Kumble helps India thwart Aussies
Thursday, 27 December 2007
Anil Kumble's five wickets gave India an encouraging start to the first Test in Melbourne as Australia stumbled from a powerful 135-0 to 337-9 on day one, reports BBC.
Winning the toss on a good wicket, the Aussies prospered initially as Matthew Hayden (124) and Phil Jaques (66) batted smoothly until after lunch.
Finally Kumble (5-84) had Jaques stumped and Zaheer Khan (3-84) also impressed as wickets started to tumble.
Late in the day, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark built a partial recovery. When Brad Hogg was caught at third slip driving Zaheer, Australia were 312-9 and down to their last two batsmen.
But an unbroken partnership of 25 meant India's bowlers would have to finish off their task on the second morning.
And there may be a hint of frustration for the tourists - Kumble was denied a clear sixth wicket when Johnson gave a bat-pad catch to short-leg only to see umpire Mark Benson decline the appeal. The critical period of the day came between lunch and tea, after Jaques had been dismissed.
Ricky Ponting was bowled by Zaheer, bowling from around the wicket, for four and Michael Hussey fell third ball in the following over, deceived by Kumble's googly. Australia remained in a healthy state at tea, on 213-3.
But India were now in the game and they dominated the final session despite Johnson and Clark's intervention at the end. Michael Clarke was caught at second slip off RP Singh before Hayden's Christmas goose was finally cooked when he spooned Zaheer to Ganguly at mid-on.
Australia 9 for 337 (Hayden 124, Jaques 66, Kumble 5-84, Zaheer 3-93) v India.
Winning the toss on a good wicket, the Aussies prospered initially as Matthew Hayden (124) and Phil Jaques (66) batted smoothly until after lunch.
Finally Kumble (5-84) had Jaques stumped and Zaheer Khan (3-84) also impressed as wickets started to tumble.
Late in the day, Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark built a partial recovery. When Brad Hogg was caught at third slip driving Zaheer, Australia were 312-9 and down to their last two batsmen.
But an unbroken partnership of 25 meant India's bowlers would have to finish off their task on the second morning.
And there may be a hint of frustration for the tourists - Kumble was denied a clear sixth wicket when Johnson gave a bat-pad catch to short-leg only to see umpire Mark Benson decline the appeal. The critical period of the day came between lunch and tea, after Jaques had been dismissed.
Ricky Ponting was bowled by Zaheer, bowling from around the wicket, for four and Michael Hussey fell third ball in the following over, deceived by Kumble's googly. Australia remained in a healthy state at tea, on 213-3.
But India were now in the game and they dominated the final session despite Johnson and Clark's intervention at the end. Michael Clarke was caught at second slip off RP Singh before Hayden's Christmas goose was finally cooked when he spooned Zaheer to Ganguly at mid-on.
Australia 9 for 337 (Hayden 124, Jaques 66, Kumble 5-84, Zaheer 3-93) v India.