ID :
29554
Tue, 11/11/2008 - 14:52
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India thrash Aus by 172 runs to regain Border-Gavaskar Trophy S S Ramaswamy
Nagpur, Nov 10 (PTI) India Monday gave ample proof of its
status as a dominant force in world cricket as they thrashed
Australia by 172 runs in the fourth and final cricket Test to
regain the coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy after a gap of four
years here Monday.
After settting the visitors a daunting target of 382 for
victory, the Indians exploited a turning fifth day track to
skittle out the Aussies for 209 just before the tea break to
wrap up the four-match series with a 2-0 margin.
It turned out to be a perfect gift for Sourav Ganguly by
his teammates in his farewell Test as they knocked out the
Aussies in just about two sessions of play on the last day.
Only Matthew Hayden stood bravely amidst the ruins with a
93-ball 77 as the Indian bowlers ripped through the batting
line up to bring an end to the Australian innings rather
quickly.
Leg spinner Amit Mishra (4/64) and off-spinner Harbhajan
Singh (3/27) were the main destructors for the hosts who made
amends for losing the home series 1-2 in the 2004-05 series.
Opener Hayden, let off twice in his 30s, showed the most
defiance from the tourists' ranks and top-scored with 77 off
93 balls with eight fours and a six before being fifth out and
the end came swiftly after the departure of the Queenslander
midway into the second session.
Fast bowler Ishant Sharma took the first two of three
Australian wickets to set India on their way to a deserving
victory after which the spin duo of Harbhajan and Mishra spun
a web of deceit to skittle the rest.
The end came when last man Mitchell was declared out leg
before offering no shot to Harbhajan Singh before tea.
Australia lost their wickets at regular intervals
after a fighting partnership between Hayden and Hussey was
broken by young Mishra who had the latter caught at slip by
Rahul Dravid who had a forgettable match with the bat and as a
slip fielder too.
India, thus, finished on a victorious note to give
a fitting send-off to Sourav Ganguly who had announced before
the commencement of the series in Bangalore on October 9 that
he will quit the game after this series.
The former India skipper, who missed the chance to
score a century in his farewell appearance after having
started his Test career with a bang – a debut ton at Lord's in
1996 – faded from the limelight with the happiness that he was
part of a victorious team at the end.
He was chaired off the ground after being hugged by all
his teammates and the Australian players and was also greeted
by retired captain Anil Kumble who has returned here from
Bangalore to see the finale.
The opening Test was drawn before India thumped the
world's highest-ranked team by a huge 320 runs in the second
Test at Mohali to take a 1-0 lead which they maintained coming
into this Test following the drawn third encounter at Delhi.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who took over the reins
from Kumble who retired after the third match of the series at
the Ferozshah Kotla, thus continued his golden run at the helm
to lead the team to a third straight win in as many matches.
He had led India to wins over South Africa, earlier this
year, and at Mohali as stand-in captain for Kumble.
Harbhajan and Mishra, introduced late after lunch, tied
the Australian batsmen in knots. Barring the hard-hitting but
chancy half century by Hayden, the rest of the batsmen caved
in meekly.
The gangling Ishant sent back first innings centurion
Simon Katich (16) and Michael Clarke, promoted in the order to
score quickly despite being unwell, and Ponting got run-out by
Mishra's superb pick-up and throw from mid-off. The spin duo
then got into the act and delivered the goods for India.
It was Mishra who gave the important breakthrough in his
very first over to send back Michael Hussey for 19 when he and
Hayden had taken the visitors to 150 from 82 for three.
Mishra added the wickets of Brad Haddin, caught by
Sachin Tendulkar (his 100th Test catch), and Jason Krejza (4),
who got stumped by Dhoni.
Harbhajan struck the most important blow in the context
of the run-chase by having Hayden leg before with a faster
ball as the batsman tried to cart him to the on-side as he had
done before with impunity.
