Test Series so far...
Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2011-2012
Preview:
India’s long tour to Australia begun with a couple of warm-up matches at Canberra ahead of ‘The Prestigious Boxing Day’ test match. First warm-up match was a decent one for India and it ended in a draw. In the second, India didn’t look that convincing. Except Kohli(132) no other India batsmen succeeded in making a 50 plus score. In the 1st innings India were bowled out for 269, Aswin was a bit positive after picking 4 out of 7 wickets of CA Chairman’s XI.2nd innings was a short one that lasted only for 30 overs with India scoring 90/2.Gambhir looked okay in this innings with an unbeaten 42. Bowling by Indian attack in 2nd innings is quite ordinary, their counterpart made 100/0 in 30 overs and the result is same as the previous one.
On the other hand Aussies spotted good batsmen in Ed Cowan who scored 109 in the warm-up and placed him in the team. The skipper Michael Clarke disclosed his final eleven a couple of days ahead of 1st test at ‘The MCG’. The Aussies, being a strong team seemed positive with this move.
Australia v India, 1st Test, Melbourne
Result: Aussies beat India by 122 runs
Series: Aussie lead India 1-0 in the 4-match series with 3 tests to follow.
1st Innings:
The Boxing Day arrived and both the teams are on the field. Australia won the toss and chose to bat, both their openers Warner and Cowan were fluent and added 46 for the first wicket. Umesh Yadav had the first luck Warner(37) fell edging one to Dhoni, then had Marsh for a duck with the first delivery of his consecutive over. Ricky Ponting is on the field trying to settle his team. He added 113 along with Cowan and departed after scoring 62. Skipper Clarke was in for Ponting, added 46 alongside Cowan. Zaheer made his presence felt with a double blow for Aussies, Clarke(31) edged one on to the stumps and Hussey followed him immediately for a well directed bouncer but the hotspot showed no bat in it. Aswin was bought into the attack and soon Cowan(68) was given out for edging one to Dhoni which even seemed doubtful. At this stage Australia were 214-6, Siddle(41) joined Haddin(27) this pair added precious 72 to the total and were done by Zaheer soon in succession. Finally Aussies were all-out scoring 333.
India didn’t had the best of the starts they are looking for, lost Gambhir(3) early edging one from Hilfenhaus to Haddin. Dravid joined Sehwag, this piar added 75 to the total and then Sehwag(67) was cleaned up by Pattinson. With a big cheer from the crowd Sachin joined Dravid at the centre, yet another century partnership from these batting legends. Sachin(73) who looked like making his 100th ton fell for Siddle in the final over of the day. Ishant joined Dravid and this pair drove India safe till stumps on day-2. Dravid(68) departed in the first over without disturbing the overnight score–card. In no time the remaining batsmen were back in the hut and India noticed another dramatic collapse from 214-2 to 282 all-out. Ben Hilfenhaus who was playing his 1st test after the Ashes last summer was very impressive with 5-75 in 26 overs.
2nd Innings:
Australia secured vital 51 run lead in the first innings. Yadav quickly had the first 3 wickets of Aussies similarly as in the 1st innings. Australia were reeling at 4-27 with Clarke(1) been sent back early by Ishanth. Hussey then joined Ponting in the middle and this pair added 115 to the score. Ponting scored 60 and was sent to the pavilion by Zaheer, soon Haddin departed leaving Hussey with the tail. With some resistance from Pattinson(37) Austalia managed 240 and Hussey(89) being the top scorer missed out on a hundred.
India came in to bat on day-4 chasing 292 which seemed a possible one for them with big-guns like Sehwag, Dravid, Sachin, Laxman, Dhoni. But this time around Sehwag initiated yet another collapse and finally India were packed up for 169 losing the test by 122 runs.
Highlights of The Match:
- Zaheer, Yadav, Hilfenaus had 7 wickets each.
- With 6 wickets and 55 runs(18*,37*) James Pattinson was named Player of the Match.
Australia v India, 2nd Test, Sydney
Result: Aussies beat India by an innings and 68 runs
Series: Aussie lead India 2-0 in the 4-match series.
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), is one of the oldest cricket grounds in Australia. Including the 2nd test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2011-2012 SCG hosted 100 test matches. Taking a look at some more Interesting figures regarding this ground, one will be astonished to find that Sachin Tendulkar has the highest average of all Test cricketers at the SCG. In four Tests there he averages 221.33, India holds the highest total at SCG 705/7d in 2004, Highest number of runs by an individual at SCG is 1480 by Ricky Ponting which includes 6 centuries. Michael Clarke's selfless decision in this test match prevented him from pursuing Australian cricket landmarks. He passed up the chance to press on against an unthreatening Indian attack and have a shot at Matthew Hayden's 380, the highest Test score by an Australian.
India won the toss and chose to bat. The curator predicted that the pitch favors bowling on the 1st day of the test match. His prediction went quite good, India lost their wickets in quick succession. Half the side is back in the pavilion with less than 100 on the score-card. India were 96-5, at this stage Dhoni took charge alongside the li’l master, they looked like rebuilding the innings but suddenly things turned around and Sachin(41) was cleaned up by a wider fullish delivery from Pattinson which was dragged on to the stumps. The tail hardly resisted, in spite of Skipper’s unbeaten 57 they were bowled out for mere 191. Pattinson took 4 for and Hilfenhaus, Siddle had 3 each.
Australia came on to bat in the afternoon of 1st day of 2nd test. This time its Zaheer who drew the first blood, he grabbed all the 3 top order wickets in no time. Australia were 3-37 in 9 overs, looked unstable at that stage with three of their top order batsmen back in the hut. But from then things favored them, they survived till stumps without losing another wicket on day 1. Aussies resumed day 2 from 116/3 with Ricky at 44* and Pup(Michael Clarke) at 47*. Both of them looked steady and drove Australia past 300 mark . In the course both the skipper and Ex gone past their 100 mark. Finaly at 325 Ishant gave a breakthrough for India removing Ponting 135 caught by Sachin at point. But misery for India kept on continuing, Ishant droped one caught and bowled chance and from then Clarke didn’t look back. Clarke joined by Hussey after Pontings dismissal went on to make his first ever Triple that to on his home ground as skipper, this pair added unbeaten 334 run partnership. Finally declaration came, that to in astonishing manner. Clarke was at his best of the forms and is going at a very good pace, two and half days remain in the test match and he might also aimed for record breaking 400 but soon after Hussey’s 150 Aussies skipper declared at 659/4 placing a mammoth 468 1st innings lead before the touring team.
India had begun their second innings trailing a huge total, had a huge blow in the form of Sehwag’s(4) wicket in the 4th over itself. Gambhir was joined by Dravid, after adding 82 to the total Dravid(29) was bowled for the third time in this series so far. Gambhir(83) alongside Sachin added 68 runs to the board and was back in the pavilion. India were at 168-3 at that time. Laxman joined Sachin at the centre and they both took the score past 250. Sachin missed out yet another chance to make his 100th ton, this time around was trapped by the Aussies skipper on 80. Soon after, Laxman(66) was bowled with a beauty from Hilfenhaus who continued to have a great series so far. Dhoni and Kohli fell in quick succession at the score of 286. Aswin(62) showed some resistance along with Zaheer(35) and remaining tail but could rescue India from defeat. Finally India lost to Aussies by an innings and 68 runs which means Australia would not loose the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2011-2012. Michael Clarke was named player of the match for his unbeaten 329.
Australia v India, 3rd Test, Perth
India registered a consecutive innings defeat against Australia.
