India thrash Australia to clean sweep Test series
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, which further enhances their chances to remain at number one Test position for many weeks to come.
India’s team were in a better position after getting a slender first inning lead which set the foundation for their victory. As Australia came out to bat in the second innings Indian spinners dominated the Aussie batting and chipped in with early wickets,
which never allowed the visitors to build a strong partnership.
Spin duo of Praghyan Ojha and Harbajhan Singh rattled the Indian top order. Once again it was Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting, who stood a challenge against India’s bowling line up. Ponting had earlier vowed to perform better on the Subcontinent pitches against
India and he transformed his words into his batting display making four half centuries in four innings.
Indian fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth failed to make early inroads as Simon Katich and Shane Watson gave a half century stand to their side. But http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mahendra-Singh-Dhoni-c73820 turned to his spinners and his decision paid dividends immediately as Ojha got rid
of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 as he was trapped LBW in front of the wickets.
Soon after Watson’s departure Australians faltered as soon Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 and Simon Katich followed him back to the pavilion and Australia were 65 for 3.
Mr. Cricket Michael Hussey came to the crease and steadied the ship with his skipper adding 61 runs for the fifth wicket partnership. Ojha again came back to break the partnership when it mattered the most, which left Ponting stranded on the other hand.
Wicket keeper batsman Tim Paine too fell cheaply after being bowled by Harbhajan Singh on a score of three.
The Indian fast bowlers than dismissed the tail. The Aussies did manage to put up a fighting target of 207, which is by no means easy to chase in the fourth innings, no matter on what sort of pitch you are playing on.
Set a target of 207, India didn’t get off to brilliant of start, as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Virender-Sehwag-c95429 fell cheaply for seven trying to cut a rising delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus, and was caught safely.
India promoted debutant Cheteshwar Pujara instead of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Murali-Vijay-c78035, was a crucial one as they didn’t allow the Aussies to get back into
the game.
Instead, Pujara playing his first Test match confidently used his feet against off spinner Nathan Hauritz, which didn’t allow the spinner to get his line and length right. But when India were cruising to victory Murali Vijay got out LBW to Shane Watson.
However, the departure of Murali Vijay saw the arrival of World record batsman, Sachin Tendulkar.
Meanwhile, Pujara went onto score his maiden half century and guided India closer to victory. He played with real confidence and never looked to be in the shadow of Sachin, showing his own class and temperament complementing the genius from the other end.
Nathan Hauritz, who had toiled hard for wickets in the match, got his revenge when he removed Pujara with India still needing sixty one runs more.
But unlike the first Test match there was no drama as India cruised to victory with seven wickets in hand. During the process Sachin scored yet another unbeaten half century. The little Indian maestro was adjudged as man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series,
for his outstanding batting display.
India thus retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting admitted that his side was outclassed in the series by the Indians.
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