INDIA CLINCH TEST SERIES

October 13th, 2010 by Ravi Matah | Posted in Sports   Comments Off on INDIA CLINCH TEST SERIES
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Bangalore:  After a tight finish in Mohali a week ago, it was a one-sided game in Bangalore as India comfortably beat Australia by seven-wickets on day five of the second Test to win the two-match series 2-0 on Wednesday and register their first win here in 15 years.

Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara

India won the first Test at Mohali, thanks to VVS Laxman who played a splendid knock there to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. In the second test it was Sachin Tendulkar’s herioc 214 in the first innings and 53 not out in the second innings which spelt doom for Australia.

Earlier in the day, the Australians added 21 runs to their overnight score and ended up being dismissed for 223 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Requiring 206 runs to win on the last day, India began the run chase from the word go and lost Sehwag early in the second innings. But Cheteshwar Pujara and Murli Vijay ensured building the foundation of India’s victory at Bangalore in front of a jam-packed Stadium. Pujara slammed chancelesss 72 on Test debut was bowled by Nathan Hauritz. He seems to have sealed his place as the one-down batsman for the Indian Team.

Pujara showed his determination and drove the Australian speedsters Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Hauritz with authority. He alongwith Murli Vijay built up a lengthy partnership and ensured that the India became closer and closer to the victory target of 207 runs which was to be achieved in the stipulated 77 overs.

Their 72-run stand ended when Vijay was trapped lbw by Shane Watson for 37. And this wicket brought Sachin Tendulkar to the crease.
 

Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar

Tendulkar and Dravid then ensured that the total of 207 runs was achieved without any  further loss of wicket  and the Bangalore crowd erupted in jubilation to see the master blaster scpre the winning two runs off a leg glance to deep leg boundry.

India were then just 61 runs away and Tendulkar and Dravid made it look so easy from there.

Earlier, Tendulkar was in a punishing mood and he hit two consecutive sixes over long-on boundary.

Australlia have lost a test match in Bangalore for the first time in 15 years and have lost all the tests in a series for the first time in 30 years. Australia will now enter the ODI series after facing defeat in all the last three test matches.

Australia will have to over-haul their team now as the bowlers, in particular, have not bowled to their potential in this match. They did not bother the Indian batsmen at all except that they did bowl a few good bouncers. The swing off the  pitch was absent and their in-cutters off the pitch were also not visible. On the contrary the Indian bowlers managed to extract both swing and bounce from the wicket on the last day of the match. They managed to restrict Australia at 223 in their second innings.

Scores – Australia – 478 and 223
                  India         – 495 and 207 for 3 wickets.

The Man of the March award was given to Sachin Tendulkar and the Man of the Series award also went to Sachin Tendulkar.

M.S.Dhoni picked up the Test Series Trophy as well as the Border Gavaskar Trophy which was presented to him by the little master Sunil Gavaskar himself.

Ravi Matah.

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