Dec 28: Australia sets a daunting record fourth innings winning target of 499 for India to win the first Test at Melbourne
India will have to create history if they want to win the first Test as Australia set the record-winning target of 499 in the final innings for an unlikely victory at the MCG on Friday.
Australian batsmen put up good show and declared at 7-351 to provide the visitors a big task. For India, Wasim Jaffer alongwith opening partner Rahul Dravid safely negotiated a taxing eight-over spell later in the day to steer their team to six for no loss at the draw of stumps on day three.
India's highest fourth-innings winning total is 406, achieved against West Indies in Port of Spain in 1976, and the largest score by a victorious side batting last in any match remains the Caribbean side's 418 to beat Australia four years ago.
The only consolation for India is that last month Sri Lanka made 410 on the final day in Hobart against Ricky Ponting's side even though they fell 96 short. The troika of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Dravid has a Herculean task in their hands as they will have to avoid defeat as they seek not only the highest fourth-innings total to win a Test but also the largest fourth-innings total ever in MCG Tests.
Wickets went in regular intervals on the third day when the batsman looked all set for big innings. RP Singh and Zaheer Khan got some swing as RP had Michael Hussey caught at slip for 36. Clarke was on 22 and nearly repeated his first innings dismissal when RP came around the wicket and gave Clarke a fullish delivery well wide of the off stump, which went in between the slip and gully region.
India's celebration with a no-ball call by umpire Billy Bowden played a spoilsport as Zaheer was thrilled after producing a gem of a delivery against Symonds (7) to shatter his stumps. Symonds added a further 37 before Zaheer trapped him lbw to take his revenge.
Harbhajan Singh picked up three important wickets but Australia's lead just kept mounting at the MCG
But in the meantime the MCG crowd was thrilled with Symonds sparkling shots all over the park, as he launched Kumble just over the boundary wide of long on and then made even better connection with a Harbhajan delivery that went miles back in the same direction.
Symonds added 82 with Clarke, until Clarke advanced to Kumble misjudging the wrong'un and got stumped.
Kumble was the man who had made a denting blow when India needed a boost as he deceived Jaques (51) with a slower one that was driven straight back into his hands. Jaques and Hayden had once again given Australia another strong start, adding 80 for the first wicket as they tried to crush the spirits of India, who trailed by 147 after the first innings.
Hayden made 47 and was in a far more menacing mood irrespective of his first-innings century, going down the track to the bowler to get boundaries straight and through midwicket against Zaheer.
But Harbhajan deceived him with a shorter, turning delivery that forced his drive higher than intended, allowing Ganguly to run from long off to take the catch.
Harbhajan amended his first innings mistake by bowling the better line and length and finished with 3 for 101 after Adam Gilchrist skied a catch to midwicket for a late 35.
Harbhajan also got the prized wicket of Ponting, who fell to off-spin for the third time in as many Tests this season after Muttiah Muralitharan caused him problems last month.
Ponting was on 3 when he was surprised by extra bounce and the ball caught the edge as he pushed forward, as Dravid took the catch at first slip.
After Ponting’s departure it looked as if India might rattle Australia tail to curb them amassing a match-winning lead but to their discontent, Australia's middle order stuck to their task.
Now the whole thing circles around that how Indian middle order work their way out from this situation and will they be able to show their mettle to post a record winning score and deny Australia their recording winning 15th consecutive Test victory.
SCOREBOARD
Australia 1st innings: 343 (all out; 92.4 overs) (3.70 runs per over)
India 1st innings: 196 (all out; 71.5 overs; 305 mins) (2.72 runs per over)
Australia 2nd innings
PA Jaques c & b Kumble 51
ML Hayden c Ganguly b Harbhajan Singh 47
RT Ponting c Dravid b Harbhajan Singh 3
MEK Hussey c Tendulkar b Singh 36
MJ Clarke st Dhoni b Kumble 73
A Symonds lbw b Khan 44
AC Gilchrist c Singh b Harbhajan Singh 35
GB Hogg not out 35
B Lee not out 11
Extras: (lb 3, nb 13) 16
Total: 351 (7 wickets dec; 88 overs) (3.98 runs per over)
Did not bat: MG Johnson, SR Clark
Fall of wickets: 1-83, 2-89, 3-139, 4-161, 5-243, 6-288, 7-316
Bowling
Z Khan 20 2 93 1 4.65 (12nb)
RP Singh 16 1 50 1 3.12
A Kumble 25 2 102 2 4.08
Harbhajan Singh 26 0 101 3 3.88
SR Tendulkar 1 0 2 0 2.00
India 2nd innings (target: 499 runs)
R Dravid not out 3
W Jaffer not out 2
Extras: (nb 1) 1
Total: 6 (0 wickets; 8 overs) (0.75 runs per over)
To bat: VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar, SC Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, A Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, RP Singh
Bowling
B Lee 3 1 4 0 1.33 (1nb)
MG Johnson 2 1 2 0 1.00
SR Clark 2 2 0 0 0.00
GB Hogg 1 1 0 0 0.00
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