Border-Gavaskar trophy

Again north Indian shows they are the best. Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Jharkhand) again took india on winning path.
Now its time to kick out Sachin Tendulkar.

Amit Mishra followed up a stunning run out with three wickets in India’s 172-run triumph over Australia © AFP

India 441 (Tendulkar 109, Ganguly 85, Sehwag 66, Laxman 64, Dhoni 56, Krejza 8-215) and 295 (Sehwag 92, Dhoni 55, Harbhajan 52, Watson 4-42, Krejza 4-143) beat Australia 355 (Katich 102, Hussey 90) and 209 (Hayden 77, Harbhajan 4-64, Mishra 3-27 ) by 172 runs

That it happened in the same city where Australia famously conquered the final frontier four years ago was poignant. India regained the coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy, their first series win over Australia in eight years, after they bowled Australia out for 209 to win by 172 runs. It was a dramatic day, with an energetic India following up three early wickets with dropped catches to allow Matthew Hayden score a pugnacious 77 and give Australia a whiff of victory. India’s spinners held their nerve, however, and relentlessly plugged away with precision and hostility to snuff out the seven wickets required to regain the trophy squandered in 2004. India confidently stepped into a new era with their captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, winning his third Test in a row.

Lunch Australia 355 and 111 for 3 (Hayden 46*, Hussey 14*) need another 271 runs to beat India 441 and 295

At the end of a schizophrenic session, India maintained their authority over the final Test, taking three wickets in the first two hours on day five to leave Australia at 111 for 3. After a good catch to dismiss Simon Katich and a brilliant run out by Amit Mishra to nail Ricky Ponting, India’s butterfingered fielders dropped Matthew Hayden twice and misfielded with sloppy regularity. Hayden rode his luck to finish the session on 46, helping Australia score 98 at 4.56 an over in the session. The intent was clear, despite the early wickets, but Australia still face a tough ask to square the Border-Gavaskar trophy.

India began the day well. Katich had played the horizontal shot a couple times, once connecting with a swing to the deep square-leg boundary, but trying to work a short ball across to the on side once too often, he skied Ishant Sharma into orbit. Mahendra Singh Dhoni didn’t for a second take his eyes off the swirling ball – 29 for 1.

Zaheer Khan produced an edge from the first delivery bowled to Ponting, squared up on the back foot, but the ball didn’t carry to Rahul Dravid at first slip. One classy on-drive later, Ponting, was wastefully run out for four. He dabbed and set off for an extremely ambitious single and Mishra, screaming in from mid-off, threw down the stumps with a brilliant underarm pick-up and fling – 37 for 2.

Ishant couldn’t believe Michael Clarke wasn’t given lbw by the umpire Billy Bowden in the next over when the ball incriminatingly thudded into his left pad – replays showed it would have clipped leg stump – while Zaheer grit his teeth when the batsman twice edged wide of second slip in three balls. Hayden also chopped through the slips, looking to score off almost every delivery against the new ball. But India missed a big opportunity when he was on 30. Harbhajan Singh came in after 12 overs and cursed under his breath when Dhoni dropped a regulation edge as Hayden went to cut the second ball for four as well.

The dismissal of Clarke for 22, nibbling at a lovely delivery after Ishant plugged away on an exemplary length, seemed to have nailed it decisively India’s way at 82 for 3. Then Dravid, at slip, dropped Hayden on 36 when the batsman went for another powerful reverse-sweep. To add to the mess, needless overthrows and misfields in the circle allowed Australia easy runs as they set about chasing a big score.
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India crushed Australia by 172 runs to win the fourth and final Test and regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy, in Nagpur on Monday.

Harbhajan Singh claimed four wickets for 64 runs, while Amit Mishra took three for 27, as Australia, chasing a record 382 for victory, were dismissed for 209 in 50.2 overs, handing India a 2-0 series triumph.
My Son, Sourav
Sourav’s last Test innings

It was an emotional moment for Indian cricket as its most successful captain Sourav Ganguly bid farewell to the international game. The left-hander, who scored 324 in the series, at an average of 54, was even handed charge of the team for a while, after Australia had lost nine wickets.

Gautam Gambhir , who missed the match because of a ban, finished as the top scorer from either side with 463 runs in six innings at 77.16. Fast bowler Ishant Sharma, later named man of the series, and Harbhajan Singh emerged the top wicket-takers with a haul of 15 wickets each. Jason krejza was adjudged man of the match.

India had won the second Test in Mohali by 320 runs, while the first Test and the third were drawn.

