Clarke and Ponting flatten India

[Mr.Khan]

Clarke and Ponting flatten India

What happened at Edgbaston last year seems to be happening again as Australia piled on a size-able lead against India on Day 2 of the second Test. It was the third Test between England and India during which the English finished with a mammoth 710/7 to beat India by an innings and 242 runs. In that Test match, England had bowled out India for 224 in the first day's play and had put on a total of 456/3 at the end of day 2. Something eerily similar is looking likely for India in the Sydney Test. The visitors, who were skittled for 191 on Day 1, were witness to a fantastic double century by Michael Clarke and a fine hundred by Ricky Ponting as Australia finished with a commanding total of 482/4, leading by 291 runs at the close of the day's play.

Clarke and Ponting blunt Indian attack

[Mr.Khan]

Re: Clarke and Ponting flatten India

After having dominated Day 1 of the second Test, what Australia wanted on Day 2 was a partnership that would gradually bat India out of the game. They got just that courtesy Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. The current Australian skipper and the former continued from where they left off on Day 1 as they registered their fifties in quick time. Clarke was the first to reach there and Ponting was not to be left behind as he too got past the half-century mark, his third in a row in this series. Together, they blunted the Indian attack which was proving to be ineffective on a pitch that was helpful for the batters. Mahendra Singh Dhoni's defensive approach did not help India either as the spread out fields just did not create any kind of pressure on the Aussie batters who were quite happy to take the singles and twos and find the occasional boundaries in between.

[Mr.Khan]

Re: Clarke and Ponting flatten India

Soon, the Australian pair wiped down the deficit to help their team take the lead. And then, it was a race between the duo to see who'll reach the 100-run mark first. Clarke was the winner in that race, bringing up his 18th Test hundred with a glorious cover drive off Ishant Sharma. Ponting, who had gone without a Test century in 34 innings, was eager to get to the 100-mark but had to wait till the post-lunch session as he left the field unbeaten three short of a ton when Australia went to lunch at 236/3.

[Mr.Khan]

Re: Clarke and Ponting flatten India

The domination continues

Ponting's desperation to get to the hundred was clearly evident but the Aussie great had to wait till the 4th over after lunch to get there. It was a moment to savour for Ponting when he got to his 40th Test century but for a split second it appeared as though he would head back on 99. Ishant was the bowler who bowled the 4th over after lunch and Ponting, who hit the ball straight to Zaheer Khan at mid on, took off for a non-existent single. Ponting made a desperate dive to reach the crease but even that would not have helped him and he only had Zaheer to thank as he missed a direct hit and Ponting reached the three-figure mark.

Meanwhile, Clarke was carrying on strongly as he found the boundaries at a regular frequency to extend Australia's lead. The Aussie captain along with Ponting, went on to bring up the best partnership against India in Tests, going past the 239-run stand that Steve Waugh and Ponting had added against India at Adelaide in December 1999. Clarke went past the 150 mark for the second time as an Australian captain.

The new ball was taken and India finally had some respite when Ponting departed after scoring an excellent 134 to end a superb partnership worth 288 runs. Ponting, looking to drive Ishant on the up, sliced the ball to Sachin Tendulkar at point who made no mistake. But India's joy of taking a wicket was dampened by Clarke, who looked intent on scoring a double ton. He was unbeaten on 170 to take Australia to 345/4 at tea.

[Mr.Khan]

Re: Clarke and Ponting flatten India

Australia bat India out of the game:

Nothing went India's way during the second day's play and the trend continued into the post tea session. Clarke moved closer to the double-century mark and he received good support from Michael Hussey. India had a chance to send back Clarke when he was on 184 but the skipper survived as Ishant put down a a tough catch off his own bowling. There was an appeal for caught behind when Zaheer Khan thought Michael Hussey had nicked one to the keeper and there was even a sound of the ball clipping the bat. However, the sound was that of the bat hitting the ground and the appeal was turned down. Meanwhile, Clarke silently entered the 190s and the Clarke-Hussey partnership crossed 50.

Clarke's moment of joy arrived soon as he went on to bring up his maiden double hundred in Test cricket when he worked Zaheer off his pads wide off square leg for a couple. There were tears of happiness in Clarke's eyes as he celebrated his double ton by raising his bat to the crowd and his team-mates. India were being bruised, battered and batted out of the game and their pain clearly showed in the drooping shoulders of the fielders and the bowlers' reluctance while walking back to the run-up after completing a delivery. They could do nothing as Clarke and Hussey continued piling on the runs with a century stand. Soon, Hussey got past his half-century to add to the agony of the Indians who were hoping, what was a long day for them, to end soon.

Runs continued to flow from the bats of Clarke and Hussey and the only hundreds to Indians' credit were those conceded by Ishant, R Ashwin and Zaheer. Clarke ended the day in style for Australia as he brought up a fine 250 and finished unbeaten on 251 while Hussey remained not out on 55.

As far as India is concerned, the writing is on the wall as Australia will be looking to extend the lead even further and push for an early finish to the match. India can hardly fathom any way of getting back in the game - the one chance they can probably think of is to bowl out Australia quickly on Day 3 and bat even better they did in the second innings of the Kolkata Test in 2001. But considering the way India have batted in the current series, It is beyond the bounds of possibility to even think that India can somehow save the match.