India in Australia, 2007/08 (Australia)

Australia vs India, TEST

India: 161/10 (74 Ovs)
Zaheer Khan*	0(2)

The 15th consecutive win for Australia has come in great style. Before India had set foot on Australian soil, there were speculations about the bowling being very weak. The batting however was always considered to be on the money. But it was the other way round. The bowlers did reasonably well by not allowing a team like Australia to score more than 700 in the two innings but the batsmen failed big time as they folded for less than 200 in both the innings. The Australian bowlers all came to the party as they shared the wickets that fell. The major problem with the Indian batting was the negative approach at the top of the order. Australia is a team which gets on you if you give them a slight opportunity and the way Dravid batted was absolutely suicidal and the mood that he set at the top in both the innings, especially in the first, really killed the Indians. They have three or four days time to regroup before the next match and it is perhaps time for the management to take a bold decision. Do join us for the Live Coverage of the Sydney Test. Wishing you a happy and Properous New year in advance. Till then it is good bye and good day from all of us. Adios...

This is Australia's 15th consecutive Test win and 9th in a row at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Matthew Hayden is the Man of the Match for his impressive knocks of 124 and 47 which ensured that Australia laid a strong platform for a handy total.

Australia win by a whopping margin of 337 runs

Johnson to RP Singh, out Bowled!! touch short of good length delivery on the off, angling into the right hander, RP Singh stands tall and looks to force it away, went a touch too hard at it and played away from his body, inside edge drags it back onto the stumps, that is it, all over for the Indians, the Australians register a clinical win! RP Singh b Johnson 2(20)

73.6 Johnson to RP Singh, no ball, Johnson fires in the yorker on the leg, RP Singh closes the face of the bat and looks to flick it away, inside edge onto the pads, Johnson oversteps on that occasion, no ball called!

73.5 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, fuller length delivery outside the off stump, darts away from him, RP Singh comes on the frontfoot and looks to drive, misses yet again

73.4 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, good length delivery on the off, pitched up in the corridor of uncertainty, curving in and swinging away from him, RP Singh gets forward and looks to force it away, beats the outside edge

73.3 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, good length delivery on the off, angling into the right hander, RP Singh gets forward and defends it on the off side with a straightish bat, he seems to be enjoying his stint with the bat

73.2 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, back of a length delivery outside the off stump, angling into the right hander, RP Singh goes on the backfoot and defends it straight to the fielder at short cover

73.1 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, good length delivery on the stumps, slanting into the right hander, RP Singh gets forward and defends it on the off side

72.6 Hogg to RP Singh, 1 run, short of length delivery on the middle and leg, drifting into him, RP Singh goes on the backfoot and pulls it to backward square leg for a single, retains the strike yet again, don't know how much Zaheer would love tis!

72.5 Hogg to RP Singh, no run, delivery looped up on the middle and leg, curving in and spins away from the right hander sharply, RP Singh gets forward and feels for it, beats the outside edge

72.4 Hogg to RP Singh, no run, faster delivery on the stumps, angling away from the right hander, RP Singh gets forward and looks to defend it, inside edge onto the pads

72.3 Hogg to RP Singh, no run, shortish delivery on the middle and leg, spins away from the right hander sharply, RP Singh goes on the backfoot and looks to pull it across the line, misses it, wild swing and a miss

72.2 Hogg to RP Singh, no run, Hogg fires in a faster delivery on the leg, RP Singh comes on the frontfoot and looks to flick it away, hit on the boot outside the line of leg stump

72.1 Hogg to RP Singh, no run, delivery looped up on the off, angling away from the right hander, RP Singh gets forward and defends it on the off side with a dead straight bat

71.6 Johnson to RP Singh, byes, 1 run, fuller length delivery on the off, reverse swinging into the right hander sharply, RP Singh looks to drive, beaten all ends up, awkward bounce for Gilchrist and he fumbles, they go through for a bye now, RP Singh will retain the strike!

71.5 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, fuller length delivery outside the off stump, swinging away from the right hander a trifle, RP Singh comes on the frontfoot and swings his willow with all the power he has, misses like he did before!

