Indian attack blunted on dead bats

swing and reverse-swing. He used all his resources from either end, and the Indians bowled aggressively within the body first session and later four stick outside off to wear down the batsmen’s patience. But they were handed the grind instead.

It was Republic Day for the Indians, but here it was Australia Day as well. On-field, there were no such emotions as Indians were losing on valuable time in the 30 degree heat. India’s nemesis was back at the scoring game, and at the other end a bunny was turning into a lion. Kicking the ground, shaking of the head at appeals turned down, ugly glares and verbal banter were norm of a hard day’s cricket. It gained prominence when Harbhajan Singh and Ricky Ponting needed an intervention from umpire Asad Rauf.

Matthew Hayden returned from injury to hit his third successive Test hundred this series against India. Hayden’s 30th Test century — his sixth against India — was capped well with a scrappy but fighting knock of unbeaten 79 from skipper Ricky Ponting. The Australian skipper survived a nervy start against Ishant Sharma and negated a first-ball demise possibility to Harbhajan Singh to lay out his second half-century in this series.

India had an indifferent first session with Hayden and his opening partner Jaques adding 96 in the first two hours. Hayden cut with precision into an open field and drove with aplomb to anything pitched full by the seamers, but reserved only the sweep shot to tackle the spinners. Very unlike the celebratory 21-gun salute at the adjacent banks of River Torrens, Hayden’s knock was sedate, surviving a close leg-before to Pathan before reaching his half-century from 99 balls. Jaques followed, reaching his fifty from 131 balls as Australia went to lunch at 158/0.

The next one was India’s best session. Jaques was cleaned up to the tenth ball after resumption as he tried an ugly swipe off Kumble to one bowled from around the stumps. It ended a partnership of 159. Ponting struggled as Ishant bowled a lively spell from the Cathedral End, in the 140 kmph region.

India played the patience game as Hayden was made to wait for his century, but the standing ovation scenario eventually did come in 181 balls with ten fours and a six. Then Ishant curled one in nicely between the bat and the pad to rattle Hayden’s stumps to close his 273-minute stay for 103 runs. Ishant’s 9-2-10-1 spell apart, there was little else of mention for India, apart from the restricting of Australia to just 67 runs between lunch and tea, with two wickets falling.

Michael Hussey failed to flourish; was lucky to survive a catch when Kumble’s delivery didn’t carry to Rahul Dravid at first slip. He finally fell against the Indian’s sweet-saliva and sweat tactics — that ball from Pathan reversed a long way into the left-hander and castled Hussey. Ponting, by then, was looking more confident. Having taken 114 balls and 197 minutes to get past his first milestone in the innings, he marginally increased his scoring rate, and in the company of Michael Clarke played out a safe third session.

Already a bowler short — RP Singh did not take the field — Indians were definitely jaded by the hosts’ defensive tactics. It may look very unlike an Australian approach, but Ponting’s men were playing well within the ethics of a Test match. It’s the Indians who had to keep pegging at them all the time. India have one last chance tomorrow morning.

Scoreboard

India, 1st Innings: 526

Australia, 1st Innings: (overnight 62/0): P Jaques b Kumble 60, M Hayden b Sharma 103,R Ponting batting 79, M Hussey b Pathan 22,M Clarke batting 37; Extras (5b,8lb,1w,7nb) 21

TOTAL (for 3 wkts, 111 overs) 322

Fall of wickets: 1-159, 2-186, 3-241; Bowling: R P Singh 4-0-14-0, Pathan 24-1-70-1,Ishant 22-5-47-1, Harbhajan 28-4-70-0, Kumble 21-3-78-1, Sehwag 8-1-18-0, Sachin 1-0-6-0, Ganguly 3-1-6-0

MIGHTY MATTHEW

• Matthew Hayden equalled David Boon’s Australian record of most centuries against India (6). Boon had scored the same number of centuries in 11 Tests

• It was Hayden’s 30th century in his 94th Test, making him the third Australian and sixth batsman overall to score 30 or more centuries in Test cricket

• The Australian also became the ninth batsman — and the fourth from Australia — to get to 5000 Test runs at home. Brian Lara leads the way with 6217, but in terms of averages, only Ponting, with 62.68, is marginally ahead of Hayden among the nine

—S PERVEZ QAISER