Cricket Special: Mitchell Johnson swings the match in Australia’s favour
India failed to take the lead in the first innings against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 at the Mohali cricket ground in spite of great fight put up by Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Suresh Raina.
It was the left arm quickie Mitchell Johnson who had the last laugh when he claimed three wickets in quick succession to rap the Indian innings, which saw the hosts conceding a twenty three runs deficit.
Mitchell Johnson, who now spearheads the Australian bowling attack after the retirements of legendary Shane Warne, along with Glenn McGrath, absence of Brett Lee rose to the occasion and struck when it mattered most. Australians gained slightest of advantages,
which would help them mentally build on to their next innings.
At one stage, India were in the driving seat and from the look of things the total of above five hundred was on the cards. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 were only four down when they crossed the three hundred and fifty mark. With six wickets in hand, Indians were on their way to
post a big total but they faltered big time. As it has happened, in the past as well that one session can change the tide of the match.
Mitchell Johnson, who had earlier claimed that he can open the Indian batting line up with quick short balls, transformed his words into action as he ripped through Indian batting line up, claiming his sixth five wicket haul. It is quite some achievement
for a fast bowler to get a five for especially on subcontinent pitches, which do not help the quickies.
Everybody was anticipating a legendary show between the two off spinners; Indian Harbhajan Singh and Aussie Nathan Hauritz, but instead the fast bowlers from either sides stole the show. Zaheer Khan and Mitchell Johnson both got five wickets haul for India
and Australia respectively.
Johnson rattled the Indian top order when he removed both Indian openers http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Virender-Sehwag-c95429. He again came back to remove the dangerous Indian skipper, Dhoni as he perished on fourteen and Harbjhan followed him to the pavilion on the very
next ball from Johnson. His fifth victim was Suresh Raina.
Sachin Tendulkar missed a perfect chance to score his forty ninth Test century, when he got out only two runs short of three figures. Tendulkar heads the list of leading run scorers, in limited overs cricket and the Test matches, batted bravely against Australian
bowling line up.
But he was undone by part time spinner Marcus North on the personal score of ninety eight, when he played across the line and was adjudged Leg Before Wicket (LBW). This wasn’t the first time that Tendulkar fell prey to nervous 90’s. If the little master
would have converted all his 90’s into centuries then his total number of centuries astoundingly would have been near about sixty.
But the manner in which he got out showed that he wasn’t under pressure, and it was just a case of loosing concentration watching a part timer bowling. His eyes must have been lit up and that contributed in his downfall. Sachin was very well supported by
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rahul-c83321 Dravid and Suresh both scoring fine half centuries. Suresh Raina played in his own domain scoring quick eighty six, which included fourteen boundaries and Rahul Dravid scored a defiant and solid seventy seven but still the trio of Tendulkar, Raina and
Dravid failed to help their team get upper hand on the match.
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