Mishra raises India victory hopes
Monday, 20 October 2008
MOHALI, Oct 19 (AP): Openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir increased India's commanding lead to 301 at stumps Sunday on the third day of the second Test after legspinner Amit Mishra took 5-71 on his debut to help dismiss Australia for 268.
India raced to 100-0 in its second innings after declining to bowl again when Australia finished two runs short of the totalneeded to automatically avoid the follow-on.
Australia's day got worse when Sehwag brought up his half-century in the second last over, scoring 53 from 71 balls. Gambhir kept pace with Sehwag and collected 45 as the hosts attempted to set up a match-winning total.
Australia relied on 78 from Shane Watson for cutting thefirst-innings deficit to 201 when the situation could have been much worse.
Watson, appearing in his fifth Test, looked the most comfortable of Australia's batsmen with 10 fours and a six from his 156-ball knock.
His only mistake came when he played back to Mishra - Anil Kumble's replacement - and was struck on the pad in front. Mishra got his fifth wicket when last man Peter Siddle was stumped but India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni chose to bat again to give his bowlers a rest.
Mishra, who dismissed Michael Clarke and Simon Katich on day two, deserved his impressive return from 26.4 overs and became the sixth India bowler to collect five wickets in his first game. Support came from paceman Ishant Sharma, who had 2-68, and offspinner Harbhajan Singh's 2-60 off 25.
India raced to 100-0 in its second innings after declining to bowl again when Australia finished two runs short of the totalneeded to automatically avoid the follow-on.
Australia's day got worse when Sehwag brought up his half-century in the second last over, scoring 53 from 71 balls. Gambhir kept pace with Sehwag and collected 45 as the hosts attempted to set up a match-winning total.
Australia relied on 78 from Shane Watson for cutting thefirst-innings deficit to 201 when the situation could have been much worse.
Watson, appearing in his fifth Test, looked the most comfortable of Australia's batsmen with 10 fours and a six from his 156-ball knock.
His only mistake came when he played back to Mishra - Anil Kumble's replacement - and was struck on the pad in front. Mishra got his fifth wicket when last man Peter Siddle was stumped but India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni chose to bat again to give his bowlers a rest.
Mishra, who dismissed Michael Clarke and Simon Katich on day two, deserved his impressive return from 26.4 overs and became the sixth India bowler to collect five wickets in his first game. Support came from paceman Ishant Sharma, who had 2-68, and offspinner Harbhajan Singh's 2-60 off 25.