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Haydos, Punter
provide a sound foundation for Aussies |
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Scorecard
 Australia
reduced India's chances of squaring up the Test
Series with a sound batting performance which
allowed just the three wickets to be taken in
the whole of the third day's play. Riding by
Matt Hayden's 30th century, Australia finished
the day at 322 for 3 with Skipper Ricky Ponting
regaining his lost touch with an unbeaten 79.
With nothing really happening in terms of taking
the game forward, all the focus was on one man
and his decision and that was Adam Gilchrist,
who announced that this was his last Test Match
of his career!
The touring team did well in a way by not
allowing the Australians to get off the hook.
For once, Australia struggled to get their runs
quickly and their run rate was kept below 3.00
runs per over! The Indian attack struggled to do
the magic as they were without the services of
their best pace bowler - Rudra Pratap Singh, who
was ruled out of the Test Match with a hamstring
strain!
The openers set the tone for the home side as
Hayden and Phil Jaques carried on from where
they had left yesterday. They saw the first
session through without any problem. It was only
after lunch that a crazy sweep shot from Phil
Jaques provided the much waited breakthrough for
Anil Kumble and his team. Jaques (60 from 159
balls with 3 fours) yet again failed to convert
his start into three figures, but he made sure
that Aussies got to 159 in about 53 overs.
Hayden after that went past the Don's record of
29 centuries by getting his 30th hundred in 181
balls. His innings only came to an end with the
ball of the test match when Ishanth Sharma got
one to reverse swing at sharp speed to crash
past the defenses. Hayden got 103 from 200 balls
with 10 fours and a six.
After Hayden's exit, there was no instant joy
for the Indians with another partnership
building up. This time it was from Michael
Hussey along with Ponting. Hussey had survived a
couple of close shaves before he got cleaned up
in a similar fashion to that of Hayden. The
bowler was Irfan Pathan though with not much of
pace but with the same result of cleaning up the
left hander with a big inswinger. Husey got 22
in a partnership of 55 with Ponting. That was
the only wicket to come India's way in the rest
of the day with Ponting (79) putting on an
unbeaten partnership of 73 with Michael Clarke
(37). India persisted with an old ball for most
part of the day's play as it was reversing. They
eventually took the second new ball only in the
108th over.
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