By IANS
Sydney : Matthew Hayden and Michael Hussey not only steered Australia to safety, but also gave them an outside chance of pulling off a record-equalling 16th consecutive Test victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) here Saturday.
Hayden struck a meticulous 123, his 29th century in Tests, and at stumps Hussey was 13 short of his hundred as Australia seized the initiative on the penultimate day of the second Test against India, with a close of play score of 282 for four. Andrew Symonds was the other unbeaten batsman on 14.
With a lead of 213 runs, Australia are in a position to dictate terms on the last day of the Test match, though rain is forecast for Sunday too.
Australia made 463 in the first innings and India replied with 532.
Skipper Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh strove hard to take control of the game, but the intermittent rain did not help their cause as they had difficulty gripping the ball. Kumble took three wickets and was in with a chance of a hat-trick when he got rid of Hayden and Michael Clarke, who got a golden duck, but Symonds escaped being out lbw. TV replays showed umpire Steve Bucknor’s decision was right as the ball would have gone over the stumps though it was dead straight.
Harbhajan got the prize wicket of Ricky Ponting. The Australian skipper’s poor run with the bat continued as he could not read Harbhajan yet again. The Indian off-spinner, who has been summoned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Mike Procter for a hearing on a racial abuse charge, dismissed Ponting for the eighth time in as many Test matches.
Ponting pushed aimlessly and a leading edge flew sharply to V.V.S. Laxman at silly point for a reflex catch.
The ebullient spinner’s joy was unbounded as he ran toward the boundary in celebration, rolling twice on the turf in front of the pavilion.
India looked like getting a grip over the proceedings with two quick wickets before lunch and then those two wickets by Kumble, but they just could not press home the advantage.
Hayden first got the Australians to a good start with Phil Jaques and then consolidated with Hussey. Hayden and Jaques (42) added 85 runs for the first wicket.
Jaques was the first to go but not before erasing India’s first-innings lead. The left-handed opener swung Anil Kumble to Yuvraj at midwicket to give the Indian skipper his 100th wicket against Australia.
Hayden, who batted with Ponting as runner after straining his back and stretching his hamstring, eventually fell reverse-sweeping once too often, caught at backward square-leg by Wasim Jaffer off Kumble.
When Ishant Sharma was thrown the ball late in the day, with the light not being the best, the batsmen accepted the offer from the umpires and walked off with the score on 282 for four.
The weather forecast may make it difficult for the Australians to equal the record they had set between October 1999 and February 2001 by winning 16 Tests in succession. India ended that successful run in Kolkata in one of the greatest comebacks in Test cricket.
Australia’s record was in danger Friday itself when Sachin Tendulkar struck an unbeaten 154, his 38th Test century, and left the Australians in arrears in the first innings.
Australia lead the four-match series 1-0, having won the first Test in Melbourne by 337 runs.