India fight back to dismiss Australia for 478

By IANS
Sunday, October 10, 2010

BANGALORE - India fought back Sunday afternoon to wrap-up Australia’s first innings at 478 on the second day of the second cricket Test here Sunday.

India claimed the remaining five wickets for 73 runs at the stroke of tea at M. Chinnaswamy cricket stadium.

The breakthrough came early the post-lunch session when Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni stumped Australian wicketkeeper Tim Paine (58) to a turner from left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha with the score at 405.

Paine and centurion Marcus North (128) put on a defiant sixth wicket stand of 149 runs in 256 balls. Australian skipper Ricky Ponting was the next highest scorer at 77.

In his next over, Ojha had Mitchell Johnson plumb leg before for a duck to reduce Australia to 415 for seven even as North hit his first century against India and his fifth in Tests. All his centuries have come overseas.

Nathan Hauritz joined North to continue the onslaught and took the score past the 450-mark in 132.3 overs, with 31 extras on the board.

After the duo put on 43 runs for the eighth wicket, left-handed North was caught by S. Sreesanth off Harbhajan Singh. He hit 17 fours and one six.

Then, a brilliant throw by Test debutant Cheteshwar Pujara from point ran out Hauritz at the north end for 17 with the score at 459.

Newcomer Peter George joined Ben Hilfenhaus to put on a 29-run 10th wicket partnership before he was stumped by Dhoni off a faster one from Harbhajan.

India conceded only 94 runs in 31 overs during the two-hour post-lunch session after they drew a blank in the first session when Australia scored at will to take the score to 405, resuming at 295 for five.

There were only two sixes in the Australian first innings, one each by North and George.

The Indian spin duo of Harbhajan and Ojha were the most successful bowlers, taking four and three wickets respectively.

Speedster Zaheer Khan and part-time off-spinner Suresh Raina shared one wicket each Saturday.

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