India vs. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746: Second Test intriguingly poised on Day 5
AUS 478
IND 495 & 73/1
After collapsing without much of a fight on Day 4 of the second test, the Australians took an early wicket to leave the match intriguingly poised with two more sessions left in the day.
Resuming on their overnight score of 202/7 in their second innings, the visitors caved in for an addition of 21 runs to leave the Indians a target of 207 runs on a wearing Chinnaswamy Stadium wicket in Bangalore.
The Australians had hoped to add a few more runs to their total but it was not to be as the last remaining batsmen caved in without much of a fight.
The first wicket to fall on the final day was of Mitchell Johnson who was bowled by Zaheer Khan, the southpaw made 11 runs.
Next to go was Hilfenhaus who was cleaned up by right arm pace man Sreesanth without scoring. Hilfenhaus hung around for a mere seven balls.
The Australian innings folded when debutant Peter George was snapped by Zaheer Khan with Indian captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 taking the catch. George failed to score.
The target was not seemingly stiff for the Indian batsmen as it was not going to be an easy task.
They went on the back foot when they lost the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Delhi-c780 Dasher Virender Sehwag who was caught behind the wicket by Tim Paine of an away going delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus.
Sehwag capped off a poor test match after falling for 7 runs as he only contributed 30 runs in the first innings.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Murali-Vijay-c78035 and debutant Pujara struck into the Aussie attack, flaying 56 runs in a quick fire partnership who took the team to the lunch break.
Both batsmen scored 29 runs each with four boundaries for each batsman.
After the break, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 would need another 134 runs, and would start as favourites.
However, a wicket or two immediately after resumption of play can set the cat amongst the pigeons.
On paper, the Indians have a very strong line-up that can bat deep. Hence they are very much in the driving seat.
A defeat in Bangalore would condemn the Aussies to a 2-0 whitewash. The defeat would be there second successive series loss in India - a country that has had the wood over one of the most formidable teams in test history.
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