Australia fight back after Sreesanth triggers slide

September 29 : An outstanding spell of fast bowling from Sreesanth gave India the edge in the opening match of the Future Cup against Australia. Having decided to bat on a hard pitch with just a smattering of grass, Australia lost wickets at crucial junctures as they reached 130 for 4 midway through the innings. Michael Clarke, who has fond memories of this venue after making a century on Test debut, was leading the resistance, with Australia undoubtedly missing the experience and class of Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey.

The pitch may have been placid, but Sreesanth certainly wasn't. Sensibly though, he let the ball do the talking. Prior to the game, he had spoken of how much contests against Australia meant to the players, and how he himself feared no one. Talk though is essentially cheap, but Sreesanth backed it up with some fiery bowling, clocking 147 km/hr at one stage.

Neither he nor India had started well though. After a chorus of boos had greeted the batsmen Adam Gilchrist started with his usual panache, jabbing through cover and then glancing for fours, and it took a stupendous catch from Yuvraj Singh to give India some respite. Zaheer Khan offered some width, Gilchrist tore into it, and most eyes were already on the backward-point rope when Yuvraj threw himself to his right to take it with both hands.

Both Sreesanth and Zaheer were erratic with their line, and the batsmen couldn't settle, and after a couple of dismal wides, it was Sreesanth that struck with a superb delivery to Brad Hodge that swung in to the pad. That brought Clarke to the crease, and Sreesanth wasn't too shy to have some words when he played a couple of streaky shots.

But with Clarke clipping Zaheer beautifully through midwicket and Hayden emerging from a circumspect start to muscle them away, the runs quickly mounted. Rudra Pratap Singh, India's Twenty20 hero, came on, but was treated disdainfully by Hayden, who cover-drove and pulled him for four before a miscued pull went down to fine leg for six.

By the first drinks break, Australia were cruising, but as so often happens, the break in play upset a batsman's concentration. Sreesanth came round the wicket and angled one in, and Hayden's scything attempt connected only with air. The stands erupted, but better was to follow for those of an Indian persuasion as Sreesanth struck again.

This time, the victim was Andrew Symonds, big-hitting dangerman utterly deceived by the change of pace. The slow loopy delivery appeared to take an eternity to reach him, and he played all around it. When the appeal was upheld, Sreesanth thumped the turf in delirious celebration.

With the crowd chanting his name, Brad Haddin was greeted with a fast beamer - an apology duly followed - and the momentum was certainly with India as the Powerplays ended. Ramesh Powar nearly had Haddin with a splendid loopy offspinner, but it missed both the stumps and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's gloves.

Clarke also enjoyed a reprieve when on 31 after a vociferous appeal from Irfan Pathan was turned down. Clarke had wandered out of the crease, and Dhoni's underarm throw missed the stumps much to Australia's relief.

Both batsmen cashed in too, coming down the crease to Powar and giving him something to think about. Clarke thumped him down to the sightscreen for four and Haddin then cleared the rope, but it couldn't obscure the fact that it had been India's afternoon thus far.

       
         

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