India win by 8 wickets!
India lead the 4-match Test series 1-0! Superb victory for the hosts and they will be pretty pleased with their efforts in this match.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Ind vs Aus: Australia resume second innings on Day 5 in first Test
Ind vs Aus: Australia resume second innings on Day 5 in first Test
NEW DELHI: Leading by 40 runs with one wicket in hand, Moises Henriques and Nathan Lyon resumed Australia's second innings against India on the fifth day of the first Test at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday.
Scorecard
It was a great effort from the Indian spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja on Day 4 as they dismissed nine Australian batsmen and dominated throughout.
The Indian spinners claimed all the nine scalps with Ashwin starring with 5 wickets. Jadeja and Harbhajan also bowled well and grabbed two each.
Showing some terrific fighting spirit, Henriques was the star for the Australians as he managed to drag their innings and take the match to Day 5.
The Indians would be looking to wrap up the Australian innings as soon as possible and make sure that the target is kept as low as possible. Anything above 100 could prove to be tricky.
The pitch looks like a minefield. There are rough patches developed and the track is crumbling, there is too much assistance for the spinners. But if the batsmen apply themselves, use the crease well and execute the shots sensibly, there are still runs in it.
Skipper MS Dhoni (224) looked to pile on the agony as the fourth day started and even after he got out, gloving pacer James Pattinson to the 'keeper, the declaration didn't come.
With the visitors lacking any depth in their spin attack, even the last pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (38) and Ishant Sharma added 26 and a 192-run lead looked like a mountain to climb.
It was crucial for the openers Shane Watson and Ed Cowan to give the Aussies a start against Ashwin and Harbhajan, who started the proceedings with the new ball.
The hard new ball was bursting off the pitch like a grenade and it required extreme skill to survive. Watson did it for a while, playing with soft hands, but it all started to go wrong just ahead of lunch.
Ashwin (5-90), hit the rough near the good-length spot and the ball jumped to take Watson's glove, Virender Sehwag completing an easy catch at first slip.
Cowan's struggle ended after lunch when he played for the turn and the ball straightened to hit him in front. But it was the dismissal of Phillip Hughes that showed surviving on this pitch was as much about luck as pluck.
A Ravindra Jadeja (2-68) delivery simply took off and went up to shoulder height and there wasn't anything Hughes could do except glove it to first slip.
This dismissal had a psychological impact on the Aussies and they seemed to lose the belief that they could make a match of it. They started believing that the world is conspiring against them and Michael Clarke's expression when David Warner was given out leg-before said it all.
The skipper, standing at the other end, just turned around and looked straight at the umpire in disbelief as the finger went up to send Warner back. Dhoni, to his credit, didn't allow the batsmen to settle in against any of the spinners.
He kept shuffling the three around, changing their ends, and keeping an in-and-out field. The spinners, too, understood that it's about hitting the right areas and the pitch would do the rest for them.
While Ashwin settled into a line just around the off-stump, Jadeja looked to get the ball in, using the away-going delivery as a surprise weapon.
The Indians could feel the end was near and they attacked. Wickets fell at regular intervals and when it was nine down with about an hour to go, the preparations for a four-day finish had started.
It was around this time Henriques and Lyon decided that they wouldn't give it up and took the match into Day 5.
Henriques' resolute batting has made sure that Australia avoided an innings defeat. (PTI Photo)
Scorecard
It was a great effort from the Indian spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh and Ravindra Jadeja on Day 4 as they dismissed nine Australian batsmen and dominated throughout.
The Indian spinners claimed all the nine scalps with Ashwin starring with 5 wickets. Jadeja and Harbhajan also bowled well and grabbed two each.
Showing some terrific fighting spirit, Henriques was the star for the Australians as he managed to drag their innings and take the match to Day 5.
The Indians would be looking to wrap up the Australian innings as soon as possible and make sure that the target is kept as low as possible. Anything above 100 could prove to be tricky.
The pitch looks like a minefield. There are rough patches developed and the track is crumbling, there is too much assistance for the spinners. But if the batsmen apply themselves, use the crease well and execute the shots sensibly, there are still runs in it.
Skipper MS Dhoni (224) looked to pile on the agony as the fourth day started and even after he got out, gloving pacer James Pattinson to the 'keeper, the declaration didn't come.
With the visitors lacking any depth in their spin attack, even the last pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar (38) and Ishant Sharma added 26 and a 192-run lead looked like a mountain to climb.
