The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Martyn cuts Indian bowlers to size

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Wednesday, Oct 27, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Martyn cuts Indian bowlers to size

By Sanjay Rajan

IN FULL FLOW: With a majestic century, his second in successive innings against India, Damien Martyn once again starred in an Australian fightback in Nagpur on Tuesday. Martyn's 114 saw the world champion recover from 86 for three to end the day at 362 for seven in the third Test. _ Photo: V.V. Krishnan

NAGPUR, OCT. 26. In Chennai nine days ago, he displayed his mastery in spin-friendly conditions. At the VCA Stadium here on Tuesday, Damien Martyn (114) cut the Indian bowling to shreds with his innovative stroke play.

Adam Gilchrist has possibly read the pitch right, as Australia, recovering from 86 for three through some positive batting from Martyn and Darren Lehmann, hastened the scoring rate in the third session, unmindful of the fact that it lost three wickets in the morning when the pitch encouraged lateral movement.

But when Anil Kumble got a leg-break to jump at Gillespie nearing close on the opening day of the third Test for the TVS Cup Border-Gavaskar Trophy, it did seem that the stand-in skipper of the visiting side knew precisely what he was doing. Australia finished the day at a commanding 362 for seven.

Gilchrist threw down the gauntlet; only Sourav Ganguly was not there to pick it up. The captain is missing the crucial clash - India trails 1-0 in the four-match series - owing to a strain in the upper thigh, with which he had intended to play. Despite the strain he had, in fact, played in the first two Tests.

Weakened attack

Vice-captain Rahul Dravid is leading instead. Only, the bowling at his disposal is weakened considerably by the absence of ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, down with a bout of gastroenteritis.

The conditions would have been ideal for Harbhajan. Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, who replaced the off-spinner, bowled impressively to take three wickets. Incidentally, the last Test that Kartik played was against Australia at Sydney last season, when Langer and Hayden had torn into him.

The debate of who between Aakash Chopra and Yuvraj Singh would open the batting with Virender Sehwag was settled in favour of the former. Md. Kaif retained his place while Tendulkar took the slot left vacant by Ganguly's absence.

WELL BOWLED: Zaheer Khan, who bowled his heart out, has Matthew Hayden caught behind. - Photo: V.V. Krishnan

It was probably on Gilchrist's mind that his team was better off trying to force a result. By his own admission, it is not in the nature of an Australian team to draw games, "because we get ourselves into trouble trying to do that."

Opting to bat, Australia was in a tight spot despite the 67-run start provided by left-handers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer.

Probing spell

Opening the attack, Ajit Agarkar bowled a probing first spell. The Mumbaikar uses his shoulder and a supple wrist to generate pace. Agarkar gained lateral movement and forced Langer into streaky shots on a pitch that afforded carry. But the edges kept falling short of the slip cordon, which gave one the feeling that wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel, who is having another nightmare of a series, possibly misled the slip-catchers by positioning himself further behind the stumps than what was actually necessary.

Left-arm mediumpacer Zaheer Khan bowled a better second spell. He had Langer in all sorts of problems with the delivery that came into the left-hander. Hayden's stay was not convincing either. It was grit that saw the duo stitch up another half-century stand.

Langer's dismissal - a loosely played drive off Zaheer, who earlier had Hayden caught behind - tilted the balance in India's favour. At lunch, the visitor was 103 for three. A couple of quick wickets early in the second session would have placed the host in the driver's seat.

This was not to be. Martyn, who notched up his ninth century and a second successive ton in India, and vice-captain Lehmann, who scored his ninth half-century (70), had other ideas. The two added 148 from 186 deliveries for the fourth wicket, before the latter, trying to make room to cut Kartik, was surprised by the bounce. The resultant edge flew to Dravid at lone slip, positioned slightly wide.

The experienced Lehmann, rated highly at home for his cricketing acumen, batted intelligently. The stocky left-hander is not a purist's delight, but is an effective player. He has not been among runs on this tour but certainly made this inning count.

Kartik was introduced half-an-hour after lunch and Tendulkar, who bowled seam-up before shifting to leg-breaks, in the 46th over. Tendulkar nearly brought off an acrobatic caught and bowled attempt off Lehmann.

Fast run-rate

The second session produced 142 runs in 29 overs (at a rate of 4.90 per over), and young Michael Clarke, who made a century on debut in the first Test in Bangalore, was up to every challenge thrown at him by the Indian bowlers.

Kumble had attacked manfully at the start but the surprise element was missing as the day progressed and Martyn was intent on hitting him out of the attack. Had the powerful West Australian continued to do so, India would have been left with its bowling stretched, and in a far worse position than it presently is in.

Martyn brought up his century with a back-foot punch to the fence off Agarkar. He struck Kumble for a huge straight six, but fell, caught at widish mid-off, trying a similar shot two deliveries later.

Martyn and Clarke put on 80 for the fifth wicket, but Australia suffered a mini collapse losing Gilchrist and Warne to the wiles of Kartik. However, Clarke (batting 73) guided his team through the difficult phase in a mature manner.

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