Chennai Test: Ind vs Australia
Commentary Transcript: Post Lunch Session
Prem > Okay, here we go -- Post Lunch session, India needing 136 at 2.1 per over over 63 overs with nine wickets standing, Ramesh 14 and Laxman 0 at the crease is how it all stacks up.
Prem > Colin Miller to resume post lunch play, so Steve Waugh putting his money on spin straight away -- and why not, with Harbajan having just completed an eight wicket haul?
Prem > Miller, with a slip, leg slip and short square, to Laxman who guides it easily through cover point off the front foot from line of off. two, and India 25/1.
Prem > That kept low. And wide of off. Laxman shaped to pull, for the length, then pulled out of the shot when he saw it scoot through. Ball three, tossed up, well outside off turning in and laxman well forward, letting it go
Prem > Again, nice flight, and turn in, and laxman drives, through cover again and that is four. Lovely shot, right into line and effortlessly played. 29/1 the score
Prem > Miller in again to Laxman. Last ball of the over, 62 more to go. 29/1 India. Brilliant shot again -- effortless on drive this time, to the same length. This is the problem with laxman, for bowlers, he plays about three shots to each ball and you never know which comes next. Man in the deep on the on fields, single taken, 30/1 to end the first over after lunch.
Prem > 7 to laxman, india 30/1 in 8 overs,. 62 more to go and McGrath to bowl the second over after lunch, to Ramesh, India 125 shy of the win
Prem > McGrath, to Laxman sorry, outside off and left alone by the batsman. A short cover in place for laxman, hoping for an uppish drive since laxman reaches forward for that shot. Two slips and gully as well. Outside off and laxman content to play spectator
Prem > McGrath, to Laxman. Again, wide of off and laxman not interested. He doesn't need to be -- with the overs in hand, he knows the runs will come provided no silly shots are played and wickets lost. And again, same line, same reaction from the batsman. Six teams have won three test series after losing the first one, Pakistan has done it twice, Sr Lanka, England twice, and South Africa being the others. McGrath, outside off, left alone, India in its 9th over , 30/1 needing 125 more
Prem > End of the over, the last ball staying low, Laxman has a little dab at it but it remains low as it goes past him defeating the shot. 30/1 at the end of 9, 61 overs to go
Prem > Miller, the offie, to Ramesh the southpaw, batting 14. short square, slip, silly point, bad ball on the pads and ramesh gently eases it out on the on, square, single. 31/1.
Prem > miller now to laxman, who drove him well in the prevous over. Outside off, he angles his bat down, it hits the edge and goes into the ground, races past the only slip, four to third man. 35/1, not a very convincing shot.
Prem > quicker through the air and fuller this time, and laxman on the back foot and plays it out on the on. slip, short square, and a very short mid on for the airborne flick or push with the turn. laxman defends out on the off.
Prem > miller again. wide of off, well flighted, laxman lets it go, 35/1 india, 120 shy still, 10 overs gone and 60 more to go. now needing exactly two in each over
Prem > McGrath resumes. Ramesh on strike. batting 15 to laxman's 11, and mcgrath round the wicket to ramesh, on off, played to point, no run
Prem > McGrath in, to Ramesh. Bouncer, and Ramesh goes under it. looking quite relaxed, Ramesh, but then, he pretty much always looks relaxed. Like the saying goes, he either has no fear, or no imagination. In again, McGrath, that is a good ball, really quick on length on off and ramesh has to hurry, takes a hand off the handle, plays it down on leg side
Prem > Two slips in place, mcgrath to ramesh, round the wicket and on off angling in, ramesh flicks nicely off the pads but steve waugh gets it at short midwicket, no run
Prem > mcgrath to ramesh. short, on off, ramesh nicely behind the line and plays it back down the track
Prem > sachin, ganguly, dravid all close together in the pavilion, with dravid sitting in front of the computer with the software they are now using. much chatter between the three, meanwhile ramesh drives from line of off, cover fields, slight fumble but no run taken, 30/1 india in 11 overs, 59 still to go
Prem > correction, 36/1 the score, ramesh did take the single, and now will face Miller bowling right arm, over the wicket, with slip, silly point and a short square in place.
Prem > Miller to Ramesh. 119 short india. flighted on off, nnice inside out drive, just guiding it, not hitting, finds cover, no run.
Prem > miller, this one on leg, ramesh shoves his pad at it
Prem > Miller to Ramesh. Onn leg, and ramesh lunges into a defensive push.
