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 Adelaide,
Dec 13: Weighed down by a mammoth Australian total built
around a career best 242 by Ricky Ponting, India lost four
wickets in the space of 19 runs to allow the hosts to take
a vice-like grip over the second cricket Test here today.
After getting off to a brisk start, the Indian innings
plunged into disarray as they not only lost their two
openers but also their star bastman Sachin Tendulkar and
first Test centurion Sourav Ganguly in quick succession to
stare at the ignominy of a follow on.
 Gasping
at 85 for four at one stage, Rahul Dravid and the in-form
V V S Laxman stemmed the rot to take India to 180 for four
at stumps on an eventful second day. Dravid was on 43 and
Laxman on 55 with India still 376 runs behind Australia's
first innings total of 556 on a track which was perfect
for batting. Resuming at 400 for five, the world champions
continued to heap the misery on the Indians with Ricky
Ponting converting his overnight century into his second
Test double hundred, which was also his third century
against the tourists.
 Australia
seemed headed for a total in excess of 600 before Anil
Kumble scalped three wickets in an over to bring an abrupt
to their innings. Kumble dismissed Ponting, MacGill and
Williams -- the last two batsmen for no scores -- in the
space of five balls to return with 5-154. But Kumble's
21st five-wicket haul masked the misery of the Indian
bowlers. The Indians had themselves to blame for the top
order collapse as Tendulkar (1) and Virender Sehwag (47)
perished to poor strokes, allowing the world champions to
make early inroads.
 Aakash
Chopra (27) was the first batsman to fall, returning a
simple catch to Andy Bichel. Bichel struck again two overs
later when Sehwag edged one to Matthew Hayden at gully.
But worse was to come after tea when Tendulkar drove at a
good length ball from Bichel and Adam Gilchrist pouched
the edge to the delight of his teammates. Bichel, wayward
in Brisbane, made a come back of sorts with figures of
3-55.
Then
followed the miserable run out of captain Sourav Ganguly
(2) who could not get back to his crease in time after
being sent back by Dravid. Earlier in the day, when
overnight batsman Adam Gilchrist fell for 29, it looked as
though things were not as bad for Ganguly's men as the
proceedings of the first day had portended. Australia were
426 then and the tail was opened up but India's bowlers
allowed things to slip out of their hands. Ajit Agarkar
and Ashish Nehra failed to show discipline and were guilty
of not bowling to the field settings. (Agencies) Scorecard
Published:
Friday, December 13, 2003
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