Aus gain advantage in riveting Test

After a riveting day of cricket that saw 247 runs being scored for the fall of 14 wickets, the Mohali Test hangs in fine balance, with India needing another 161 runs to win on the final day with six wickets in hand. After restricting Australia to 192 with a superb bowling performance, India are up against a tricky target of 216 for victory with Sachin Tendulkar (10*) and Zaheer Khan (5*) at the crease.

India’s chase began on a gloomy note when one of the many howlers by Billy Bowden cost them the wicket of Gautam Gambhir, who was adjudged lbw despite a thick inside edge. The Australian pacers bowled excellently as very soon Bollinger got Rahul Dravid (13) caught behind followed by Hilfenhaus’s another strike to dismiss Virender Sehwag (17) in a similar fashion. Hilfenhaus continued his fine display of swing bowling when he bounced Suresh Raina (0) out.

Earlier, Shane Watson got the visitors off to a flier with a 59-ball knock of 56, laced with seven boundaries and a six. He was toying with the Indian bowling attack and looked good for his fourth ton of this tour. That’s when MS Dhoni’s gut feeling took over and he brought his lanky pacer Ishant Sharma into the attack, who had struggled in the first innings with his line and overstepping.

The bowling change turned out to be the watershed moment of the match. Off the first ball of his new spell, Ishant got rid of Watson, who, in his attempt to pull a short and wide delivery just managed to play it on to the stumps. That wicket was just the kind of tonic the young fast bowler needed. The Australian skipper, Ricky Ponting, then held out to Suresh Raina at leg-gully, to his once most productive shot – the pull.

More drama unfolded in the fourth delivery, as Michael Clarke (4) flicked a full-length ball straight to the man at mid-wicket. The umpire, recalled the batsman soon after giving him the marching orders. Reason: he had a doubt that Ishant had overstepped for the 14th time in the match. His doubt was confirmed by the third umpire and that became Ishant’s second wicket off a no-ball in the match.

Clarke, however, failed to take the advantage of the lucky respite. In his next over, Ishant fired in a nasty bouncer. Clarke took his eyes off the ball as it kissed his glove and went up in the air. Dhoni held it with ease. In no time, Australia slumped to 96 for 3 from a formidable 87 for no loss.

The post-lunch session belonged to the Indian spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha. They used the day-four Mohali pitch fantastically to trouble the Australian batsmen with sharp turn and flight.

The Katich-Hussey duo weathered the storm for a while as the Indian spinners began to turn it sharply. Harbhajan, in particular was immensely impressive as he gave the ball a lot of air along with spinning it away from the left-handers. Ojha, who toiled hard in the first innings too, got the purchase off the track. He struck when Katich’s luck finally ran out after a series of respites and a mildly turning delivery took the outside edge giving Dhoni a sharp catch.

Marcus North, the new man was put under immense pressure by the Indian captain, who crowded him with four fielders around his bat. There was a slip, leg-slip, forward shortleg and silly point in place for the left-hander as the tweakers spun the ball sharply. He got troubled by the turners and was also lucky to survive a very good lbw appeal by Harbhajan.

But the ‘Turbanator ‘got rewarded for his sensational spell of spin bowling with the quick wickets of Hussey and North. Hussey had the right to be disappointed after being given out as he tried sweeping the ball pitched well outside the leg-stump. North, who was having a torrid time out there in the middle, finally gave in to the pressure created all round him and edged a spinning delivery from Harbhajan straight to Dhoni.

Ojha then got rid of Tim Paine with the help of young uncapped substitute fielder Cheteshwar Pujara, who took a superb low reflex catch at silly point. Dhoni, then made another inspirational bowling change and replaced the left-arm spinner with Zaheer Khan. And the left-arm pacer, in the second delivery of the spell got Mitchell Johnson caught behind with an out-swinger.

Zaheer continued to trouble the tailenders with reverse swing and had a frustrating moment when the ball hit the stump after beating Nathan Hauritz but the bail didn’t come off. The Indian pacer made up for it by sending Hauritz’s off-stump cart wheeling just an over later. When Zaheer rearranged Hilfenhaus’s stumps with a stunning yorker, it not only spelled the end of the Australian innings but also gave him his 250th Test wicket.

1st Test: Aus dealt quick blows after tea

Mohali: Australia lost the wickets of Tim Paine and Mitchell Johnson straight after tea on day four of the first Test against India at Mohali on Monday.

