fter
overcoming the Australian lower order resistance, India replied with
solid batting performance and were on top after the close of second
day’s play. Dravid’s resilient batting coupled with flamboyance of
Tendulkar and Sehwag were the highlights of the day as lady luck eluded
Australian pace attack on a track which has flattened out.
Very
early in the day, Zaheer Khan teased Haddin with his bag of tricks
before luring him into a flashing drive which landed in Sehwag’s hands
at gully. He then successfully worked out Siddle who went after making
important 41 runs. Hilfenhaus hit three fours before falling prey to
Ashwin while Pattinson and Nathan Lyon extended the score to 333 when
latter was clean bowled by Ashwin to end the innings just before Lunch.
Although Australia would have liked to have a score around 400 after batting first, but still they were in a position to trouble India provided they got early inroads. Lack of DRS also did not help their cause. Zaheer was again the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 77, while Yadav and Ashwin grabbed three each.
Virender Sehwag had scored a magnificent 195 on the first day on this ground when he toured here last time, while it was Gambhir’s first Test down under. Sehwag started batting as if in that mode but Gambhir was undone by an away swinger from Hilfenhaus. Pattinson bowled with aggression clocking up to 150 kph and troubled Sehwag on the off stump, beating him regularly early on.
Rahul Dravid joined Sehwag and both produced contrasting but important innings to deny Australian pace attack any more in-roads with the new ball. Siddle troubled Dravid with his movement but could not dislodge him despite bowling his heart out. Sehwag was given a life, a dangerous sign for bowling teams, when after hitting a couple of fours he was dropped by Warner, a tough chance at mid on but a crucial miss.
Pattinson came back to test Sehwag again and Hifenhaus almost got reward immediately but a regulation nick was grassed by Haddin. At the other end Dravid too was living a charmed life as well, as he got beaten a number off times on the off stump. The two misses, luckily, did not cost Australia as Sehwag played on trying to slash a cut against Pattinson, who dearly deserved a wicket. Sehwag made 67 off 83 balls with 7 fours.
Then came the man sitting on 99 international hundreds, Sachin Tendulkar who survived Tea after a couple of nervy moments. On the first ball after Tea, with India on 99/2, Tendulkar upper cut Peter Siddle for a six and then played like the old little master. After a couple of overs, he showed his class again, first by caressing Siddle through the slip and gully and then thumping a classical cover drive on the next ball.
With Dravid looking solid now and Tendulkar in his old groove, it was testing times for the home side.
Tendulkar then treated Hilfenhaus in the same fashion by hitting fours on both sides of the wicket. Dravid almost played on but again put his head down as an absorbing contest between bat and ball continued. The trend of playing solid and then missing a couple continued for Dravid, but the real threat was Tendulkar who was moving closer to the much-awaited batting milestone of recent history.
Both batsmen reached fifty one after the other as India posted 200. Dravid’s luck continued to shoulder him as he was comprehensively bowled by Siddle off a no ball. India continued to move towards supremacy as Stumps neared, but Australia inflicted a body below in what proved to be the final over of the day. Peter Siddle went through Tendulkar’s gate, bowling him for 73 (8 fours, 1 six), again short of a hundred. It was a just reward for an honest effort from Siddle.
Ishant was sent as night-watchman, but Tendulkar had lifted India to a strong position with still a lot of batting to come apart from Dravid who is at the crease, fighting albeit struggling.
Australia, on the other hand, must be hoping that after two tough days, the stars might change favours come the third day of this intriguing Test.
Summarised scores:
India 9214/3 (Tendulkar 73, Dravid 68*; Pattinson 1/35) trail Australia 333 (Ed Cowan 68, Ponting 62; Zaheer 4/77) by 119 runs with 7 wickets in hand in 1st innings
Hero of the Day: Sachin Tendulkar
Flop of the Day: Gautam Gambhir
Disappointment of the Day: Brad Haddin
Spark of the Day: Peter Siddle
Credits – AFP (Image), CricketArchives (Scorecard)
Match Report – 1st Test: Day 2, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Melbourne Cricket Ground, 26-30 December 2011
Although Australia would have liked to have a score around 400 after batting first, but still they were in a position to trouble India provided they got early inroads. Lack of DRS also did not help their cause. Zaheer was again the pick of the bowlers with 4 for 77, while Yadav and Ashwin grabbed three each.
Virender Sehwag had scored a magnificent 195 on the first day on this ground when he toured here last time, while it was Gambhir’s first Test down under. Sehwag started batting as if in that mode but Gambhir was undone by an away swinger from Hilfenhaus. Pattinson bowled with aggression clocking up to 150 kph and troubled Sehwag on the off stump, beating him regularly early on.
Rahul Dravid joined Sehwag and both produced contrasting but important innings to deny Australian pace attack any more in-roads with the new ball. Siddle troubled Dravid with his movement but could not dislodge him despite bowling his heart out. Sehwag was given a life, a dangerous sign for bowling teams, when after hitting a couple of fours he was dropped by Warner, a tough chance at mid on but a crucial miss.
Pattinson came back to test Sehwag again and Hifenhaus almost got reward immediately but a regulation nick was grassed by Haddin. At the other end Dravid too was living a charmed life as well, as he got beaten a number off times on the off stump. The two misses, luckily, did not cost Australia as Sehwag played on trying to slash a cut against Pattinson, who dearly deserved a wicket. Sehwag made 67 off 83 balls with 7 fours.
Then came the man sitting on 99 international hundreds, Sachin Tendulkar who survived Tea after a couple of nervy moments. On the first ball after Tea, with India on 99/2, Tendulkar upper cut Peter Siddle for a six and then played like the old little master. After a couple of overs, he showed his class again, first by caressing Siddle through the slip and gully and then thumping a classical cover drive on the next ball.
With Dravid looking solid now and Tendulkar in his old groove, it was testing times for the home side.
Tendulkar then treated Hilfenhaus in the same fashion by hitting fours on both sides of the wicket. Dravid almost played on but again put his head down as an absorbing contest between bat and ball continued. The trend of playing solid and then missing a couple continued for Dravid, but the real threat was Tendulkar who was moving closer to the much-awaited batting milestone of recent history.
Both batsmen reached fifty one after the other as India posted 200. Dravid’s luck continued to shoulder him as he was comprehensively bowled by Siddle off a no ball. India continued to move towards supremacy as Stumps neared, but Australia inflicted a body below in what proved to be the final over of the day. Peter Siddle went through Tendulkar’s gate, bowling him for 73 (8 fours, 1 six), again short of a hundred. It was a just reward for an honest effort from Siddle.
Ishant was sent as night-watchman, but Tendulkar had lifted India to a strong position with still a lot of batting to come apart from Dravid who is at the crease, fighting albeit struggling.
Australia, on the other hand, must be hoping that after two tough days, the stars might change favours come the third day of this intriguing Test.
Summarised scores:
India 9214/3 (Tendulkar 73, Dravid 68*; Pattinson 1/35) trail Australia 333 (Ed Cowan 68, Ponting 62; Zaheer 4/77) by 119 runs with 7 wickets in hand in 1st innings
Hero of the Day: Sachin Tendulkar
Flop of the Day: Gautam Gambhir
Disappointment of the Day: Brad Haddin
Spark of the Day: Peter Siddle
Complete Scorecard
Credits – AFP (Image), CricketArchives (Scorecard)
Published in SP on 27/12/12
ReplyDelete- http://www.sportpulse.net/content/australia-vs-india-india-top-after-sachin-tendulkar%E2%80%99s-fluent-knock-2476