Morning session: (98 runs, 21.3 overs, 3 wickets)

Defending a target of 382, India’s plan was clear: set a defensive field and bowl wide outside the off-stump. With a 1-0 lead one would not blame them for doing so. It forced the Australian batsmen to come up with something out of the ordinary, something they have not been accustomed to over the years.

Simon Katich came out firing and swung at a delivery outside the off-stump to the leg side boundary in the fourth over of the innings. However, that was followed by a few moments of sheer madness as the two Aussie openers fished at everything wide and were lucky not to edge a few of those.

Katich’s agony ended on 16 when he tried another wild swipe across the line off Ishant but holed it on the off-side and wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni neatly pouched it.

Ricky Ponting survived a close chance when his edge off Zaheer fell short of Rahul Dravid at first slip. But five balls later the Aussie captain was run out for 8 at the non-striker’s end by a direct hit from Amit Mishra at mid-off.

Michael Clarke survived a confident leg before wicket appeal off the third ball he faced, from Ishant. Closer looks at replays indicated that he was trapped in front and lucky to be given not out.

Clarke, who came in with a runner, then survived two more chances when his edges flew just wide off slips in the boundary in the 11th over of the innings, bowled by Zaheer.

Only 10.3 overs were bowled in the first hour of play, with Australia scoring 52 runs and losing two wickets. It was clear India were in no rush to bowl their overs just like Australia did the day before.

Harbhajan Singh came into the attack in the 13th over and was smashed for a boundary by Hayden. The very next ball Hayden, on 30, tried another cut short but the straight forward edge was dropped by Dhoni.

Australia were surely having a dash at the target with Hayden even attempting a reverse sweep off Harbhajan that fetched him a boundary. But their hopes suffered a setback when Ishant claimed the big wicket of Clarke for 22, caught behind by Dhoni, as Australia were reduced to 82 for three.

Hayden, on 35, attempted another reverse sweep off Harbhajan but this time hit it straight to Dravid, at first slip, who failed to hold on to a sharp chance.

At lunch on the final day, Australia were 111 for 3 in 23 overs. Hayden (46 not out) and Hussey (14 not out) are looking to attack at every opportunity, but the target seems a huge mountain to climb.

India’s over-rate, as expected, was pathetic at around 10 overs per hour, but, as Dhoni said on Sunday, their first aim is winning the series, and for that even a draw would do.

By the look of things, they are just playing for that.

Post-lunch session: (98 runs, 7 wickets, 27.2 overs)

Hayden completed his half-century in the first over after lunch when he thumped Sehwag through mid-wicket for a boundary. The left-hander then launched into Harbhajan in the 27th over with two powerfully swept boundaries and followed it up with a big six off Sehwag in the following over.

35 runs had come off the first five overs after lunch, as Australia tried to step up a gear. Immediately Dhoni reacted and his bowlers bowled negative lines and fielders were all back on the boundary.

Mishra was introduced into the attack and the young leg-spinner struck in his very first over. He got one to bounce from the rough, which Hussey could only fend to Dravid at first slip for 19.

In the following over, Harbhajan claimed the big wicket of Hayden for 77. The left-hander walked across his stumps to play on the leg-side but missed the shot and was trapped plumb in front. He hit eight boundaries and a six in his 93-ball knock and his dismissal took India closer to victory.

Brad Haddin also perished cheaply, caught at mid-on by Tendulkar off Mishra for 4. Incidentally, that catch saw Tendulkar achieve another landmark as he completed 100 catches in Test cricket.

Whatever hopes Australia had of at least saving the match were all dashed by their collapse after lunch which saw them lose three wickets for 11 runs in the space of four overs.

Shane Watson prodded around for a while before he was caught behind off Harbhajan for 9.

Jason Krejza could not do much damage with the bat as he was stumped off Mishra for 4, trying a huge shot down the ground.

Interestingly, in a rare goodwill gesture, Dhoni gave Ganguly the perfect farewell by allowing him to lead the team at the fall of the ninth Australian wicket. It brought back memories of the Ganguly of yore as he moved around his fielders and chatted with the bowlers while Dhoni stood and watched for a few overs.

Mitchell Johnson was the final dismissal, trapped leg before wicket by Harbhajan for 11. Australia were out for 209, giving India a huge 172-run victory.

It ensured India their first series win against Australia since 2001.

Defensive tactics or not, Australia were comprehensively outplayed in this Test and had no answers to Dhoni’s quick thinking.

Harbhajan was the star performer for India with the ball as he ended with four for 64 in 18.2 overs, while Mishra claimed three for 27.