Harbhajan Singh got the better off Michael Hussey and Marcus North in quick succession to leave Australia in trouble at 165/6 at tea.

Earlier, Indian pacer Ishant Sharma produced a hostile spell to grab three quick wickets on a dead track and reduce Australia to 100 for three in their second innings at lunch on the fourth day of the first cricket Test here on Monday.

Australia have an overall lead of 123 runs courtesy a slender 23-run first-innings lead. Opener Simon Katich is batting on 24 while Michael Hussey is yet to open his account.

Watson smashed 56 off only 59 deliveries -- an innings which was in stark contrast to his toiling century in the first essay -- before Ishant snared three quick wickets to bring India right back in the match.

Watson added 87 runs with Simon Katich for the opening stand before Ishant bowled a deadly second spell from the pavillion end to dismiss the all-rounder, rival captain Ricky Ponting and his deputy Michael Clarke in a space of two overs to bring the hosts right back into the match.

Ishant, who started in an erratic manner giving away 17 runs in two overs, had brilliant figures of 3-2-8-3 to show for in his second spell. His pre-lunch session figures read 5-2-25-3.

Among his three victims, Watson should curse himself for doing a hara-kiri.

Ishant bowled one wide outside the off-stump and the opener went for a wild slog over deep mid-wicket but dragged it back onto his stumps. Watson hit seven boundaries and a huge six off Pragyan Ojha during his knock.

Ponting started with a boundary but Ishant got his man when the Australian skipper pulled a short one straight into the hands of backward square leg which was specifically stationed for that particular shot. Suresh Raina took a well-judged catch.

The lanky speedster from Delhi was over the moon when he got Michael Clarke to flick one to short mid-wicket where Virender Sehwag was standing.

However, as Clarke was about to walk back, umpire Billy Bowden, who had apprehensions that Ishant may just have overstepped, referred to third umpire Sanjay Hazare.

The television replays showed that Ishant had overstepped and Bowden's decision was vindicated.

However, Clarke's joy was shortlived as the pacer got a nasty snorter right into the Aussie vice-captain's rib cage and the ball ballooned to captain Dhoni.

The Australians, however, started in the right earnest as Watson and Katich both showed positive intent from the beginning.

While Watson was determined to hit anything that was pitched on his area, Katich was keen to play the second fiddle rotating the strike.

Watson made his intentions clear from the very first over as Zaheer went for 10. In the first five overs, the pace duo went for 47 runs.

Indian skipper went on the defensive introducing spinners from both ends. However, Watson launched into Ojha hitting him for a big six as 50 came up in only 6.4 overs.

Harbhajan, however, bowled a tidy spell from the other end. Just when it looked that Australians are taking a firm grip, Ishant struck those deadly blows to bring India back.

Ishant sparks fightback after Watson's fifty

Ishant Sharma picked up three wickets in his liveliest spell of the match as India halted Australia's growing lead on the fourth day in Mohali. Shane Watson's brisk half-century took Australia's advantage into triple figures before he and Ricky Ponting fell in the first over of Ishant's second spell, shortly before lunch.

When Michael Clarke chipped a catch to midwicket first ball, it looked like Ishant had claimed three breakthroughs in one over. However, confusion reigned as the umpire Billy Bowden stopped Clarke from walking off, radioed the third official Sanjay Hazare to check on a suspected no-ball, and found that Ishant had overstepped.

Clarke's reprieve was short-lived, though, and in Ishant's next over he could not evade a sharp and well-directed bouncer that lobbed off his gloves to the wicketkeeper MS Dhoni. Australia had rapidly fallen from 87 for 1 to 96 for 3, and the momentum was suddenly with India after Watson's excellent start.

The Australians began the morning with a lead of 23 and they could not have asked for a better opening than the 67 runs Watson and Simon Katich put on in the first hour. Watson was the aggressor, cutting and driving with precision, and he also launched Pragyan Ojha over the midwicket boundary with a powerful slog-sweep.

He moved to his half-century from 51 deliveries, but Dhoni's decision to reintroduce Ishant for a second spell in the final half hour of the session proved a triumph. Watson (56) tried to pull Ishant's first delivery from wide of off stump through midwicket, but a bottom edge dislodged his bail to give Ishant his first wicket of the Test.

