Cricket News – the Cricket Insider

 

Krejza’s sensational eight-wicket haul debut

Australia’s hope of leveling the series rose when debutant Jason Krejza hauled a record equalling eight-wickets which triggered a dramatic Indian collapse on the second afternoon of the fourth Test.

Australia held the advantage when Simon Katich followed up the sensational debut of Krejza with a brilliant unbeated knock of 92 as he along with Michael Hussy put on an unbroken 115-run third wicket stand finishing the day on 189 for two.

Krejza who had been ignored for the first three Tests, showed the mistake the Aussies had done with a dream spell in which he took five wickets for 16 runs to leave the Indians on 441 after being 404 for 5 at lunch.

Australia enter the third day still 252 runs short of India’s first innings total with 8 wickets in hand.

Australia on backfoot

Resuming day three on 149 for two, Australia were on their backfoot as they were outdone by India’s magic yet again. They were bowled out for 355 in their first innings after displaying on of the worst batting performances of recent times.

With two more days and a lead of 86, there is no doubt that India would take the advantage and finish off the Aussies.

Australia has been on the backfoot for most of the four Tests series making many wonder if this is the most vulnerable team fron Down Under.

Harbhajan Singh, with Ricky Ponting’s wicket, became the third Indian bowler and the 22nd in the cricketing world to bag 300 Tests wickets. It was the tenth time he got Ponting’s wicket in Tests.

Aussie hopes of a victory raised

Despite battling half centuries from Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh, India chances of winning the fourth and final test of the Border/ Gavaskar series were dented, setting the Aussies a getable target of 382 on the final day.

Shane Watson and debutant off-spinner Jason Krejza each claimed 4 wickets to raise Australia’s hopes of claiming the victory they need to draw the series. Both Watson and Krejza triggered a collapse as India crashed from 0-116 just after lunch to 6-166 at tea.

The spinner that wasn’t good enough to get into the Aussie side in the first two matches, has become a star, taking his tenth of twelve wickets in the match, getting Ganguly in his last Test innings, for a first ball duck.

The Indians seems as if they want to give the Aussies a chance of winning this game.

The Indians are still favourites to win, but they have given the Canaries a very real sniff of levelling the series.