MOHALI: India rode on Virender Sehwag’s record-equalling half-century to reach 110 for two in reply to Australia’s 428 in the opening Test at Mohali.
The Indian opener scored 59 off 54 balls with 10 fours after Tim Paine (92) had missed out on a maiden Test hundred. With the 59, Sehwag equalled the record of scoring a 50 or more in 11 consecutive Tests.
Australia struggled to contain runs as Sehwag went for his shots from the beginning and raced to his half-century off 38 balls. The tourists introduced spin after 12 overs but Nathan Hauritz was greeted with two fours by Sehwag, who was eventually caught by Michael Clarke in the covers off a leading edge to become Mitchell Johnson’s second victim.
Paine was earlier instrumental in boosting Australia with a solid knock which came off 196 balls with the help of 12 boundaries. Australia were indebted to Paine for adding 153 for their last four wickets as he was involved in crucial stands with Johnson (47) and Ben Hilfenhaus (20 not out). Paine, who added 53 for the sixth wicket with opener Shane Watson (126), put on 82 for the seventh with Johnson and 54 for ninth with Hilfenhaus to shatter India’s hopes of restricting Australia to a modest total.
India’s bowlers struggled on an easy-paced pitch, taking just one wicket in the first session and two in the second. Zaheer Khan was the most impressive bowler, claiming five wickets in 94 balls, his 10th haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings.
Harbhajan Singh finished with three wickets. With Ishant Sharma injured, India took the second new ball after 146.4 overs, relying on Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan. Sharma bowled just two overs before being replaced with Ojha.
However, it was Zaheer who claimed a big wicket with the new ball when he had Paine caught by VVS Laxman at second slip for his fifth wicket. Watson hit a career-best knock before being caught by Gambhir at short-leg off Harbhajan in the morning. He cracked 10 fours in his 338-ball knock.
Australia batted cautiously in the morning to add 71 in 29 overs to their overnight total of 224 for five, but improved their run-rate in the afternoon session which yielded 95 runs in 26 overs. Johnson played an entertaining innings, hitting two sixes off Ojha and one off Harbhajan.
He looked set to complete his fifth Test half-century before being caught behind off Zaheer. He also hit five fours in his 66-ball knock.
Paine, dropped on nought on Friday, played some attractive strokes after completing his half-century, hitting two successive fours off Ojha while ensuring the tourists reached a decent first-innings total.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2010.
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