 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Tendulkar failed one more time
India were facing with a herculean task of preventing a 'whitewash' after conceding a huge first innings lead of 332 runs in the fourth and final Test in Adelaide on Thursday.
The visitors folded up for 272 in the first innings. Australia were 50 for three in their second innings enjoying an overall lead of 382 to further consolidate their poistion and push for a 4-0 rout.
Sachin Tendulkar's wait for that elusive century of centuries continues.
The Master Blaster was dismissed for 25 in the first innings in Adelaide.
Gambhir, Tendulkar put on 47 runs
Gambhir and Tendulkar added 47 runs for the third wicket.
Overnight 62 for one, with Tendulkar on 12 and Gautam Gambhir unbeaten on 30, India added another 16 runs to their total before the former was dismissed.
Peter Siddle's first over wasn't too dramatic from an Indian point of view and Tendulkar, indeed, on-drove him through the widish mid-on fence.
But Siddle had his man in the next over when he drew Tendulkar forward and away from his body and the ball took the edge to second slip where Ricky Ponting held a beautiful catch bending low down.
Tendulkar batted for 94 minutes and faced 69 balls, hitting three fours in his 25 runs.
Gambhir showed discomfort against rising deliveries
Gambhir, all this while, was largely strokeless at the other end and indeed took 17 balls to add a single to his overnight score of 30 runs.
Gambhir showed discomfort against rising deliveries and sure enough Siddle got him with one which took off from short of good length spot and Gambhir again took his eyes off the ball trying to fend awkwardly. The ball ballooned up and Mike Hussey ran from the gully region and took the catch diving infront.
Gambhir added only four runs from almost an hour's batting. He batted for 94 balls and hit four fours.
Siddle's fiver helped him take his tally of wickets in the series to 22
Peter Siddle, for the umpteenth time in this series, hurt India with two scalps in the morning session.
Siddle took care of the two overnight batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar (25) and Gautam Gambhir (34), in a sharp burst of four overs for 16 runs which fetched him two wickets.
The 27-year-old went on to dismiss R Ashwin (4) and Zaheer Khan (0) off successive deliveries in the first over of the day's final session to complete his fiver.
Siddle, who scalped five for 49, has now taken 22 wickets in this series.
Laxman misjudged Lyon's length
VVS Laxman (18) was sent packing off Nathan Lyon's bowling.
Laxman and Kohli appeared to be dropping anchor and settling in when Lyon broke the lull.
He sent a delivery which went straight with the arm and Laxman, misjudging the length, went back to cut it. The ball took a faint edge and Haddin gobbled up the chance gleefully.
Saha showed admirable guts
Credit should also be given to young Wriddhiman Saha (35) who helped Kohli add 114 runs for the sixth wicket which helped the Delhi lad push for his three-figure mark.
Both Kohli and Saha showed admirable guts in playing balls on merit, never flinching in face of a short delivery and rarely drawing into an indiscreet shot on their off-stump. In contrast to his dogged approach, Saha slogswept Lyon over midwicket for a massive six.
Just at the stroke of tea break, Ryan Harris got the much-needed breakthrough when Saha shouldered arms to an incoming delivery which hit the timber.
Saha batted for 137 minutes and faced 94 balls, hitting a four and a six.
Kohli provided the lone bright moment for India
Young Virat Kohli provided the only bright moment for India by cracking his maiden century.
Kohli stood bravely amidst the ruins with a gritty 116 but most of the other top batsmen surrendered meekly as India folded up for 272 in the first innings.
Kohli was assertive against Australian pacemen and hit all of them — Ryan Harris, Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus for at least a boundary each — to draw the sting out of them. He hit some lovely drives through on-side and there were firm strokes of the backfoot too as he blunted the home pacemen.
Kohli, went into the tea-break batting on 91 but suffered jitters on resumption as it suddenly seemed that he would run out of partners just like it happened in Perth.
However, the youngster smashed Ryan Harris through the covers to move to 95 and then pushed with couple of twos reached 99. He finally managed to push Siddle through the covers to completed the coveted milestone and so elated was the Delhi lad that he almost forgot to take the second run. His teammates gave him a standing ovation as he celebrated animatedly.
Australia lost three quick wickets in their second innings
The second new-ball again did the trick for Australia as India who were 225 for five at one stage lost five wickets for 47 runs in little over 10 overs.
As Australia decided against enforcing the follow-on, Ravichandran Ashwin entrusted with the new ball removed both David Warner (28) and Ed Cowan (10).
Warner trying to close the face of his bat to a fuller delivery offered a return catch for Ashwin who gleefully accepted the offer.
Shaun Marsh's disastrous series continued as he was caught plumb in-front by an incoming delivery from Zaheer. He failed to open his account.
Ashwin got his second scalp when he trapped Cowan leg before. Double centurions Ricky Ponting (1) and Michael Clarke (9) were at crease when stumps were drawn.