It was crucial for the openers Shane Watson and Ed Cowan to give the Aussies a start against Ashwin and Harbhajan, who started the proceedings with the new ball.
The hard new ball was bursting off the pitch like a grenade and it required extreme skill to survive. Watson did it for a while, playing with soft hands, but it all started to go wrong just ahead of lunch.
Ashwin (5-90), hit the rough near the good-length spot and the ball jumped to take Watson's glove, Virender Sehwag completing an easy catch at first slip.
Cowan's struggle ended after lunch when he played for the turn and the ball straightened to hit him in front. But it was the dismissal of Phillip Hughes that showed surviving on this pitch was as much about luck as pluck.
A Ravindra Jadeja (2-68) delivery simply took off and went up to shoulder height and there wasn't anything Hughes could do except glove it to first slip.
This dismissal had a psychological impact on the Aussies and they seemed to lose the belief that they could make a match of it. They started believing that the world is conspiring against them and Michael Clarke's expression when David Warner was given out leg-before said it all.
The skipper, standing at the other end, just turned around and looked straight at the umpire in disbelief as the finger went up to send Warner back. Dhoni, to his credit, didn't allow the batsmen to settle in against any of the spinners.
He kept shuffling the three around, changing their ends, and keeping an in-and-out field. The spinners, too, understood that it's about hitting the right areas and the pitch would do the rest for them.
While Ashwin settled into a line just around the off-stump, Jadeja looked to get the ball in, using the away-going delivery as a surprise weapon.
The Indians could feel the end was near and they attacked. Wickets fell at regular intervals and when it was nine down with about an hour to go, the preparations for a four-day finish had started.
It was around this time Henriques and Lyon decided that they wouldn't give it up and took the match into Day 5.
BlackBerry launches first Z10 device in India at Rs 43,490
BlackBerry launches first Z10 device in India at Rs 43,490
BlackBerry today launched its much-awaited smartphone Z10, powered by its latest operating system 'BlackBerry 10', in India at a price of Rs 43,490, taking rivals Apple and Samsung head on in the world's second largest telecom market.
The Canadian smartphone maker has launched its latest model in India nearly a month after the global launch of new operating system 'BlackBerry 10' and two devices Z10 and Q10 on this platform on January 30.
"Without a doubt the BlackBerry Z10 is among the most important and much-awaited BlackBerry launches in the history of the Indian smartphone industry," BlackBerry Managing Director (India) Sunil Dutt said in a statement.
With BlackBerry 10, the company has "re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented" BlackBerry to create a new and unique mobile computing experience, he added.
"Although, the device is priced high, this positioning by BlackBerry was on expected lines. The operating systems looks good and has some excellent features," Gartner Principal Research Analyst Anshul Gupta said.
The new device is powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, and has 2GB RAM. It comes with 16GB onboard memory, which can be expanded up to 64GB using a microSD card.
It has 8 megapixel rear camera with LED flash, a 2MP HD camera in front and its connectivity options include Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G, 4G, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB 2.0 and NFC.
The device supports content in eight Indian languages - Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Devanagiri (Hindi), Gurmukhi (Punjabi), Gujarati, and Bengali ¿ as well as support for third-party solutions for Indian language input.
The BlackBerry 10-powered phones also boast of faster browser, larger app library and new features like BlackBerry Hub, BlackBerry Flow, BlackBerry Balance and Time Shift.
The struggling smartphone maker, which re-christened itself as 'BlackBerry' from Research in Motion in January, is betting on the new platform to turn around its fortunes.
The Z10 competes with Apple's iPhone and those based on Google's Android operating system, which have gained popularity across the world.
BlackBerry has a strong customer base in India, especially among youth. As per CyberMedia Research, RIM's market share in Indian smartphone market stood at 12.1 per cent during January-June 2012 period.
BlackBerry, which faced strong criticism for lack of content on its application store, has also revamped it to take on Android's Play Store and Apple's App Store. The BlackBerry World storefront now includes over 70,000 BlackBerry 10 apps.
For long been touted as an enterprise device, BlackBerry has now introduced 'BlackBerry Balance' that will allow users separate professional data and applications from music, photographs and other personal items. The new devices also feature enhanced camera features.
BlackBerry Z10 was first unveiled in the UK, last month, followed by Canada, the UAE and the US earlier this month.