Prem > miller in again, short, flat, lifting, bad ball and ramesh immediately on to it, leans back and away, lets it go past and taps it nicely on the head, the well played cut, four through the gully region. 40/1.
Prem > Next ball, outside leg an ramesh pads up. 115 shy, india
Prem > 40/1 chasing 155, and 58 overs now remaining. 12 bowled. ramesh 20 off 35, laxman 11 off 20. mcgrath, two slips, to laxman, short on off and punched to point, no run
Prem > McGrath to Laxman, outside off and left alone. Tony Grieg seems to think even a tie is possible here -- a bit more of this and someone needs to strangle him with the tie he is wearing, frankly. McGrath in again, to Laxman, on off and the batsman defends.
Prem > mcgrath, to laxman. on off and played to point, that one keeping a touch low.
Prem > McGrath, just outside off, and Laxman this time has a little dab at it. That is the one shot he needs to cut out, outside of his off stump. McGrath, and that is better, laxman letting it through, 40/1 india, 57 more overs to go
Prem > 13 overs gone, Miller now goes round the wicket to ramesh, perhaps trying to get the southpaw driving and edging. slip and gully waitinfg for it but bad line finally, down leg and flicked around, single to ramesh. 41/1.
Prem > And again, short this time and laxman rocks back and smashes through point this time, four more. 49/1 india
Prem > Unlike Bajju, Miller rarely flights the ball, which is why he is getting no turn and bounce here. laxman typical, here, one shot on te front foot, one on the back foot, and no clue for the bwoler where he will be next. End of the overr, India 49/1 chasing 155. 14 overs gone, 56 to go
Prem > 21 ramesh, facing mcgrath going round the wicket, on off, and ramesh drives, finds cover.
Prem > Nice shot, leaning back this time to steer from line of off, but finds point, ramesh, batting 21 off 38 balls. 49/1 india, 106 more needed at 1.9 runs an over, laxman at the other end, 19 off 31. mcgrath, outside off, and left alone
Prem > next ball angled in on off and ramesh this time, driving off the front foot and two more through mid off, moves to 23, India 51/1, this is the 15th over of the innings. mcgrath, that is outside off, a slash, trying to drive, beaten. no touch, fortunately for ramesh.
Prem > McGrath, outside off, left alone this time. End of the over, 51/1 india, 106 shy, 55 overs to go
Prem > 23 ramesh, 19 laxman. And Aus throws its last card into the ring -- Warne to bowl.
Prem > Laxman on strike, slip and silly point in place and the first ball, outside off and laxman smashes it, pickingthe slightly short length, through point, four. 55/1 and now 100 more to get
Prem > 16th over, laxman on strike,. warne this time flights on leg and laxman on drives, handsome shot, man right out on the line and two more to him, 57/1, india needing 98 more and 6 off warne's first two balls
Prem > Warne tries the line outside leg, laxman skips down the track, plays to midwicket, slight fumble and they take the single. 58/1.
Prem > 97 still shy and now warne to ramesh. slip, silly point, flighted and driven. good fielding at cover.
Prem > Outside off, the flipper, angling across and ramesh lifts his bat out of line. 23 to him, 26 laxman at the other end.
Prem > warne, to ramesh, slip, short square, silly point, and ramesh defends. 58/1 atthe end of tthe over. 97 to get. 54 more overs to go
Prem > McGrath continues. Outisde off, and punched through point, single. 59/1.
Prem > 17th over, mcgrath now to ramesh. round the wicket, and he slashes into that cut. extra bounce beats the shot. that is the second time ramesh has flasehd at mcgrath and missed
Prem > McGrath in again and ramesh lets it go.
Prem > mcgrath, and ramesh again groping outside off. that guy has spells when he cant put a foot wrong, then spells when he cant put a foot right. Ends the over, 53 to go. 59/1.
Prem > 23 ramesh, 27 laxman. 96 short, india, 53 overs to go. warne resumes, goiong round the wicket, to laxman. slip and silly point on dthe off and what does warne do? pitch outside leg with fine leg wide, and laxman immediately goes back and glances it to the boundary. 63/1.
Prem > Warne again. now ofver the wicket, laxman skips down the track and drives, but back tothe bowler, no run.
Prem > warne to laxman. down leg again and a nice little glide, and they run well, make it two. 65/1.
