Sport

Clarke baulks India’s push for victory

— Photo: S. Subramanium

IN FULL FLOW: Michael Clarke made the most of the reprieves that he got to notch up a fine century and frustrate the Indians.

New Delhi: India’s push for victory in the third Test was obstructed on Saturday by Michael Clarke, although Anil Kumble’s men, if subjected to the brutal soul searching international sport enforces on its practitioners, will admit they didn’t do everything within their considerable power to alter matters.

Barring an hour of intense hostility before lunch, India repeated Friday’s errors on day four here at the Ferozeshah Kotla, bowling inconsistently to fields that weren’t designed to aid the cause for wickets. Thus was Australia allowed into the match, which, barring the sort of dramatic final day that has been known to happen, will come to rest on Sunday with honours even.

There was the teensiest of twists, however, as the shadows lengthened. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, with a lead of 36 to enlarge, began briskly before the latter played on to Brett Lee. A Stuart Clark bouncer from around the wicket did for Ishant Sharma, sent out as night-watchman, and Indian hearts were beating just that smidge faster.

But Gambhir and Dravid batted out the remaining period with assurance, and by stumps had positioned India 79 runs in the clear. A tricky period awaits them on Sunday morning. How they handle their business will determine if Kumble, 1-0 ahead in the quest for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, chooses to dangle the carrot of a chase at some stage or — more probably — settles for the conceivable gains of preserving his bowlers and tiring Australia’s before the fourth Test.

A few words of warning however: such is the nature of Test cricket that the advantage of winning the toss and batting first places India at greater risk of being bowled out on Sunday than Australia. India’s batsmen can’t afford to sit back.

The moment that could have changed the complexion of the fourth day happened early on Saturday with Australia on 350 for four. Clarke, yet to get off his overnight score of 21, charged Amit Mishra and struck the ball to mid-off. Ishant clapped hands, fluffing the chance as the ball burst through.

The home side reprieved Clarke twice more — both times in the batsman’s 90s, both times off Sehwag, and both involving the sweep stroke. The first was a top-edge that V.V.S. Laxman hobbled after from wide mid-on, but failed to take with the ball dropping over his shoulder — a chance more difficult than it appeared.

The second was shelled on the deep mid-wicket boundary by Mishra, a flat, hard sweep that might have mingled in the crowd but should have been caught nevertheless.

Nothing must be taken away from Clarke. His footwork flash-fast, collar turned up jauntily, and bottom-hand whipping, carving, and working, the Australian vice-captain made the most of his luck, compiling a six-hour century (112, 253b, 6x4, 1x6) that stood out for its application.

Clarke also found sharp-running support in Shane Watson (36) and Cameron White (44), the former the possessor of creditable defensive technique and the latter the owner of a no-frills approach. The lower-order partnerships blossomed thanks to several inexplicable tactics involving spread fields.

These tactics, particularly in the period after lunch, were made even more puzzling by what had preceded it. Kumble returned to the field after the first drinks break, his left little finger stitched up after Friday’s injury, and proceeded to bowl a superb probing spell.

Sehwag — who had bowled Watson behind his legs with an off-break that turned sharply, defeating the batsman’s exaggerated move outside the off-stump — held his own from the other end, and for the only time in the day, the possibilities that arise from tightening both ends on a flaky strip (that largely held together but for the footmarks) were realised.

Kumble knifed a slider through Haddin, and Dhoni’s work provided the Indian captain his first wicket in 74.5 overs this series. Although Kumble persevered like the warrior he is to finish with three wickets, he might have done more as captain to staunch the flow of easy singles.

Sehwag carved himself — and the side — a heart-warming moment when White dragged a sweep on to his stumps, providing the part-time off-spinner his first five-wicket haul. Sehwag’s choice of pace, faster than normal but not so quick that the ball wouldn’t gain purchase off the track, was instrumental in his success.

SCOREBOARD

  India — 1st innings: 613 for seven decl.

Australia — 1st innings: M. Hayden lbw b Sehwag 83, S. Katich b Mishra 64, R. Ponting b Sehwag 87, M. Hussey b Sehwag 53, M. Clarke c Zaheer b Mishra 112, S. Watson b Sehwag 36, B. Haddin st Dhoni b Kumble 17, C. White b Sehwag 44, B. Lee lbw b Kumble 8, M. Johnson c & b Kumble 15, S. Clark (not out) 1; Extras: (b-28, lb-17, nb-10, w-2) 57; Total: (in 179.3 overs) 577.

Fall of wickets: 1-123 (Katich), 2-202 (Hayden), 3-284 (Ponting), 4-326 (Hussey), 5-399 (Watson), 6-426 (Haddin), 7-532 (White), 8-555 (Lee), 9-567 (Clarke).

India bowling: Zaheer 23-5-86-0, Ishant 25-5-84-0, Kumble 43.3-9-112-3, Mishra 47-12-144-2, Sehwag 40-9-104-5, Tendulkar 1-0-2-0.

India — 2nd innings: G. Gambhir (batting) 21, V. Sehwag b Lee 16, Ishant c Ponting b Clark 1, R. Dravid (batting) 5; Total: (for two wickets in 13 overs) 43.

Fall of wickets: 1-29 (Sehwag), 2-34 (Ishant).

Australia bowling: Lee 6-1-19-1, Clark 5-2-16-1, Clarke 1-0-3-0, Katich 1-0-5-0.

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