Australia's batting problems are due to ego, says Ravindra Jadeja
Australia's batting problems are due to ego, says Ravindra Jadeja
INDIAN allrounder Ravindra Jadeja says Australia's batsmen lack the patience of their English counterparts and are susceptible to getting out because of their "egos".
In an intriguing assessment with the Ashes just four months away, Jadeja believes Australia's batting arsenal, headlined by Michael Clarke, David Warner, Shane Watson, Phil Hughes and Ed Cowan, can be lured into fatal error by stifling their run-scoring.
The Jadeja jab came after an eventful fourth day of the first Test in which rookie Australian allrounder Moises Henriques thumped an unbeaten 75 to stave off an innings defeat and give the tourists a 40-run lead with one wicket in hand.
The Jadeja jab came after an eventful fourth day of the first Test in which rookie Australian allrounder Moises Henriques thumped an unbeaten 75 to stave off an innings defeat and give the tourists a 40-run lead with one wicket in hand.
Jadeja (2-68) claimed the key wicket of Phil Hughes for a third-ball duck yesterday, sparking a top-order collapse which saw Australia slump to 5-121 before Henriques' recovery mission.
The 24-year-old made his Test debut against England in December and believes the Australians are more likely to lash out when tied down.
"The difference between the English batsmen and the Australians is the English guys are a lot more patient," he said.
"If we bowl maidens to the Australians, they have an ego. If we contain them for four overs, we feel like they will play a rash shot. That's what we're expecting from them.
The 24-year-old made his Test debut against England in December and believes the Australians are more likely to lash out when tied down.
"The difference between the English batsmen and the Australians is the English guys are a lot more patient," he said.
"If we bowl maidens to the Australians, they have an ego. If we contain them for four overs, we feel like they will play a rash shot. That's what we're expecting from them.
"We want to get them out as quickly as possible tomorrow and then score runs quickly.
"What's making the pitch difficult is the footmarks, some balls don't bounce and there is inconsistent turn."
"What's making the pitch difficult is the footmarks, some balls don't bounce and there is inconsistent turn."
Henriques attributed Australia's top-order collapse to a wearing, venonmous Chennai pitch rather than any ego-driven strokeplay.
The Portuguese-born Test debutant pointed to the dismissal of skipper Clarke, who was trapped lbw by Ravi Ashwin with a vicious delivery that turned sharply from off to leg.
“It’s that type of wicket where you almost have to concentrate as if every ball is your first one because you have to stay sharp and make sure you’re alert for that one that does act a little differently," he said.
"Sometimes you will get one that you just can’t do anything about. If you get out to that one, that’s fine. But you’ve just got to try and predict how they’re trying to get you out and combat that as well as you can.
“I was in disbelief that Michael Clarke got out for under 100. It was always going to take a ball like that to get someone who puts such a high price on his wicket.
The Portuguese-born Test debutant pointed to the dismissal of skipper Clarke, who was trapped lbw by Ravi Ashwin with a vicious delivery that turned sharply from off to leg.
“It’s that type of wicket where you almost have to concentrate as if every ball is your first one because you have to stay sharp and make sure you’re alert for that one that does act a little differently," he said.
"Sometimes you will get one that you just can’t do anything about. If you get out to that one, that’s fine. But you’ve just got to try and predict how they’re trying to get you out and combat that as well as you can.
“I was in disbelief that Michael Clarke got out for under 100. It was always going to take a ball like that to get someone who puts such a high price on his wicket.
"I knew that those things were going to happen.
"Michael said to us before we went out to bat that you’ve just got to play to the conditions and if you get a ball like that then so be it. You can’t really do too much. There’s nothing that Michael could have done about that ball."
Meanwhile, Test quick Jackson Bird will return to Australia today to receive a precautionary scan on his back.
Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said: “Jackson has reported some low-level back pain and we feel the best course of action to determine the issue is to send him back to Australia for scans.
“If the scans come back clear then he will return to India to take up his place with the squad.”
Meanwhile, Test quick Jackson Bird will return to Australia today to receive a precautionary scan on his back.
Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said: “Jackson has reported some low-level back pain and we feel the best course of action to determine the issue is to send him back to Australia for scans.
“If the scans come back clear then he will return to India to take up his place with the squad.”
India on the brink of a big win
India on the brink of a big win
Ashwin takes five wickets again as Australia collapse in their second innings.
