Australia finished fourth’s day play of the first test at 193-5 securing a 263-run lead over the hosts. The game yo-yoed between India and Australia today. Picking up from overnight score of 313-8, India finished at 360, skimming the Aussie lead from 117 to a puny 70. The Australians could not continue the aggression they showed in the first innings and soon were toiling hard at 128-5. The game looked in India’s court only before Shane Watson and Brad Haddin snatched it back into the visitor’s pocket.

The 65-run stand between Watson and Haddin was a stark reminder of the Harbhajan-Zaheer partnership yesterday. Both partnerships came after middle orders had collapsed, both are bowler pairs and both brought a sigh of relief to their teams in distraught. Watson (32) and Haddin (38*), both three tests old, frustrated the Indian bowlers to their limits, more so because India had already gained an edge over the visitors by reducing them to 128-5. The Australians were under pressure for the first time in the match after Ishant Sharma and Harbhajan Singh clinched 2 early wickets each. They buoyed back into the game, thanks to the unlikely partnership and the match now seems tilted in their favor.

Opener Simon Katich built a 50-run stand with Michael Hussey for the third wicket after Australia lost two early wickets. Matthew Hayden failed to perform again, this time being unluckily given lbw to Zaheer Khan at 13.

Earlier in the day, Zaheer Khan completed his half-century and helped India reach 360 with his unbeaten knock of 57. Khan had been pestering Australia since yesterday and the only respite the visitors found were quick dismissals of Anil Kumble (5) and Ishant Sharma (6).

India fought back with determination today. They cut short the lead built on them and up to a point, restricted the Australian batsmen from mounting runs. Ishant’s slower deliveries worked and the lad must be glad to have added another weapon to his armory. Fireworks Ponting and Hussey who scored a century each in the first innings were damp squibs today. However, a lead of 263 with Australia still coming to bat tomorrow is formidable enough and India will have to show some real game to bring the match to a draw, if not a victory in their favor.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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