On the fifth and final day of the last test match between India and Australia ended in favor of India! The last time when Australia came here, India beat them 2-1, raising from 0-1 down in the series.
With the tough target of 369 runs set in 90.3 overs on the 5th day, Australia played positively and wanted to win this match. They have nothing to lose because if they win, they will equal the series 1-1, else they will lose it 2-0 instead of 1-0.
So, they decided to chase on the batsmen friendly wicket though the pitch had quite few foot-marks which helped the spinners during the first four days.
Katich played positively and scored a run-a-ball. He was out for 16 when tried to pull the short ball from Ishanth. He played across and the ball took the edge, flew high in the air in point direction. Dhoni owned it, stumbled a little bit at the end, but took a good catch. Ishanth provided the break through, Australia were 29 for 1.
Hayden was dominating the bowling attack on the other end. He played very good shots in the air and also drove on both sides.
Ponting, like Hayden did in the first innings, committed the crime in the 2nd innings. He took on Amit Mishra at mid off and went for a quick single. But, Mishra was quick this time, dived forward and hit the bowlers stumps under-arm. Ponting knew he was out and third umpire confirmed the same. Australia were 37 for 2.
Clarke, unwell, played with Katich as his runner. Hayden and Clarke added 45 for th e3rd wicket. Clarke had couple of edges went past the slips. Ishanth bowled on the off stump and Clarke edged that to Dhoni. He scored 22. At lunch, Australia were 111 for 3 in 23 overs with Hayden on 46 and Hussey on 14. India bowled just 21.3 overs in the first session.
Hayden played very well and finally found his form. He came down the track, picked the ball with at the pitch and hit a six off Sehwag.
The danger man Hussey edge the one from Mishra to Dravid. He was out for 19. Luck favored Hayden when Dhoni dropped the thick edge of Harbhajan when he was on 30. Dravid dropped another catch for Hayden when he was on 35. Hayden playing reverse sweep, hit it to Dravid who was not alert and the ball went through his hands.
He reached his 29th half-century and looked dangerous for Indians. After Hussey's departure, Harbhajan claimed him in the next over with a plumb leg before decision. He bowled the first ball short which was pulled easily to mid wicket boundary by Hayden. The next ball was pitched on a good length, Hayden played across but this time the ball hit him on the pads in front of the middle stump. Billy had no hesitation in giving him out. With Hayden gone for 77 and the scoreboard reading 154 for 5, India started smelling victory.
Haddin came down the track and gave a simple catch to Tendulkar off Mishra. That was Tendulkar's 100th catch in Test Cricket. Watson, was caught behind trying to cut Bhajji. Aussies were 178 for 7.
Krejza was stumped off Mishra. Lee was caught bat-pad off Harbhajan. Johnson, not playing the doosra was judged leg before for 11 and Aussies were bundled out for 209, giving India a 172-run victory.
It's been 20 years since Aussies lost like this, a 2-0 loss. The last time it happened against West Indies in 1983-84 season against Clive Lloyd's captaincy.
Jason Krejza was judged man of the match for his 12 wickets in the debut match. His match figure was 74.5-4-358-12. A costly debut in test history.
Ishanth Sharma was judged man of the series for his 15 wickets. He played a vital role in the Indian win.
Scoreboard at the end of Day 5:
Toss: India
India 1st Innings 441 all out in 124.5 overs (Sehwag 66, Vijay 33, Dravid 0, Tendulkar 109, Laxman 64, Ganguly 85, Dhoni 56, Harbhajan Singh 18 not out, Zaheer 1, Mishra 0, Ishanth Sharma 0, Extras--9 (b 4, lb 2, w 1, nb 2), Lee 16-2-62-0, Johnson 32-11-84-1, Watson 20-5-42-1, Krezja 43.5-1-215-8, White 10-1-24-0, Katich 3-0-8-0)
Fall of Wickets: 1-98 (Vijay, 17.5 ov), 2-99 (Dravid, 18.4 ov), 3-116 (Sehwag, 22.3 ov), 4-262 (Laxman, 68.4 ov), 5-303 (Tendulkar, 82.5 ov), 6-422 (Dhoni, 116.4 ov), 7-423 (Ganguly, 116.6 ov), 8-437 (Khan, 122.3 ov), 9-437 (Mishra, 122.4 ov), 10-441 (Sharma, 124.5 ov)
Australia 1st Innings 355 all out in 134.3 overs (Hayden 16, Katich 102, Ponting 24, Hussey 90, MJ Clarke 8, Watson 2,Haddin 28, White 46, Krejza 5, Johnson 5, Lee 1 not out, Extras--28 (b 12, lb 3, w 2, nb 6, pen 5), Zaheer 28-8-68-1, Harbhajan Singh 37-7-94-3, Ishanth Sharma 26-8-64-2, A Mishra 23.3-5-58-2, V Sehwag 18-2-38-0, Tendulkar 2-0-13-0)
Fall of Wickets: 1-32 (Hayden, 6.5 ov), 2-74 (Ponting, 17.1 ov), 3-224 (Katich, 70.6 ov), 4-250 (Clarke, 84.4 ov), 5-260 (Hussey, 89.5 ov), 6-261 (Watson, 91.4 ov), 7-313 (Haddin, 115.5 ov), 8-328 (Krejza, 126.1 ov), 9-347 (White, 133.2 ov), 10-355 (Johnson, 134.3 ov)
India 2nd Innings (lead by 86 runs) 295 all out in 82.4 overs (Sehwag 92, Vijay 41, Dravid 3, Tendulkar 12, Laxman 4, Ganguly 0, Dhoni 55, Harbhajan Singh 52, Zahher 6, Mishra 7, Ishanth Sharma 1, Extras--22, Johnson 14-4-22-0, Lee 10-3-27-1, Krejza 31-3-143-4, Watson 15.4-2-42-4, White 2-0-15-0, Hussey 4-2-3-0, Clarke 6-1-29-0)
Fall of Wickets: 1-116 (Vijay, 28.2 ov), 2-132 (Dravid, 32.5 ov), 3-142 (Sehwag, 35.1 ov), 4-163 (Laxman, 47.1 ov), 5-163 (Ganguly, 47.2 ov), 6-166 (Tendulkar, 49.5 ov), 7-274 (Dhoni, 77.1 ov), 8-286 (Khan, 79.2 ov), 9-288 (Harbhajan Singh, 80.1 ov), 10-295 (Mishra, 82.4 ov)
Australia 2nd Innings (382 runs in 92 overs) 209 all out in 50.2 overs (Hayden 77, Katich 16, Ponting 8, Clarke 22, Hussey 19, Watson 9, Haddin 4, White 26 not out, Krejza 4, Lee 0, Johnson 11, Extras--13 (b 6, lb 1, w 4, nb 2), Zaheer 8-0-57-0, Ishanth Sharma 9-0-31-2, Harbhajan Singh 18.2-2-64-4, V Sehwag 4-0-23-0, Mishra 11-2-27-3)
Fall of Wickets: 1-29 (Katich, 5.4 ov), 2-37 (Ponting, 6.6 ov), 3-82 (Clarke, 15.5 ov), 4-150 (Hussey, 28.4 ov), 5-154 (Hayden, 29.2 ov), 6-161 (Haddin, 32.4 ov), 7-178 (Watson, 38.4 ov), 8-190 (Krejza, 43.5 ov), 9-191 (Lee, 44.4 ov), 10-209 (Johnson, 50.2 ov)
