Skipper Anil Kumble (87), who missed out a likely century, combined well with offie Harbhajan Singh (63) to stitch a fine eighth wicket hundred runs partnership as India's tail got on the nerves of Aussie bowlers with some stubborn batting lower down the order to drive the tourists to a mammoth first innings total of 526 in the fourth and final cricket Test played at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Resuming from the score of 309 for five, Indians lost overnight leader Sachin Tendulkar (153) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (16) in the opening session with the tail left for the formidable Aussie bowlers to wipe off. But then came the old hand Kumble (87) who led an amazing rearguard action to take the team’s total to beyond 500-run mark.
The Indians innings came to an end at the score of 526 with Australians, leading the four-match series 2-1, started their run chase and safely negotiated the new red cherry reaching at 62 for no loss at the draw of stumps on day two with Matthew Hayden (36) and Phil Jacques (21) at the crease. They still trail India by 464 runs.
The series once again relived the Tendulkar-Lee rivalry as the latter succeeded in his strategy. Tendulkar passed his 150 after striking a fine cover drive off Lee’s faster one to boundary. Sachin while trying to pull the next one dragged it onto his knee resulting a lengthy break in play as the physio treated him.
Lee took the charge again and came up with a dreadful bouncer in the next ball which Tendulkar hooked straight into the hands of Brad Hogg at deep square leg.
But it was Kumble who hog the limelight of the second day as he put up 107 runs for the eighth wicket with Harbhajan Singh (63) and later joined rookie Ishant Sharma to add 58 more runs for the last wicket to pile up further agony for the hosts.
Kumble was the last man to go into the pavilion after Adam Gilchrist caught him off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson. The Australians had to blame themselves for this let go as it was just because of their sloppy fielding for a much longer time as they again dropped quite a few catches with Kumble and Sharma being the receiver.
Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, who dropped Laxman on the first day, grabbed four catches after that to earn the Test record for maximum wicket-keeping dismissals, Gilchrist took his tally to 414 one ahead of South Africa's Mark Boucher.
Sharma remained unbeaten on 14 after he stood like a pillar to give a fine support to his captain. He was given three reprieves, including a simple return catch to Michael Clarke when he was on four. Clarke has put down number of chances during this series. Phil Jaques dropped Kumble on seven as he went on to score 87.
Kumble was looking for his second Test century before he lost his wicket in the last session, after staying for 260 minutes in the middle. Kumble faced 205 balls and hit nine fours in his innings.
Harbhajan completed his second successive half-century, against the world champions with an off-drive, and made vivid gestures, also he ran towards the dressing room. Harbhajan batted for 136 minutes for his 63 runs and hit seven fours from 103 balls.
Next to follow pacer Rudra Pratap Singh who didn't trouble the scorer at all while flicking one off his legs straight at midwicket. Hayden, 36 and Jacques 21, saw through the remaining final session after setting aside the frustrations of the day and batted till the end.
SCOREBOARD
India 1st innings: (overnight 309 for five)
V Sehwag c Hayden b Lee 63, I Pathan c Gilchrist b Johnson 9, R Dravid c Ponting b Johnson 18, S Tendulkar c Hogg b Lee 153, S Ganguly lbw b Hogg 7, VVS Laxman c Gilchrist b Lee 51, M S Dhoni c Symonds b Johnson 16, A Kumble c Gilchrist b Johnson 87, H Singh c Gilchrist b Symonds 63, R P Singh c Johnson b Clarke 0, I Sharma not out 14
Extras: (B-8, NB-13, WD-3, LB-21) 45
Total: 526 all out in 152.5 overs.
Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-82, 3-122, 4-156, 5-282, 6-336, 7-359, 8-466, 9-468 and 10-526
Bowling: Brett Lee 36-4-101-3, Mitchell Johnson 37.5-6-126-4, Stuart Clark 31-6-92-0, Brad Hogg 31-2-119-1, Michael Clarke 10-0-39-1, Andrew Symonds 7-0-20-1.
Australia 1st innings:
Phil Jaques batting 21, Matthew Hayden batting 36
Extras: (LB-3, NB-2) 5
Total: 62 for no loss in 21 overs
Bowling: RP Singh 4-0-14-0, Irfan Pathan 6-0-17-0, Ishant Sharma 4-0-12-0, Harbhajan Singh 4-1-9-0, Anil Kumble 3-0-7-0.
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