Cricket news: Australia sneak ahead on an absorbing day at Mohali
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 at Mohali.
The hosts lost their way after a bright start on day three of the test match; they resumed their innings at the overnight score of 110/2 with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ishant-Sharma-c64566 at the crease.
The lanky Sharma resisted for a while striking three fours in the process, he was eventually cleaned up by Bollinger for 18 runs, his knock was compiled of 56 balls.
Sachin Tendulkar joined Rahul Dravid, the two veterans started off cautiously in their partnership.
In the meanwhile Dravid the Indian wall completed yet another half century in test cricket. He played some delightful drives compiling 9 boundaries in all in his innings.
He reached the milestone in 92 balls, looking set for another hundred. On the other hand, Tendulkar also looked comfortable against the Australian attack.
Nathan Hauritz the leading spinner in the Australian ranks tried hard to extract some spin off the wicket, yet the Indian masters of spin bowling looked unperturbed and solid against the threat offered by him.
The Indians added 81 runs in the opening session with Dravid and Tendulkar looking set for big scores.
The wall of India Rahul Dravid eventually fell for 77runs, when he nicked the ball behind to Tim Paine off fast bowler Doug Bollinger.
On the other hand, the little master Sachin Tendulkar carried on his rich vein of form-looking untroubled on a flat batting wicket.
He was all set to reach his 49th test ton, when he fell lbw to Marcus North for 98 runs. His dismissal silenced a boisterous crowd who had waited to see their champion reach another test ton.
Tendulkar’s runs came off 189 balls and included as many as 13 fours, together with Suresh Raina he added 124 runs for the fifth wicket and it seemed that the host would easily surmount the Australian total, yet the dismissal of the little master triggered
a stunning collapse.
Soon afterwards Indian captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 for 14 runs, his knock came off 25 balls and the Indian score read 382/6 at this stage.
India dealt another blow when Harbhajan Singh who has been a real thorn in the Australian flesh with the bat, fell first ball edging Johnson to Tim Paine.
Seventeen runs later Zaheer Khan became Nathan Hauritz’s first victim in the match when his ungainly shot across the line landed in his stumps, the pacer scored 6 runs.
Suresh Raina, who was eying his second test hundred in only his third test, fell 14 runs short of the three figures mark.
Raina played across the line to a straight one and was wrapped in front of the stumps. He struck 14 boundaries in his knock that came off only 128 balls.
The Indian innings was folded when last man http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 positioned in the slips.
The hosts ended their innings at 405, handing a crucial 28 runs lead to the tourists.
The match is evenly poised, yet the Australians have edged slightly ahead with their lead. The wicket is expected to break up more on day four, which might mean a real challenge for Ricky Ponting’s team.
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