bouncers, then set about dismantling the target.

With Tendulkar looking in control at the other end, 43 runs were added around a run a ball as India threatened to canter to victory. Yet just when Tendulkar looked to have the bit between his teeth he attempted to slap a Doug Bollinger delivery over gully, but was cramped for room as the ball tailed in. Michael Hussey took a superb catch to his left to dismiss the Little Master for 38.

All the talk overnight had been that the match lay in Tendulkar's hands, and suddenly India were jolted. Captain MS Dhoni was run out in a mix-up with Laxman's runner Raina, and Harbhajan Singh was caught at second slip by Ricky Ponting two balls later. India still needed 92, and had just two wickets remaining.

Yet in came Sharma, determined to get behind every delivery and allow Laxman to go about his business at the other end. A series of wristy flicks and pulls as well as glorious off-side drives kept Australia on their toes, yet even when the players went to lunch with India on 162 for eight the tourists looked comfortable.

However they were stung by the loss of Doug Bollinger to a side strain, and Laxman and Sharma ticked the score along neatly with the latter eating up plenty of strike as he stuck by the classy veteran.

Fields were remodelled, tactics continually changed as the partnership grew to 81, and eventually it was the return of Ben Hilfenhaus (4 for 56) who made the breakthrough with India 11 runs short of victory. Day four featured some rotten lbw decisions from umpires Bowden and Ian Gould, who had enjoyed good Test matches up until that point, and Sharma was victim of another one.

Hilfenhaus swung the ball in and hit the tall tailender in line with middle and leg, but after Gould slowly raised the finger Hawkeye showed that it was just missing the leg stump.

Still, the perfect finale had been set up. Ojha rode his luck in what proved to be the final over of a slow-burning Test that sparked to life on day four before exploding on Tuesday. Yet it was Laxman who was ultimately the hero after another top-class innings against his favourite opposition.

Shot of the Day
It didn't take long to arrive. Tendulkar had started watchfully against Hauritz, but by the seventh over of the day he had his eye in. A giant stride got him to an off-side delivery, from where he managed to flick wide of mid-on. At first it looked like a single would be tight, yet the timing was so good that the fielder ended up giving up the chase as the ball ran to the boundary.

Delivery of the Day
It took Bollinger just two deliveries to set Harbhajan up. The first had been full and driven for a couple of runs, but the second was right on the money, rearing up from back of a length to catch the glove on its way to Ponting at second slip.

Defining Moment of the Day
There were so many! Yet ultimately the match was decided on the 350th delivery of the innings - two balls before India clinched victory. Had Bowden raised the finger - as replays suggest he should have - or had Clarke hit the stumps to run Ojha out, then Australia would be celebrating. Instead Ojha survived, and four overthrows took India to the brink.

Tristan Holme