da betobet： Two sensational hundreds, two sensational balls, and a thoroughly ruthless and professional performance helped Australia assume control on the second day of the first Test at Bangalore
da wazamba： The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan at Bangalore25-Jun-2005India 150 for 6 (Ganguly 45) trail Australia 474 (Clarke 151, Gilchrist 104, Harbhajan 5 for 146) by 324 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
A century on debut for Michael Clarke – and many more to come, surely© Getty Images
Two sensational hundreds, two sensational balls, and a thoroughly ruthless and professional performance helped Australia assume control on the second day of the first Test at Bangalore. With their miracle workers gone, India found themselves staring at defeat, 324 runs behind with only four wickets left.It was a perfect day for Australia. Adam Gilchrist andMichael Clarke dominated the first three hours withsparkling footwork and spanking drives, and then theirbowlers coaxed life out of what had seemed afeatherbed pitch till then. Glenn McGrath showed whatAustralia had missed during their home series lastyear by winkling out two wickets in his first twoovers and Michael Kasprowicz, who won Australia aTest at this ground in 1998, showed how to bowl on aslow pitch by striking two vital blows after India hadsteadied themselves through an enterprisingpartnership between Virender Sehwag and SouravGanguly. Shane Warne then capped a great day for Australia by claiming VVS Laxman with a ball he willcherish: it drifted in, pitched on a perfect spot onleg, and beat Laxman’s prodding bat with sharp turn tohit off.The hope for India lay in an early breakthrough – but itdidn’t come until the last ball before lunch. In thosetwo hours, Gilchrist left the Indian spinners cluelessas he struck a fine balance between caution andattack. He scored quickly, but differently to his usual approach, choosingto go down the ground instead of behind square ashas been his custom. He carted bothAnil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh straight for sixes intheir first overs, and then opened up the field and pushedaround for easy runs. All through the morning, theIndians posted two men on the fence for thesweep, but unlike Matthew Hayden yesterday, Gilchrist didn’tfall for the trap.His first sweep didn’t come until he had 87, a controlled four tolong leg, and his century came up a couple of overslater, with two successive cover-driven fours thatbeat long-off. It wasn’t his usual swashbucklingstyle, but the hundred still came off 103 balls and theIndians just didn’t know where to bowl to him. He fellon the stroke of lunch, to a brilliant return catch,as Harbhajan dived full-length to his right to latchon to one that skimmed inches above the ground (423 for 5).
Shane Warne finally nails his nemesis, VVS Laxman, as Australia take charge at Bangalore© Getty Images
Gilchrist also played a crucial part in guiding Clarketo his hundred. With three figures in sight, Clarke wasa bundle of nerves early in the day. His first two fourscame through edges, before he survived a hugeleg-before shout against Kumble. With a seven-twofield against bowling that was directed outside off, Clarke swished and missed, changed his gloves,and made frequent forays to square leg between balls.But as soon as he traded his helmet for a baggy greencap, Clarke got to the landmark with a clipped two tomidwicket, becoming the first Australian since GregBlewett in 1994-95 to score a century on Test debut. Thenext 50 runs were made in unfettered style, and hesprayed the bowling to all parts as India’s slowbowlers, especially Kumble, were found wanting.Just after lunch, Kumble was thumped for two fours anda six over midwicket, as Clarke moved his feet withballet-like precision.He fell immediately after reaching his 150 as anattempted cover-drive off Zaheer Khan took the edge andwent straight through to Parthiv Patel (471 for 8). Harbhajan mopped up the tail in next to notime to finish with an expensive five-for – but by then, India were already requiring a mighty turnaround.McGrath struck with the fourth ball of the Indianinnings as Aakash Chopra shouldered arms to one thatdarted back in. Replays showed that the ball might havegone just over the stumps (0 for 1). But the body blowcame in McGrath’s second over as a peach of delivery,pitched outside off and cutting in, sneaked throughRahul Dravid’s defence to crash into the stumps (4 for 2). McGrath had struck twice in six balls, and Dravidleft to a stunned silence at his home ground.Ganguly scythed through that tension with two gorgeouscover-drives that had everyone gasping. He didn’t hold backwhen the ball was dug in short, and rolled his wristswhile executing the pull. At the other end, Sehwag letrip as the cover fielders chased some lashed drives.After bowling one over before tea, Warne returned in the 20th over of the innings. Sehwag immediately made room for himself and the ball teasedthe fielder at short extra cover before escaping thegrasp of the one at mid-off.But the introduction of Kasprowicz provided Australia with the double break. Gangulywas cut in half in Kasprowicz’s first over, as heintelligently varied the pace of delivery as well asthe extent of seam movement. Sehwag chipped a straightone uppishly to midwicket, where Justin Langer leapt up and latched on (87 for 3). And then Ganguly was done in by abrute of a cutter, and only managed to edge it toGilchrist (98 for 4).Until he received that Warne Special Delivery, Laxman looked inregal touch, with a couple of sublime flicks of McGrath andKasprowicz. It took a ripping, accurate legbreak toget him out and India finished the day seeking amiracle of Kolkata ’01 proportions.
