Harbhajan rescues India after Johnson wrecks top order
CRICKET: BANGALORE, India, Oct 11, 2008 (AFP) - Tailender Harbhajan
Singh proved India's unlikely batting hero after Mitchell Johnson put
Australia in charge of the first cricket Test here on Saturday.
Harbhajan smashed 54 as India, replying to Australia's first innings
total of 430, recovered from 155-5 to 313-8 by stumps on the third day
at the Chinnaswamy stadium.
Zaheer Khan chipped in with an unbeaten 35 during an eighth-wicket
stand of 80 with Harbhajan as the last three Indian wickets plundered
158 runs after the famed top order had been decimated by Johnson.
The tall 26-year-old from Queensland claimed three wickets for 19
runs in the morning session to reduce India to 106-4 and left the hosts
in danger of being asked to follow-on.
Harbhajan hit five boundaries before he was caught behind off Shane
Watson just before stumps.
The four-pronged Australian pace attack of Johnson, Brett Lee, Stuart
Clark and Watson prospered in their first Test appearance on Indian soil
with sustained hostile spells. The bowlers won a fascinating contest
against India's veteran batsmen on a dual-paced wicket where deliveries
rose alarmingly or keep low at times.
Rahul 'the Wall' Dravid, who had a brick wall unveiled in his honour
by the local cricket association before the match, made 51 and retiring
former captain Sourav Ganguly scored 47.
Sachin Tendulkar, needing 77 runs to overtake retired West Indian
Brian Lara as Test cricket's highest run-scorer, was dismissed for just
13.
Dravid fell two balls after recording his 53rd Test half-century,
trapped leg-before by Watson.
Left-handed Ganguly, who will retire from international cricket after
the series, held fort for three hours before Johnson had him leg-before
soon after tea for his fourth wicket.
India lost openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag in the first
five overs after the hosts resumed at the overnight score of 68 without
loss.
Gambhir was leg-before to Lee for 20, while Sehwag edged a wide ball
from Johnson to lone slip Matthew Hayden after making 45.
Tendulkar, playing his first competitive match since the Test series
in Sri Lanka in August due to a shoulder injury, was greeted by an
ear-splitting roar from some 35,000 home fans.
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