Australia rocks India on day two - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Australia rocks India on day two

By Will Swanton 07/10/2004 10:13:43 PM Comments (0)

Australia had India by the scruff of the neck after Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist made thunderous centuries, Glenn McGrath took the massive wicket of Rahul Dravid and Shane Warne cleaned up VVS Laxman on day two of the first Test at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Clarke's debut 151 and Gilchrist's 104, his first ton as captain, pushed Australia to a first innings total of 474 which took on Himalayan proportions when McGrath took 2-0 in nine balls during an inspired opening burst that sent Aakash Chopra and Dravid on their way for ducks.

And that was just the beginning of the rout. India limped to 6-150 at stumps, still 324 runs behind and needing another 125 to avoid the follow-on.

Clarke's incredible innings - the 12th century in a first innings by an Australian debutant, and the first abroad since Harry Graham's 107 at Lord's in 1893 - sparked a minute-long celebration from the 23-year-old prior to Gilchrist also bellowing in delight when he reached his own memorable 100.

Then McGrath struck.

He deceived Chopra with one of the oldest tricks in the book, sending down three dead-straight deliveries before an off-cutter that jagged back, fooling the Indian opener into not playing a shot and being ruled LBW by umpire Steve Bucknor.

One for none.

Another perfect McGrath off-cutter did what few others have been able to do over the last 12 months, getting through Dravid's normally rock-solid defence and knocking back his stumps to momentarily silence a crowd which knows how to make a bit of noise.

They found full voice again when Sourav Ganguly (45) and Virender Sehwag added 83 for the third wicket, but Michael Kasprowicz abruptly halted India's momentum when he had Sehwag caught one-handed for 39 by a diving Justin Langer at mid-wicket.

Kasprowicz ripped his fingers across the seam in a McGrathesque fashion to have Ganguly caught behind by Gilchrist as India slumped to 4-98 in a disastrous day.

Brought to you by AAP AAP © 2024 AAP

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