Centurions Tendulkar, Vijay send Aussies on leather-hunt on day 3 of Bangalore Test

BANGALORE - Despite Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson claiming two wickets in an over to get rid of Indian opener Murali Vijay and debutant Cheteshwar Pujara, Team India dominated on the third day of the second and final cricket Test match being played here, with Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar scoring his 49th ton and India scoring 435/5 by the end of the day’s play on Monday.

Carrying forward from the overnight score of 128/2 in response to Australia’s 478, both Vijay and Tendulkar looked in sublime form, and the Australian bowlers looked visibly deflated at tea, having failed to claim a wicket during the first two sessions as the duo cruised, taking their partnership to 276.

Tendulkar hit off-spinner Nathan Hauritz for a huge six over long on off the third ball of the 59th over to bring up his 49th Test ton, making him the first Indian to score six centuries in a calendar year.

Tendulkar now has 95 international centuries, including 46 in ODIs.

Johnson dismissed Murali Vijay to end a 308 runs partnership between Vijay and Tendulkar and then sent back Cheteshwar Pujara in the same over to lead an Australian fight back.ijay was the first one to depart being caught by wicket keeper Tim Paine off the bowling off Johnson. He scored 139 runs off 310 balls, which included 14 fours and two sixes.

Gujarat youngster Cheteshwar Pujara had a very short life on the pitch, as it was Johnson again, who played the spoilsport and caught Pujara plumb in front of the wicket with a snorter on the third ball of his stay for a mere 4 runs, which were earned through a boundary.

Suresh Raina, who was looking good on thirty-two was the next one to go after being caught by pacer Ben Hilfenhaus off the bowling of part-time spinner Michael Clarke.

At the end of the day’s play, Tendulkar was batting on 191not out along Dhoni on eleven.

Brief Scores:

Australia 1st innings: 478 all out in 141 overs (Marcus North 128, Ricky Ponting 77, Tim Paine 59, Shane Watson 57; Harbhajan Singh 4/148, Pragyan Ojha 3/120)

India 1st innings: 435/5 in 122 overs (Tendulkar 191 not out, Dhoni 11 not out; Mitchell Johnson 3/89, Michael Clarke 1/ 27) (ANI)