Ponting eased his first ball to the cover boundary but fell facing his fourth delivery when he pulled Ishant straight to Suresh Raina at square leg. The loss of Clarke shortly afterwards left Australia in the hands of Simon Katich, who was on 24 at the lunch break, along with Michael Hussey yet to score.

Katich had enjoyed a couple of lucky breaks - he should have been lbw to Harbhajan Singh for 7 and on 9 he edged Harbhajan between Dhoni and Rahul Dravid at first slip. With the exception of Watson, the Australian batsmen did not find runs easy to come by on the fourth morning and, with a lead of only 123 and seven wickets in hand, they need a big partnership to ensure they bat out the day.

Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at Cricinfo

Asif, Amir submit appeals against ICC suspension

Lahore: Mohammed Amir and Mohammed Asif, two of the three Pakistan players implicated in the spot-mixing scandal, have appealed against their provisional suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) under its anti-corruption code.

The third tainted player, Salman Butt, had already filed his appeal in this regard, and the ICC Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat, had confirmed receiving it, saying that his formal appeal was evidence that the "time-consuming" probe was moving forward, The Nation reported.

"That in itself is good progress," he added.

Lorgat said that in his view, it would be very unfair to castigate the entire (Pakistan) team, or even the nation.

"I`m confident that we`ve followed the proper process and have an arguable case for those players to answer," he stated, adding, "These are a few individuals that need to be dealt with," he said.

Following fears looming over the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Delhi, Lorgat said he was "very confident" of the ability of the Indian sub-continent to host the upcoming World Cup,

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will not provide any financial assistance to the tainted trio in their appeal against the ICC suspension.

An appeal hearing is expected to take place on October 28 and 29 as per the ICC`s anti-corruption code of conduct for provisional suspensions, where `it shall be the burden of the ACSU`s general manager to establish: (a) that there is a strong, arguable case against the player on the charge(s) that have been made against him; and (b) that, in such circumstances, the integrity of the sport could be seriously undermined if a provisional suspension was not imposed against him."

ANI

Virender Sehwag surges to set up India

Virender Sehwag delivered a brutal response to stun Australia with a quick half-century as India finished the second day of a two-paced Test on a high. Sehwag raced to a 38-ball fifty but was undone by Mitchell Johnson shortly before the close for 59, walking off frustrated by his error.

India finished at 110 for 2 at stumps in reply to the visitors' 428, with Rahul Dravid unbeaten on 21 and the nightwatchman Ishant Sharma on 0. Both the local openers showed the positive intent that was often missing in the field when they put on 81 in 13.2 overs to build on Zaheer Khan's 10th five-wicket haul. Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir (25) and Dravid quickly changed the value of Australia's total during a breathless finish to a day that had previously followed a sombre tempo.

After Australia had sweated to score at 2.82 an over, the Indians were soon careering along at a run a ball to upset a visiting attack that battled to regain control. Sehwag started biffing through the offside, hitting two boundaries from a Doug Bollinger over, and then crashing three off Ben Hilfenhaus. Nathan Hauritz's first ball went over mid-off, his next sped along the ground in the same region for the same result, and the over cost 11.

Gambhir was lbw to Johnson (2-29) but the most important blow came with a few minutes left in the day when Sehwag's leading edge went to Michael Clarke at cover. The crowd went silent but the Australians roared, mostly with relief.

The visitors were encouraged after they had blunted India's bowlers and blossomed under Tim Paine's guidance as he narrowly missed a maiden century in his third Test. Showing impressive determination, he first stabilised his team with Shane Watson and then lifted the pace with Johnson during an energetic 82-run stand.

The gains came after Watson's assured 126 set the platform while Zaheer kept interrupting the tourists to prevent a damaging score. The total is tough to gauge and took more than five sessions to compile, but the Australians were satisfied after some difficulties on both days.

However, it is a target that India's batsmen could conquer by the end of the third day if they build on Sehwag's start. At times during Australia's innings the lack of urgency from both sides, in particular the home team's lapses in the field, appeared to indicate everyone would be content with a draw. Sehwag changed the thinking.

Having crawled 71 in the opening session, Australia relaxed through Paine and Johnson after lunch and started to swing freely against the tiring spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha. Johnson skipped to 47, striking three sixes, and provided a necessary boost to take Australia to safer ground.

