Saturday, November 8, 2008

India v Australia, 4th Test, Nagpur, 3rd day


India v Australia, 4th Test, Nagpur, 3rd day

Slowly but steadily India gain the edge

November 8, 2008

India 441 and 0 for 0 lead Australia 355 (Katich 102, Hussey 90, Harbhajan 3-94) by 86 runs


India gained a crucial 86-run lead on an extremely tactical day's cricket - one that often resembled a cat-and-mouse game - through a triple-strike in the middle session and four wickets shortly before stumps. Australia scored 166 runs in 85.4 overs, strangled by the pressure built up by defensive field placings and niggardly pace bowling in the morning, and the loss of the last seven wickets for 100 runs undid a strong platform. Mahendra Singh Dhoni changed his tactics after lunch, giving Australia the opportunity to be aggressive, but they failed to overtake India's 441.

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