By IANS
Adelaide : It was a hard day for the Indian bowlers as Mathew Hayden got to his 30th Test century and helped Australia reduce their first innings deficit to 204 runs at the end of the third day’s play in the fourth and the final Test here Saturday.
Australia were at 322 for three when stumps were drawn, with skipper Ricky Ponting on 79 and Michael Clarke on 37 after Hayden made a patient 103 at the Adelaide Oval.
Resuming on their overnight score of 62 for no loss, Australia raced to 158 without loss by lunch with Hayden and Phil Jacques (60) scoring freely. The Australians scored 96 runs off 30 overs in the morning session.
Hayden, who missed the third Test at Perth due to a hamstring injury, showed his class and value with his 200-ball innings as Australia delivered a strong reply on the third morning.
The openers concentrated in occupying the crease and this was evident from the fact that they did not show any urgency to go for runs. The Indian bowlers, barring the lanky Delhi pacer Ishant Sharma, did not impress.
Hayden and Jacques completed their 150-run partnership off 287 balls, with Hayden scoring 82 and Jaques 55. The left-handed players provided Australia a great platform with a 159 run opening stand.
Indian skipper Anil Kumble broke the partnership in the first over after lunch when Jacques attempted a slog sweep, missed the line, and the ball hit the middle stump.
A 21-gun salute along the river Torrens, in celebration of Australia Day, caused a brief interruption and Hayden then raced on to his half century with two delicate cuts off Harbhajan Singh.
Hayden, who scored on both sides of the wicket, got his century with a single off Harbhajan. He then went down on his knees and raised his arms in celebration of his 30th Test ton, which took him past the legendary Don Bradman’s 29.
But he didn’t last long as a Sharma delivery cut in sharply and played on to his stumps.
India’s hopes of bowling out Australia cheaply were further dented after Ponting and Mike Hussey (22) added 55-runs for the fourth wicket and agonised the bowlers.
Unlike five previous occasions, Ponting survived his first-ball tryst with Harbhajan, and also survived some anxious moments during his unbeaten 150-ball unbeaten innings.
Both Ponting and Hussey handled the Indian spinners with ease and this left the Indian captain falling short of ideas to rein in the World Champions. Pontings showed great technique to keep his nemesis Harbhajan at bay as Australia went to tea at 225 for two.
The complexion of the game changed in the post tea session as the Indian bowlers came out with all guns blazing.
Hussey edged Kumble’s first ball after tea to the first slip, but Rahul Dravid failed to hold on to a low catch. He also survived a close leg-before appeal from Irfan Pathan.
Pathan had the last laugh as he bowled an absolute peach that swung in to rattle the top of Hussey’s off stump.
In the fading hours of the day, Ponting and Clarke stitched an unbeaten 81-run partnership for the fourth wickets to ensure that Australia were in no danger of a follow on.