India need 161 runs, Australia 6 wkts for victory
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
The Test has finely been balanced; India require 161 runs with Sachin Tendulkar at the crease on 10, and the night-watchman Zaheer on 5. Australia need six wickets, but they know that VVS Laxman, who batted at No. 10 in the first innings, would again be hampered by his bad back when he eventually comes to the crease. Much will depend on Tendulkar and MS Dhoni.
The target seemed small enough, but if the hosts triumph it will be the fourth-highest successful chase in Tests in India. The loss of Gautam Gambhir to a dodgy lbw decision - Billy Bowden failed to spot an inside edge - in the first over from Hilfenhaus gave the Australians a spark.
Doug Bollinger helped out with the wicket of Rahul Dravid, who edged behind for 13, before Hilfenhaus bounced out Virender Sehwag for 17 and Suresh Raina for a duck, both caught in the cordon fending away chest-high deliveries. The extra bounce was a pleasing sign for Australia's fast men, after little assistance for the bowlers on the first three days.
The Australians began the fourth day in a positive mindset, taking forward their 23-run first-innings advantage. A brisk half-century from Shane Watson rapidly took the lead into triple figures, before Ishant provided the first turning point of the day with three wickets in two overs just before lunch.
In truth, Ishant's first wicket was more luck than outstanding bowling, as the aggressive Watson bottom-edged his attempted pull into the stumps and departed for 56. It was just the boost that Ishant required after a first-innings hampered by injury and inconsistency, when he returned 0 for 71 from 11.4 overs.
Four balls later, Ricky Ponting pulled Ishant to square leg, and the bowler thought he was on a hat-trick when Michael Clarke chipped the next to midwicket for what appeared to be a golden duck. But Ishant delivers no-balls like Brad Hogg and Ravi Shastri do commentary clichés, and Bowden suspected an overstep.
India 405 and 55 for 4 (Tendulkar 10*, Zaheer 5*, Hilfenhaus 3-22) need another 161 runs to beat Australia 428 and 192 (Watson 56, Ishant 3-34, Zaheer 3-43).
The target seemed small enough, but if the hosts triumph it will be the fourth-highest successful chase in Tests in India. The loss of Gautam Gambhir to a dodgy lbw decision - Billy Bowden failed to spot an inside edge - in the first over from Hilfenhaus gave the Australians a spark.
Doug Bollinger helped out with the wicket of Rahul Dravid, who edged behind for 13, before Hilfenhaus bounced out Virender Sehwag for 17 and Suresh Raina for a duck, both caught in the cordon fending away chest-high deliveries. The extra bounce was a pleasing sign for Australia's fast men, after little assistance for the bowlers on the first three days.
The Australians began the fourth day in a positive mindset, taking forward their 23-run first-innings advantage. A brisk half-century from Shane Watson rapidly took the lead into triple figures, before Ishant provided the first turning point of the day with three wickets in two overs just before lunch.
In truth, Ishant's first wicket was more luck than outstanding bowling, as the aggressive Watson bottom-edged his attempted pull into the stumps and departed for 56. It was just the boost that Ishant required after a first-innings hampered by injury and inconsistency, when he returned 0 for 71 from 11.4 overs.
Four balls later, Ricky Ponting pulled Ishant to square leg, and the bowler thought he was on a hat-trick when Michael Clarke chipped the next to midwicket for what appeared to be a golden duck. But Ishant delivers no-balls like Brad Hogg and Ravi Shastri do commentary clichés, and Bowden suspected an overstep.
India 405 and 55 for 4 (Tendulkar 10*, Zaheer 5*, Hilfenhaus 3-22) need another 161 runs to beat Australia 428 and 192 (Watson 56, Ishant 3-34, Zaheer 3-43).