By IANS
Melbourne : India captain Anil Kumble picked up two important wickets but Matthew Hayden’s unbeaten century was good enough to guide Australia to 231 for three at tea on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test match here Wednesday.
Hayden was batting on 121, his 28th Test century, and Michael Clarke was on 14 as the Australians went into tea after Indian bowlers picked up three quick wickets at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Captain Ricky Ponting (4) and Mike Hussey (2) departed in quick successions after openers Phil Jaques (66) and Hayden gave Australia a splendid start. The openers overcame some anxious moments as they added 135 runs for the opening wicket after Australia decided to bat.
By lunch, the hosts were 111 without loss with Jaques on 57 and Hayden 49 as the duo negotiated Indian new ball bowlers Zaheer Khan and Rudra Pratap Singh’s probing line and length.
It was tough for the two fast bowlers with no third pacer to assist them as India chose to go in with both their world-class spinners, Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, into the Test. Sourav Ganguly, who is playing his 100th Test here, bowled three overs as the change bowler.
Yet, the Australians could not take off till the fourth over as Zaheer and Rudra Pratap made light of their prolonged rest through injuries and the lack of a warm-up game before the Test.
Zaheer, in particular, got his outswing going to trouble Jaques and the opener was lucky to survive some play and miss attempts. Jaques was also lucky to have got away with a couple of leg before shouts.
Hayden was a lot more aggressive to start with though he, too, was lucky to edge through the vacant third slip position.
Despite the teething troubles, the two openers maintained a steady run rate and Jaques got to his 50 off 80 balls sweeping Harbhajan who was a little circumspect and strayed down the leg. But Jacques failed to judge Kumble’s tossed up googly and was stumped by Mahendra Singh Dhoni after 33.4 overs.
Ponting, who followed in, also departed soon after as a beautiful delivery from Zaheer cleaned up his stumps. The fast bowler came round the wickets, pitched his ball on a good length and pegged back Ponting’s off stump at 38.5 overs.
In the next over, Kumble struck again with his googly to trap Hussey leg before wicket.
Suddenly, Australia slumped to 165 for three from 134 for no loss. But Hayden defied all odds and deprived India of a positive Boxing Day experience. The burly left handed batsman raked up his 28th Test century in 126 balls with a brilliant four through the covers off Rudra Pratap in the 43rd over.
India, as expected, got Yuvraj Singh into the side, leaving out Virender Sehwag and pitchforking Rahul Dravid into the opening slot.
Australia, too, predictably brought in left-arm spinner Brad Hogg for his fifth Test, leaving out Shaun Tait.