India set Australia a winning target of 443 - Scorecard
Sydney, Jan 5: Rahul Dravid struck a breezy unbeaten 91 as India provided the stage for a pulsating finish to the series-deciding cricket Test by setting Australia a stiff winning target of 443 runs here today. After India took a first innings lead of 231, Dravid exhibited some stunning shots before being hit on the ear by a rising delivery from Bret Lee, forcing the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly to declare the second innings at 211 for two. That left the visitors a minimum of 94 overs to press for their first-ever series win on Australian soil with one day remaining.

Earlier, Anil Kumble claimed eight for 141 after some unexpected resilient batting from the Australian tail who eventually folded up for 474 in the first innings. Simon Katich, scoring his maiden Test hundred of 125, and Jason Gillespie with a defiant 47 added 117 runs for the eighth wicket to stretch Australia's innings 50 minutes into tea session. Kumble's figures were his second career-best after his 10 for 74 against Pakistan at Delhi in 1999. It was his 23rd five-wicket haul in an innings and took him past former West Indian fast bowler Malcolm Marshall's Test tally of 376.

Kumble, with 378 wickets from 81 Tests, is now the second highest Indian wicket-taker after former captain Kapil Dev who has 434 to his name. Australia need to score at a rate of 4.71 runs an over to overhaul what would be the successful highest fourth innings target in the history of Test cricket. Although the world champions fell 32 runs short of the follow-on mark, Sourav Ganguly decided not to ask the Aussies to bat again in a bid to give his bowlers some rest as well as avoid batting last on a Sydney track that was showing unpredictable bounce. When India batted again, Virender Sehwag gave them a brisk start though he was blessed twice early in his innings in Brett Lee's third over of the innings.

Sehwag first flirted with an away delivery and was caught by wicketkeeper only to find it a no ball and two deliveries later Ricky Ponting let a chance slip away at second slip. Sehwag's dismissal at that stage could have made India 11 for 2 since Aakash Chopra had already departed, guiding Jason Gillespie into the slips when on two. Sehwag belted away in his proven style, playing inside out and a few times under-edging behind him for fours as he positioned himself into the 40s at tea break. Sehwag departed to the first ball he received after tea, sweeping leg-spinner Stuart MacGill high into the hands of Jason Gillespie at square leg fence. His 47 from 50 balls with eight fours nevertheless gave India a good momentum.

The 138-run unbroken second wicket stand between Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar (60 not out) then set the stage for a historic series win for India Down Under. Dravid led the Indian charge, carting 91 runs from 114 balls in 166 minutes to raise 619 runs at an average of 123.8 from the series. Tendulkar had a half century of his own (383 runs at 76.50), batting 108 minutes and 89 balls for his 60 runs with five fours. Earlier, Australia covered a fair leeway thanks to young Simon Katich's maiden Test century from a mere 116 balls with 15 fours. Katich pulled the home innings a fair way and consumed important time during his record eighth wicket stand with Jason Gillespie.

They improved upon the 83 runs Ricky Ponting and Gillespie himself had stitched together in the Adelaide Test. Australia, who resumed at overnight 342 for 6, lost Brett Lee (0) early but the eighth wicket stand frustrated the Indians no end up. Kumble finally nailed the resistance when he had Katich caught in the deep and Gillespie stumped from one which beat him in the forward push. Katich was reprieved in the penultimate over before lunch when Parthiv Patel missed an easy stumping off him against Kumble with the total 446 for 7 and the batsman on 116. Patel also failed to get down in time to take a snick of Gillespie off Kumble, again, when the batsman had just come to the crease.

Katich's 125 came from a mere 166 balls with 17 fours while Gillespie's career-high 47 runs spanned 142 minutes and 113 balls, including 10 fours. Kumble sealed the Australian innings when he had Nathan Bracken (2) caught on the sweep to finish. His third five-wicket haul of the series the best at SCG in over 100 years. The hosts survived the four overs in murky conditions to reach 10 for no loss at stumps on the penultimate day with Justin Langer (4) and Matthew Hayden (1) remaining unseparated. (Agencies) Scorecard

Published: Friday, January 5, 2004

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