ADELAIDE, (Reuters) – Rampant paceman Peter Siddle
took five wickets as Australia bowled India out for 272 before
extending their lead to a dominant 382 runs by the close of play
on third day of the fourth test today.
Virat Kohli upstaged his more esteemed team mates with his
team’s first century of the series but was dismissed for 116 to
bring an end to India’s first innings an hour before close with
the tourists well behind Australia’s 604 for seven declared.
Australia, already holding a winning 3-0 series lead,
decided to embark on their second innings despite having the
option of forcing the Indians to bat again but quickly lost
their top order to stand at 50 for three at stumps.
Captain Michael Clarke (nine not out) and Ricky Ponting (one
not out) both made double centuries in the first innings and
will be looking to build another big total when they resume on
Friday.
Siddle took 5-49, including two wickets in successive balls,
and Ben Hilfenhaus chipped in with 3-62 as Australia’s pacemen
once again dominated the Indian batsmen.
“All summer my goal has been patience and consistency,”
Siddle told reporters after his fifth five-wicket haul in tests.
“I think I’ve been doing that and going pretty well, but
today it was a bit of a relief to get that haul and that’s the
reward for a summer that has been pretty good.
“There’s still a little bit to go and we have to finish it
off.”
Spinner Ravi Ashwin later proved that India could also get
wickets on the track when he dismissed David Warner (28) and Ed
Cowan (10) while paceman Zaheer Khan trapped Shaun Marsh lbw for
a duck to continue the number three batsman’s miserable series.
Destined to lose the series after humbling defeats in the
first three tests, India had also lost three early wickets on
another sweltering morning with Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir
and VVS Laxman all departing before lunch.
REALLY, REALLY HAPPY
Kohli put on 114 for the sixth wicket with Wriddhiman Saha
and the pair almost made it unscathed through the second session
before the stand-in wicketkeeper was bowled by Ryan Harris for
35 to bring up the tea break.
The 23-year-old Kohli, under pressure for his place in the
side until he hit 129 runs over two innings in Perth, flirted
with calamity on 99 when he was almost run out and engaged in a
shouting match with Hilfenhaus.
He finally claimed his first century in his eighth test with
two runs through the covers, the second coming on a farcical
overthrow after he had started his celebrations.
“After tea we lost two wickets in two balls again and I was
pretty frustrated … so the over after that I decided to go
after Harris so I could get runs off that over,” he said.
“When I got the 100th run, I was on cloud nine. When you are
a young kid you always dream about achieving a test century and
the first one is always more special and I’m really, really
happy.”
By then, however, Siddle had removed Ashwin (5) lbw and
Zaheer, caught behind for a golden duck, to set up hat-trick
delivery which Ishant Sharma defended well.
Sharma lasted 22 balls and had made 16 runs when Hilfenhaus
hit his off stump with a fine delivery and the dependable quick
returned with a full toss that trapped Kohli leg before.
Tendulkar’s 24th attempt to secure his 100th international
century had attracted a bumper crowd of 35,000 to the ground on
the Australia Day holiday but the “Little Master” had made just
25 runs when Siddle struck for the first time.
The ever-willing Australian quick’s full delivery drew
Tendulkar forward and the ball flashed off the bat to allow
Ponting to take a low catch at second slip.
Siddle struck again in his next over to remove Gambhir for
34 with a brutish bouncer and Laxman, once the nemesis of
Australian bowling, lasted until just before lunch before he
fell victim to spinner Nathan Lyon for 18.