Immediately after the victory, Ganguly was chaired to the pavilion by his team mates. Even Anil Kumble and Gautam Gambhir joined in the celebrations.

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Chandidas Ganguly is the proud owner of one of Asia’s best printing business houses, but most Indians know him as the father of cricketer Sourav ‘Dada’ Ganguly, who retired from the game today.

We caught up with the senior Ganguly at his Behala home in Kolkata a few hours after his son missed a century by 15 runs. Sourav’s father had yet to get over the fact that Dada had missed a ton. “But then, cricket is a one-ball game,” he said.

“I am so proud of him. He has had such a wonderful career.”

Last match

Sourav Ganguly did a Don Bradman when he fell for a duck in his final Test innings on Day 4 of the fourth and final Test against Australia in Nagpur on Sunday.
The left-hand batsman, who will retire after the ongoing Test, walked out to a standing ovation from the crowd and the Australians in the middle, but returned immediately after being caught and bowled by Jason Krejza off the first ball he faced.

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Final scorecard

Played at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha, Nagpur, on 6,7,8,9,10 November 2008 (5-day match) Result India won by 172 runs

	India 1st innings			R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
		V Sehwag	b Krejza	66	114	69	9	1	95.65
		M Vijay	c Haddin b Watson	33	88	53	2	0	62.26
		R Dravid	c Katich b Krejza	0	4	2	0	0	0.00
		SR Tendulkar	lbw b Johnson	109	274	188	12	0	57.97
		VVS Laxman	c Haddin b Krejza	64	193	141	5	0	45.39
		SC Ganguly	c Clarke b Krejza	85	220	153	8	1	55.55
		MS Dhoni	b Krejza	56	158	97	4	0	57.73
		Harbhajan Singh	not out	18	40	24	4	0	75.00
		Z Khan	b Krejza	1	25	16	0	0	6.25
		A Mishra	b Krejza	0	1	1	0	0	0.00
		I Sharma	c Katich b Krejza	0	9	7	0	0	0.00
		Extras	(b 4, lb 2, w 1, nb 2)	9
		Total	(all out; 124.5 overs; 568 mins)	441	(3.53 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-98 (Vijay, 17.5 ov), 2-99 (Dravid, 18.4 ov), 3-116 (Sehwag, 22.3 ov), 4-262 (Laxman, 68.4 ov), 5-303 (Tendulkar, 82.5 ov), 6-422 (Dhoni, 116.4 ov), 7-423 (Ganguly, 116.6 ov), 8-437 (Khan, 122.3 ov), 9-437 (Mishra, 122.4 ov), 10-441 (Sharma, 124.5 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	B Lee	16	2	62	0	3.87	(2nb, 1w)
	MG Johnson	32	11	84	1	2.62
	SR Watson	20	5	42	1	2.10
	JJ Krejza	43.5	1	215	8	4.90
	CL White	10	1	24	0	2.40
	SM Katich	3	0	8	0	2.66

	Australia 1st innings			R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
		ML Hayden	run out (Vijay)	16	30	26	3	0	61.53
		SM Katich	lbw b Khan	102	304	189	9	0	53.96
		RT Ponting	b Harbhajan Singh	24	45	41	3	0	58.53
		MEK Hussey	run out (Vijay/Dhoni)	90	315	229	8	0	39.30
		MJ Clarke	c Dhoni b Sharma	8	58	44	1	0	18.18
		SR Watson	b Harbhajan Singh	2	36	22	0	0	9.09
		BJ Haddin	c Dravid b Mishra	28	94	80	2	0	35.00
		CL White	c Sehwag b Harbhajan Singh	46	162	133	4	0	34.58
		JJ Krejza	lbw b Sharma	5	40	21	0	0	23.80
		MG Johnson	c Khan b Mishra	5	41	25	0	0	20.00
		B Lee	not out	1	5	4	0	0	25.00
		Extras	(b 12, lb 3, w 2, nb 6, pen 5)	28
		Total	(all out; 134.4 overs; 570 mins)	355	(2.63 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-32 (Hayden, 6.5 ov), 2-74 (Ponting, 17.1 ov), 3-229 (Katich, 70.6 ov), 4-255 (Clarke, 84.4 ov), 5-265 (Hussey, 89.5 ov), 6-266 (Watson, 91.4 ov), 7-318 (Haddin, 115.5 ov), 8-333 (Krejza, 126.1 ov), 9-352 (White, 133.2 ov), 10-355 (Johnson, 134.4 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	Z Khan	28	8	68	1	2.42
	Harbhajan Singh	37	7	94	3	2.54
	I Sharma	26	8	64	2	2.46	(4nb, 2w)
	A Mishra	23.4	5	58	2	2.45	(2nb)
	V Sehwag	18	2	38	0	2.11
	SR Tendulkar	2	0	13	0	6.50

