January 13, 2008	Sunday	Muharram 03, 1429

CANBERRA, Jan 12: Explosive opener Virender Sehwag made a strong case for a Test recall with a typically swashbuckling century on the final day of India’s three-day tour match against an Australian Capital Territory XI on Saturday.

And the man Sehwag is likely to replace in the third Test at the WACA Ground, Yuvraj Singh, again failed to reach double figures as his form woes mounted.

The match ended in a draw, India declaring its second innings at tea at 281 for four, an overall lead of 314, with the ACT 60 for 3 in reply when both teams agreed to an early stumps.

After making a scratchy 24 in the first innings, Sehwag capitalised on a flat pitch and modest attack to reach his hundred in well under a session, facing just 73 balls in the process.

Sehwag, who was considered close to a recall for the controversial second Test in Sydney but hasn’t played at the top level for over a year, made his intentions clear when he opened the day by belting three boundaries from the first over.

He continued in that vein before being caught behind just minutes before lunch for 113, ending a frenetic 158-run opening partnership with Dinesh Karthik, who narrowly missed a century.Sehwag hit 18 fours and two sixes and faced only 78 balls to finally give the Indians something to smile about at the end of a testing week on and off the field.

The 29-year-old brought up his century by flicking a ball to the fine leg boundary, and then celebrated by smashing a four and six from the final two deliveries of the over.

Sehwag has played 52 Tests, with 12 centuries and an average of 49.46.

The entertaining knock dramatically increased the pressure on Yuvraj, who later in the day failed again. He made just three after scoring only two in the first innings, and his spot in the side for the third Test, starting Wednesday, must be in grave doubt.

Opener Wasim Jaffer, also under pressure, fell cheaply for 21, but made 92 in the first innings.

Karthik, dropped on 19, also put a case for Test selection by making a polished 97 from 152 balls, including 12 boundaries.

The ACT declared their first innings at the overnight score of 292 for eight, young paceman Ishant Sharma the pick of the Indian bowlers on the second day with 26 for three.

In the ACT’s second innings, West Australian Test hopeful Chris Rogers missed another chance to impress when he made just 17, caught behind from the bowling of Irfan Pathan.

Scoreboard

INDIA (1st innings) 325-9 dec (W. Jaffer 92, R.Dravid 62)

ACT (1st innings) 292-8 dec (J. Rogers 98, C. Rogers 60)

INDIA (2nd innings):

D. Karthik lbw b Bulger 97

V. Sehwag c Crosthwaite b Higgs 113

W. Jaffer c Crosthwaite b Bulger 21

Y. Singh c Dean b Ritchard 3

R. Dravid not out 16

I. Pathan not out 18

EXTRAS (B-3 LB-2 NB-8) 13

TOTAL (for four wkts decl, 58 overs) 281

DID NOT BAT: M. Dhoni, H. Singh, RP Singh, P. Singh, V. Singh, I. Sharma.

FALL OF WKTS: 1-158, 2-238, 3-241, 4-248.

BOWLING: Perera 12-3-46-1 (1nb), Swards 13-3-35-0, Sherlock 2-0-23-0, Bulger 24-2-120-2 (7nb), Ritchard 5-0-47-0, Higgs 2-0-5-1.

ACT (2nd innings):

E. Cowan c Sehwag b Pankaj Singh 7

C. Rogers c Karthik b Pathan 17

J. Dean lbw b Pankaj Singh 0

M. Higgs not out 14

J. Rogers not out 9

EXTRAS (LB-6 W-6 NB-1) 13

TOTAL (for three wkts, 17 overs) 60

DID NOT BAT: R. Starr, J. Crosthwaite, A. Ritchard, A. Perera, R. Sherlock, L. Swards, R. Bulger.

FALL OF WKTS: 1-18, 2-35, 3-35.

BOWLING: Pankaj Singh 5-1-21-2 (2w), I. Pathan 4-1-16-1, V. Singh 4-1-10-0 (1nb), I. Sharma 4-1-7-0.

RESULT: Match drawn.—AFP