Sehwag blitzkrieg puts India on top - Scorecard
Melbourne, Dec 26: Virender Sehwag thrashed an indisciplined Australian bowling to score a career-best 195 as India capitalised on costly fielding lapses to seize honours on the opening day of the third cricket Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here today. Breaking a lean patch, Sehwag notched up his fifth Test century as the visitors rattled up 329 for four at close on the opening day to keep themselves on course for a huge first innings score. The Indians were cruising along comfortably at 278 for one at one stage before the world champions managed to make inroads into the formidable batting line-up by grabbing three quick wickets including the prized scalp of Sachin Tendulkar for a first ball duck.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly (20) and V V S Laxman (6) survived some anxious moments towards the closing stages to remain undefeated at stumps. The hosts missed a run out chance and dropped a couple of easy catches to allow the Indians to take honours on the opening day, much to the disappointment of a near capacity Boxing Day crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Sehwag's century bettered Sunil Gavaskar's 118 in 1984 as the best knock by an Indian batsman at the MCG.

His 195 came from 233 balls after his five-hour-12 minute stay at the crease and included 25 fours and five sixes. India's opening partnership yielded 141 runs as Sehwag joined hands with Aakash Chopra (48) to weather a hostile new ball spell from Lee and Nathan Bracken in the first 90 minutes of play. Sehwag was hit on the helmet by Lee twice, and Chopra had to be given ice treatment after being shaken by a Bracken short ball. But the pair hung in and laid a solid foundation for later batsmen to build on.

However, Sehwag had to thank his luck as the Australians dropped him thrice besides messing up a run out chance when the opener was just on four. As Sehwag pushed Lee to cover for a single, Chopra failed to heed his partner's denial for the second run. Steve Waugh threw the ball to the bowler's end but Lee, instead of lobbing it back to the wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, tried to break the stumps and missed the target. Then, in first sign of what was in store for Australia, Sehwag clubbed Stuart MacGill in his first over of the day for two consecutive fours.

The aggressive batsman then had the benefit of doubt for a stumping appeal on 36 off MacGill. And he responded to that with two stirring fours off Brad Williams to reach his half century. Sehwag again had a slice of luck on 66 when Simon Katich could not hold on to a straight forward catch, the bowler being Bracken. Sehwag reached the 100-run mark in 144 balls with a four, his 16th, off Williams. He then latched on to a MacGill full toss for a six and later got on top of a Steve Waugh slower over the long-off in the final over before tea.

In between, Chopra had an appeal for run out turned down by the TV umpire, but fell when he inside-edged a sweep against MacGill and was caught by Katich. Adelaide double-centurion Rahul Dravid looked in great touch and was threatening to break loose as he stitched a 137-run partnership with Sehwag in 30 overs to put the Australian attack to sword. But the never-say-die Waugh then showed great cricketing acumen as he induced Dravid (49) to fall to his leg-side trap. Bowling nine overs on the trot, the retiring captain sent a couple of deliveries sliding down the leg.

Dravid eventually flicked him to Damien Martyn at short mid-wicket to miss his half-century by one run. He hit five fours in his 89-ball knock. Having got the much needed breakthrough, Waugh immediately brought back his strike bowler Lee and he paid him back in full, having Tendulkar caught down the leg off the first ball by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. The first ball dismissal continued Tendulkar's poor run in this series. He has just 38 runs to show from four innings now. Tendulkar's scalp brought much cheer for the Aussies whose shoulders seemed to sag when Sehwag and Dravid were going strong.

Sehwag though did not curb his attack. He reached his 150 in 200 balls and another of his thunderous boundaries brought up India's 300 in the 77th over. He moved into the 190s with a smotted six off part-time bowler Simon Katich but, on the verge of his maiden double hundred, drove the next ball straight to Nathan Bracken at mid-wicket. Lee, in the closing hour, dropped a simple return chance of Ganguly on nine after hitting the batsman hard on the helmet. The Indian total of 329 fell eight short of the highest score in a day at the MCG by South Africa but it was the highest first day score in 95 Tests here. It was also the first time the opposition has gone past the 300-mark on the first day in the 55 Tests Waugh has captained. Scorecard (Agencies)

Published: Friday, December 26, 2003

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