Australia tightens grip in Melbourne Test

Dec 27:  Aussies are now enjoying a big lead of 179 runs after bundling out India on a modest score of 196 at the end of second day’s play

India loses initial advantage set by their bowlers on day one and stands nowhere in the ongoing Test after the dismal performance of their batsmen in first innings, while Aussies got hold of the match after bundling out visitors on a modest total of 196 and enjoying a comfortable lead of 179 runs at the end of day two of the first Test played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here on Thursday.

India lost the ground, after dismissing Australia for 343 in the morning, as their batsmen didn’t provide them enough runs on the board in their first essay. The visitors were bundled out under 200 and Australia were 32 for no loss at the draw of stumps, with Matthew Hayden (22) and Phil Jaques (10) remained unbeaten till the end.

Resuming from the overnight score of 337/9 Australia could only add six runs to their total. Stuart Clark caught at long leg, while attempting a hook shot, by Harbhajan Singh off Zaheer Khan’s delivery, who ended up with four wickets in the innings.

Replying to Australia's first innings, India got off to a dreary and watchful start. India lost their first wicket at the score of 4 when Wasim Jaffer (4) was caught behind early off Brett Lee in the 9th over of the innings.

Stuart Clark and fellow paceman Brett Lee shared eight wickets together, four apiece, to rip apart much hyped Indian batting line-up.

India lost Rahul Dravid in the form of second wicket at the stroke of lunch as they reduced to 31 for 2. Dravid was trapped in front on Clark’s delivery that came back just a bit after landing in line. Dravid contributed only 5 off 66 balls in his innings.

Dravid survived a close leg-before call earlier of the same bowler.

Australia 's archenemy Laxman was India's third wicket to fall on the day. Laxman got out on a zipper of a delivery that came out of Lee’s armoury. The delivery was a perfect shorter one that banged in perfectly onto the line of stumps.

Laxman while trying to get away from the line of the ball drew backwards but the ball followed him and bumped into the gloves, skying up in the air with Ponting taking a full-length diving catch in the slip region. Laxman went for 26 with India's score at 55 for 3.

After Laxman’s departure, Sachin Tendulkar joined in the middle by Sourav Ganguly. The duo added quickfire 65 runs with the aggressive approach adopted by Sachin, especially with Brad Hogg being the victim of his attack.

He smashed Hogg for 15 runs in an over, while completing his 48th fifty. However, the aberration came to an end when Stuart Clark dismissed little master.

He removed Tendulkar for 62. The ball was bowled short and outside the off-stump. Tendulkar pulled it back while forcing a drive. The ball took a thick bottom edge and rattled on to the stumps. India was on 120/4 when Tendulkar went.

From thereon the collapse triggered as India lost Yuvraj Singh for a duck caught behind off Stuart Clark. Clark bowled it outside the off-stump and Yuvraj tried to have a go at the delivery, but could only manage to land up in the hands of wicketkeeper. India went to tea 122/5 in complete dismay.

Stuart Clark picked up his fourth wicket of the innings, getting rid of massive hitter Indian wicketkeeper MS Dhoni for a duck. Clark delivery came back sharply to trap Dhoni on the front foot.

Brad Hogg picked his first by flummoxing Sourav Ganguly, who was well set on 43 to complete his half-century. Hogg bowled a faster one that went through the air at rapid pace. Ganguly’s off stump was uprooted while trying to play the cut-shot, but he was somewhat late on the ball.

Brad Hogg got his second wicket, when Harbhajan Singh lost his cool and hit out. Hogg tossed up the delivery outside the off-stump, enticing Harbhajan into playing the big-shot. The batsman went after it with the ball going straight up in the air and Michael Clarke made no mistake in pouching it. India was tottering at 175/8 when Harbhajan left ground.

India 's batting woes continued, as Anil Kumble was the ninth wicket to fall for the visitors, caught behind off Brett Lee. Kumble made 27.

Soon after Kumble, Zaheer Khan joined the skipper in the dressing room. Lee draw the pacer outside the off-stump to playing the big drive and the thick edge goes straight into Gilchrist's safe pair of hands. India finished their first innings at 196, giving Australia a good 147-run lead.

Both the Australian openers took the field and see through the new ball quite well in the last session as Jaques remained unbeaten on 10, while Hayden was the dominant partner with 22.

India is in big trouble now and has a Herculean task in their hands. They haven’t got much choices left, as they will have to fightback to save them from the disgrace of losing a Test match after voicing a lot before the start of the series.

They will have to come out with their best to save the Test match and there stands no chance of wining the Test until something miraculous happens from their side in the next three days.

SCOREBOARD

Australia , 1st Innings (Overnight: 337 for nine)

Phil Jaques st Dhoni b Kumble 66 Matthew Hayden c Ganguly b Khan 124 Ricky Ponting b Khan 4 Mike Hussey lbw b Kumble 2 Michael Clarke c Laxman b R. P. Singh 20 Andrew Symonds c Dinesh Karthik (sub) b Kumble 35 Adam Gilchrist c Tendulkar b Kumble 23 Brad Hogg c Dravid b Khan 17 Brett Lee lbw b Kumble 0 Mitchell Johnson not out 15 Stuart Clark c Singh b Khan 21

Extras: (5lb, 2w and 9nb) 16
TOTAL: (all out) 343
Fall of wickets: 1-135, 2-142, 3-165, 4-225, 5-241, 6-281, 7-288, 8-294, 9-312, 10-343.
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 23.4-1-94-4 (1w, 8nb), R. P. Singh 20-3-82-1 (1w), Harbhajan Singh 20-3-61-0, Saurav Ganguly 3-1-15-0 (1nb), Anil Kumble 25-4-84-5. Sachin Tendulkar 1-0-2-0

India , 1st Innings

Wasim Jaffer c Gilchrist b Lee 4 Rahul Dravid lbw b Clark 5 V.V.S. Laxman c Ponting b Lee 26 Sachin Tendulkar b Clark 62 Saurav Ganguly b Hogg 43 Yuvraj Singh c Gilchrist b Clark 0 Mahendra Dhoni lbw b Clark 0 Anil Kumble c Gilchrist b Lee 27 Harbhajan Singh c Clarke b Hogg 2 Zaheer Khan c Gilchrist b Lee 11 R. P. Singh not out 2

Extras: (4b, 3lband 7nb) 14
TOTAL: (all out) 196
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-31, 3-55, 4-120, 5-122, 6-122, 7-166, 8-173, 9-193, 10-196.
Bowling: Brett Lee 19.5-6-46-4 (6nb), Mitchell Johnson 13-5-25-0 (1nb), Andrew Symonds 3-1-8-0, Stuart Clark 15-4-28-4, Brad Hogg 21-3-82-2.

Australia , 2nd Innings: Phil Jaques not out 10 Matthew Hayden not out 22
Extras: 0
TOTAL: (without loss) 32.
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 4-1-17-0, R.P. Singh 3-1-15-0, Kumble 1-1-0-0.