Prem > 90 more to get, for india, and warne this time curves one in on middle, laxman down the track, defends. warne again, laxman 33, slip silly point and mid on up close, and laxman plays to midwicket, no run. 65/1.
Prem > warne to laxman. and laxman this time, down the track, superbly hit off drive, man there deep, only one, 66/1 and 7 off the warne over.
Prem > 34 off 41, laxman. McGrath going off now, and Gillespie taking over.
Prem > gillespie, and there goes laxman again. a bit full on middle and leg and immediately onto the on drive, four. superbly hit, lovely wrist work, shutting down th angle as it swings in. 38 laxman, 70/1 india. 85 more to go. gillespie in again, bouncer outside off and laxman sways away
Prem > Gillespie, with the second wicket partnership now 52, another short lifter outside off, laxman covers up and lets it go
Prem > 19th over in progress, of a total of 70 that india has to play. on off, and laxman punches to point.
Prem > Oh, shot. Short ball and an almost contemptuous pull, Laxman standing tall and smashing that through midwicket, four more.
Prem > No matter who bowls and what the situation is, this guy plays the ball on merit -- which makes him a dangerous number three when in full form. 74/1 inida at the end of the over and laxman 42 off just 47 balls. Warne to Ramesh now.
Prem > warne in, to ramesh on 23, wide of off and he lets it go
Prem > And that is wide of off again, tramesh this time reaches into it, and guides it past the slip, to third man, two more. 76/1 and now 79 short of the target
Prem > warne, to ramesh. outside off, cut away, and a huge mix up there, ramesh a long way down looking for one, laxman sends him back but by then, he was at the other end almost. 76/2 india and a very upset Ramesh walks back to the pavilion.
Prem > Ramesh running that too fast -- generally, a shot to a fielder, you start, but keep an eye on what's happening, and r4eally go only if it is past the fielder. here, he hit, and ran, and kept running. at the other end, laxman came down, saw the fielder had it covered, held his hand up, yelled no. Apparently, the INdians don't understand that other than yes and no, there is a third call you make -- "Waiting".
Prem > And that brings Tendulkar to the wicket to face Warne. 79 shoret India.
Prem > Warne, slip and silly point, quick flipper and sachin defends
Prem > No ball next up, and India 77. Next ball, outside off and he lets it go with the arm. sachin watches it through. 78 more for india. dopwn leg this time, and tendulkar taps it out on the on side, single, 78/2 and 77 still to get india
Prem > gillespie, to sachin. driven from line of off, to wide mid off, single. 79/2 india
Prem > gillespie again to laxman this time, on off, a bit of lift, played to mid on. 21st over in progress.
Prem > gillespie again, to laxman. two slips. full length, driven, good stop at cover and no run
Prem > 76 short india, gillespie to laxman short and lifting around off and punched to cover off the back foot, finds the fielder
Prem > laxman facing gillespie, short, outside off, thumped off the back foot, ponting at point misfields, that washit very hard, single. 80/2.
Prem > gillespie now to sachin, gtwo slips and a gully. on off again, and driven, but to mid off, no run. 80/2 at the end of the over, 75 more to get. 21 overs gone, 49 to go
Prem > drinks on the field, quick breather for me, be right back
Prem > Warne to resume. round the wicket to laxman, who goes down and drives, doesnt really get hold of it, single out on the on side brings sachin on strike, 81/2 india
Prem > warne waits while all kinds of adjustments are made in the field. nicely spread now on the on, warne going round the wicket and sachin paddles, but too close to his pad that time, misses
Prem > warne, to sachin. slip, silly point up close on the off, sachin goes inside out, guides to wide mid off, takes one. 82/2.
Prem > Warne, round the wicket, on middle and laxman defensive. next ball, down leg, he goes back looking to glance, misses. for some reason, as they take the bye, umpire jayaprakash calls that a dead ball, the single cancelled. that was a leg bye actually. anyways. next ball, played to midwicket from wide of leg, no run, end of the over, 82/2 india.
Prem > Gillespie to resume, with Sachin facing him. batting 3, laxman batting 43, gillespie angles one in on off, sachin shuts the bat face, runs it square on the on and take sone. 23rd over this, out of 70 due to india, 83/2 the score.
Prem > gillespie now to laxman, with two slips. short outside off and a magnificient covrer drive on the up off the back foot, four. that bat came down in a flash, god knows what those wrists are made of. no backlift, just wrist generating enormous batspeed into the shot. four more. 87/2 and now a more orthodox drive off the front foot, finds cover.
