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India prise out Ponting, Paine to set up gripping finale

Australia ended the fourth day of the second and final Test against India at 202 for 7.

Toda’s match was fascinatingly dominated by bowlers.

Nathan Hauritz (8 not out) and Mitchell Johnson, on an unbeaten 7, had extended Australia’s lead to 185 on a wearing track after India were dismissed for 495 earlier in the day.

The tourists were let down by their top order which struggled against Indian spinners Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh.

India seemed to have taken the upper hand on a topsy-turvy day when they reduced the visitors to 131 for 5 only for skipperRicky Ponting,who was fortunate to survive a confident shout for lbw against Harbhajan when he was on 21, to grind out a masterful 72. However, when he was trapped lbw by the puzzlingly underbowled Zaheer Khan to end a 50-run stand with wicketkeeper Tim Paine, the wicketkeeper himself fell, caught behind in the next over offShanthakumaran Sreesanth for 23, to reduce Australia to 185 for 7. Hauritz and Johnson stitched together a 17-run partnership by close of play.

Australia got off to a rollicking start in their second innings, scoring at 5 an over before Ojha trapped Shane Watson lbw for 31 with the score at 58. The visitors lost Simon Katich (24) to Harbajhan with Ojha scalping Michael Clarke for 3 at the other end to leave them gasping at 65 for 3. Ponting and Michael Hussey added 61 for the fourth wicket beforeHussey was trapped by left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha for 20. Marcus North fell soon afterwards for 3, bowled by Harbhajan Singh.

However, after the day’s play had ended, Ojha, the star of the day, told Neo Cricket channel: “I’m not satisfied. I will be satisfied if we can get them out early tomorrow and get those runs. Whatever they got is gettable but we have to bat sensibly tomorrow. The wicket is turning.”

India resumed on a commanding 435 for five and Sachin Tendulkar cruised to his sixth Test double century before falling for 214. Tendulkar, who hit two sixes and 22 fours during a 363-ball vigil, became debutant Peter George’s first Test victim when he dragged a delivery on to his stumps and Hauritz polished off the tail as India slumped to 495 all out. Australia then scythed through the bottom half of the Indian order, which could add only 60 runs to their overnight score.

Shane Watson dismissed Harbhajan and George got the better of Zaheer, before Hauritz removed Mahendra Singh Dhoni (30) and Sreesanth to bring the Indian innings to a swift end.

The highest target chased in Bangalore has been 194 by Australia against India in 1998. India chased 151 against New Zealand in 1995 successfully.India lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test by one wicket.

“There was not much in this wicket, so we found other ways to create opportunity and take chances,” George said. “We have three wickets in hand, we’ll try to get as many runs as possible tomorrow and bowl them out to win the match.”