Paine also increased his rate, lifting Ojha over midwicket for consecutive boundaries in his most memorable burst, and showed his comfort at this level. Dropped by MS Dhoni on 0 yesterday, Paine refused to submit to the various tensions and played the sort of settling innings the injured Brad Haddin could not have managed.

At times it was easy to wish for some Haddin extravagance, but Paine delivered an old-fashioned display, just as Watson had done so purposefully. In the first hour Watson and Paine scraped 25 as they followed the extra cautious method of the previous afternoon.

The stress eased for Paine after drinks in the morning when he glanced his first four from his 61st ball, gaining confidence from the unshackling. He drove and late cut Zaheer for another couple of boundaries and was soon comfortable in the humid conditions and on the turning surface.

In the end Paine struck 12 fours from 196 deliveries, showing his ability off both feet, and his sharp reading of the slow men. He was dropped by Dhoni again on 86 but VVS Laxman quickly made up for the mistake with a sharp catch low down at second slip to give Zaheer his fifth breakthrough.

The innings ended when Bollinger holed out to provide Ojha with his first wicket in his 52nd over of an economical but unrewarding marathon. Zaheer stepped up for the under-manned India with 5 for 94 while Harbhajan collected 3 for 114 off 49 overs.

After resuming at 224 for 5, the Australians crept forward in the morning with a couple of aims. They didn't want to expose the lower order too soon, especially with India's spinners operating, and they intended to keep the local attack in the field for as long as possible. They were successful on both counts and frustrated the hosts, who expected a quick end to the innings following their late surge on day one.

Watson's concentration finally broke when he pushed at a flighted offspinner from Harbhajan and popped it to Gambhir at short leg, ending his 338-ball resistance. The wicket threatened to change the game but it was not until almost an hour after tea that Australia were finally dismissed. For most of the day Zaheer worked with the old ball - the new one remained unused until the 147th over - and he succeeded even though he could not gain the severe swing that hurt the tourists on the opening afternoon.

Harbhajan was also a threat and Ojha was tidy, but both were overused - they had to be - due to the knee injury to Sharma. Ishant returned with four unconvincing overs and India will be desperate for him to have more impact in the second innings.

Peter English is the Australasia editor of Cricinfo

Allround Aus take command after see-saw day

Day-two of the Mohali Test was a see-saw that eventually ended with Australia having an upper-hand, restricting India to 110 for 2 in reply to their first innings score of 428 all-out. Rahul Dravid (21), who got among runs with some fine cover-drives and on-drives is at the crease with watchman Ishant Sharma (0). Virender Sehwag (59) and Gautam Gambhir (25) went about their business as usual. Gambhir pushed and prodded to rotate the strike and Sehwag dominated the hapless bowlers. All Australian pacers found out, yet again, that there’s no place to hide after giving even a wee bit of width outside the off-stump to the nawab of Najafgarh.

Hilfenhaus did it and stood there motionless watching the ball whip past the cover. The pacer didn’t learn and Sehwag creamed him for three more boundaries in an over. Bollinger made the same mistake and was duly driven through mid-off and cut away to the fence through point. Off consecutive deliveries. Nathan Hauritz was introduced in the 13th over and Sehwag dealt his full-tosses with two smacking cover-drives. Result: Sehwag blasted his way for his half-century in 38 deliveries.

Together the Indian openers put on 81 runs before Gambhir was adjudged lbw to Mitchell Johnson. The wicket gave added confidence to the Aussies, who managed to keep Sehwag quiet for a long time before dismissing him in the dying moments of the day. Johnson was ecstatic when a mistimed uppish on-drive from Sehwag’s willow went straight to the hands of Michael Clarke at covers.

All this happened after Australia piled on a formidable 428, thanks to Shane Watson (126) and Tim Paine (92). For India, it was Zaheer Khan who delivered the goods with the old, reverse-swinging SG ball to pick up his 10th five-wicket haul in Test cricket. He added the scalps of Mitchell Johnson (47) and Paine to his overnight numbers to end with the figures of 5 for 95.

Watson and Paine showed tremendous resilience against the disciplined Indian bowling and batted unruffled even as runs came in a trifle on the day-two morning. Both, known for their attacking style of batting, put their heads down and played the waiting game.

