Double centuries by Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting and another shaky start by India’s stuttering batsman left the visitors under pressure in the fourth Test in Adelaide on Wednesday. Skipper Clarke declared for the second time in the one-sided series — this time at 604 for seven — before his bowlers claimed two early wickets to put Australia well on top at the end the second day.
India were 61 for two at stumps in reply with Sachin Tendulkar, chasing his elusive 100th international century, unbeaten on 12 and Gautam Gambhir 30 not out.
Clarke hit 210 and Ponting 221 in an Australian innings that had the beleaguered Indians toiling in the field under a hot sun for 10 and a half hours. They then grabbed the key wickets of under-fire opener Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid in the 21 overs to stumps to have the tourists reeling with three days left and a mountain to climb to avoid a 4-0 series defeat.
“It was probably more about the runs, to be honest, trying to get to 600,” Clarke said on the timing of his declaration. “We still had plenty of time left in the day as we scored quite quickly in our innings and to take those two key wickets is a really good start for us but there’s a lot of work still to be done.” Sehwag, captaining India in place of the suspended M.S. Dhoni, again fell cheaply, out to the first ball of Peter Siddle’s opening over for 18.
He played a leading edge to a low full toss and leaping Siddle plucked the ball with his outstretched right hand. The normally prolific batsman, who averages over 50 in Tests, has scored just 136 runs at 19.42 in the Australia series. Dravid, Test cricket’s second all-time leading run-getter, was bowled for the sixth time in the series, this time off Ben Hilfenhaus. “In 2003 here Australia scored 550-odd runs and we won the game from there,” India paceman Ishant Sharma said. “I think there is a positive you can take out of that, everyone is positive and looking forward to a good next three days.”
Earlier Clarke called a halt to Australia’s run onslaught midway through the final session after Ryan Harris clouted Umesh Yadav for six. Clarke and Ponting shared in Australia’s fourth-highest ever partnership of 386. The top three stands all featured the great Don Bradman. “The wicket is very flat to bat on and both Ricky and I spoke early in our innings, once we’d got in, and today was about scoring a big one,” Clarke said.
India’s poor show continues in Australia