	India 2nd innings			R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
		V Sehwag	c Haddin b Lee	92	163	107	10	1	85.98
		M Vijay	lbw b Watson	41	128	81	5	0	50.61
		R Dravid	c Haddin b Watson	3	20	17	0	0	17.64
		SR Tendulkar	run out (White/Haddin)	12	90	55	1	0	21.81
		VVS Laxman	b Krejza	4	62	34	0	0	11.76
		SC Ganguly	c & b Krejza	0	1	1	0	0	0.00
		MS Dhoni	c Hussey b Krejza	55	117	81	4	0	67.90
		Harbhajan Singh	b Watson	52	121	94	5	0	55.31
		Z Khan	c Haddin b Krejza	6	10	11	1	0	54.54
		A Mishra	b Watson	7	14	8	1	0	87.50
		I Sharma	not out	1	9	9	0	0	11.11
		Extras	(b 6, lb 3, w 6, nb 2, pen 5)	22
		Total	(all out; 82.4 overs; 373 mins)	295	(3.56 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-116 (Vijay, 28.2 ov), 2-132 (Dravid, 32.5 ov), 3-142 (Sehwag, 35.1 ov), 4-163 (Laxman, 47.1 ov), 5-163 (Ganguly, 47.2 ov), 6-166 (Tendulkar, 49.5 ov), 7-274 (Dhoni, 77.1 ov), 8-286 (Khan, 79.2 ov), 9-288 (Harbhajan Singh, 80.1 ov), 10-295 (Mishra, 82.4 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	MG Johnson	14	4	22	0	1.57
	B Lee	10	3	27	1	2.70	(2nb)
	JJ Krejza	31	3	143	4	4.61
	SR Watson	15.4	2	42	4	2.68	(1w)
	CL White	2	0	15	0	7.50	(1w)
	MEK Hussey	4	2	3	0	0.75
	MJ Clarke	6	1	29	0	4.83

	Australia 2nd innings (target: 382 runs)			R	B	4s	6s	SR
		ML Hayden	lbw b Harbhajan Singh	77	93	8	1	82.79
		SM Katich	c Dhoni b Sharma	16	16	3	0	100.00
		RT Ponting	run out (Mishra)	8	6	2	0	133.33
		MJ Clarke	c Dhoni b Sharma	22	30	3	0	73.33
		MEK Hussey	c Dravid b Mishra	19	30	2	0	63.33
		SR Watson	c Dhoni b Harbhajan Singh	9	34	0	0	26.47
		BJ Haddin	c Tendulkar b Mishra	4	10	0	0	40.00
		CL White	not out	26	49	3	0	53.06
		JJ Krejza	st Dhoni b Mishra	4	17	0	0	23.52
		B Lee	c Vijay b Harbhajan Singh	0	3	0	0	0.00
		MG Johnson	lbw b Harbhajan Singh	11	16	1	0	68.75
		Extras	(b 6, lb 1, w 4, nb 2)	13
		Total	(all out; 50.2 overs)	209	(4.15 runs per over)

Fall of wickets1-29 (Katich, 5.4 ov), 2-37 (Ponting, 6.6 ov), 3-82 (Clarke, 15.5 ov), 4-150 (Hussey, 28.4 ov), 5-154 (Hayden, 29.2 ov), 6-161 (Haddin, 32.4 ov), 7-178 (Watson, 38.4 ov), 8-190 (Krejza, 43.5 ov), 9-191 (Lee, 44.4 ov), 10-209 (Johnson, 50.2 ov)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	Z Khan	8	0	57	0	7.12	(2w)
	I Sharma	9	0	31	2	3.44	(1nb, 1w)
	Harbhajan Singh	18.2	2	64	4	3.49	(1w)
	V Sehwag	4	0	23	0	5.75
	A Mishra	11	2	27	3	2.45	(1nb)

 

First Test Draw

With the shame performance by Top level batsman India draw first test match against Australia.

Sachin Tendulkar’s dogged innings of 49 out helped India inch closer to a draw against Australia on day five of the first Test at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on Monday.

Chasing a challenging target of 299 in a minimum of 83 overs, India reached 130 for three in 48 overs to put themselves in a good position to escape with a draw.

VVS Laxman was unbeaten on 28 from 75 deliveries as the two senior batsmen were involved in a cautious 53-run partnership for the fourth wicket that ate up more than 21 overs.