Prem > 68 more to go, india. short outside off, laxman covers up this time and lets it go
Prem > Ooops, lost the signals for a bit. Break in commentary, be right back
Prem > Okay, back again live. 47 laxman, 4 sachin, 87/2 india, 23 overs gone, and warne to sachin with slip and short cover, but lands one on leg, sachin turns it round, short fine leg in place, sachin looking for the single, sent back and a good thing too, no run there
Prem > warne again, going round the wicket and landing outside leg now with a short fine leg and short mid on. quyicker ball, too short, flipper and sachin rocks abck and smashes through midwicket, fouir. 91/2.
Prem > warne again, outside off this time and sachin rocks abck again, lets it come on then smashes square through point, four more. 95/2.
Prem > 12 sachin, off 12 balls faced, laxman going good at the other end as well, india now 60 short of the win. WArne was the last hope the Aussies had, but laxman and sachin together is not the kind of combination he likes bowling to. SAchin this time, guides to backward square, gets a couple, 97/2
Prem > Visuals coming and going... bit of a problem here, missed something just now. Laxman facing warne, and defensive tothe last ball, 97/2 the score at the end of the over
Prem > Gillespie resumes, sachin on strike, on off and sachin plays out on the on. 25th over of the innings in progres, 97/2 india. gillespie in to sachin. two slips, the rest of the field defensive, and to a ball short on middle going to leg, sachin goes insdie the line, plays a delicare leg glance off his hips, four to fine leg, india 101/2.
Prem > This man is amazing -- Gillespie, I mean. Throughout the series, he has bowled with incredible speed, and fire.
Prem > This man is amazing -- Gillespie, I mean. Throughout the series, he has bowled with incredible speed, and fire.
Prem > Ganguly the new man in. 54 to get, india, gillespie in to him, right arm around the wicket and off the thick outer edge, ball one, goes to point.
Prem > That was a no ball, actually, the one gillespie bowled to sachin, but anyways, that is how it goes
Prem > gillespie again, short ball, ganguly goes under it, 101/3 the score
Prem > gillespie there was trying for the extreme angle. which makes a lifter off a length almost unplayable -- only, in that search for the angle, he went too far wide of the stumps. Brilliant ball, deserved the wicket, pity about the foot really. Laxman meanwhile, batting 47 and facing Warne who should be feeling much happier now with one half of his worries gone back to the hut
Prem > very very silly ball that -- full toss and about three feet outside leg. laxman skipped down, so it going wide, threw his bat at it, got the touch through to fine elg, four more and that is laxman';s fourth straight 50. 105/3 india, 51 laxman off 63 balls. warne again, outsdie leg and laxman lets it hit him on the pad
Prem > And again. Warne going too full, too wide of leg, laxman just moves into line and eases it through mid on, four more. 109/3.
Prem > warne, this time short. Laxman rocks back and pulls,a nd that is four more. 113/3.
Prem > Warne struggling to find any kind of line to bowl to the indians, particularly laxman and sachin, and in this ttest, dravid too handling him with ease. laxman plays this to short fine, and now with the roar in the stadium, damnded if you can hear the calls of yes and no. anyway, no it is, and india 113/3 at the end of the over
Prem > And there goes Ganguly, to complete a miserable personal tour. Smashed one through the slip cordon, for four, next ball, stood there and guided the next one to the slips, mark waugh catches, ganguly gone for 4, india 117/4.
Prem > Gnaguly, here, being booed off the ground. His personal batting form has been very bad, and he doesnt seem to have won himself too many friends with his various outbursts at some of the past players, at the Australian captain and finally, the Ausrtralian spectators in Calcutta.
Prem > That is outside off, and Dravid oepns the bat face, runs it down through the slips, four to third man, looked in control of that one, 121/4.
Prem > Less than a run an over needed here, and dravid goes for the drive. too eager there, that had the length, but dravid hit too hard, got the edge, lucky it hit his pad. a touch too pumped uyp, Dravid, here. And gillespie ahs something to say to him at the end of that, end of the over as well, india 121/4.
Prem > Less than a run an over needed here, and dravid goes for the drive. too eager there, that had the length, but dravid hit too hard, got the edge, lucky it hit his pad. a touch too pumped uyp, Dravid, here. And gillespie ahs something to say to him at the end of that, end of the over as well, india 121/4.
