January 04, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 24, 1428

SYDNEY, Jan 3: Vangipurappu Laxman led a spirited Indian counter-attack with his third consecutive century to temper Australia’s push for a record-equalling 16th straight Test victory in the second Test on Thursday.

The 33-year-old batting craftsman from Hyderabad fully stretched Ricky Ponting’s team at the Sydney Cricket Ground with classic strokeplay for his 12th hundred in his 88th Test match.

Laxman relished his return to the venerable SCG, producing his trademark sumptuous drives with 109 off 142 balls with 18 fours to breathe new hope into the tourists in their chase after Australia’s formidable 463 first innings.

Before Laxman’s arrival shortly after lunch, Andrew Symonds had dominated talk here with his unconquered 162 in Australia’s innings. But the Indian right-hander joined with Rahul Dravid to restore morale after the tourists’ 337-run drubbing in Melbourne.

Laxman and Dravid fell late in the day, six minutes apart, with Dravid out for a stoic 53, caught at first slip by Matthew Hayden off Mitchell Johnson and Laxman taken by Mike Hussey off leg-spinner Brad Hogg.

At stumps on day two, India were 216 for three and trailing by 247 runs with Sachin Tendulkar on nine and Saurav Ganguly not out 21.

Laxman and Dravid, who have proved Australia’s nemesis with two huge partnerships in the past, amassed 175 runs for the second wicket.

They are renowned for their match-turning 376-run partnership in the second innings of the ‘Miracle of Kolkata’ Test triumph which ended Australia’s winning march of 16 consecutive wins in 2001.

Laxman (281) and Dravid (180) then batted out an entire day to repel the Australians and set up a sensational 171-run victory.

They also combined for a 303-run stand for the fifth wicket on the last Australian tour in Adelaide.

Laxman thrives at the SCG and averages 113 at the ground in four innings. In Australia he averages 59.46 compared to his career average of 44.46.

Laxman compiled 178 in the corresponding Sydney Test four years ago and 167 in India’s heavy defeat here in the 2000 Test.

Australia paid dearly on Thursday for Laxman having a life on 77 when he was put down by Adam Gilchrist, fumbling a right glove chance off Brett Lee.

Laxman careered to his half-century off 43 balls and in one Johnson over plundered 18 runs with four boundaries and a two.

In contrast Dravid crawled along as he did in the Melbourne Test with his half-century coming off 158 balls in four hours.

Dravid was playfully barracked by the Australian crowd, cheering each time he played a non-scoring shot and on one occasion they gave him a huge ovation when he scored a single after being marooned on 18 for 41 balls. Two balls after reaching his half-century he was out.

Earlier, Symonds eclipsed his previous highest score of 156 set a year ago against England with his 344-minute epic that rescued the Australians on the opening day.

Symonds, helped by big partnerships with Hogg (173 runs) and Lee (114), added 329 runs for the last four wickets to frustrate the tourists.

The all-rounder blasted 18 fours and two sixes off 226 balls for his second century in his 17th Test match.

Lee claimed his fourth Test half-century with 59 and Johnson batted boldly for 28 to rub the salt into the Indian wounds.

The Australians’ big innings came after being in strife at 134-6 midway through the first day’s play.

The home side rattled along at a brisk 4.1 runs an over in their innings.

Indian skipper Anil Kumble finished with 4-106 off 25.3 overs with left-arm paceman R.P. Singh taking 4-124 off 26 overs.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings, overnight 376-7):

P.A. Jaques c Dhoni b R.P. Singh 0

M.L. Hayden c Tendulkar b R.P. Singh 13

R.T. Ponting lbw b Harbhajan 55

M.E.K. Hussey c Tendulkar b R.P. Singh 41

M.J. Clarke lbw b Harbhajan 1

A. Symonds not out 162

A.C. Gilchrist c Tendulkar b R.P. Singh 7

G.B. Hogg c Dravid b Kumble 79

B. Lee lbw b Kumble 59

M.G. Johnson c Ganguly b Kumble 28

S.R. Clark lbw b Kumble 0

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-9, W-4, NB-3) 18

TOTAL (all out, 112.3 overs) 463

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-27, 3-119, 4-119, 5-121, 6-134, 7-307, 8-421, 9-461.

BOWLING: R.P. Singh 26-3-124-4 (1nb, 1w); Sharma 23-3-87-0 (2nb, 3w); Ganguly 6-1-13-0; Harbhajan Singh 27-3-108-2; Kumble 25.3-0-106-4; Tendulkar 5-0-14-0.

INDIA (1st Innings):

Wasim Jaffer b Lee 3

R. Dravid c Hayden b Johnson 53

V.V.S. Laxman c Hussey b Hogg 109

S.R. Tendulkar not out 9

S.C. Ganguly not out 21

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-8, W-3, NB-6) 21

TOTAL (for three wkts, 62 overs) 216

FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-183, 3-185.

TO BAT: Yuvraj Singh, M.S. Dhoni, A. Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, R.P. Singh, I. Sharma.

BOWLING (to-date): Lee 15-4-34-1 (5nb); Johnson 18-2-75-1 (1nb, 3w); Clark 11-3-28-0; Symonds 7-1-19-0; Hogg 11-0-48-1.—AFP