Related Links : India’s Tour of Australia 2007/08 : Scorecard
Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey combined together to form an important partnership that gave the Australians a handsome lead going into the final day’s play. If not for this pair, the Aussies would have been struggling to battle it out against Harbhajan and Kumble. Hayden scored his 29th century and Hussey approaching a ton to give a lead of 213 with six wickets in hand for the homeside. Still all the three results are possible in this game on the final day with no team feeling secured yet.
The openers for Australia provided a perfect launching pad by wiping off the 69-run lead that was taken by the opposition. It wasn’t easy for Hayden and Jaques as their concentration was disturbed by a passing shower. After play resumed, India found its much needed opening when Phil Jaques (42 from 82 with 5 fours) swept one straight into the deep off Anil Kumble. And then just a few minutes before lunch, Harbhajan foxed Ricky Ponting for the 8th time in Test Cricket to get India charged up. It was wild celebration for Bhajji after all the talk in the press about the racial allegations that were put on him by the Australian players. It needed just the one ball to get rid of Ponting for Harbhajan which he did with some deadly bounce. Lunch tasted a lot better for the Indians as they had Aussies effectively at 21 for 2 after reducing the 69-run lead.
India still had the dangerous Matt Hayden out in the middle. And the big man simply didn’t allow any pressure to be sustained at his end by playing his sweeps and reverse sweeps. Hussey grew in confidence in the company of Hayden to do the repair work. With that the next phase of the game was under control for the homeside despite the Indian bowlers doing a reasonably fair job. Both these lefties took Australia to a solid 177 for 2 before rain hit the ground yet again to force half an hour before the scheduled time. After Tea, the pair continued to keep the bowlers frustrated. Umpire Mark Benson helped the pair to continue when he failed to pick up a down the legs nick from Hussey off RP Singh’s bowling. Like always in this Test Match, the Indians took the bad decisions in their stride without spoiling the spirit of the game. Soon Hayden got his 29th hundred to equal with Don Bradman. Hayden got injured though during the course of this innings when he had sprained his hamstring. Ponting did the running for him.
Rain visited SCG once again to hamper the progress of the Aussies. It also made it difficult for the Indian spinners to grip the ball. In the 71st over, Anil Kumble finally found some luck when Hayden’s reverse sweep was taken at point. By then the Aussies were looking pretty good with a lead of around 180. Hayden made 123 with 12 boundaries in 196 balls. His partnership with Hussey added as many as 160 runs to keep India waiting for 44 overs! India didn’t have to wait much for the next wicket as Michael Clarke edged his first delivery off Kumble to Dravid at slips. Clarke was done in by the extra bounce for his first duck of his test career. He funnily stood his ground for a while despite an obvious dismissal, perhaps he was thinking that Steve Bucknor might have found a way out in ruling that as ‘not out’!
First innings centurion Andrew Symonds survived the hat-trick ball from Kumble thanks to a huge stride forward that denied an lbw. Symo then had to work hard to get off the mark as he took 17 balls to find his first runs in what was his fourth innings in this match! But Symonds (14 from 36) did ensure that wickets weren’t given away in a heap along with Hussey, who remained unbeaten with 87 (from 186 balls with 10 fours). Australia accepted light when a tired Kumble brought back Ishant Sharma into the attack. The homeside closed the day 282 for 4 in 83 overs. But their lead of 213 may have to be pushed further if they have to feel secured tomorrow. The weather and the Indian batting hold the key now for the outcome of the match.