India were in trouble early when they lost the wickets of Virender Sehwag (6) and Rahul Dravid (5) in the first session.

But Tendulkar brought all his experience into play to rescue India as he stitched a 53-run partnership for the third wicket with Gautam Gambhir, who made 29.

Earlier, Australia batted for 32 minutes on the fifth and final day, adding 35 runs in five overs, before declaring their second innings on 228 for six in 73 overs.

Morning session: (76 runs, 3 wickets, 22 overs)

Anil Kumble started proceedings for India and could have taken a wicket immediately, but he dropped a return off the first ball. Haddin mistimed a drive which went straight back to Kumble, who floored and also injured his finger in the process.

Shane Watson then showed his intent with a couple of boundaries and Kumble and Ishant Sharma, before he was dismissed by the latter. The Aussie all-rounder, who made 41 from 72 deliveries, tried to hit Ishant across the line but got an inside edge, which crashed into his stumps.

Cameron White also looked to attack the moment he came in. He drove Ishant for a boundary through the off-side he faced as Australia looked for some quick runs in the morning as India spread the field.

The visitors batted for 32 minutes on the fifth and final day, adding 35 runs in five overs, before declaring their second innings on 228 for six in 73 overs.

Brad Haddin was unbeaten on 35 from 61 deliveries, with three boundaries, while Cameron White was not out on 18 from 14 deliveries, including two boundaries.

Harbhajan Singh took two for 76 in 27 overs, while Zaheer Khan claimed one for 46 in 17 overs.

Anil Kumble disappointed in his last Test match at his home ground as he finished wicketless in both the innings for a match tally of 160 runs in 51 overs.

(India innings)

This was a real chance for India to score an unlikely victory after Australia opted for a sporting declaration.

All depended on the start they got because once the ball gets old, it is very difficult to get the scoreboard moving on this slow pitches.

India openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir look to get on with things early on as both started with boundaries.

Sehwag (5) got a lifeline early when wicketkeeper Hadding dropped him while diving to the right after the batsman got a regulation edge off Brett Lee.

However, Sehwag could not make the most of it as he fell in the very next over for 6. He tried to play Stuart Clark on the leg side but the ball swung enough to beat the shot and take the back of the bat, which went to first slip in the sixth over of the innings.

Rahul Dravid got off the mark with a classical straight drive off Lee in the seventh over of the innings.

But he did not stay on for long, falling to Lee after scoring just five.

The right-hander tried to flick Lee on the leg side, but was caught brilliantly by Ponting diving to his right at short midwicket to leave India in trouble at 24 for two in the ninth over.

Gambhir survived a close stumping chance off Clark, but the third umpire ruled in favour of the batsman in a very close decision.

Sachin Tendulkar made a cautious start but then looked to raise the tempo with a couple of boundaries in Mitchell Johnson’s first over.

India’s hopes would now depend on veteran Tendulkar, who also has the chance to break Brian Lara’s world record for most Test runs.

Tendulkar is currently 48 runs short of Brian Lara’s aggregate of 11953 runs.

At this venue, only two teams out of nine have successfully chased down a target in the fourth innings, the highest being 195 for 2 by Australia in 1998.

Post lunch session: (89 runs, 1 wicket, 31 overs)

India played out a few quite overs after the break till Gambhir broke the shackles with boundaries in consecutive overs off Mitchell Johnson and Michael Clarke.

Johnson had his revenge soon after when he shattered Gambhir’s stumps with a fast yorker.

The left-hander’s long vigil at the crease ended for 29 that included four boundaries in 81 deliveries.

Debutant leg spinner Cameron White came on to bowl in the 36th over to replace part-timer Clarke was not making much of an impact.

He immediately forced Tendulkar to drive at a wide one, which he edged, but fortunately it went over the slip region.

Tendulkar seemed to have learnt from that mistake and after that just concentrated on playing it safe.

VVS Laxman also weathered the initial storm from the pacers before looking at ease against the spinners.

Laxman loosened up before the tea break as he creamed a few boundaries of the two spinners. He hit White for two boundaries in the final over before to bring up the 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Tendulkar.

Tendulkar showed great maturity to keep the bowlers at bay as he reached 47 not out with four boundaries in 111 deliveries. Laxman also looked quite comfortable having reached 28 from 75 deliveries, having hit four boundaries.

The hosts need 169 runs in a minimum of 35 overs with seven wickets in hand, but it seems unlikely they would go for the target. Australia still have time in their hand and a few quick wickets after tea could work in their favour.