Sachin, Dravid sparkle for India at MCG

Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid added 117 runs for the third wicket on the second day of the first Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. (AFP Photo)

MELBOURNE: Denied Rahul Dravid's wicket by a cruel 'twist of foot', Peter Siddle broke a billion hearts by pegging back Sachin Tendulkar's off stump in fading daylight at the MCG on Tuesday.

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A sizzler from Siddle streaked through the gate as the Little Master fell 27 runs short in his latest quest for the 100th international hundred.

It was gut-wrenching to see Tendulkar walk back to the dressing room after entertaining the MCG crowd for two-and-a-half hours with a cheeky yet commanding innings of 73 during which he tempted fate and tormented rivals in equal measure.

It was also poetic justice for Siddle, who had clean bowled the seasoned Dravid for 65 in the 59th over of the Indian innings only to be told via the third umpire that he had over-stepped while delivering the ball.

A bemused Dravid forgot all about the cramps, that required on-field medical attention, and quickly resumed his innings to be unbeaten on an edgy yet invaluable 68 as India ended Day 2 of the first Test ahead of the hosts.

In reply to Australia's first innings tally of 333, India were 214 for three, and looking good for a healthy first-innings lead that could decide the fate of the Boxing Day Test.

India owed their position of pre-eminence to Test cricket's top-two run-getters, who not only kept a hardworking Australian pace attack at bay for the better part of the last two sessions, but also laid the foundation for a strong reply.

While Tendulkar's innings was laced with classical drives and flashy upper cuts, Dravid, fought his way through a patchy period during which he played and missed often. It was hard work against Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus and James Pattinson, who seldom erred in length or direction.

Messrs Tendulkar and Dravid, who have long established themselves as the most profitable partnership firm in Test cricket, added another ton to their logbook. A 117-run partnership for the third wicket took their tally of century stands to 20 in 140 innings and total number of runs amassed by the duo in the process to a staggering 6,864!

The Tendulkar-Dravid show was hardly about numbers, though. Tendulkar joined forces with Dravid after Pattinson ended Virender Sehwag's somewhat charmed existence with a thunderbolt that the opener dragged back on to his stumps.

Sehwag, who was dropped by Michael Hussey at gully, Brad Haddin behind the stumps and almost got caught by David Warner, running in from long-on, failed to make it count as much as he would have liked to. His 67 off 83 balls only pinched the Aussies, who met with an early success when Haddin held a regulation catch to dismiss Gautam Gambhir off Hilfenhaus. Gambhir, who was made to hop around by the pacers, looked tentative during his brief stay at the wicket.

Tendulkar began with a streaky inside-edge for four, but an audacious upper cut off Siddle - the first delivery after tea - that landed beyond the third man fence, revealed his naked ambition. Soon, though, Tendulkar almost got out, spooning up an intended leg glance off part-times Hussey to silly mid-on beyond the reach of a fielder.

However, the authority with which he cover-drove Siddle on a bent knee, flicked Hilfenhaus to the fine-leg fence with finesse and slog-swept Nathan Lyon repeatedly to mid-wicket, indicated that the master was in his zone. He brought up his half-century off 55 balls with a gentle on-drive off Lyon, but couldn't see India through the close of play.

Source: http://timesofindia.feedsportal.com/fy/8at2Etd0V0XtX1VD/story01.htm

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