But when an odd ball was pitched on the leg, both men were quick to flick it to the fence. They also broke the shackles by playing a couple of attacking drives through the covers. Watson overtook his highest Test score of 120 en route to a very crucial 53-run stand with Paine.

Despite the breakthrough not coming, Dhoni reposed his faith on the spinners and refused to take the new ball until the 147th over of the Australian innings. The faith finally paid off when Harbhajan got rid of Watson with a generously flighted delivery. Watson was deceived by the bounce and poked at it as Gautam Gambhir took a fantastic diving catch at forward short-leg.

Then Mitchell Johnson joined hands with Paine to stitch an 88-run stand, which frustrated the Indians to no end.

Johnson showed his prowess with the bat by clobbering Zaheer Khan for two back to back boundaries. Zaheer tried to unsettle him with a short-ball but Johnson turned the plot on its head by pulling him away to the fence and inducing him to bowl a half-volley up next, which was thrashed through covers.

The left-hander then turned his concentration to Ojha and smashed him over the long-on for a six with the turn. A couple of overs later he repeated the stroke, this time for four runs. Ojha decided to come over the wicket but that didn’t deter Johnson from smacking him for a four through point and heaving him over mid-wicket for maximum.

After Johnson, it was Paine who took on Ojha by lofting him for two consecutive boundaries over mid-on. The Aussie wicketkeeper got rewarded for his hard work and determination with his maiden Test half-century.

The 82-run stand between Paine and Johnson for the seventh wicket caused the Indian shoulders to droop in the sweltering heat of Chandigarh. But the drinks break seemed to do the trick for Zaheer, who came back and struck right away as Johnson nicked a shortish delivery outside the off-stump to Dhoni. Johnson’s 66-ball entertaining knock ended on 47. Harbhajan then returned to dismiss Nathan Hauritz as Gautam Gambhir held on to a superb low, reflex catch at the forward short-leg.

Johnson’s wicket once again put the brakes on Australia’s scoring rate and Harbhajan, in particular, strangled them for runs. The off-spinner impressed with his control and variation. He tossed it up nicely and kept it straight.

Ojha had an off day. He often strayed on the leg bowling to a heavy off-side field and paid the price for it. Even luck continued to elude the left-arm spinner, who managed to find the edge of Watson’s bat only to see the ball bounce in front of Raina at slip. He finally got a wicket when Bollinger was held out in the deep to end the Australian innings.

Zaheer-Ponting spat adds spice to Test

Mohali: Tempers flared at Mohali on Friday when India locked horns with Australia in the first Test of the two-match series. Zaheer Khan allegedly poked Ricky Ponting with an off-the-cuff remark as the Australia skipper was going off the park after being run out for 71.

Ponting was walking past the Indian huddle when suddenly Zaheer chose to give him a send-off, after which Ponting turned around leading to a verbal duel between the two that needed umpire Billy Bowden's intervention.

The exact nature of the exchange is still not known but one thing is pretty clear that this series won't be short of high-octane on-field exchanges with none of the teams willing to hold back.

Australia, however, had an upper hand on the first day of Mohali Test as the visitors looked well placed at 179/3 at tea despite losing two wickets for 78 runs in the afternoon session.

Zaheer summoned after Ponting clash

Mohali: Sparks flew on the opening day of the first India-Australia cricket Test with Ricky Ponting and Zaheer Khan having a on-field showdown which prompted the match referee to summon the Indian pacer after the end of day's play.

The incident occurred in the 42nd over which was being bowled by Harbhajan Singh.

All-rounder Shane Watson pushed the fourth ball of that over towards mid-wicket and called Ponting who was batting on 71 for a quick single.

Before the Australian skipper could make his ground, Suresh Raina's direct throw hit the stumps.

After third umpire Sanjay Hazare adjudged him run-out, Ponting was walking back towards the pavilion when he turned back after hearing some comments from Zaheer.

With the Indian players standing in a pack, Ponting walked back towards them pointing the bat at them when he was intervened by Billy Bowden. Good sense prevailed after that and he walked back to the pavilion.

Match referee Chris Broad summoned Zaheer at the end of the day's play and had a word with him but according to team official Mayank Parikh, it was just a "friendly interaction" and there was no official caution or fine as such.

Australian opener Shane Watson, who came at the media conference after the day's play, was forthright in stating that it was Zaheer whose remarks escalated the tension.

