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| December 28, 2003 | Sunday | Ziqa’ad 4, 1424 |
Hayden and Ponting hammer centuries as Aussies hit back
MELBOURNE, Dec 27: Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden made centuries on Saturday as Australia fought back against India by reaching 317 for three on the second day of the third Test.
India, who lead the four-Test series 1-0, were dismissed for 366 after starting the day on 329 for four after opener Virender Sehwag’s magnificent 195 on Friday.
No other batsman was able to reach 50, although Rahul Dravid (49) and opener Akash Chopra (48) went close. Australia trail by 49 runs with seven wickets in hand and three days to play after Ponting hit an unbeaten 120 and Hayden clubbed a brutal 136.
After Justin Langer was out to Ajit Agarkar for 14, Ponting and Hayden put on 234 for the second wicket in 227 minutes to demoralise the India bowlers on a flat Melbourne Cricket Ground wicket before an appreciative crowd of 39,566.
Hayden, who scored a world record 380 against Zimbabwe in October, hit his 17th Test century in his 49th match.
After reaching 99 the powerful left-hander swept leg spinner Anil Kumble for a boundary to leg and raised both arms in triumph at his fifth century of the year.
The big Queenslander later tried the sweep shot once too often and was lbw to Kumble, ending an entertaining 173-ball knock which included 17 fours and one six.
Australia vice-captain Ponting, who scored a double century in the second Test earlier this month, completed his 20th Test hundred in 74 matches and sixth this year with a push to mid-wicket off Kumble.
The 29-year-old Tasmanian celebrated by jogging 20 metres past the crease and saluting the crowd with his bat raised. Wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, promoted in the batting order from seven to four, was out for 14 to Kumble’s bowling after a wild slog to mid-on.
Damien Martyn was seven not out at the close.
India captain Saurav Ganguly began the day on 20 with Vangipurappu Laxman on six as the tourists looked to build a big first innings total.
However, the skipper triggered a collapse in the fifth over when he was caught at fourth slip by Justin Langer off the bowling of Brett Lee for 37 with the score on 350.
Wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel and Ajit Agarkar soon followed for first-ball ducks, joining Sachin Tendulkar who suffered the same fate on Friday.
Brad Williams had Kumble (3) caught by Langer at second slip and Laxman (19) and Ashish Nehra (0) both fell victim to leg spinner Stuart MacGill.
Scoreboard
INDIA (1st Innings, overnight 329-4):
A. Chopra c Katich b MacGill 48
V. Sehwag c Bracken b Katich 195
R.S. Dravid c Martyn b Waugh 49
S.R. Tendulkar c Gilchrist b Lee 0
S.C. Ganguly c Langer b Lee 37
V.V.S. Laxman c Hayden b MacGill 19
P.A. Patel c Gilchrist b Bracken 0
A.B. Agarkar run out 0
A.R. Kumble c Langer b Williams 3
A. Nehra c Gilchrist b MacGill 0
Zaheer Khan not out 0
EXTRAS (LB-3, W-1, NB-11) 15
TOTAL (all out, 103 overs) 366
FALL OF WKTS: 1-141, 2-278, 3-286, 4-311, 5-350, 6-353, 7-353, 8-366, 9-366.
BOWLING: Lee 27-7-103-2 (10nb); Bracken 28-6-71-1; Williams 20-6-66-1 (1w); MacGill 15-3-70-3 (1nb); Katich 4-0-18-1; Waugh 9-0-35-1.
AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):
J.L. Langer c Tendulkar b Agarkar 14
M.L. Hayden lbw b Kumble 136
R.T. Ponting not out 120
A.C. Gilchrist c Nehra b Kumble 14
D.R. Martyn not out 7
EXTRAS (LB-7, W-5, NB-9, PR-5) 26
TOTAL (for three wkts, 75 overs) 317
FALL OF WKTS: 1-30, 2-264, 3-295.
TO BAT: S.R. Waugh, S.M. Katich, B. Lee, B.A. Williams, S.C.G. MacGill, N.W. Bracken.
BOWLING (to-date): Agarkar 17-0-72-1; Zaheer Khan 17-2-75-0 (5nb, 5w); Nehra 13-3-34-0 (1nb); Kumble 24-2-102-2 (3nb); Tendulkar 4-0-22-0.
NOTE: Extras include five penalty runs.—Reuters
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