Sehwag presses claim for Test recall

Opener Virender Sehwag enhanced his claims for a recall to the Indian Test team on Saturday with a blazing century against the ACT Invitational XI in Canberra.

Sehwag smashed 113 off just 78 balls on the final day of their tour match. The 29-year-old belted 18 boundaries and two sixes to almost certainly book a place in the starting side for next week's third Test against Australia in Perth.

"I have got my rhythm back. I have got everything back," he told reporters.

"I think the Perth wicket is good for me and good for batsmen because the ball comes on (with) pace and bounce so you can play your shots.

"I'm pretty confident so hopefully I'll do well in Perth."

Sehwag's chances of a recall were further boosted when Wasim Jaffer and Yuvraj Singh disappointed, making 21 and three respectively.

Both struggled in the first two Tests and are the most likely candidates to be dropped to make way for Sehwag, who has not played a test in over a year even though he has scored 12 test hundreds and boasts a highest score of 309.

"It was good I spent quite some time in the middle," Sehwag said. "I just focused on being positive and wanted to perform well. I feel I am in good touch and timing the ball very well."

Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik also provided the selectors with a timely reminder of his ability with a dashing 97 as the tourists got in some valuable practice on the last day at Manuka Oval.

The three-day match ended in a draw but India used the first two sessions of the last day to bat, piling on 281-4 before declaring and giving the bowlers a session to roll their arms over.

ACT, who had declared overnight on 292-8, 33 behind India, were 603 in their second innings when stumps were drawn.

The Indian team were due to fly to Perth on Sunday with the third Test starting on Wednesday.

Scorecard

India first innings 325-9 dec (W.Jaffer 92, R.Dravid 62)

ACT first innings 292-8 dec (J.Rogers 98, C.Rogers 60)
India second innings
D.Karthik lbw b Bulger 97
V.Sehwag c Crosthwaite b Higgs 113
W.Jaffer c Crosthwaite b Bulger 21
Y.Singh c Dean b Ritchard 3
R.Dravid not out 16
I.Pathan not out 18

Extras (b-3 lb-2 nb-8) 13

Total (for four wickets declared, 58 overs) 281

Did not bat: M.Dhoni, H.Singh, RP Singh, P.Singh, V.Singh, I.Sharma

Fall of wickets: 1-158 2-238 3-241 5-248

Bowling: Perera 12-3-46-1 (nb-1), Swards 13-3-35-0, Sherlock 2-0-23-0, Bulger 24-2-120-2 (nb-7), Ritchard 5-0-47-0, Higgs 2-0-5-1

India second innings
D.Karthik lbw b Bulger 97
V.Sehwag c Crosthwaite b Higgs 113
W.Jaffer c Crosthwaite b Bulger 21
Y.Singh c Dean b Ritchard 3
R.Dravid not out 16
I.Pathan not out 18
Extras (b-3 lb-2 nb-8) 13
Total (for four wickets declared, 58 overs) 281

Did not bat: M.Dhoni, H.Singh, RP Singh, P.Singh, V.Singh, I.Sharma

Fall of wickets: 1-158 2-238 3-241 5-248

Bowling: Perera 12-3-46-1 (nb-1), Swards 13-3-35-0, Sherlock 2-0-23-0, Bulger 24-2-120-2 (nb-7), Ritchard 5-0-47-0, Higgs 2-0-5-1

ACT second innings
E.Cowan c Sehwag b Pankaj Singh 7
C.Rogers c Karthik b Pathan 17
J.Dean lbw b Pankaj Singh 0
M.Higgs not out 14
J.Rogers not out 9
Extras (lb-6 w-6 nb-1) 13

Total (for three wickets, 17 overs) 60

Did not bat: R.Starr, J.Crosthwaite, A.Ritchard, A.Perera, R.Sherlock, L.Swards, R.Bulger

Fall of wickets: 1-18 2-35 3-35

Bowling: Pankaj Singh 5-1-21-2 (w-2), I.Pathan 4-1-16-1, V.Singh 4-1-10-0 (nb-1), I.Sharma 4-1-7-0

Result: Match drawn