Steven Harmison appeals unsuccessfully for a leg-before decision against Ricky Ponting on Day III of the Super Test at the SCG on Sunday. (Reuters)

Sydney: Australia were in a commanding position to win the ICC super Test against the World XI on Sunday despite suffering one of the worst batting collapses in their proud cricketing history.

Ricky Ponting’s men lost their last nine wickets for just 47 runs to be all out for 199 but still finished the Day III in complete control as the star-studded tourists slumped to 25 for two, chasing 355 for victory.

McGrath celebrated his elevation as the most successful paceman in Test cricket by bowling World XI skipper Graeme Smith for a duck then leg-spinner Stuart MacGill had dangerous Indian opener Virender Sehwag caught behind for one.

New Team India skipper Rahul Dravid was unbeaten on 17 with West Indian world record holder Brian Lara yet to score when play was called off early because of bad light on a gloomy day at the Sydney Cricket Ground that both teams might prefer to forget.

Australia’s batting collapse was their worst in a Test on home soil since they lost nine for 40 to be all out for just 42 against England in Sydney in 1888 and their worst anywhere in the world since they lost nine for 36 in their dismal 84 at Old Trafford in 1956.

It was all the more extraordinary given that it came after Matthew Hayden and Ponting had effortlessly posted half-centuries in a 122-run second-wicket partnership.

The pair hardly played a false stroke between them as they took the overnight score from 66 for one to 152 for one when the wheels suddenly fell off just before lunch.

England’s Ashes heroes Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison once again did most of the damage, capturing three wickets each, while Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralidharan polished off the tail to also finish with three scalps.

Harmison triggered the collapse when he bowled Hayden for 77 and Michael Clarke for five, sending the ball crashing into both men’s leg stumps after beating them with his sheer pace.

Flintoff grabbed the prize wicket of Ponting after lunch, caught behind for 54, then added Shane Warne and Shane Watson to his list of victims.

Muralidharan, turning the ball at alarming angles on a pitch ideally suited for spin bowlers, picked up two wickets before tea in as many overs and was unlucky not to have got more.

He took a sharp return catch to dismiss Simon Katich for two then Adam Gilchrist caught by Jacques Kallis at slip but had four separate appeals turned down by the video umpire Darrell Hair.

Muralidharan and Harmison split the last two wickets after play was delayed for 75 minutes because of the fading light before the Australians responded in the shortened final session with two quick wickets of their own to regain the momentum heading into the fourth and possibly final day.

No visiting team has ever scored 355 in the fourth innings to win a Test match anywhere in Australia but Flintoff said it was not impossible given the talent in the world team.