Michael Clarke's golden duck begins breakdown A GOLDEN duck to Michael Clarke and the failure of the makeshift batting order has seen Australia squander a good start on day two of the third Test. The visitors were struggling at 7-273 at stumps with Steve Smith (58no) and Mitchell Starc (20no) and three days left in the match. After openers Ed Cowan (86) and David Warner (71) compiled 139 for the first wicket the new-look side was in the best position it has been all tour. Smith aside, there was no further resistance to be found however as Australia lost 7-112 in a little over 40 overs. Clarke (0), batting at three for the first time in an attempt to give some backbone to the top order, rushed madly at the next delivery and in the process misjudged the length and the turn. Dhoni removed his stumps and the captain had a first-ball duck. It was all downhill from there, although Steve Smith - recalled thanks to the barring of four players - showed some cheeky resistance. Playing just his sixth Test and the first since the Ashes three summers back, he was creative, entertaining and composed. Which is more than can be said for many others. Hughes (2) should not have been playing this match, Usman Khawaja had been told he would be batting in that position after Hyderabad but disciplinary action saw the incumbent given a stay of execution. In truth it was unkind to send him out again. He is totally lost against spin and took 20 balls to get a single. It was almost a relief when he edged a catch down leg side from Pragyan Ojha to Dhoni after half a painful hour at the crease. Smith was next to the crease to join Cowan and his entry at least freed the constipation that had clogged the Australians in the wake of Clarke's dismissal. Cowan continues to impress. Following on from a defiant three hour 44 in Hyderabad, he has found his highest score against India and a method to make the most of the wicket which is turning sharply but at its best. When he was finally caught at slip - there had been three difficult chances up to that point - Brad Haddin combined with Smith for a crisp 46 run partnership before offering a loose shot to an Ishant Sharma delivery outside off. He was bowled for 21 and Moises Henriques also lost is castle two balls later for a duck. Extended sessions were played today to make up for the loss of the first day to rain and the wicket was good, but Australia need 350 plus here to be in a good position. Smith aside, the openers were the good story of the day. This was the third century partnership from Warner and Cowan who have opened the batting on 26 occasions. Both looked composed and spent a long time at the crease. Cowan's five hours today follows a three hour defiance in the last innings at Hyderabad and both innings speak of a player committed to learning and improving. Australia has four changes in the side for this match _ two forced by disciplinary action, one by injury and one by balance. Brad Haddin replaced Matthew Wade as wicket keeper and Nathan Lyon replaces Glenn Maxwell. Clarke said at the toss he was hoping it was "third time lucky" for the Australians whose first innings have disappointed. "Every time you play in these conditions its an examination," he said. Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaka were all ruled ineligible for selection for this match because they did not complete an assignment set by the coaches. Cowan said the Australians score on the wicket should not be judged until both sides batted on it. After play he was asked what his presentation to coach Mickey Arthur contained. "What I said to Mickey was I want to be accountable to bat a long period of time and I put a figure on that which is between me and Mickey," he said. My personal accountability is to bat a long time, I didn't bat for as long as I would have liked but I felt I did fairly well today. My plans have almost come full circle, coming over here I had it in my mind I needed to put pressure on the spinners by attacking them ... and I have come full circle in how I want to bat and that's fighting and grinding them out and if it takes a full day to get 86 or 50 it doesn't matter, my job in these conditions is to bat as long as I can and almost take the runs out of it. Bat for time and soak up balls, we have a lot of strokemakers. My game plan has changed I guess from putting pressure on them to putting pressure on them by not letting them get me out.