Australia staring at an innings defeat (Tea Report)

Chennai, Feb 25 (IANS) Australia lost four quick wickets in the second session and were struggling at 128 for five in their second innings at tea on the fourth day of the first cricket Test against India at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here Monday.

Skipper Michael Clarke was batting on 31 and Moises Henriques five as Australia still needed 64 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

Australian openers Ed Cowan (32) and Shane Watson (17) looked well set in tackling the Indian spinners well in the second innings. Watson was promoted up the order after regular opener David Warner was down with an upset tummy.

But Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed Watson with one that turned and bounced sharply, giving an easy catch to Virender Sehwag at first slip with the last ball before lunch.

After the lunch session, Cowan (32) and Warner (23) tried to do the repair act but Ashwin struck again to get rid of Cowan, trapped lbw. It triggered a middl-order collapse as Australia from 64 for one slumped to 121 for five.

Australia were 54 for one in their second innings after India batted for an hour in the morning, ending their first innings at 572. Australia made 380 in the first innings.

India, resuming at an overnight 515 for eight, added 57 runs in the first hour. Mahendra Singh Dhoni added 18 runs to his overnight score of 206 before he became James Pattinson’s (5-95) fifth victim. His stupendous 224 is now third highest score by a wicket-keeper.

Overnight batsman Bhuvneshwar Kumar also made a fighting 38, the highest score by an Indian No.10.

-Indo-Asian News Service

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IANS 2013-02-25 15:40:02