India squanders early advantage against Aussies

Jan 02:  The New Year surely brings in a fresh wave for the Team India as they put up a good show in Sydney after their dismal outing at Melbourne , but frittered away crucial initial advantage against Australia despite being in a great position on the opening day of the second Test played at the SCG on Wednesday.

India pushed Australia back to the wall as the hosts were reeling under immense pressure after their six wickets fell down at the paltry total of 134 just after lunch, but the visitors let off the rein as once again Andrew Symonds and Bradd Hogg bailed out Australia from a big trouble with a record century partnership to reach stumps on 376-7 at the close of play.

India 's wrecker in chief was speedster Rudra Pratap Singh (4-108), who tormented the formidable Aussie batting line-up, combining well with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh (2-88).

Both of them ripped apart the Australian top-order in the first session of the day but the visitors failed to claw back their advantage as if luck worked against them. Andrew Symonds (137 not out) and Brad Hogg (79) turned the match around with a record seventh-wicket partnership of 173, even though brawny Symonds had a fair share of some early good fortune going his way.

Symonds survived first when he was given the benefit of the doubt after caught behind on 30 off Ishant Sharma and later again survived a stumping appeal on 48 off skipper Anil Kumble. Symonds made the most of his pardons to complete his second Test hundred.

The left-arm seamer from Uttar Pradesh dismissed openers Phil Jaques and Matthew Hayden in the first hour of play then scalped Mike Hussey and Adam Gilchrist after lunch as the Australian middle-order crumbled.

He picked up his first wicket in the third over of the day when Jaques slashed at a short ball and top-edged a simple catch to wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni before he had scored a run.

Hayden departed for 13 in the ninth over when he edged the ball to the safe hands of Sachin Tendulkar at first slip. Ponting was bit unlucky as he edged a Harbhajan ball into his pads but was given out by umpire Mark Benson for 55.

That ended a 92-run stand for the third wicket at 119 and triggered the middle-order collapse as the Australians lost three wickets for three runs and four for 15.

RP Singh combined with Tendulkar for both his wickets after lunch, dismissing Hussey for 41 and Gilchrist for seven before the Australians launched their fightback.

Andrew Symonds and Brad Hogg batted with composure in a rearguard action and added 80 runs at the stroke of tea. Michael Clarke (1) puzzlingly offered no stroke against Turbanator's delivery and had to pay the price as he was adjudged out lbw.

R P Singh was shouldering extra responsibility in Sydney after Zaheer Khan failed a fitness test earlier in the morning following an ankle injury, giving way to Delhi lad Ishant Sharma for his third test cap.

The lanky Sharma was impressive at times in his nine overs, but was unable to produce a ball that could fetch a wicket and also even missed an early opportunity to catch Hogg at deep mid-on when he was on 15.

SCOREBOARD

Australia 1st innings

PA Jaques c Dhoni b Singh 0
ML Hayden c Tendulkar b Singh 13
RT Ponting lbw b Harbhajan Singh 55
MEK Hussey c Tendulkar b Singh 41
MJ Clarke lbw b Harbhajan Singh 1
A Symonds batting 137
AC Gilchrist c Tendulkar b Singh 7
GB Hogg c Dravid b Kumble 79
B Lee batting 31

Extras: (b 2, lb 4, w 3 and nb 3) 12
Total: 376 (4.22 runs per over) (7 wickets; 89 overs)
To bat: MG Johnson, SR Clark
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-27, 3-119, 4-119, 5-121, 6-134, 7-307

Indian team

W Jaffer, R Dravid, VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar, SC Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, A Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, RP Singh and I Sharma

Toss: Australia , who chose to bat first.
Umpires: MR Benson ( England ) and SA Bucknor ( West Indies )
TV umpire: BNJ Oxenford
Match referee: MJ Procter ( South Africa )
Reserve umpire: RJ Tucker