Welcome to our coverage of day two of the first Test between Australia and India at the MCG.
Australia resumed at 6 for 277 after winning the toss on day one and opting to bat.
Join us for updates throughout the day as well as audio snippets for all the dismissals and milestones.
6:00pm: That's stumps on day two at the MCG with India reaching 3 for 214, still trailing Australia by 119 runs. What a massive blow late on with India losing Sachin. It goes without saying how much Australia needed that wicket. That four-over spell from Siddle reaped 1 for 5, just what the doctor ordered.
5:56pm: WICKET! S Tendulkar b. Siddle 73 (India 3-214, Dravid 68*) - Listen to the dismissal
This one counts and what a big one it is! Siddle sneaks one through the gate of The Little Master and this one's not a no ball. No 100th international century for Sachin this time around at least. What an innings though - 98 balls, eight fours and a six.
5:31pm: WICKET? No! Well, we've seen it all now. Siddle gets one straight through the defences of The Wall with a peach, but replays reveal it's a front-foot no ball! Dravid survives and it's turning into one of those days for Australia now. Listen here.
5:28pm: There's a few (not surprisingly) questioning why Warner is bowling. Listen here. Geoff Lawson reckons Michael Clarke could do worse than give himself a bowl. True that. His best Test figures of 6 for 9 are against India, although on a pitch with just slightly more turn.
5:22pm: That's the 100-run stand for these two, from 169 balls. Century stand number 20 in fact. And then they bring up the 200 for India. 2 for 200 with both batsmen on 64. Very ominous indeed.
5:15pm: David Warner's on to bowl now. Desperate measures by a desperate captain or a masterstroke? Tendulkar tries to hit the case off the first delivery, which is pretty ordinary to be honest, and it hits him in the guts. What entertainment!
5:02pm: This won't make pretty reading for Australia: "Oz up against it - 6 times Sehwag Dravid Tendulkar all 50+ in the same innings. 1 draw, 5 wins for India." (via @ricfinlay)
4:57pm: And that's Sachin's 50, off just 55 balls with six fours and that memorable six. Listen here. That's his 64th Test half-century and he's halfway to that magical 100th international ton. Dravid's 50 was his 63rd. He was level with Sachin's record for all of about six minutes there.
4:51pm: Another hairy moment for Dravid, whose edge off Hilfenhaus falls just short of Clarke at floating slip. The next ball Dravid gets some more bat on and it flies straight through third slip, that's his 50 off 137 balls with five fours. Listen here.
4:45pm: That's drinks and India has reached 2 for 167, with Dravid on 48 and Tendulkar on 47. Now for some more stats, via that man @ricfinlay: "This Ind team sets a new world record for agg runs going into a Test 53560."
4:35pm: Hussey's back on in place of Lyon, so let's see if the wily veteran can trouble either of these batsmen. We've added a stack of pics to our photo gallery today - check it out here.
4:29pm: Sachin moves past Dravid with a four through midwicket and another couple off Lyon. He's on 44 now, with The Wall on 42 and India 2 for 158. Another 25 21 overs to go today by our count. (Who said I could count...)
4:22pm: That's the 50-run stand between Tendulkar and Dravid. They average 50.7 together.
4:03pm: Sachin is starting to mow down his partner now. He cover-drives Hilfenhaus for his fifth boundary and he's raced to 28 off just 26 balls. Dravid's on 34 from 94.
3:59pm: Joe the cameraman (seriously, you couldn't make this stuff up) and his runaway Segway have hit YouTube. Enjoy.
3:46pm: @ricfinlay has this on Sehwag: "Sehwag 23rd to 8000 Test runs 93 m, 160 inns. 4th fewest mtchs, 5th fewest inns behind Sangak 152 SRT 154 Sobers 157 Dravid 158. Fastest Aussie Hayden 164, Ponting 165."
3:35pm: Huh? The first ball of the third session is delivered by the Siddler and Tendulkar uppercuts him over slips for six! "That's an outrageous shot," says Geoff Lawson. Agreed.
3:13pm: And the Huss very nearly gets him! Bat onto pad and it falls just short of silly mid-on. Tendulkar steals a single off the last ball to move to 2 and that's tea, with India reaching 2 for 99. Dravid on 25.
