Sports

India Vs Australia, Sachin's ton take India to 311/5 at stumps

by Sanjay Jha | November 5, 2008 at 10:29 pm

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A brilliant knock by Indian ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar took India to 311 runs for the loss of five wickets at the close of first day's play in Nagpur.India dominated the game with Tendulkar's 40th Test century today.

At stumps on Day one, India were 311/5 with Sourav Ganguly (27) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (4) at the crease.

Tendulkar (109) was trapped plumb in front of the wicket by Mitchell Johnson by a delivery that was going to hit top of middle stump. This is the third time in this series that Johnson has dismissed Tendulkar.

Johnson set up the dismissal beautifully, he first bowled a couple of short deliveries to push Tendulkar back and then pitched one slightly up and straightening to put an end to Tendulkar's brilliant innings and put India to 303/5.

Indian master batsman Sachin Tendulkar along with VVS Laxman has steadied India's innings after losing three crucial wickets in the first session of the first day's play in Nagpur.

Tendulkar who slammed 52nd Test fifty, his 12th against Australia, during his 50-plus partnership with Laxman, who is playing his 100th Test, for the fourth wicket took Indian inning to 184/3. The hosts have lost three quick wickets on the first day of the fourth Test against Australia at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Jamtha in Nagpur on Thursday.

Tendulkar, after lunch, hit his 52nd Test fifty, his 12th fifty against Australia and has put up a 86-run stand with Laxman for the fourth wicket.

Tendulkar brought up his half-century off 65 balls with the help of eight fours. The standout shot being a superb straight drive off Brett Lee that was only a gentle push but didn't give the fielders any chance.

Before lunch, Sehwag and Vijay gave India a good start with an opening stand of 98 runs off 17.5 overs.

Indian test skipper MS Dhoni, who is leading the team after Anil Kumble announced his Test retirement post New Delhi Test, won the toss and chose to bat in the ongoing 4th cricket test Played at western Indian city of Nagpur. India is leading the series 1-0. A win will clinch them the series, while a draw would mean that Australia retain the Trophy for the third consecutive time. This is the last test for former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, Murali Vijay starts his Test career as prolific batsman Gautam Gambhir is serving the one-Test ban. After a blistering start, India have lost the advantage as Australia have reduced them to 122 runs for three wickets on Day 1 of the Nagpur Test. Jason Krejza dismissed Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid.

Virender Sehwag and M Vijay gave India a good start with an opening stand of 80 runs off 15 overs on the first day of the fourth Test between India and Australia at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.

Sehwag and Test debutant Vijay rattled the Australians by scoring at more than five runs per over, after Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first on a superb batting wicket.

Sehwag got off the mark with a square drive that raced to the boundary and M Vijay too got his first runs in Test cricket with a sweetly timed cover drive in the first over by Brett Lee.