Cricket:India are slowly moving into a position of strength in the opening test against Australia as Sachin Tendulkar brought up his 57th half-century. The hosts were 280 for four at tea on day three as Tendulkar defied Australia with his beautifully-paced innings, after the tourists had put up 428 all-out in the first innings.
India suffered a huge blow when a well-set Rahul Dravid was caught behind off Doug Bollinger, but Sachin (64 not out) and Suresh Raina (26no) kept the bowlers at bay.
The duo have already added 50 runs from 91 balls and taken India to within 148 runs of Australia’s first innings total.
Dravid’s single through backward point immediately after lunch marked India’s 200 and a nudge by Tendulkar two balls later brought up the 50-run partnership off 103 balls.
Tendulkar, on 28, had a scare in the next over when a flick off Ben Hilfenhaus just dropped short of Ponting at short mid-wicket. Tendulkar struck back-to-back boundaries off Nathan Hauritz’s 18th over through mid-wicket, but Bollinger dealt a big blow to the local team in the very next over, by removing Dravid, who looked set for a century.
The Bangalore batsman, who hit 12 boundaries for his 77 off 134-ball, was concentration personified until he nicked Bollinger to wicketkeeper Tim Paine, which brought Raina out to the middle.
Bollinger’s second wicket of the innings also ended the 79-run partnership for the fourth wicket and left India on 230 for four. Tendulkar reached his 12th half-century against Australia with a nudge towards cover off the first ball of Shane Watson’s opening spell of the innings.
Raina, who was tested with some short-pitched deliveries early in the innings, gained confidence gradually and gave good support to Tendulkar, at a stage when the Australia pacers had started generating some reverse swing.
Earlier, resuming on 110 for two, India made a positive start with Dravid dropping anchor and sewing two important partnerships first with the nightwatchman Ishant and later with Tendulkar.
In all 81 runs were scored off the 28 overs in the first session, but importantly India only lost the wicket of Ishant, bowled by Doug Bollinger, for a patient 18 off 56 balls.
The partnership yielded 45 runs, besides helping India see out the important first hour of play, after the tourists had shifted the momentum with two late wickets last night — including Virender Sehwag who had blazed his way to a 54-ball 59.
The experience and expertise of Dravid and Tendulkar was on full display as they played some majestic shots adding 40 for the unbroken fourth wicket.
The Royal Challengers star by then had reached his 59th half-century with two sweetly timed boundaries off Mitchell Johnson.