Daijiworld Media Network
Adelaide , Jan 25: India had a decent session post lunch, but Australia are very much on top. They will look to get towards 600 before they think of declaration. Let's see how much they can get.
That will be Tea on Day 2. It has been a comparatively better session for India. They picked up 4 wickets thanks to a good but sporadic bowling display and some really good ground fielding. The tail should have been wiped out early, but Harris and Haddin have stuck to the crease.
Wickets Highlights:
Wickets
Overs Score Description
Over no. 140: Ashwin to Siddle, out Caught by Saha!! That's it. Thin edge to the keeper. Siddle was looking like getting out any ball. Flatter delivery just outside off, it was the carrom ball again, Siddle came forward to defend and gets a thin outside edge to the keeper Saha. Ashwin and Saha appeal and the umpire gives the decision in their favor. Ashwin picks up his third. First catch for Saha. Siddle c Saha b Ashwin 2(15)
136.1 530/6 Zaheer to Ponting, out Caught by Tendulkar!! Soft dismissal to end a masterly innings. It was on the cards and almost happened in the last over. Shorter delivery on the off stump, Ponting goes for the pull and connects really well. Sachin at the deep midwicket boundary jumps up a bit and takes a good catch. The crowd gives a standing ovation. Ponting c Tendulkar b Zaheer 221(404) [4s-21]
134 520/5 Ashwin to Michael Hussey, out Michael Hussey Run Out!! That wicket came out of nowhere. Tossed up delivery outside off, Michael Hussey drives it and takes off for a single. But Gambhir at silly point has fielded the ball with his out-stretched right hand, sends in a quick direct hit. Hussey was way short of his crease, in fact he did not have time to react. Finally some brilliance from India in the field. Michael Hussey run out (Gambhir) 25(33) [4s-3]
120.3 470/4 Umesh Yadav to Michael Clarke, out Bowled!! Where did that come from?? Some solace for Yadav at last. It was a back of a length delivery angled into the pads, Michael Clarke looks to flick off his pads, the ball hits his pads and rolls onto the middle and off stump. What a knock from Michael Clarke, the crowd is giving him a standing ovation. But to be truthful, it was a tame dismissal after a flawless knock. Michael Clarke b Umesh Yadav 210(275) [4s-26 6s-1]
India's disastrous tour of Australia continues..no respite for spineless Indian bowlers. Clarke hits second consecutive hundred in the series and Ponting is also approaching his double !
It will need quite a miraculous effort from the Indians to pick themselves up from here. The batsmen would look to break more records on their way.
Depressing can be the only word which can be used to describe India's show in the first session. No intent whatsoever and even the luck didn't go their way. The edges didn't carry and when it did, they weren't good enough to catch them. Ponting and Michael Clarke just grinded them down with positive play. The heads of the Indians dropped quite quickly once they didn't get any wicket in the first 30 minutes. Ashwin continued to be a massive disappointment.
Earlier on day 1, When India picked up 3 wickets early in the first session, it seemed like it might have been a bit different from the rest of the tour. But the Ponting-Clarke partnership took away whatever hope the Indians might have had with another huge stand. Ponting was back to his flamboyant self playing the lovely drives and pulls, while Clarke grew in confidence as his innings progressed.
Both of them brought up their centuries and have not looked like getting out. In the first session, Ashwin looked good, but later lost his flight. Ishant Sharma was probably the only one who bowled his heart out and was genuinely unlucky not to pick up a wicket. They will need to pick up the remaining wickets as quickly as possible and bat out of their skins, if they have any chance to win or draw this match
Umpires: Aleem Dar(Pak), Kumar Dharmasena(SL)Third Umpire: Simon Fry(Aus)Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle(SL)
Australia Squad
David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (c), Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nathan Lyon, James Pattinson
India Squad
Virender Sehwag (c), Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Mithun, Pragyan Ojha, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Vinay Kumar