Australia regain control of first India test

From Reuters

15:13

Sunday, 12th October, 2008

By Sanjay Rajan

BANGALORE, India (Reuters) - Australia's batsmen regained control of the first test against India on a difficult pitch on Sunday, taking the visitors to 193 for five at the close of the fourth day.

Tenacious opener Simon Katich batted for more than three hours for his 34 and put on 50 for the third wicket with first-innings centurion Michael Hussey (31) after Australia lost two quick wickets.

All-rounder Shane Watson (32) and Brad Haddin (28) enjoyed an invaluable 65-run unbroken stand as Australia built on a handy, 70-run, first innings lead on a pitch that offered variable bounce.

India had clawed their way back into the match in the morning after Zaheer Khan's fighting 57 put the visitors in a race against time.

Resuming at 313 for eight, India finished at 360, frustrating the visitors until half an hour before lunch.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took two wickets each to put Australia under tremendous pressure before Watson and Haddin came to the rescue.

"For me it was (a question of) survival more than anything else," Watson told a news conference.

SORE SHOULDER

The world's top-ranked team struggled on the two-paced Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch that was increasingly helping spinners, although experienced leg-spinner Anil Kumble did not bowl until the 54th over after nursing a sore shoulder.

Nippy Sharma dismissed first-innings centurion Ricky Ponting (17) and the talented Michael Clarke (6), while Harbhajan sent back Katich and the prolific Hussey.

The visitors wanted a good start from Matthew Hayden to set the tempo but the left-hander was unlucky for the second time in the match, given lbw on 13 to left-arm pacer Zaheer when television replays showed the ball was missing leg stump.

Katich and Hussey guided Australia out of a tight corner with some resolute batting but Harbhajan enticed Katich to play to Vangipurappu Laxman at short mid-on to trigger a collapse as the visitors lost three wickets in the space of 29 runs after tea.

Sharma had Clarke caught at cover by Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan bowled Hussey to leave Australia reeling at 128 for five.

Watson, who replaced Andrew Symonds in the squad, and Haddin batted out a tense final hour to give Australia the edge.

"Hopefully a few demons would pop up tomorrow while we are bowling. So far it hasn't played anywhere near as bad as it probably looks at the moment," Watson said.

"The ball is reversing pretty quickly and that's very handy for our quicks. We are in a good position and we could bat on for an hour."

(Editing by Clare Fallon)