ID :
25698
Tue, 10/21/2008 - 15:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/25698
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India 5 wickets away from a memorable win
Amlan Chakraborty
Mohali, Oct 20 (PTI) India piled up a run mountain and
then Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma knocked the daylight
out of Australia's riposte to put the hosts five wickets away
from a memorable win in the second cricket Test here Monday.
Chasing 516 for an improbable win, Australia got off to a
rousing start before Harbhajan mowed down the top order with
his triple strikes and Ishant had them in complete disarray,
dealing a double jolt on the penultimate day.
Their top order blown away, Australia were gasping for
breath at 141 for five wickets when stumps were drawn. Michael
Clarke (42) and Brad Haddin (37) would return Tuesday, hoping
to delay the inevitable.
With a 201-first innings lead behind them, India declared
their second essay at 314 for three with Gautam Gambhir (104),
Virender Sehwag (90), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (68 not out)
scoring bulk of the runs at a brisk pace.
In reply, Matthew Hayden (29) and Simon Katich (20)
counter-attacked, scoring at seven-an-over before Harbhajan
ran amock.
Hayden fell to the second delivery of Harbhajan and the
off-spinner then removed Katich with his last delivery of the
over. In his next over-- on the other side of the tea break --
Harbhajan trapped in-form Michael Hussey (1) for is 299th Test
victim.
Ishant responded in style, castling his bunny Ricky
Ponting (2) and then removing Shane Watson (2), Australia's
topscorer in the first innings.
Clarke and Haddin stemmed the rot with an unfinished
83-run stand but that may not prove enough in the end.
Earlier, with Brett Lee out of action in the morning
session, Delhi duo Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir knocked
the sting out of the attack with their strong-arm nonchalance.
Ponting could watch only in exasperation as both the
batsmen enjoyed fortune of the brave after resuming on India's
overnight score of 100 for no loss.
Gambhir edged Cameron White in the second over of the day
but neither Brad Haddin nor Matthew Hayden could pouch the
deflection. Gambhir also edged Michael Hussey but Haddin again
cut a sorry figure behind the stumps with the ball deflecting
off his gloves.
At the other end, Sehwag edged Mitchell Johnson but
umpire Asad Rauf ruled in the batsman's favour even though
snickometre suggested otherwise.
Shoulders drooped and frustration increased as Australia
struggled to stem the runs with Gambhir showing utter disdain
for their pedestrian attack. Gambhir cruised to his fifty and
the celebration came in the form of a six as he came waltzing
down the track to hit White over his head.
Sehwag whipped Shane Watson past square leg for his first
four of the day and his century looked like just a matter of
formality. Ten runs before the mark, Sehwag could not resists
the temptation of poking at a Peter Siddle delivery and Haddin
sort of redeemed himself behind the stumps.
A 16th Test century could have been the perfect way to
celebrate his 30th birthday but Sehwag nonetheless figured
prominently in the 182-run opening partnership with a sterling
122-ball 90 which was studded with eight boundaries.
Gambhir, meanwhile, was not ready to squander the
opportunity to score his first Test hundred against a quality
opponent -- his only ton came against Bangladesh -- and the
left-hander worked it past mid-wicket for a boundary that
brought his second century in the longer version of the game.
The poise he showed so far, however, deserted him four
balls later when he perished in mid-off, falling to a rush of
blood than White's guile.
The soft dismissal notwithstanding, Gambhir could derive
enough satisfaction from the fact that in the course of his
138-ball 104, he made the Australian attack look pretty
ordinary. Seven boundaries and that six off White entertained
the sparse crowd who braved the heat and a harsh sun to watch
the proceedings.
Dhoni promoting himself at number three was a statement
of intent and Sourav Ganguly (27) also stepped on gas. Dhoni
pulled and pumelled his way to his second fifty of the match,
taking up the gauntlet whenever Lee offered a bouncer.
