Print

Mail

wiki links

Australia takes charge in opening test against India

Michael Clarke notched a century on his test debut and skipper Adam Gilchrist hit a blazing hundred yesterday as Australia took charge of the opening test against India.

Set a first innings target of 474, India lost two early wickets to paceman Glenn McGrath to sit at 34 for two at tea on the second day.

Rookie Clarke's composed 151 made him the 12th Australian to post a hundred in his test debut and the first in India.

Gilchrist, meanwhile, smashed an expansive 104 from 104 balls in his 165-minute knock, and brought up his second 50 off 43 balls.

McGrath dismissed opener Aakash Chopra and star batsman Rahul Dravid for ducks in the space of six deliveries before Virender Sehwag (16 not out) and Sourav Ganguly (18 not out) steadied the Indian innings.

Clarke, 22, came close to overtaking Australia's 128-year-old record of the highest score on test debut, which has stood since Charles Bannerman posted 165 against England at Melbourne in the first-ever test match in 1876.

He combined with Gilchrist to put on 167 runs for the sixth wicket.

Gilchrist, the more aggressive of the two century-makers, struck three huge sixes -- twice lofting ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble over the fence -- and 13 boundaries as he sprinted from his overnight 35 to post his 11th century in 57 tests.

He took charge from his young partner Clarke, whose century stand with Simon Katich had set Australia on course for a big score Wednesday.

Clarke, who was 76 overnight, completed his century off 170 balls when he turned left-arm pace bowler Irfan Pathan for two runs to mid wicket.

The partnership ended when Gilchrist was caught and bowled by off-spinner Harbhajan Singh to signal the lunch break.

Before Clarke's century Thursday, India's Gundappa Viswanath was the only batsman to score a century while making his test debut in an India-Australia series. Viswanath had scored 137 at Kanpur against Bill Lawry's 1969 team, the last Australian team to record a series win in India.

Clarke was dismissed as he tried to boost the scoring in partnership with the tailenders.

Hitting three sixes and 18 boundaries from 249 deliveries, Clarke's 343-minute knock ended when he edged left-arm pacer Zaheer Khan to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel.

Harbhajan Singh ran through the Australian tail to finish with five for 146 -- his 12th five- wicket haul in a test innings.

Chopra fell lbw on the fourth ball of India's innings, offering no stroke to an inswinging ball from McGrath, who bowled Dravid in his next over.
This story has been viewed 2235 times.