Ponting responds after Sachin’s double century

Ricky Ponting defies India’s bowlers with spirited half-century as his team fight a grim battle in the final Test.

BANGALORE: Ricky Ponting defied India’s bowlers with a spirited half-century as his team fought a grim battle in the final Test.

After Sachin Tendulkar made 214 to give India a slender 17-run lead, Australia slumped to 131 for five in their second innings before recovering to post 202 for seven by stumps on the fourth day.

Ponting made 72 when Zaheer Khan trapped him leg-before as the tourists start the final day’s play 185 runs ahead with three wickets in hand.

Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha wrecked Australia’s top-order on a wearing wicket that assisted turn. Shane Watson and Simon Katich put on 58 but both fell in the space of four deliveries. Watson was trapped leg-before by Ojha, while Katich edged a catch to MS Dhoni in Harbhajan’s next over.

Seven runs later, Michael Clarke was stumped by Dhoni off Ojha to reduce the tourists to 65 for three.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2010.