3:10pm: Pup throws Hussey the ball. He's going to bowl to the great man Tendulkar. This could be interesting.
3:04pm: WICKET! V Sehwag b. Pattinson 67 (India 2-97, Dravid 25*) - Listen to the dismissal
Bowled him! Fine delivery from James Pattinson, it looked like Dravid who was struggling but the dangerous Sehwag is the man to go. Doesn't move the feet, gets an inside edge and it clatters into middle and off. Massive breakthrough for the Australians and Sehwag is filthy as he trudges off. He faced just 83 balls for a strike rate of 80.72 and put on 75 with Dravid.
3:01pm: Hilfenhaus beats Dravid with a jaffa, the Aussies appeal for an inside edge but nothing doing.
2:56pm: Sehwag, on 66, is given not out caught at short leg despite a vociferous appeal from Pattinson and co. Hot Spot can't find an edge.
2:50pm: Crowd up to 51,000 today says Drew Morphett. It is a lovely day for watching cricket in Melbourne. India has reached 1 for 90 after 25 overs with Sehwag on 66 and Dravid on 19.
2:33pm: Dropped! Oh no, that's a shocker from Haddin. Only one ball after being beaten comprehensively by Pattinson, Sehwag gets the edge this time and the Aussie wicketkeeper grasses what should have been a straight-forward chance. That's two lives Sehwag's had now, this one on 58, and he'll probably make the home side pay now. Listen here.
2:31pm: "If Warner can't get to a ball then it's not a dropped catch," says Harsha Bhogle. Point well made.
2:28pm: Sehwag lofts Lyon down the ground for four and that's his 50, off just 59 balls (Listen here). Next ball, same treatment. Then is he dropped by David Warner on 55? Another ridiculously tough chance, it appears to have barely carried. Would be a tough call to say that's a dropped chance.
2:24pm: Does Kerry O'Keeffe have a crystal ball? Or is he just a genius? It's always rewarding when a prediction comes to fruition immediately. Listen here.
2:21pm: It really is quite a scary thing looking at India's batting card. As soon as Australia removes one of Sehwag or Dravid, one SR Tendulkar will stride to the crease chasing his 100th international century. It blows the mind to think SRT has had 464 opponents and 104 team-mates in his glittering career (thanks, @ricfinlay). Do you reckon Sachin could remember all of his team-mates?
2:09pm: Another interesting stat from @ricfinlay: "Of Oz bowlers 50 wkts +, Hilfy highest proportion of openers, 33.9%. Reiffel 32.7, Cotter 30.3, Bollinger 30. Lowest quick Bichel 17.2." Impressive from Hilfy. Can't imagine Bich would have got much of a run at the openers though.
2:04pm: Sehwag is looking dangerous now. Two straight boundaries off Siddle move him to 39 - once he gets past 50, heaven help the Aussies.
1:57pm: Some spin now, with Lyon replacing Hilfenhaus. India 1 for 42 with Sehwag on 29 and Rahul Dravid 3. Meanwhile Ed Cowan, who's been off the field with a back strain, has come back on. Lyon bowls a maiden - "a feather in your cap son" says Drew Morphett.
1:43pm: We've had 10 overs and Aussie skipper Michael Clarke makes his first bowling change, bringing on Siddle to the delight of his home crowd.
1:31pm: WICKET! G Gambhir c. Haddin b. Hilfenhaus 3 (India 1-22, Sehwag 18*) - Listen to the dismissal
That's been coming to be honest - Gambhir has looked anything but comfortable since arriving at the crease. Hilfy gets one to move away from him a touch, Gambhir hangs the bat out and it's catching practice for Brad Haddin. The Wall strides to the crease.
1:20pm: Dropped! Mike Hussey puts down Sehwag at gully on 11. Very tough chance, it was travelling, but we've seen the Huss take those before. Listen to the miss here.
Just a ball earlier Sehwag had laced Pattinson through cover for his first boundary.
1:16pm: Sehwag's living a charmed life as usual early in his innings but the bloke's averaging 52.16 with almost 8,000 Test runs and a high score of 319. So he can play a bit.
