Rain and Bad Light halt Aussies

Only 11 overs play was possible on the First day of the Final Test at Mumbai, however Australia utilised the time to great effect after being asked to bowl.

Much talk before the game had been about the nature of the pitch, and the rumours were confirmed when India named Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble and Murali Kartik in their 11 - making it likely that Sachin Tendulkar will be asked to bowl a few overs of medium pace with the New Ball,

For Australia, Nathan Hauritz got the call up by virtue of Warne's injury, and the double blow given the nature of the pitch saw Darren Lehmann's injury coincide with Ricky Ponting's return.

Rain delayed the start, and then when play finally got going, it allowed just 4 overs play.

In that time, Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie started superbly, with McGrath bowling the only Indian batsman to justify his reputation thus far in the series, Virender Sehwag, for 8 and with the very next ball, Gillespie trapped debutant Gautam Gambhir leg before wicket.

At the end of that over the rain returned, India were 12-2 with Tendulkar and stand-in captain Rahul Dravid together at the crease.

After another lengthy delay, the players returned to the middle to resume battle, although the light was less than ideal - this time we got a 7 over spell, with both batsmen lucky to still be at the crease at the end of it, Dravid edging one just short of the slips, and the metronomic McGrath being unlucky to not get the leg before decision against Tendulkar. McGrath's spell of 4 overs in this session yielded no runs at all off the bat of the Indian legend, who has faced 31 balls so far for his 2 runs. At the other end, Dravid has 2 fours in his unbeaten 9, but Australia will be the happier at the close, with the hosts on 22-2.

Posted by Marc