Prem > Warne taken off in a hurry, and Miller now comes on. three fours went in warne';s last over, miller at 4-0-25-0 didn't exactly set the stands on fire, but for now seems the more conservatrive option. the aussies looking to keep it tight at one end and let gillespie loose at the other. laxman facing, and defensive to ball one
Prem > miller, and laxman this time, looks to swat him over mid off. not sure whey they are playing too many shots at this point, lucky to get the ball onto the body. he was looking to hit off to leg there. Miller agfian, to laxman. and that is better, forward, defending
Prem > miller, with slip and short square, short ball though and thumped through point, sweeper in place, single to laxman, 122/4 india
Prem > Miller now to Dravid. lots of chat by the aussies among themselves, about the field setting. now in, m,iller, with slip, silly point and short square, dravid tries to drive on the on, leading edge, in the air, and a brilliant take at mid off. 122/5. Dravid has been doing too many shots too early, that was steve waugh with the catch and the indians really letting nerves get the better of them here. you could have done this in singles, no one needed to become a hero.
Prem > That really was silly cricket by Dravid. He has been playing more aggressively now, after coming down to number 6, but given the match situation, all he needed was to stay out there, as the last batsman in the line up, and see the team home. 122/5 and laxman now facing gillespie. on off and nicely played by laxman, looking very solid, single, 123/5.
Prem > thjree slips, two gullies and dighe now on strike to gillespie. had a horrible game with the gloves, a chance to redeem himself here with the bat. outside off, left alone.
Prem > one thing needs saying --nthere are some lessons the indians never learn. time and again, in close chases, they have made this mistake of trying to do it all in one over, when needing less than one run per over, and collapsed. and then they go and do it again, the next time. Gillespie, to dighe. 123/5 india, and on leg, played nicely out on the on, no run. the stadium now is just one big noise -- non-stop, and the pressure equally on both sides now.
Prem > gillespie, taking his own time on the walkback, settling himself, in now to dighe, on middle and a gnelte tap on the on, single, 124/5.
Prem > gillespie to laxman now, and the field spreading to keep him from getting boundaries. 31 more for india to get
Prem > 61 laxman, one slip alone in place. bouncer, and laxman goes under it. 124/5 the score at the end of the over. the over count now immaterial -- it is either, india gets 31 or aus gets 5.
Prem > 41 overs remain. 5 wickets remain. 0.76 per over the ask. 31 more to get. Dighe on strike. Sairaj in next. Four round the bat, bad ball, too short, miller trying too hard, dighe rocks back, smashes through point, long chase, they take three more, 127/5 and india 28 short with laxman on strike
Prem > dighe onto the front foot to a flighted ball, drives on the on. finds mid on, no run
Prem > 128/5 and four round the bat plus short mid on, and dighe covers up, lets it go, that ball hits therough and turns sharply back in. flashes past about an inch outside off. in again to dighe, tossed up, driven back and that is bad stuff form miller, threw that ball in a flash straight at dighe who had to fall over backwardss. That was really thrown back hard, and could very easily ahve hit the batsman in the face. end of the over, 127/5.
Prem > the crowd not liking that, huge roar going up. next over, gillespie to continie,. laxman on strike. 30 overs gone, 40 to go. 27 to get
Prem > Round the wicket, gilleesie, lifter, played out on the on, and one more. 129/5 and 26 short india
Prem > dighe on strike to gillespie. 26 short, india. 129/5 the score. john wright sitting there with a wry grin on his face. gillespie over the wicket, quick ball on off, and dighe well forward, defends
Prem > ihn again, gillespie, outside off and dighe sensibly lets it go.
Prem > gillespie, in again. to dighe, on off, guided to point, very quick single taken. 130/5 the score, 25 short india
Prem > outside off, very very fast that ball, and dighe lets it go. end of the over.
Prem > 24 more for india to get, 131/5 and miloler in for the last over before tea. laxman on strike, guides it through to the point region, and gets one more. 132/5 and 23 more to get, india
Prem > miller, more overspin this time, on off, and dighe defensive
Prem > 132/5 and miller to dighe, ball four. short, coming in, dighe shapes to cut, sees it come in and defends.
Prem > miller in again, to dighe. three round the bat, slower ball, driven on the on, no run.
Prem > short ball, a huge slash by dighe, misses, and that is tea. 132/5 and india need 23 more to win with five wickets in hand. 109 runs off 25 overs and four wickets this session. Laxman standing tall on 65 off 79. dighe batting 5/18. Gillespie absolutely brilliant with the ball.
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