The fiesty off spinner also accounted for Brett Lee
(0), caught at short leg by Murali Vijay, before trapping
Johnson leg before after the last wicket added 18 runs to
bring down curtains on the match. PTI S.S.R.
RKM
status as a dominant force in world cricket as they thrashed
Australia by 172 runs in the fourth and final cricket Test to
regain the coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy after a gap of four
years here Monday.
After settting the visitors a daunting target of 382 for
victory, the Indians exploited a turning fifth day track to
skittle out the Aussies for 209 just before the tea break to
wrap up the four-match series with a 2-0 margin.
It turned out to be a perfect gift for Sourav Ganguly by
his teammates in his farewell Test as they knocked out the
Aussies in just about two sessions of play on the last day.
Only Matthew Hayden stood bravely amidst the ruins with a
93-ball 77 as the Indian bowlers ripped through the batting
line up to bring an end to the Australian innings rather
quickly.
Leg spinner Amit Mishra (4/64) and off-spinner Harbhajan
Singh (3/27) were the main destructors for the hosts who made
amends for losing the home series 1-2 in the 2004-05 series.
Opener Hayden, let off twice in his 30s, showed the most
defiance from the tourists' ranks and top-scored with 77 off
93 balls with eight fours and a six before being fifth out and
the end came swiftly after the departure of the Queenslander
midway into the second session.
Fast bowler Ishant Sharma took the first two of three
Australian wickets to set India on their way to a deserving
victory after which the spin duo of Harbhajan and Mishra spun
a web of deceit to skittle the rest.
The end came when last man Mitchell was declared out leg
before offering no shot to Harbhajan Singh before tea.
Australia lost their wickets at regular intervals
after a fighting partnership between Hayden and Hussey was
broken by young Mishra who had the latter caught at slip by
Rahul Dravid who had a forgettable match with the bat and as a
slip fielder too.
India, thus, finished on a victorious note to give
a fitting send-off to Sourav Ganguly who had announced before
the commencement of the series in Bangalore on October 9 that
he will quit the game after this series.
The former India skipper, who missed the chance to
score a century in his farewell appearance after having
started his Test career with a bang – a debut ton at Lord's in
1996 – faded from the limelight with the happiness that he was
part of a victorious team at the end.
He was chaired off the ground after being hugged by all
his teammates and the Australian players and was also greeted
by retired captain Anil Kumble who has returned here from
Bangalore to see the finale.
The opening Test was drawn before India thumped the
world's highest-ranked team by a huge 320 runs in the second
Test at Mohali to take a 1-0 lead which they maintained coming
into this Test following the drawn third encounter at Delhi.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who took over the reins
from Kumble who retired after the third match of the series at
the Ferozshah Kotla, thus continued his golden run at the helm
to lead the team to a third straight win in as many matches.
He had led India to wins over South Africa, earlier this
year, and at Mohali as stand-in captain for Kumble.
Harbhajan and Mishra, introduced late after lunch, tied
the Australian batsmen in knots. Barring the hard-hitting but
chancy half century by Hayden, the rest of the batsmen caved
in meekly.
The gangling Ishant sent back first innings centurion
Simon Katich (16) and Michael Clarke, promoted in the order to
score quickly despite being unwell, and Ponting got run-out by
Mishra's superb pick-up and throw from mid-off. The spin duo
then got into the act and delivered the goods for India.
It was Mishra who gave the important breakthrough in his
very first over to send back Michael Hussey for 19 when he and
Hayden had taken the visitors to 150 from 82 for three.
Mishra added the wickets of Brad Haddin, caught by
Sachin Tendulkar (his 100th Test catch), and Jason Krejza (4),
who got stumped by Dhoni.
Harbhajan struck the most important blow in the context
of the run-chase by having Hayden leg before with a faster
ball as the batsman tried to cart him to the on-side as he had
done before with impunity.
The fiesty off spinner also accounted for Brett Lee
(0), caught at short leg by Murali Vijay, before trapping
Johnson leg before after the last wicket added 18 runs to
bring down curtains on the match. PTI S.S.R.
RKM
