India sniff win against Kangaroos in final Test

BANGALORE - India were 134 runs away from another thrilling victory over a demoralised Australia at lunch Wednesday, as opener Murali Vijay and Test debutant Cheteshwar Pujara steered the second innings chasing a target of 207 on the last and final day of the final Test at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here.

After dashing opener Virender Sehwag was out for 17 in the third over, Vijay and Pujara steadied the Indian innings to post 73 for one in the first session after India bundled out the Aussies for 223 by running through its tail-enders in the first hour of play.

Vijay and Puajara added 56 runs for the second wicket, both scoring 29.

Resuming their overnight score of 202 for 7 wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Aussies folded up quickly in their second innings, with their tail-enders perishing in a span of five overs to give India another chance to repeat its sensational victory in the Mohali Test Oct 4.

Indian speedster Zaheer Khan packed off Mitchell Johnson for 11 and Peter George for a duck, caught behind by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, while pacer S. Sreesanth bowled Ben Hilfenhaus for a duck.

Zaheer and spinner Pragyan Ojha took three wickets each, while Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh snared two each.

With a 17-run lead from the first innings, India began chasing 207, looking to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-0 win over the Aussies.

India made 495 in the first innings in reply to Australia’s 478.