71.4 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, fuller length delivery on the middle and leg, angling into the right hander, RP Singh shows the full face of the bat and drives it to mid on, wants a quick single but Zaheer denies, rightly so

71.3 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, touch short of good length delivery on the stumps, directed towards the body, RP Singh gets right behind and defends it solidly on the off side, finally, he connects

71.2 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, back of a length delivery outside the off stump, RP Singh stays rooted inside the crease and looks to force it away, misses yet again, can't expect bowlers to bat well after the dismal show by their genuine batsmen!

71.1 Johnson to RP Singh, no run, Johnson comes round the wicket to the right hander now, good length delivery on the off, pitched up in the corridor of uncertainty, holding its line, RP Singh goes for the drive, misses it!

70.6 Hogg to Zaheer, no run

70.5 Hogg to Zaheer, no run, delivery looped up on the off, angling away from the right hander, Zaheer comes on the frontfoot and pushes it straight to the fielder at short cover

70.4 Hogg to RP Singh, 1 run, delivery looped up on the off, angling away from the right hander, RP Singh reaches for it and drives it to mid off for a single, gets off the mark straightaway! RP Singh heaves a sigh of relief, the tailenders enjoy their batting, wonder how much they would enjoy at such a stage!

End Man Rudra Pratap Singh, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Hogg to Ganguly, out Lbw!! Now it's Ganguly's turn, Hogg tosses it up on the off, curving into the left hander sharply, Ganguly gets forward and looks to defend it, misses the line completely and rapped on the pads, huge appeal for a lbw and it has been upheld, Hogg's hardwork and persistence pays off, removes Ganguly for the second time in a row in this game, he misses out on yet another fifty, three wickets in a span of 4 balls have fallen! Ganguly lbw b Hogg 40(78) [4s-5]

70.2 Hogg to Ganguly, no run, back of a length delivery angling into the left hander, Ganguly goes on the backfoot and defends it on the off side with a dead straight bat

Zaheer Khan, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Hogg to Ganguly, out Harbhajan Run Out!! short of length delivery outside the off stump, spins further away from the left hander and keeps low at the same time, Ganguly backs away and cuts it to cover, excellent sliding stop there in that region, Harbhajan Singh wants a single which was pretty much available but Ganguly is not a bit interested, good throw from the edge of the circle and good support from the bowler too, clips off the bails as Harbhajan Singh falls short, he is absolutely furious with his partner here! Harbhajan run out (Hussey/Hogg) 0(0)

Appeal for a run out has been referred to the third umpire now

Harbhajan Singh, right handed bat, comes to the crease

Johnson to Kumble, out Caught by Gilchrist!! this was coming, due for a long time and finally, Johnson gets his reward, good length delivery on the off, pitched up in the corridor of uncertainty, curving in and swinging away from the right hander at the last moment, Kumble gets forward and looks to go for the crashing cover drive, outside edge and Gilchrist pouches that safely, 18,000 Dollars goes into the account of the Cancer Patients Foundation, the Australians are inching closer to victory now! nothing much India can do at the moment! Kumble c Gilchrist b Johnson 8(21) [4s-1]

69.5 Johnson to Kumble, no run, fuller length delivery outside the off stump, sliding away, Kumble leans into the shot and drives it straight to the fielder at point, great stop!

69.4 Johnson to Kumble, FOUR!!, touch short of good length delivery outside the off stump, slanting into the right hander, Kumble goes on the backfoot and looks to punch it away, outside edge runs it down to third man for four, doesn't carry to the keeper and an awkward bounce ahead of him beats Gilchrist

69.3 Johnson to Kumble, no run, Johnson comes round the wicket to the right hander, fuller length delivery on the off, angling into the right hander and then leaves him at the last moment, Kumble is cemented in the crease, pokes and misses

69.3 Johnson to Kumble, no ball, Johnson oversteps on that occasion, beats the outside edge again, lucky break for Kumble!

69.2 Johnson to Kumble, no run, good length delivery on the off, sliding away from the right hander, Kumble gets forward and looks to defend it, beaten all ends up

69.1 Johnson to Kumble, no run, good length delivery outside the off stump, angling away from the right hander, Kumble comes on the frontfoot and lifts his bat and lets it go