1:10pm: We're back for the second session and a cameraman has come to grief with the turf. Hilarious. Meanwhile, Grandstand's @ricfinlay has questioned whether Australia's total is under par? "333 or fewer 1st inns at MCG won 29 lost 28, but since WW2, won 14 lost 19."
12:30pm: That's lunch and Gambhir and Sehwag somehow survived a very nervy three overs. India 6 without loss with Sehwag on 4 and Gambhir on 2.
12:28pm: Massive swipe from Virender at Pattinson and it's missed the lot. This is the best entertainment we've had all day (save for Hilfy), and Virender's not even connecting. "You only shoulder arms with a gun," says Kerry.
12:26pm: Sehwag is beaten by a pearler, actually leaves one and then is beaten by another. "Sehwag would make a good nightwatchman. He'd be out caught at long-on for 6 second ball."
12:23pm: Hilfy sends in an outswinger and Sehwag has a crack over the top, getting a couple for his troubles. "Sehwag believes leaves are for autumn." Anymore Kerry?
12:20pm: Terrific first over by Pattinson says Kerry O'Keeffe - incidentally a maiden. "Sehwag doesn't do singles, he does boundaries". Uh huh. Lyon trots back onto the field, crisis averted.
12:17pm: Pattinson sends down the first ball of India's innings to Gautam Gambhir. Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon is not on the field - he's sitting outside the boundary rope rubbing his right elbow. Appears he got hit by Khan while batting. Ouch.
12:06pm: WICKET! N Lyon b. Ashwin 6 (Australia all out 333, Pattinson 18*) - Listen to the dismissal
That's it, Nathan Lyon plays all around that one and over goes the castle. Australia's fallen short of the 350-mark but a respectable total all the same. With just over 20 minutes till lunch, India's going to have to face a few tricky overs here.
11:49am: WICKET! B Hilfenhaus c. Kohli b. Ashwin 19 (Australia 9-318, Pattinson 9*) - Listen to the dismissal
Hilfy sends one soaring into Melbourne's blue skies and it's an easy take for Virat Kohli. 32 balls with three fours for the Tasmanian, an entertaining cameo.
11:30am: They've taken drinks with Australia on 8 for 311, with Hilfenhaus on 14 and Pattinson on 7. The home side lost 2 for 34 in that 'mini session'.
11:19am: Pattinson gets in on the act now, thrashing Ishant Sharma straight down the ground for four. Love watching tailenders go the tonk.
11:16am: Fear not - Hilfy to the rescue! A few short, sharp blows with his trusty blade and Australia's cracked the 300-mark.
11:10am: The extra slo-mo replays of Siddle's dismissal are showing tiny shards of wood flying off the edge of his bat. How quaint.
11:03am: WICKET! P Siddle 41 c. Dhoni b. Khan 41 (Australia 8-291, Pattinson 1*) - Listen to the dismissal
Whoops... the Siddler gets a feather behind to MS and Khan picks up his fourth scalp. Australia might be lucky to crack the 300-mark now - disappointing considering they were 3 for 205.
10:51am: Peter Siddle still hanging tough, on 40 now. His highest Test score is 43 and his highest first-class score is 45. Have we jinxed him? Let's find out.
10:42am: Haddin's dismissal brings James Pattinson to the crease. The weather is far better in Melbourne today, by the way. Blue skies with white clouds, so hopefully we can avoid those pesky rain delays. Then again, this is Melbourne we're talking about.
10:40am: WICKET! B Haddin c. Sehwag b. Khan 27 (Australia 7-286, Siddle 37*) - Listen to the dismissal
A bit of delay while the umpires checked whether the catch was taken cleanly and whether Zaheer Khan had bowled a front-foot no-ball, but it's all clear and Haddin is sent on his way. He faced 70 balls, an uncharacteristically slow innings for the New South Welshman.
The partnership with Siddle was worth 72 very valuable runs.
10:30am: And play is underway with Umesh Yadav sending down the first delivery of the day to Brad Haddin, who resumed on 21 not out. Peter Siddle began on 37.
Prior to play, Grandstand's sideline eye Dan Lonergan caught up with Ricky Ponting, who said he's been disappointed not to turn some recent starts into big scores:
And for those wanting a recap of yesterday's highlights, look no further than below:
Tags: sport, cricket, australia, vic, melbourne-3000 First posted December 27, 2011 10:33:49
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