Australia and India continue the second Test cricket match at the Sydney Cricket Ground today. Join our live commentary from 10.20 EST. Australia will be looking to press home an advantage with the bat, while India will seek early breakthroughs to restore parity.
Ricky Ponting was 44 not out overnight, with captain Michael Clarke on 47, after a 73-run stand that saw their side recover from danger at 3/37. The stumps score was 3/116.
A now-familiar top order collapse had preceded the partnership, with David Warner departing to a rebound slips catch for 8, Shaun Marsh caught at slip for a first-ball duck, and Ed Cowan lbw after a positive start for 16. Marsh especially is enduring a wretched run, with three runs in three innings.
Australia were only batting yesterday because of an insipid performance by India on the Australian ground that his historically best suited their batsmen. The tourists were shot out for only 191, wilting in the line of Australian bowling that was determined and consistent, but a long way from fire and brimstone.
The good pitch gave some assistance to the bowlers, but should have been good for batting. This was of little help to India, whose batsmen prodded and poked edges behind the wicket and another three catches to Cowan at short leg.
Only MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar looked at ease, with Dhoni producing some rasping shots in an aggressive and unbeaten 57, and Tendulkar unlucky to edge into his stumps after an equally positive 41. Dhoni and R Ashwin at least saved their side from a complete slump, as James Pattinson captured four top-order wickets to extend his flying start to Test cricket, while Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus took three each, including Siddle’s hundredth Test victim.
Still, there seemed to be life remaining in the pitch for Zaheer Khan, who shot out the three Australian left-handers. It will be a crucial first hour this morning. Ponting and Clarke have both been uncertain starters of late, and looked shaky early in their innings yesterday. If India can snare a couple of early breakthroughs and get into the tail, they’ll be a chance of keeping Australia to around 200 to 250, and will remain in the match.
If Australia can push on to 300, it will be a very unlikely comeback for India from there.
Tune in for our scorecard and live commentary from 10.20 this morning. Geoff Lemon will be awaiting your contributions – scroll down to the Comments section for commentary and to join the conversation.
Scotty
Guest
Your not from Gosford are you Geoff???
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Day 3's live commentary: http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/01/05/australia-vs-india-scg-test-live-scores-and-commentary-day-3/
Brendon
Guest
And Steve Waugh didn't sulk and get surly? I think it was yesterday Ian Healy made a joke about it when they showed Slater's dropped catch "clanger" during a classic catches segment. Allan Border could be a complete A-hole to the point of destroying players careers. Don Bradman was not even remotely close to a captain as he was a player. Greg Chappell ... no explanation needed. Yet Ponting has had to cop twice the amount of flak captains of past eras copped.
jamesb
Guest
its hard to believe, but Bob Hawke hasn't been PM for 20 years
Rhys
Guest
A dominant batting display today from Australia's experienced middle order, of that there can be no dispute. I'm all for Australia winning Tests, but it would be nice to see at least one Test in this series go well into the 5th day. I'm not sure that will happen though. The Indian batting lineup looks shell shocked, even more so than they did against England 6 months ago. Aside from the occasional fiery burst from Zaheer, I can't see them making significant inroads with the ball either. It may well be that Australia will only have to bat twice more in this series.
Adam
Guest
Whoever said India would roll Australia?? Someone uninformed obviously. India is known for travelling poorly - so much so they lost 4-0 to England this year!
News Top Night
Guest
I think Austrlaia is in a very strong position, and it is very hard for India to make a comeback in this test match now.... I am sure that India can not win this match now, but i do think that India will manage to draw this match...
Aussie Sport Fan
Guest
Great day's play by the aussies.
Red Kev
Guest
Not really much to think about at all. Clarke is hardly old, he's the captain making a captain's knock and it'd be nice to see him developing a new team. The three younger guys (who incidentally are protecting the three old guys as you call them - hiding down the order like timid little girls) are just starting out, your comment embodies everything that is wrong with Australian cricket fans and commentary at the moment - the perform or perish mentality - show a little faith and patience to the new selections (Khawaja should still be there, and I expect the selectors to drop Marsh for Watson even though he should be persevered with as well). Ponting debuted at 20 and was shown a little faith despite 4 single figure scores in his first 6 tests - he also started down the order protected by the older batsmen (bear in mind he also debuted in a team that couldn't lose a test match if they tried, the guys coming in now are entering a very vulnerable team).
