|
 Brisbane,
Dec 5: Zaheer Khan produced a devastating spell to rip
through the Australian middle order as India exploited the
overcast conditions to stage a remarkable fight back on a
rain-hit second day of the first cricket Test at the Gabba
here today. Zaheer Khan picked up five wickets for 95 to
help India bounce back into the match as the home team was
left gasping at 323 for nine on a day which saw more than
five-and-a-half hours' play being lost to rain.
The
formidable Australians, who were comfortably placed at 262
for two on the opening day, collapsed quite dramatically
losing seven wickets for just 61 runs to loosen the grip
on the match. Debutant Nathan Bracken was at the crease on
six with Stuart MacGill on one at close on the second day
in which only 16 overs possible. Australian captain Steve
Waugh had a nightmarish first day at office in his
farewell series after running out batting partner Damien
Martyn and then falling himself hit wicket for no score as
Australia reached 275 for five at lunch.
It was
the first time in his career Waugh was being dismissed in
such a manner and the 144th player in the history of the
game to be out in such a fashion. It was also the 22nd
instance when Waugh was out for no score. In his last Test
against India at Chennai in 2001, the batsman with 10,660
Test runs was dismissed in another unusual way when he was
out handling the ball. The hosts went in for lunch at 275
for five but the resumption was delayed by another spell
of heavy rain. When the action finally got underway after
more than two-and-a-half hours' wait, Zaheer and Agarkar
spat more venom than they had done before.
 The
dangerous Adam Gilchrist lasted only four balls when,
eight balls into the final session, the left hander edged
Zaheer to Laxman at second slip and was out for no score.
Simon Katich lived dangerously, under-cutting the quick
stuff to the third man fence. His snick off a Zaheer 'no
ball' beat the keeper and Rahul Dravid at first slip to
bring up the 300 for Australia. Andy Bichel managed two
boundaries behind square off the wicket but then deflected
a rising delivery from Agarkar for Laxman's third catch of
the innings. Katich followed Bichel to the pavilion,
caught by Parthiv Patel to give Zaheer his fifth wicket.
Another
poor running between the wickets saw Jason Gillespie
failing to beat an accurate throw from the deep by
Harbhajan Singh. Zaheer's five-wicket haul was his third
in 27 Tests while Agarkar was equally impressive despite
ending up with only two wickets. At the end of the day,
the two seamers had carried the major portion of India's
bowling burden, sharing seven wickets from 48 overs of the
innings so far. The two run outs might have indirectly
reduced Agarkar's tally and one of them was certainly the
talking point of the day. Waugh has now been involved in
27 run outs, but he himself has been the victim only on
four of those occasions. Martyn sacrificed his wicket for
his retiring captain but it hurt the team's progress as he
was well set and striking the ball fluently.
It also
belied the assertion of the Aussies that they play for the
team's cause. Martyn's gesture was aimed certainly for the
advancement of an individual's cause. Waugh now becomes
the only batsman in Test history to be out both by way of
hit wicket and handling the ball. A dubious record to
carry into his illustrious career! There was some bad news
for India too who face a possible heavy fine and a
one-match ban for their captain on account of slow over
rate. (Agencies)
Published:
Friday, December 05, 2003
Back
to Index
|
