Kumble bids farewell in Delhi draw
November 02, 2008

A FAREWELL spell from retiring captain Anil Kumble added poignancy to the drawn conclusion of the third Test after India foiled slim Australia hopes of victory.

The Indians declared after tea at 5-208, an overall lead of 244, with VVS Laxman (59no) and Sourav Ganguly (32no).

Sachin Tendulkar (47) and Gautam Gambhir (36) provided time-sapping resistance in the early passages at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground.

Australian openers Matthew Hayden (16no) and Simon Katich (14no) then played out a token eight overs to reach 0-31, Kumble fittingly taking the new ball on a dusty subcontinental wicket for the last time after announcing his retirement earlier in the session.

In an unrepresentative finish to a career that gleaned 619 Test wickets - the third most of all time - Kumble's final ball was a full toss struck to the straight fence by Hayden.

However the close of play brought a more fitting moment as members of the Indian team - including captaincy successor Mahendra Dhoni - carried Kumble for part of his lap of honour.

The teams now travel to Nagpur for Thursday's final Test, with India holding a 1-0 lead.

Brett Lee (2-48), Stuart Clark (1-22) and Mitchell Johnson (1-23) earlier put in dangerous spells, bending their backs in a last despairing effort to wrench a result from a pitch that did not deteriorate as both captains expected it would.

All-rounder Cameron White (1-23) was not employed by captain Ricky Ponting until the match had been virtually decided, but he bowled tidily when given the chance and dismissed Tendulkar for the second time in the series with a rare ball that turned.

Given his success in the first innings, it was puzzling that left arm wrist spinner Simon Katich was not used for a single over.

Gautam Gambhir (36) was again a thorn in the side of the Australians in the morning, seeing off the bowlers until Johnson won a dubious lbw verdict from umpire Aleem Dar.

Australian desire to win bubbled over in the final moments before lunch, Johnson exchanging harsh words with Laxman to attract a word of warning from umpire Dar.

Tendulkar batted sensibly and with the freedom he has shown since becoming Test cricket's highest run scorer.

Rahul Dravid, though, was not so successful, unable to survive Lee's initial burst which saw the Australian gain a hint of reverse swing to complicate matters for the batsmen.

Only 10 runs came in eight overs before Lee delivered a yorker that shaped in enough to disturb the stumps via an inside edge.

At the other end, Clark gave Gambhir a working over, varying his lines and lengths from around the wicket and on one occasion delivering a grubber that touched Gambhir's bottom edge before dribbling through to 'keeper Brad Haddin.

Tendulkar was less troubled, and unfurled the odd sweet drive to take the lead beyond 100.

He and Gambhir would have taken the home side to lunch but for an error by Dar, who failed to accurately gauge that the inswing on Johnson's delivery to Gambhir had to take the ball past leg stump.

Shane Watson (0-26) had reason to feel aggrieved in the afternoon when he had a very legitimate lbw appeal against Tendulkar denied by the same umpire, and it was left to White to dismiss him, nicking a catch to slip.