Australia’s bowlers built on a century by Marcus North as the tourists seized control of the second and final Test against India yesterday.
Australia rode on left-hander North’s 128 to pile up 478 in their first innings, before they were all out at the stroke of tea on the second day at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The tourists then silenced the estimated 22,000 home fans by removing Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid in the space of one run, before India recovered to end the day on 128-2.
Photo: Reuters
Sehwag smashed a typically robust 30 off 28 balls, including a six over third-man off Mitchell Johnson, before he was caught at deep square-leg off Ben Hilfenhaus.
Dravid edged a catch off Johnson to reduce India to 38-2, but Sachin Tendulkar and Murali Vijay retrieved the situation by adding 90 for the unbroken third wicket.
Tendulkar was unbeaten on a fluent 44, having extended his world record tally to 14,017 runs. Vijay kept him company on 42.
Earlier North and wicketkeeper Tim Paine (59) added 149 for the sixth wicket to boost the total as the tourists chase a series-leveling win after losing the dramatic Mohali Test by one wicket.
Left-handed North, battling to save his place in the team after averaging just seven runs in his last six Tests, returned to timely form with his fifth Test century.
North hit 17 boundaries and a six, before he was caught in the deep off Harbhajan Singh, who finished as India’s most successful bowler with four for 148.
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha took three for 120, but fast bowler Shanthakumaran Sreesanth disappointed on his return to the Indian team with none for 79 from 21 overs.
North and Paine batted through the morning session to take the overnight score of 285-5 to 384 without further loss by lunch.
The duo hammered the Indian pace attack of Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth to keep the scoreboard moving briskly in the first hour.
When Harbhajan came on after the drinks interval, North welcomed him with a boundary to mid-wicket that carried the Australian total past the 350 mark.
Paine, who made 92 in the first Test in Mohali, continued to frustrate the India’s bowlers with his second successive half-century.
The 25-year-old earned two lucky reprieves either side of the lunch break.
He was on 40 when wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni took a catch off Sreesanth, but umpire Ian Gould judged a no-ball after consulting the television umpire.
Paine moved to 57 when he drove Ojha uppishly through the covers, where the usually reliable Suresh Raina spilled a simple catch, but he managed just two more runs before falling in the bowler’s next over.
Ojha then trapped Mitchell Johnson leg before wicket for no score as Australia’s innings slipped from 405-5 to 415-7.
With partners running out, North attempted to get quick runs and pulled Harbhajan to the deep mid-wicket fence, where Sreesanth took a good catch.
Nathan Haurtiz was run out by a direct throw from debutant Cheteshwar Pujara, while last man Peter George was stumped off Harbhajan.
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