Sachin breaks Australian hearts

By Malcolm Conn

CHENNAI, MARCH 20. Sachin Tendulkar broke Australia's heart on Tuesday and has surely shattered the fading dream of a series victory in India for the first time in 31 years.

The world's best batsman's 126, with great support from an ever more potent Rahul Dravid (81) took India to a seemingly impregnable position despite a late collapse against the persistent Australians.

The drained tourists will have another tough time combating India's spinners on a wearing wicket. Tendulkar played an innings of controlled brilliance which could not have been played by anyone else in the game.

He arrived at the crease second ball on Tuesday having privately told his team-mates before this Test that he had failed in the series to date and intended to put things right. Indeed, 161 runs at 40.25 going into the game is modest by his standards but there was always the danger that he would take control.

Australia was well in the game when Dravid joined Tendulkar on four for 284 - still 107 behind - but it changed dramatically as Dravid drew from the confidence of his 180 in the second Test to go after the Australian bowling from the outset.

Both players enjoyed chances which further deflated the flagging tourists. Tendulkar was missed on 82 when he lofted a sweep off Colin Miller to Michael Slater, who ran in from deep mid-wicket only to find the ball disappear through his sweaty hands. It continued a tough tour for Slater.

Dravid reached 80 inside three hours with twelve 4s and a 6 lofted back over the head of Jason Gillespie when he began a new spell but the whole-hearted bowler could have claimed the batsman's wicket in the same over. He turned a ball off his hip and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, not at his best after a long summer and tough tour, dived to left but could not hold the tough chance.

It was not costly. The single that miss produced was the only addition to Dravid's score before he was caught behind driving at Gillespie. He and McGrath were outstanding in the circumstances again today. The morning might have produced the series-defining confrontation between master batsman and master bowler as Tendulkar overcame Glenn McGrath then pushed India towards supremacy. McGrath was again excellent in hot, humid and unhelpful conditions, dragging the Australians back into a match which had been quickly deserting them the previous evening.

Great support from a whole-hearted Jason Gillespie, who continued to sweat with little reward, and some economical bowling from Colin Miller, mixing his medium pace and off-spin, allowed Australia to claim three for 63 through the first session and 20 minutes today.

Tendulkar was held to just 27 in the first session from 87 balls with only three 4s. For a time the tourists even clung to the hope of a slender first innings lead as they desperately searched for a way of claiming victory and their first series in India for 31 years.

The avenues quickly diminished when Dravid, a man of solid technique and character, joined Tendulkar. While the faster bowlers worked hard to contain the match there was only so much they could do.

It was split wide open when Tendulkar and Dravid went after Shane Warne and Miller's tweakers also suffered during the onslaught.

It is far too simplist, even unfair, to suggest that coach John Buchanan's assessment of Warne's condition, or lack of it, was right given the dreadful mauling he has received in the last two Tests after a strong first up appearance.

However Warne must now accept that India's batsmen, rightly regarded as the best players of spin in the world, will remain his only unconquered prey unless he can find some previously unexposed magic in India's second innings, should the match go that far.

Overcoming a bout of diarrhoea which could have only added to the strain of the stifling weather and tiredness from the just completed second Test, McGrath claimed a wicket with his very first ball on Tuesday.

Opening batsman Shiv Das resumed on 84 with India an imposing one for 211 and promptly walked across in front of his stumps, trying to work a very straight ball to leg.

Local umpire AV Jayaprakash, who to date has had an excellent match, did not let McGrath's excited appeal linger. It was the beginning of another exceptional spell of fast bowling from a man who must now be the world's most exceptional new-ball bowler.

VVS Laxman had raced to 59 the previous evening with more wonderful stroke play, threatening another big score to match his peerless 281 in Calcutta. However on Tuesday he was a different player, searching for the ball and playing with reduced confidence as the Australians dried up opportunities for he and Tendulkar.

Laxman edged a McGrath delivery between wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and Warne, standing wide as the only slip, to move to 64. One run later, with two slips in place, he edged again and Mark Waugh took yet another fine catch, moving quickly and low to his left.

When it was time for a much-needed break McGrath's six-over spell had included four maidens and returned the figures of two for 5. McGrath's return after lunch was similarly impressive when he troubled Indian captain Sourav Ganguly before eventually claiming his wicket, caught behind edging for 22. The Australians do not particularly rate Ganguly as a person or a player and they appear to be right on both counts during this series.

While they would never say such things publicly, coach John Buchanan made it clear at a press conference before this Test that the Australians rated Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman and India's most important batsmen.

With Australia's pace bowlers running the ball across the left- handed Ganguly and his liking to play square away from his body, there is always the chance an edge behind or mishit to gully.

Ganguly's batting in this series has been modest - 102 runs at an average of 20.4 - and his lack of respect for some of the game's important institutions and individuals is something he must address.

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