Dramatic Final Day Set Up As Wickets Fall In Bangalore

Dramatic Final Day Set Up As Wickets Fall In Bangalore

Harbhajan Singh (centre) is congratulated following his dismissal of Marcus North

©REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds (INDIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Dramatic Final Day Set Up As Wickets Fall In Bangalore

Ricky Ponting made 72 to top score for Australia

©REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds (INDIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Dramatic Final Day Set Up As Wickets Fall In Bangalore

Sachin Tendulkar was finally bowled, for 214, by Peter George - the bowler's first Test wicket

©REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds (INDIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET IMAGES OF THE DAY) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Australia 478 (North 128) & 202-7 (Ponting 72) v
India 495 (Tendulkar 214, Vijay 139)
Second Test, Bangalore, day four
Scorecard

Australia will go into the final day of the second and final Test against India in Bangalore holding a lead of 185 following an intriguing fourth day.

After bowling India out for 495 to concede a lead of 17 on first innings, they closed on 202 for seven as India hit back with a committed performance in the field.

Sachin Tendulkar had earlier posted his sixth double-century in Test match cricket, scoring 214 to hand India the lead and when Australia batted, Ricky Ponting was the only man to score a half-century, making 72 to be dismissed for the third time in the series in the 70s.

Tendulkar, who resumed the day unbeaten on 191, needed 337 balls to get to his double-century, eventually facing 363 in all and hitting 22 fours and three sixes.

India's innings fell away, however, as aside from Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 30, there was barely a contribution from the lower order.

Harbhajan Singh (4), Zaheer Khan (1), Pragyan Ojha (0 not out) and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (0) offered little resistance. Tendulkar's was finally broken when he was bowled by Peter George, the quick bowler making sure his first Test wicket was a big one.

He went on to have Zaheer caught by Michael Clarke to return two for 48 and after a late introduction to the attack, Nathan Hauritz picked up two for 153 by dismissing Dhoni and Sreesanth.

Australia's openers Shane Watson (32) and Simon Katich (24) then swiftly wiped out the deficit and put on 58 for the first wicket in good time.

A flurry of wickets then put India on top as Watson was trapped in front by Ojha, Katich well taken by Dhoni standing up to Harbhajan and Clarke stumped for three as he failed to keep his back foot over the crease as Ojha struck again.

Ponting held firm, hitting seven fours and one six but he lost Michael Hussey (20), trapped in front by Ojha and Marcus North, who was bowled by a sharp turning delivery from Harbhajan for three.

Ponting fell when he was trapped in front by the returning Zaheer and eight balls later India were celebrating again as Tim Paine (23) pushed at a Sreesanth outswinger and Dhoni took a smart catch diving to his right.

At stumps, Mitchell Johnson was unbeaten on seven with Hauritz not out on eight as left-arm spinner Ojha returned three for 57, bowling beautifully as Australia tried unsuccessfully to push clear.

India lead the two-match series 1-0 following a one-wicket victory in Mohali in the opening match.

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