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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...