Shane Watson glues as India claw back in first test
The usually belligerent Shane Watson was a model of patience as he carved out his second test hundred on a gripping opening day of the first Australia-India test match at Mohali.
The toss was won by Ricky Ponting and the Australian captain rightly decided to bat first on a wicket that is expected to turn more and more as the game progresses.
However the decision initially backfired as the Indian pace ace Zaheer Khan accounted for Simon Katich; the left-hander perished to a sharp inswinger that rapped him up on the pads, he scored only 5 runs.
Ponting then joined hands with Shane Watson and the two set about the task of run making with ease, taking full toll on some loose stuff offered by the Indian pacers and spinners.
Ponting, particularly looked imperious scoring runs on both sides of the wicket including some delightful drives and flick off his legs. He reached his fifty and was in for a real big one when he fell courtesy a brilliant fielding
effort by Suresh Raina.
Raina was placed in the mid-wicket region and threw the stumps down with a direct hit as “Punter” attempted to reach home on a sharp single.
There was more drama to follow as a frustrated Ponting headed towards the pavilion.
Zaheer Khan made a quick jibe at Ponting, the Tasmanian turned back towards the fielder who was celebrating with the rest of his team and waved the bat towards him in anger.
The feisty fast bowler did not take any step back and wanted to walk towards Ponting before he was stopped by his captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028.
Ponting was dismissed on 71 off 124 balls and he struck as many as 10 fours during his 154 minutes stay at the wicket.
His departure brought the Australian vice-captain Michael http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 to the wicket, the right hander looked out of sorts and was struggling against the spinners’ big time.
His stay was cut short when his attempted cut off the back foot ended into the hands of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rahul-c83321 Dravid positioned in the slips.
The Australians were stuttering at this stage and were banking on Mike Hussey to pull them through along with a set Waston.
Hussey’s innings however was cut short by Zaheer Khan who trapped him leg before wicket (lbw) with another sharp late swinging delivery that hit him bang in front of the stumps.
He added a mere 46 runs in 28 overs with Watson as the two went in their shells inexplicably.
Hussey laboured to 17 runs of 76 balls and did not strike a single four in his 104 minute stay at the wicket.
Watson then carried on and reached a well deserved test hundred, the second of his career. He faced 258 balls to reach the landmark in what was an old fashioned test hundred where the opener fought every way for the runs he made.
Watson struck 8 fours en-route to the landmark; his celebrations were cut short when Marcus North who had replaced Hussey at the crease continued his recent lean trot in test cricket.
The left hander was bowled by another beauty by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750’s best bowler of the day Zaheer, as he shouldered arms to an indipper.
The visitors closed the day’s play at 224/5 with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326 on 101 and wicket-keeper Tim Paine undefeated on 1.
For the hosts Zaheer Khan was the pick of the bowlers claiming 3 wickets for 45 runs in 16 tidy and menacing overs.
The spinners were tidy also but did not pose much of a threat on day one.
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