By IANS
Sydney : The Sydney Cricket Ground continued to prove a happy hunting ground for V.V.S. who scored his 12th century, to bring back the smile robbed by the umpires, in the Indian camp in the second Test. Laxman’s century guided India to 216 for three in reply to Australia’s first innings score of 463 at close on the second day of the second Test match here Thursday.
At stumps, Sourav Ganguly was batting on 21 and Sachin Tendulkar was on nine, as India still trailed by 247 runs. Rahul Dravid, meanwhile, continued to struggle as he scored at a snail’s pace but went past the psychological fifty-mark with a gritty 53 from 160 deliveries.
Laxman, however, was in sublime from and the century was also his third on the trot at the SCG. With two centuries in the past at the SCG, Laxman looked confident against the lethal Australian bowling attack and along with Dravid added 175 runs for the second wicket after Brett Lee rattled opener Wasim Jaffer’s (3) stumps with just eight runs on the board.
Runs flowed from Laxman’s bat and he spanked Mitchell Johnson for 19 runs in one over. Dravid on the other end took his own sweet time and frustrated the bowlers with his defensive batting. The spectators added to the woes by booing Dravid for his slow batting.
The pair had added 93 runs for the second wicket by tea, which helped India, cross the 100-mark.
Johnson broke the partnership after Dravid edged him to the Matthew Hayden at the first slip. Six balls later, Laxman departed after he gave a soft catch to Mike Hussey off Brad Hogg.
The two quick wickets in a span of one over pegged back India, but Tendulkar and Ganguly thwarted the Australian attack in the twilight to continue the fight another day.
Earlier, Indian Skipper Anil Kumble took the last three wickets and ended Australia’s first innings for 463 just before lunch on the second day at the SCG. Andrew Symonds, however, remained unbeaten with 162.
It was a tremendous recovery by Australia from a horrific 134 for six soon after lunch on the first day. Symonds played a pivotal role in rallying his side, sharing stands of 173 with Brad Hogg and 114 with Brett Lee.
Resuming at 376 for seven, Australia added 87 runs in 23 overs before their innings finally came to an end.
It was Symonds’ highest Test score and he hit 18 fours and two sixes, making full use of the three reprieves – including one this morning – he got from indifferent umpiring.
Lee was the first to go Thursday morning, trapped lbw for 59 in Kumble’s first over. Then Mitchell Johnson struck a quick-fire 28 off 30 before pulling Kumble to Ganguly at deep midwicket. The ninth-wicket stand of 40 took the Australians past 450 before Kumble dismissed the last man Stuart Clark leg before.
Kumble finished with figures of four for 106, his three wickets on Thursday costing him 15 runs. Rudra Pratap Singh could not get a fiver and had to be satisfied with his four wickets Wednesday. Harbhajan Singh claimed two for 108.