Australia v. India - 4th. Test, Sydney

[foxy]

beautifully disciplined batting & some horribly defensive bowling. once again it's confirmed that mcgrath & warne are THE reason for australia's dominance over the last 7/8 years - in a world full of poor bowlers, for australia to chance upon two once-in-a-generation bowlers like warne & mcgrath has been such a massive advantage.

anyway, should be interesting to see what happens after tea. one hopes ganguly tells them to go ballistic but i doubt it.

[JLC]

You can update your stats Donny, Tendulkar has a century.

jlc

[JLC]

Make that a double century

You cant keep a good man down

jlc

[Donny]

Waugh's dream ends

Fox Sports

Steve Waugh will not leave Test cricket a winner after Australia copped a hiding never before felt on home soil.

Waugh's last Test now belongs to Sachin Tendulkar, who batted Australia into oblivion in the fourth and deciding Test at the SCG today.

India reached 5-650 at stumps on day two.

It's the highest innings by a touring team in Australia, the most runs Australia has conceded in 336 home Tests over 126 years.

Tendulkar will resume on his Test-best 220 with energetic wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel on 45 with India looking to score more than 750.

The tourists cannot lose this Test match. They cannot lose the series and will retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they won in 2001.

Australia's only hope of saving face is to match India's score and force a draw.

With at least 500 needed to avoid the follow-on and the players weary after two hot days in the sun, there's a chance Waugh's last Test will end in Australia's first home series defeat in 11 years.

Fans who flocked to the SCG hoping to see some Waugh magic in his send-off got a batting feast they didn't bet on, with India smashing 366 runs in the day with Tendulkar and VVS Laxman putting on 353 runs for the fourth wicket.

Tendulkar scored his first century in 14 months and went on to make the third double-century of his career and his highest score, bettering the 217 he made against New Zealand in 1999-00.

Defiant, determined and showing concentration previously absent on this tour, Tendulkar picked the biggest stage of the summer to reassert himself as the world's best batsman.

Taking a simple single to reach triple figures, he paused mid-pitch to punch the air and turned his face to the sun as he felt the summer's frustrations disappear.

It was his 32nd Test ton, drawing him level with Waugh in second place on the all-time list behind world record holder Sunil Gavaskar (34).

He offered just once chance, in the first over after tea, when he lofted a Nathan Bracken delivery to mid-on where Stuart MacGill spilled a tough attempt at catch.

MacGill was booed by the drunk and disappointed crowd, with Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist later slamming the fans for taking a "soft option" in attacking the home team.

It's not often that a player of Tendulkar's standing is overshadowed but for much of today Laxman was in better form than the little master.

Tendulkar described Laxman as "a treat to watch" as he constantly probed the Australian field looking for gaps, opening and closing the face of his bat as he guided the ball into tight spaces.

At one stage, Australia had two fielders five metres apart at short midwicket where Laxman's wristily works many of his shots.

All the while he hardly hit the ball in the air and his only moment of worry came when he was 94 in the second-last over before lunch.

Anxious to get his ton, he tried for a quick single to retain the strike but was sent back by Tendulkar as MacGill pounced on the ball at midwicket.

Luckily for him, MacGill's throw was fractionally off line and Laxman got home before Gilchrist threw down the stumps.

In the course of their near-perfect day, Laxman and Tendulkar annexed record after record.

Laxman is now the only player to feature in three triple-century stands against Australia.

Only three other batsmen in history have featured in as many triple-century stands. Don Bradman was part of five partnerships of 300 or more while Javed Miandad and Herschelle Gibbs have been part of three 300-plus unions.

In taking India from 194 to 547, the pair recorded the best partnership by any touring team in Australia and the best stand in this country by any team since Bradman and Sid Barnes put on 405 in 1947-48 against England.

Laxman eventually fell when Jason Gillespie got the second new ball to jag back and hit off-stump - just a few balls after Laxman had been dropped at midwicket by MacGill.

Laxman made 178 in 403 minutes at the crease, hitting 30 fours.

Sourav Ganguly came and went quickly, bowled by a Brett Lee yorker for 16 off 11 balls.

Lee has 2-169 off 36 overs while Gillespie has been the best for Australia, taking 3-112 off 41 overs.

[Donny]

I must point out this is quite incorrect: > "Australia's only hope of saving face is to match India's score and force a draw."

They don't have to match India's score at all, to draw the Test.

I happen to think they can but even if they follow on, India still need another 10 wickets to win.

[JLC]

India i think will deliver the knock out blow. At the start of the series i thought this was the one test India could win. Adelaide was merely a bonus.

I think Kumble and their other spinner will deliver the goods as im still not convinced the Australian batsman except for Hayden can play spin on a turning wicket.

jlc

[Donny]

It's 7/687 as India bat on and probably out of a winning position. It's understandable though as they only need a draw to retain the trophy.

Lee has managed to save some face this morning, with 2 wickets but I suppose if you keep getting tossed the ball ....... He has 4/196 in his 39th. over.

Tendulkar is on 234 n.o.

[Donny]

India declared on 7/705 with Tendulkar on 241 n.o.

Lee took 4/201 at 5 r.p.o. Gillespie took 3/135 at 3 r.p.o.

[Donny]

Australia is 0/25 in the 7th. over.

It already seems clear Hayden is setting himself for a long, sheet anchor, type of innings whilst Langer is going to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

He is 23 n.o.

[Donny]

At lunch, Australia is 0/49 with Langer on 38 n.o.

[JLC]

Good to see John Benaud a former test selector saying that Lehmann should NOT be in the test team as time has past him by. I am in complete agreeance.

jlc

[Donny]

Mate, this is the Australia v. India 4th. Test thread.
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You can see who the Aussies think could be a danger over the next 3 days. Kartik has gone for 11 r.p.o. from his 3 overs.

Langer is 52 n.o. and Hayden, 36 n.o.

[Donny]

Hayden is 66 n.o. and Langer, 67 n.o. 0/139 after 29 overs. 4.8 r.p.o.

[Donny]

Hayden out for 67. Caught by Ganguly from Kumble's bowling.

Langer has moved on to 83 n.o. and Australia are 1/162.

[Donny]

"That is THE most magnificent innings" says the conmmentator.

Alfie plays a reverse sweep on 98, to the boundary, and celebrates with an authodox sweep for 4.