Last updated: 13th October 2008
Harbhajan: Leads an appeal for a decision on day four
First Test Match
Bangalore - Day Four
Australia 430 (M E K Hussey 146, R T Ponting 123, S M Katich 66, Z Khan 5-91, I Sharma 4-77) & 193-5 v India 360 (Z Khan 57 no, Harbhajan Singh 54, R Dravid 51, M G Johnson 4-70)
The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series looks set for a thrilling final day after Australia edged along to 193-5, giving them a lead of 263 over India.
Zaheer Khan made just his second Test half-century as the hosts added 47 runs for the final two wickets before being bowled out for 360.
The tourists laboured along at the start of their second innings, losing wickets at regular intervals on a crumbling pitch to check their progress.
They were indebted to an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 65 between Shane Watson, who finished on 32 not out, and Brad Haddin, the wicketkeeper unbeaten on 28 at the close of play.
The partnership pushed the balance of power back in favour of the Australians, who will now return on the final morning in pole position.
They had struggled throughout the day to take command, though, starting with their bowlers being unable to quickly wrap up the Indian tail.
Zaheer followed up his five-wicket haul with a dogged performance with the bat, striking seven fours in his 57 not out. His only other half-century in Test cricket came against Bangladesh back in 2004.
He was given able support by his skipper, Anil Kumble, who frustrated the bowlers for over an hour before being trapped leg before by all-rounder Watson.
Ishant Sharma faced 31 balls but was the last wicket to fall in the innings, part-time spinner Michael Clarke bowling the number 11 for six.
Australia's hopes of getting off to a good start suffered an early blow when Matthew Hayden was dismissed in dubious circumstances for the second time in the match.
After being harshly given out caught behind in the very first over of the match, the opener once again fell to left-armer Zaheer, this time adjudged lbw on 13 despite getting a good stride down the wicket.
From then on the run-rate dropped to a pedestrian pace, Simon Katich scratching around for 34 off 140 balls until finally Harbhajan Singh ended his tortuous progress.
Even captain Ricky Ponting was becalmed, making just 17 before falling to seamer Sharma, who also removed Michael Clarke thanks to a well-disguised slower ball that was chipped straight to short cover.
When Michael Hussey misjudged a 'doosra' from Harbhajan to be bowled for 31, Australia were 128-5 and in danger of being bowled out cheaply.
Watson and Haddin made sure that didn't happen, leaving the game beautifully poised heading to its conclusion.
| Fixture |
|---|
| Friday 5th December |
| Champions Twenty20 League |
| Middlesex vs Pretoria |
| IPL Jaipur vs Sialkot |
| Tour Match |
| TBC vs England |
| Saturday 6th December |
| Champions Twenty20 League |
| Pretoria vs Victoria |
| Natal vs Western Australia |
| Middlesex vs IPL Chennai |
| Sunday 7th December |
| Champions Twenty20 League |
| IPL Jaipur vs Western Australia |
| IPL Chennai vs Pretoria |
| Natal vs Sialkot |
| Monday 8th December |
| Champions Twenty20 League |
| TBC vs TBC |
| Result |
|---|
| Sunday 30th November |
| 1 Day Intl Series |
| Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka Sri Lanka won by 19 runs. |
| Friday 28th November |
| 1 Day Intl Series |
| Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka Sri Lanka won by 2 wickets. |
| Test Match Series |
| Australia vs New Zealand Australia won by an innings and 62 runs. |
| Wednesday 26th November |
| 1 Day Intl Series |
| India vs England India won by 6 wickets. |
| Test Match Series |
| South Africa vs Bangladesh South Africa won by an innings and 48 runs. |
| Monday 24th November |
| 1 Day Intl Series |
| Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka Sri Lanka won by 5 runs. |
| Sunday 23rd November |
| 1 Day Intl Series |
| India vs England India won by 19 runs. |
| Saturday 22nd November |
| 1 Day Intl Series |
| Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets. |
| Thursday 20th November |
| 1 Day Intl Series |
| Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets. |
| India vs England India won by 16 runs. |
Nasser Hussain says England's return to India sends a strong message of support to India's people.
Bumble is ready to fly out to India again - and says it's time to move on for the sake of the victims.
Brendon McCullum keeps ahead of the pack in the Sky Sports International Sixes League.
India have announced their 15-man squad for the scheduled two-Test series against England in December.
Kevin Pietersen is confident the Test series in India will go ahead, but a final decision will be made on Sunday.
Chaminda Vaas has been recalled to the Sri Lanka Test team to face Bangladesh, but was left out of the one-day squad.
Yorkshire's Adil Rashid has been added to the England performance squad travelling to Abu Dhabi on Thursday.
Middlesex will follow England's lead in not forcing any of its players to travel to India for the Champions League Twenty20.