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Kumble makes it tough for Australia

Teammates congratulate Indian bowler Irfan Pathan, center, for taking the wicket of Australian batsman Justin Langer during the first day of the first Test match between India and Australia at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, India, yesterday. Australia stumbled after a sound start to reach 177 for four at the tea interval. PHOTO: AFP

Star spin bowler Anil Kumble moved closer to the 400-wicket milestone s as Indian spinners hit back in the opening test against Australia yesterday.

Leg-spinner Kumble (2 for 51) dismissed Damien Martyn and Darren Lehmann in quick succession to boost his tally to 399 wickets from 85 tests as Australia stumbled after a sound start to reach 177 for four at the tea interval.

Losing opener Justin Langer (52), Martyn (3) and Lehmann (17) in the afternoon session, the tourists stumbled after staging half-century stands for the first two wickets.

Langer put on 50 for the opening partnership with Matthew Hayden to begin Australia's quest for its first test series win on Indian soil in 35 years. Bill Lawry's 1969 team clinched the last Australian series win in India.

Hayden, who scored more than 500 runs to emerge as Australia's most successful batsman during the last tour to India in 2001, opened up with a sweetly timed drive to the sight screen off pacer Zaheer Khan.

Hayden was the only wicket to fall in the first session as Australia compiled 70 runs after skipper Adam Gilchrist won the toss. Hayden was dismissed for 26 when he swept off-spinner Harbhajan Singh straight to Yuvraj Singh at deep square-leg.

Australian batsman Mathew Hayden is hit in the ribs off a ball delivered by India's Zaheer Khan during the first day of the first Test match between India and Australia in Bangalore, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly, who Wednesday discarded the idea of playing three spinners on a dry wicket, introduced spin in the 10th over by bringing on Harbhajan Singh.

Harbhajan Singh tempted Hayden to play a shot at his tossed-up deliveries, and succeeded in making the first breakthrough.

Langer and Simon Katich -- who was still going strong on 47 at tea -- added another 74 for the second wicket before left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan broke up the partnership.

Pathan bowled Langer off his pads with a sharp in-cutter, bringing an end to his composed 167-minute knock. Starting with an on-driven boundary off Khan, Langer dispatched the ball to the fence five times from 126 balls.

Bangalore's local hero, Kumble, drew a bat-pad catch from Martyn to Aakash Chopra at forward short-leg.

Kumble nearly had Lehmann out for a duck as he lofted the ball while trying to hit his way out of the spinners' stranglehold, but Pathan failed to snap the catch at deep mid-on.

Lehmann didn't last long and edged another Kumble ball to Rahul Dravid at first slip.

Australian rookie Michael Clarke, batting on 16 at tea, helped Katich avert further damage.

Katich hit five boundaries from 100 balls during his 153-minute innings.

Pakistan, Sri Lanka

Pakistan off-spinner Shoaib Malik took three vital wickets for 32 runs Wednesday as Sri Lanka was restricted to 232 for nine in its first limited-overs match of the triangular series.

Malik cleverly run out exhausted half century-maker Sanath Jayasuriya (53) off his own bowling and removed captain Marvan Atapattu (46), but was lucky to pick up the wicket of Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Television replays suggested the ball had missed the bat on way to wicketkeeper Younis Khan, but Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf took a long time before deciding in the bowler's favor.

Sri Lanka lost its way in the latter part of the innings in sweltering heat of around 47?C. Jayasuriya and Atapattu (46) provided an excellent foundation of 109 runs for the second wicket off 144 balls, and Sri Lanka was comfortably placed at 160 for three after 35 overs.

Once paceman Mohammad Sami bowled Kumar Sangakkara (38) in the 45th over, however, Sri Lanka managed just 72 runs in the last 15 overs on a slow wicket at National Stadium.

Earlier, after Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first, Jayasuriya welcomed speedster Shoaib Akhtar in the 13th over of the innings with a six over mid-wicket and a four over square leg.

Jayasuriya was fortunate to score his 57th limited-overs half century after Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq dropped a two-handed, head high catch at short mid-wicket when he was batting on 38.

Jayasuriya struggled with cramps soon after completing his half century and found himself run out by Malik.

Marvan Atapattu followed soon after when he lobbed a gentle shot straight to Inzamam.

Pakistan went into the match with a full-strength side after beating Zimbabwe in the previous two games of the triangular series. Fast bowler Akhtar and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq returned after being rested for the second game against Zimbabwe last Sunday at Peshawar.

Wicketkeeper Moin Khan didn't recover from an illness and Younis Khan -- as in Peshawar -- was his replacement behind the stumps. Captain Inzamam also recovered from a groin injury.
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