Aussies close in on victory

India v Australia: First Test, Day 4
October 9, 2004 at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Despite a disappointing batting effort earlier in the day, the Australians closed in on an emphatic victory by the close of play on Day 4, a victory that would get them one step closed to conquering their final frontier - a series victory over their hosts India.

India's probably most solid batsman, called "The Wall" for that characteristic, Rahul Dravid, is the only remaining thorn in the Australian cause, as he remained unbeaten on 47 at the close of play. However, with a lack of support from top and middle order batsmen, he's left with the poularly inconsistent tail to hang on.

Chasing 457 runs for a win, a target never ever achieved before in the history of Test cricket, Indians needed promising start in the final innings of the match. But alas, it wasn't to come, as Virendar Sehwag and Akash Chopra, the former out of form since a while, and the latter about to enter into a slump, fell eary. From then on, all hopes of a victory were crashed, and survival remained the only objective.

As if the wound of losing both the openers wasn't enough, the Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was involved in a needless run out, throwing his side into further oblivion at 11/3. Australia's nightmare the last time they toured India, VVS Laxman, couldn't provide a miracle for a second time, as he was out before he get going, although through a dubious LBW decision, the score at a hapless 19/4.

Yuvraj Singh, who ditto Sehwag has been out of form, gained some time in a middle, something that would help him later in the series. However, his effort wasn't enough to invoke a sense of relief. Despite looking comfortable through his innings, Glenn McGrath, the pick of the Australian bowlers throughout the match got the better of Yuvraj, and ended a solid partnership of 62, between him and Dravid.

Parthiv Patel, who in the first innings proved that his batting is for real, and not just a once in a while phenomenon, couldn't solidify that claim, getting out cheaply off the sixth ball he faced, to Warne, who came within a distance of a single wicket from Sri Lankan offie Muttiah Muralitharan's world record of most Test wickets. Indians were reduced to 86/6, in very much in danger of losing without taking the match into the next day.

Irfan Pathan, whom many Indian fans believe to be the next Wasim Akram, showed signs why he warrants that belief, as he managed to see off the last hour along with Dravid, and took India to 105/6, still eons away from the target.

Earlier, Australia slumped to 228 all out, after resuming from their overnight score of 127/4. Harbhajan was the destroyer again, picking up six wickets in the innings, to add to the five he picked up in the first innings, thus making it six five-wicket hauls in a row against the mighty Aussies.

Martyn ended as the top scorer for the innings, before he was dismissed on 45, caught to a close in fielder off Harbhajan. However, just when it looked like the Aussies won't even cross 200, Shane Warne provided a valuable 31, in his typical aggressive fashion, to set a target, which would have taken the Indians an effort more miraculous than the one they put forth in the Calcutta Test during Australia's last tour.

Australia - 1st innings - 474 all out
MJ Clarke 151, AC Gilchrist 104, Harbhajan Singh 146/5
India - 1st innings - 246 all out
PA Patel 46, GD McGrath 55/4
Australia - 2nd innings - 228 all out
DR Martyn 45, Harbhajan Singh 78/6
India - 2nd innings - 105 for 6
R Dravid 47*, GD McGrath 9/2, SK Warne 60/2

India require 352 runs more to win.

Posted by Sudeep