Test Match - Australia v India

Interesting game just started in Australia, with India the visitors for the traditional Boxing Day starting Test.

Australia won the toss & decided to bat first.
They had new boy Ed Cowan as opener & he certainly proved a point as he top scored with 68. That just beat the elder statesman of the side, ex captain Rick Ponting, who was second with 62,
Australia reached a triple nelson (333) for their first innings which was probably rather a disappointment. S Marsh & M Hussey of the opening batsmen failed to trouble the scorers. The side has been criticized from some quarters as having too long a tail (as it was they actually put on nearly a third of the runs accumulated) so the batsmen really do need to make a start.
India lost Gambhir for 3 but Sehwag & Tendulkar both made tidy scores before being dismissed & Dravid is not out on 73 as they finished the day on 214 for 3.
Certainly honors to India at the moment. Australia need quick & cheap wickets tomorrow, which is often not an easy thing to do against the Indian side that still has Laxman, Kohli & Dhoni to come to the crease.

Interesting game, in an interesting position....

Thanks for the info Jack..
Yes, India refused the use of most of the technology available in their last tour of the UK as well.
Personally I just think that the authorities should tell them that they would be involved in no more Tests until they agree.
There can be no logical reason for refusing to use it, except to gain unfair advantage.
Conversely, just tell umpires to always give Indian batsmen out to any reasonable appeal until they agree...
I caught the score at 200 for 3 & so was most surprised when I heard their total, maybe a little more understandable now, with a few more facts on board...

Tendulka 72 I think he will get a hundred in one of these tests in Aussie.
DRS system a joke Hussey does not need that sought of bad luck at this part of his cricket life.
Cowan looks like he is there for the long haul, good to see someone with a tecnique that works not like Hughes who has the worst tecnique I have seen in world cricket.

Well it is certainly all happening in cricket in Australia today.
Looking good to take maybe a substantial first innings lead, India just lost the plot completely this morning.
From a tidy 214 for 3 they were skittled out for a mere 282, still 50 runs behind. Only Ashwin made anything like a showing with the bat for the Indians this morning..
Maybe I am wrongly blaming their batsmen though & it is down to ground or weather conditions as Australia have made a pretty shocking start to their second innings as well.
They are currently 50 for 4 & it could have been a whole lot worse (at one time, 27 for 4) as back to form, now relieved of captaincy, Ponting & a still smarting from a 'unfortunate' duck in the first innings, Hussey, have started to put a partnership together.

Well Ponting & M Hussey stayed together until the ex-captain was out for 60 as the score was starting to approach respectability at 142 for 4. With his fall, the rot (or wicket) set in again.
Hussey was there at the close of play with 79 but the score had only reached 179 for the loss of 8 wickets.
That leaves Australia with a current lead of 230 & who knows what is enough on this pitch where fifteen wickets have fallen for just 274 runs today.

Sad for Australia Hussy could only add another 10 runs to his overnight score..
However it was not all bad news as the number 10 (Pattinson) assisted by the number 11 (Hilfenhaus) made another nonsense of the claim that the Aussie tail was too long.
They put on an extra vital 43 runs before Hilfenhaus was out.
Total was 240 & a lead of 290.

India are currently 42 for 2 with both openers going pretty cheaply. Tendulkar just at the crease & still needing 1 more century to get to that magic 100...You never know...but Australia do look in the box seat going by the match so far.

Well it did not even last the fourth day out...

Australia beat India by 122 runs

India all out for a dismal 169 in their second innings..
Pretty poor display by all the batsmen on display really...
Tendulkar top scored with a meager 32 in the Indian second innings..
Not sure if weather or pitch conditions played any part, but certainly no batsman had much to congratulate himself on.
Just about all the bowlers had decent figures, most put up at least some effort with the bat as well!!

Australia rather easily go one up in the three match series with the second game starting in Sydney on 2nd. January.
India had high hopes of winning their first series in Australia in a long time. That was based on the thoughts of a rather average Australian side being confronted with an experienced & reliable Indian batting side.
On the basis of the first Test that has proved to be rather wishful thinking on India's part. While some of the Australian batsmen have been well out of form in recent matches there were some bright returns to form for Ponting & M Hussey, once he was permitted to start.. Cowan looked a good addition as an opener. Still worrying is that Marsh, Clarke & Haddin need to recapture some form swiftly.
The plight of some of Australia's batsmen pales to insignificance when compared to that of India's though. Maybe time for the Indians to look at some of the bright young batting talent. The current, long existing, stars are all looking rather jaded for most of this year...

All going far too comfortably for Australia after the first day of the second, Sydney, Test.
The Indians won the toss & elected to bat, although there was little evidence of any of them actually wanting to.
All out for 191 with top scorer Dhoni left high & dry as top scorer on a meager 57 not out.

Siddle, Pattinson, Hilfenhaus all took wickets & had figures to treasure.
A long day 2 & 3 with the bat for Australia should see them out of site of Indian. No need for heroics, just steady accumulation.

It got better, rather than worse after that though Jack.
Lost Cowan for only 16 (pity) but Ponting is still there on 44 with Clarke who has, so far, put on a bit of a captains knock on 47. 116 for 3 down at close. As long as no foolishness early on it is still looking good for having India firmly on the back foot.

Sensible stuff from the ex & new Australian captains this morning.
Although they are not exactly dragging their feet with the scoring rate either.
Eased into the lead without losing another wicket & now both, a little more hesitantly now, nearing their centuries.
Clarke just completing his. He is currently on 103 & Ponting on 97. Australia on 233 for 3, 42 runs ahead...

CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS. Clarke still going at 209..Ponting out on 134, fantastic knocks.

Clarke 223, s/r 71....but get the four's...27 of them, I think he has got his eye in. Sachin must be thinking to himself, I wish it was me.