Australia Tie Series
Tuesday, December 30 2003
Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting have taken Australia to a 9 wicket victory over India in the Third Test, leveling the series at 1-1 with one Test to play.
Requiring 95 to win, Australia cruised to 1/97 after some early jitters that saw Justin Langer adjuged lbw to Ajit Agarkar for 2, and a loud appeal against Hayden turned down when the prolific opener had scored just four runs.
Fittingly, it was Ponting who hit the winning runs with a boundary to fine leg off Anil Kumble. It capped off a remarkable Test match for the Australian captain-in-waiting, his 257 in the first innings setting up the result.
After a slow start, it took under 23 overs for Australia to polish off the total required. Hayden eased to another half century, unbeaten on 53, while Ponting's 31 not out took him past Michael Vaughan's effort of last year and to third highest run scorer in a calendar year of all time.
India will still be ruing the opportunities lost on the opening and second days when they stumbled from a position of dominance, faltering with both bat and ball to give Australia all the opportunity it needed.
Emotions were running high in the Melbourne crowd after the match as the Australian team took part in somewhat of a lap of honour, with all the focus not surprisingly on Steve Waugh.
The Australian great, in his final Test appearance at the ground, received a standing ovation from an appreciative crowd who were let in at no charge on the final day.
This result sets up a mouth watering fourth Test in Sydney, with a Test series in Australia finally alive going in to the last encounter.
Changes will no doubt be made to the sides for Sydney, with selection dilemmas facing both nations. It appears Jason Gillespie will be fit to resume after another injury lay off, leaving the place of Nathan Bracken in doubt.
And on a turning Sydney pitch, Murali Kartik appears a certain starter for India. With the injury to Zaheer Khan, who did not bowl today, and the poor form of Ashish Nehra, there is some chance that young quick Irfan Pathan will also return.
The Fourth Test begins at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the 2nd of January.
Score Summary:
India 366 and 286
Australia 558 and 1/92 (Hayden 53*, Ponting 31*, Agarkar 1/25)
Man of the Match: Ricky Ponting (AUS)
Posted by JohnC
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