Back in form: Ashwin claimed another five-for at his home ground to wreck Australia on Monday.Scorecard | Live Chat | Chepauk sidelights | A day to remember
CHENNAI: Very little of what remained of the denuded surface on the fourth day of the Chepauk Test would have qualified as a cricket pitch. More akin to the Martian landscape than earthly terrain, the surface connived perfectly with India’s plans of spinning out Australia to their death – which they almost did on Monday by claiming nine second innings wickets.
After concluding their first essay on 572 – a lead of 192 – in the morning, India had Australia on the mat on 232 for nine at stumps. Australia looked set for an innings defeat midway through the last session, but a fighting rearguard by debutant Moises Henriques (75*) and the much-maligned off-spinner Nathan Lyon (8*) ensured the visitors ended the day with a 40-run lead, thanks to a stubborn, unbeaten last-wicket stand of 57.
India thus have to bat again on the final day to take a one-nil lead in the four-match series. If they get there on the morrow – as indeed they should – they have to thank homeboy Ravichandran Ashwin, who has yet 12 victims, including five in the second innings. Ashwin was central to India’s three-strong spin attack that has as yet taken all 19 Aussie wickets to fall in the Test.
Spin on top
On Monday, he opened the bowling with Harbhajan Singh and removed removed Shane Watson (17) at the stroke of lunch with a ‘kicker’, to create an ominous portent for the visitors. Turn and bounce was readily forthcoming from the two-paced wicket, but even more dangerous was its tendency to foster lack of bounce, a delivery that died on pitching and gave no chance of survival to batsmen who’d have suffered against such bowling even on a pitch less malefic.
Harbhajan was finally given a extended bowl and made good his chance with two victims; Ravindra Jadeja justified his place in the eleven with a couple of his own. The ball was doing things after pitching and all the three spinners had the batsmen in a tangle, cutting them in half with those that reared dangerously, surprising them with ones that kept low, controlling the turn rather than imparting it.
Flurry of wickets
The procession started after lunch. Ed Cowan (32) battled valiantly for 97 balls before he was trapped in front by Ashwin, although the batsman looked shocked at the decision, possibly thinking he’d been given out caught (the rebound was snapped up by Murali Vijay close in). Phil Hughes (0) prolonged his wretched run, barely surviving two balls before Ravindra Jadeja got one to snarl past him off a wicked spot. Hughes’ rapid sway back couldn’t prevent ball kissing glove on its way to Virender Sehwag at slip.
David Warner (23) came down the order due to stomach trouble. He looked cagey all through his stay until Harbhajan beat him round the inside edge, leg-before for 23. The Turbanator picked up his second when he had Mathew Wade (8) bowled trying to sweep him from outside off.
Michael Clarke (31) was not even off the mark when he was dropped by Virat Kohli at backward shortleg off Ashwin. Clarke responded by using his feet to deposit the off-spinner over long-on and then pulled him through mid-wicket. It was eventually the deceitful pitch that claimed him. A flighted Ashwin stock ball turned and barely raised itself from the surface, nudging onto Clarke’s pads for an easy ‘lbw’ decision by the umpire.
Henriques holds fort
Australia were 61 in arrears at Clarke’s exit. All-rounder Moises Henriques meanwhile had quietly begun his march to a second half-century on debut. He stayed put even as the efflux continued at the other end: Peter Siddle was bowled trying to sweep Jadeja; pace bowlers James Pattinson and Mitchell Starc became Ashwin’s fourth and fifth scalps respectively.
Henriques however emulated his captain in his footwork. He moved back to make room against Ashwin and cut Jadeja when the left-armer offered him width. He reached his second Test fifty with a massive hoick for six against Harbhajan and then lofted Ashwin over long on for the same result. The visitors ate noiselessly into the deficit as India claimed the new ball and threw it to Ishant Sharma to break the stand.
Henriques and Lyon had added 57 by close, ensuring that India would have to come out again on the final morning and get the runs. A moral victory and nothing more for Australia. The hosts would be ok with that, especially after things worked perfectly to a plan in the opening encounter.
Earlier, MS Dhoni swelled his score to 224, and past Sachin Tendulkar’s record 217, in the first session as India concluded their first innings on a mammoth 572. James Pattinson got Dhoni’s wicket to complete a well-deserved five-wicket haul, but the damage that India’s captain had wreaked upon the visitors on the third day was by then irremediable.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)