MCG Test: Australia sets India 499 for victory
Hayden becomes fifth Australian to surpasses 8,000 Test runs
The hosts continued to govern proceedings on Day 2 of the first Test match against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, setting the visitors an improbable target of 499, after declaring its second innings at 351/7.
Stuart Clark bowled a tremendous spell, disconcerting the under attack Rahul Dravid, before umpires declared stumps. Ponting slipped in Brad Hogg for the penultimate over to assess the worsening and slowing conditions of the wicket.
Michael Clarke and Phil Jaques led a dominating batting display before Australia declared its second innings with a seemingly insurmountable lead over India with two days to play in the MCG Test.
India ended the day’s play at 6/0 after surviving eight testing overs from Lee, Johnson and Clark. The Kumble-led outfit requires a further 493 runs to achieve victory on a swiftly deteriorating pitch. Rahul Dravid (3) and Wasim Jaffer (2) will resume India's chase on day four.
India, dismissed for 196 runs on the second day in reply to Australia's first innings of 343, will need to make history if it is to take a 1-0 lead in the four-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy.
The highest successful run-chase at the MCG was England's 332 against Australia in the 1928-29 Ashes series. Only three teams have ever completed a winning run-chase in excess of 400 runs in the fourth innings of a Test.
Milestones galore
Resuming on an overnight score of 32/0, the Australian second innings gained heaps of momentum in the morning session, with Jaques (51) reaching his fourth half-century in Test cricket. First innings centurion Matthew Hayden (47) reached 8,000 Test runs and became only the fifth Australian to reach the magical milestone.
Harbhajan Singh was the standout bowler for India, claiming 3/101, dismissing Jaques, Ponting (3) and Gilchrist (35). The off-spinner became the second bowler in the match to surpass 250 Test wickets after Brett Lee achieved the signpost during the second day.
Almost every Australian batsman piled on the runs and frustrated the Indian bowlers. Clarke was the top-scorer with a sturdy knock of 73 runs. ‘Pup’ was eventually dismissed when he stepped down the wicket to a flighted Kumble delivery and got stumped in the process by Dhoni.
Brad Hogg slammed a quickfire 34 off 49 balls including sixes off Harbhajan and Kumble, while Brett Lee scored 12 off 20 balls when captain Ricky Ponting declared the innings.
Clarke hit four boundaries and reached his half century off 82 balls in the 63rd over with a well-placed shot through cover for two runs off Harbhajan.
Jaques smashed five boundaries before bringing up his half century with a sweep shot off a Kumble delivery in the second over after lunch. The celebration was short lived as the opener popped a return catch to the India captain off the next ball.
After Australia slipped to 161-4, Clarke and Andrew Symonds combined to steady the innings with an 82-run, fifth-wicket partnership.
Symonds made a watchful start before unleashing a series of powerful shots, highlighted by two big sixes off Kumble and Singh, before being trapped LBW by Zaheer Khan, giving the lef-arm pacer his solitary scalp.
R.P. Singh (1-50) removed Mike Hussey for 36 when Sachin Tendulkar got behind a fast moving thick edge at first slip to leave the Australians at 161-4.
Rahul Dravid and Wasim Jaffer will have to do the bulk of the batting in order to save the Test or achieve an improbable victory. Australia will fancy their chances of going 1-0 up in the series. The second Test gets underway at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 2.
