Langer hits century in drawn opener

Justin Langer hit a superb 115 to lead Australia's strong second innings batting display as their three-day game against India A ended in a tame draw at Nagpur, on Monday.

The tourists, who had conceded a 77-run first innings lead, had reached 365 for nine wickets in their second innings when the match ended.

India A had scored 368 in reply to Australia's first innings score of 291.

Left-hander Langer slammed 17 fours and two sixes and shared in a 149-run fourth-wicket stand with Ricky Ponting to grab the honours on the final day.

Ponting scored 68 for his second 50 of the match which included 10 fours and two sixes, one of them against off-spinner Harbhajan Singh sailing over midwicket into the stands.

Middle-order batsman Damien Martyn also came good, making 53 -- with nine fours, before he was bowled round his legs by occasional left-arm spinner Hemang Badani in the dying stages of the match.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed three for 81 including the wicket of Langer to finish with five wickets in the game while leg-spinner Balaji Rao returned three for 100.

Langer was dropped by left-arm spinner Rahul Sanghvi off his own bowling before lunch after lifting him for a giant six over long on.

CONSECUTIVE FOURS

He thrived on the reprieve by attacking Balaji Rao, hitting him for a huge six over long on. He hit two consecutive fours off Rao to bring up his 139-ball century.

Singh eventually had him caught in the slips by Vangipurappu Laxman.

Singh had struck the first blow for India A on Monday when he removed left-handed opener Matthew Hayden for 37 after dismissing opener Michael Slater for 11 on Sunday.

Steve Waugh, who was out for a duck in the first innings, looked uncomfortable again on Monday as Singh and Sanghvi exploited the wicket's turn and bounce.

He edged a Singh delivery just short of Laxman in the slips, but was dismissed for 11, caught at silly point by Shiv Sundar Das off Balaji Rao after surviving a few close leg before appeals.

Ponting fell leg before to Laxman's part-time off-spin while Adam Gilchrist was run out for 21 due to a misunderstanding with Martyn attempting a sharp single.

Balaji Rao picked up his second wicket when Jason Gillespie lofted a drive to Hemang Badani at cover and took the third by having Damien Fleming edging to Laxman in the slips.

But the leg spinner proved expensive, giving away 100 runs from 18.1 overs.

Australia are scheduled to play another three-day game against national champions Mumbai (Bombay) starting in Bombay on Thursday before the first test starting on February 27.

Scoreboard

Australians (1st innings): 291

India 'A' (1st innings): 368

Australians (2nd innings):

M Slater c Balaji Rao b Harbhajan 11
M Hayden c Badani b Harbhajan 37
J Langer c Laxman b Harbhajan 115
S Waugh c Das b Balaji Rao 17
R Ponting lbw b Laxman 68
A Gilchrist run out 21
D Martyn b Badani 53
J Gillespie c Badani b Balaji Rao 5
M Kasprowicz not out 15
D Fleming c Laxman b Balaji Rao 2
Extras (B2, LB-14, NB5) 21
Total (for 9 wkts, 95.1 overs) 365
Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-68, 3-111, 4-260, 5-287, 6-300, 7-324, 8-355, 9-365.
Bowling: D Mohanty 16-5-51-0, A Nehra 15-4-52-0, Harbhajan Singh 20-3-81-3, R Sanghvi 5-1-16-0, Balaji Rao 18.1-1-100-3, V V S Laxman 9-2-22-1, D Mongia 8-2-21-0, H Badani 4-2-6-1.

Justin Langer's column

Mail Cricket Editor