"I didn't know what happened in the middle. Only later I saw the footage. It was Zaheer who came out of the huddle and his remarks escalated the incident. Ricky is not someone who will go out there to pick up a fight. He reacted only after something was said. We know what's the line we shouldn't cross," Watson.

India spinner Pragyan Ojha, however, sought to play down the issue.

"It often happens when you are competitive. There are times when words are exchanged," Ojha told the reporters.

Interestingly, on Thursday at the pre-match media conference, Ponting had said that he doesn't want any negativity or bad blood during the series as world cricket is still suffering in the wake of spot-fixing controversy involving the Pakistan trio of Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamir and Salman Butt.

Watson stands in way of fighting India

India turned a bad morning into a bright afternoon despite the committed effort of Shane Watson, who collected his third century in a week. Watson, who posted twin hundreds in the tour game, survived two chances in delivering the sort of performance expected of a specialist opener, not one Australia have manufactured over the past year.

Despite Watson's calm 101 on the opening day, the visitors are far from safe at 224 for 5 after a stinging late burst from Zaheer Khan, India's only fit paceman following a knee injury to Ishant Sharma. Zaheer, who was steaming in the second session during a confrontation with Ricky Ponting, gained his second lbw when he picked up Michael Hussey (17) with a reverse-swinging delivery and followed up by clipping Marcus North's off stump when he tried to leave on 0.

Zaheer finished with 3 for 45 off 16 overs to continue the fine recovery by a side that was struggling badly over the first half of the day. The locals would have been happier had MS Dhoni, who returned from the Champions League Twenty20 two days ago, caught a regulation chance off Tim Paine (1 not out).

On a pitch with low bounce and gaining in turn, Watson began in an aggressive mood but toned down once Ponting and Michael Clarke departed before tea, leaving the tourists at an uncomfortable 172 for 3. Until Ponting's departure for 71, Australia had been the ones in control but his run-out forced a change of pace, and Watson started grinding towards three-figures.

There was no rush from Watson as the Indian spinners delivered tight spells in the afternoon and were called on for more work following Ishant's departure after 7.4 overs. Only 45 runs were scored in the final session as the ball softened and the spinners closed in against the defensive Watson, Clarke and Hussey.

Watson has spent some gut-wrenching periods in the nineties during his 21 Tests, but he stayed calm and crept up on a rewarding second century. The milestone came with a legside clip for two off Harbhajan Singh and he stayed until the end, capturing eight fours from his 279 balls. It was a performance that bettered the 78 he made at the same ground two years ago, an innings that showed he could succeed when grit was required.

Watson and Ponting had survived some scares and overcame the early loss of Simon Katich (6) in their stabilising 141-run stand. The two-Test series began with Virender Sehwag's second-ball drop of Watson, who was also missed by Dhoni on 37, while Ponting benefitted from Ishant's over-stepping when glancing behind.

Ponting returned the charity after responding tardily to Watson's call for a single and was run out by Suresh Raina's smart direct hit from midwicket. The third umpire was required to decide Ponting's fate after his mostly composed innings, but as he walked past the fielders he was called out by Zaheer in the first flashpoint of the series. The taunts resulted in the captain changing direction and walking towards the huddle for a short exchange.

It was the fourth time Ponting, 35, had been caught short in Tests since going to England last year and the type of dismissal was particularly frustrating given the strong position of his team. Until that point it was India who had been unnecessarily generous with dropped catches, missed run-out chances and a flood of eight no-balls from Ishant.

India went in with four specialist bowlers, but only two were fast men, so Ishant's injured knee was another concerning development, especially as Harbhajan had to pass a fitness test in the morning. The lack of firepower could harm the hosts for the remainder of the game, but not if Zaheer continues weaving the ball late.

India's initial difficulty was eased by Raina's brilliant throw and the scoring-rate quickly dropped as Watson and Clarke added 18 at 1.5 an over against the spinners. Clarke then tried to cut a wider ball from Harbhajan and edged to Rahul Dravid at first slip.

Harbhajan was much more dangerous after lunch, slowing the runs and creating some half-chances in his 1 for 69 off 29 overs, and the pitch will help the slow men more as the game wears on. Pragyan Ojha, the left-arm orthodox spinner, also played an important role, rarely allowing an attacking option, as he gave away 39 runs in 31 overs. After a strong start the signs are already worrying for Australia, even though their opponents are possibly a man short