The Indian captain remained unbeaten on 68 off 84 balls
with the help of three boundaries and a six.
Mohali, Oct 20 (PTI) India piled up a run mountain and
then Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma knocked the daylight
out of Australia's riposte to put the hosts five wickets away
from a memorable win in the second cricket Test here Monday.
Chasing 516 for an improbable win, Australia got off to a
rousing start before Harbhajan mowed down the top order with
his triple strikes and Ishant had them in complete disarray,
dealing a double jolt on the penultimate day.
Their top order blown away, Australia were gasping for
breath at 141 for five wickets when stumps were drawn. Michael
Clarke (42) and Brad Haddin (37) would return Tuesday, hoping
to delay the inevitable.
With a 201-first innings lead behind them, India declared
their second essay at 314 for three with Gautam Gambhir (104),
Virender Sehwag (90), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (68 not out)
scoring bulk of the runs at a brisk pace.
In reply, Matthew Hayden (29) and Simon Katich (20)
counter-attacked, scoring at seven-an-over before Harbhajan
ran amock.
Hayden fell to the second delivery of Harbhajan and the
off-spinner then removed Katich with his last delivery of the
over. In his next over-- on the other side of the tea break --
Harbhajan trapped in-form Michael Hussey (1) for is 299th Test
victim.
Ishant responded in style, castling his bunny Ricky
Ponting (2) and then removing Shane Watson (2), Australia's
topscorer in the first innings.
Clarke and Haddin stemmed the rot with an unfinished
83-run stand but that may not prove enough in the end.
Earlier, with Brett Lee out of action in the morning
session, Delhi duo Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir knocked
the sting out of the attack with their strong-arm nonchalance.
Ponting could watch only in exasperation as both the
batsmen enjoyed fortune of the brave after resuming on India's
overnight score of 100 for no loss.
Gambhir edged Cameron White in the second over of the day
but neither Brad Haddin nor Matthew Hayden could pouch the
deflection. Gambhir also edged Michael Hussey but Haddin again
cut a sorry figure behind the stumps with the ball deflecting
off his gloves.
At the other end, Sehwag edged Mitchell Johnson but
umpire Asad Rauf ruled in the batsman's favour even though
snickometre suggested otherwise.
Shoulders drooped and frustration increased as Australia
struggled to stem the runs with Gambhir showing utter disdain
for their pedestrian attack. Gambhir cruised to his fifty and
the celebration came in the form of a six as he came waltzing
down the track to hit White over his head.
Sehwag whipped Shane Watson past square leg for his first
four of the day and his century looked like just a matter of
formality. Ten runs before the mark, Sehwag could not resists
the temptation of poking at a Peter Siddle delivery and Haddin
sort of redeemed himself behind the stumps.
A 16th Test century could have been the perfect way to
celebrate his 30th birthday but Sehwag nonetheless figured
prominently in the 182-run opening partnership with a sterling
122-ball 90 which was studded with eight boundaries.
Gambhir, meanwhile, was not ready to squander the
opportunity to score his first Test hundred against a quality
opponent -- his only ton came against Bangladesh -- and the
left-hander worked it past mid-wicket for a boundary that
brought his second century in the longer version of the game.
The poise he showed so far, however, deserted him four
balls later when he perished in mid-off, falling to a rush of
blood than White's guile.
The soft dismissal notwithstanding, Gambhir could derive
enough satisfaction from the fact that in the course of his
138-ball 104, he made the Australian attack look pretty
ordinary. Seven boundaries and that six off White entertained
the sparse crowd who braved the heat and a harsh sun to watch
the proceedings.
Dhoni promoting himself at number three was a statement
of intent and Sourav Ganguly (27) also stepped on gas. Dhoni
pulled and pumelled his way to his second fifty of the match,
taking up the gauntlet whenever Lee offered a bouncer.
The Indian captain remained unbeaten on 68 off 84 balls
with the help of three boundaries and a six.