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Dhoni was woeful today, wasn't he Will? Clarke is always searching for an option, even when they lose.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Very prescient, as it turns out. 251* at stumps.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
You're just following it online, Rich?
Geoff Lemon
Expert
And what a sight this is. Michael Clarke leaves the ground to one of the most enthused ovations you've ever seen. All of the Indian players flocked to him to shake his hand, wonderful to see. The crowd was upstanding. Michael Hussey gave him a hug, then lagged behind to let Clarke lead him off the ground. Clarke goes in on 251 not out, equal with Wally Hammond's score on this ground. Ahead of him in SCG scores are only Brian Lara (277) and Reginal Foster (287). He has made over 200 runs today, and batted the entire day. Ricky Ponting was the only man out today. He too made a hundred, before slicing to gully on 134. He was almost out running for his century, but aside from that looked untroubled, though never dominant, against less than inspiring Indian bowling. The bowlers toiled but never seemed to threaten. Mike Hussey came in late and attacked the bowling, scoring 55 of his own in putting on 157 with Clarke, at nearly five an over. Clarke attacked too, as you'd guess by the fact that he outscored Hussey almost two to one in that partnership, Hussey happy to play support. A devastating day of Australian batting, and records await tomorrow if the captain can hold his concentration. India have no choice but to wait, either until they can snaffle Australian wickets, or the Australians decide they are done and declare. Either way, expect India to have two days and change to bat, to survive, and try to achieve an unlikely draw. Australia's lead is already at 291, more than India have scored in any of their recent overseas Tests. Clarke and Hussey can push it on, Haddin can attack India's tired bowlers, and the persistent Australian tail could easily be worth a few in these conditions. The onus is entirely with Australia, and we can only wait for tomorrow morning to see how the rest of this match will play out. Do join me then, from 10.20 Australian eastern time. Many thanks for your company today, and do keep the conversations running into the evening. I'll check in from time to time. Best wishes and farewells to you all, and what a day of cricket it was. 4/482.
Red Kev
Guest
Won't change my opinions at all. I would say that Ponting lacks grace - he's a scrapper (and is probably why he's been so good as a batsman) and he will not leave the Australian team without being dragged / kicked howling in fury. And that is the problem with him. It is great to see him make runs, I am happy to be proven wrong when I said he was past it; but I still would have liked to have seen him retired when he relinquished the captaincy after his Ashes (which let us not forget was all sorts of terrible). Australia needs to build a batting lineup and they can't do it with Ponting and Hussey still there - Clarke and Watson have to be the new elder statesmen.
Brendon
Guest
From the top 6 we've seen: The 3 guys under 30: Fail The 3 old guys: Succeed. Something to think about.
Geoff Lemon
Expert
And Hussey gloves the ball down to fine leg for a single to end the day...
Geoff Lemon
Expert
Ah, didn't realise this was the final over, being bowled by Sehwag. India, as Harsha Bhogle says, have at least done one thing right - they've got their overs in.
MrKistic
Roar Rookie
And what Geoff said :)
Geoff Lemon
Expert
250! Not a bad dig from the skip, wouldn't you say? Home ground, 250 not, and an opponent that was supposed to roll the Aussies is instead lying prostrate beneath his feet. 4/479.
MrKistic
Roar Rookie
I should say it's more his outward attitude than team attitude. By all accounts everyone is happy with his team work but it was more the stubbornness and the arrogance in his attitude towards everyone else. Which I guess is hard to deny because it obviously contributes to what made him so good. But after two years you get a bit sick of hearing Ricky Ponting saying how well Ricky Ponting is playing in the nets and isn't actually out of form, despite not making a ton for two years.