Aussies hit back at India
09 November, 2008

Shane Watson Shane Watson and Jason Krejza each claimed two wickets in quick succession as the momentum swung Australia's way before tea in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaksar series against India which now finds itself on 6-166 with a lead of 252.

India openers Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay had all but shut the door on the visitors with a 116-run stand for the opening wicket when Watson sent Vijay back for 41.

But Watson snaffled Rahul Dravid for three and Brett Lee had Sehwag caught down the leg-side for 92, the quick dismissals offering the visitors a glimmer of hope.

Off-spinner Jason Krejza then removed VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly off successive deliveries - the latter going for a first-ball duck in his final innings in Test cricket - to be on a hat-trick for the second time in his debut match and Sachin Tendulkar was run out in the final over before tea as India collapsed.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the not out batsman on three.

Lee, suffering from a stomach disorder, had sent down a couple of tight overs at the start, but Sehwag and Vijay carefully watched out that blistering spell.

Left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson had beat the outside edge on several occasions in an unbroken spell of nine overs, his outside off-stump line luring Sehwag in to the drive.

Sehwag, however, survived those close calls and eased into attack as he hit Lee for consecutive boundaries as the paceman began to tire.

Lee quickly gave way to Krejza, who immediately had an lbw shout off Sehwag turned down by umpire Billy Bowden.

Krejza, who picked up eight wickets in the first innings at an expensive 215 runs, again proved costly, going at over five runs an over in his first five overs.

Sehwag brought up his half-century with a slog-sweep off the debutant off-spinner to the mid-on boundary for six.

Lee, however, ended Sehwag's run, getting the opener to jab at a short delivery pitched on leg-stump. Sehwag managed only a faint edge which wicketkeeper Brad Haddin neatly pouched.

By then Dravid had departed, going on the front foot to defend Watson and edging to Haddin.

That dismissal brought the curtain down on a poor series for Dravid, where he managed just 120 runs in seven innings at an average of 20.

From 0-116, India crashed to 6-166 as Krejza made his mark.

He bowled Laxman for four, getting one to spin viciously past the blade of the batsman from the rough outside off stump and crash into the stumps.


Krejza then latched on to the leading edge from Ganguly as the left-hander, who will retire at the end of this match, attempted to play on the on-side.

Ganguly, sent for a first-ball duck, was Krejza's 10th victim in this match.

Tendulkar was the final blow in a tumultuous session for India after the batsman set off for a run after pushing to the covers.

Dhoni at the other end failed to respond and Tendulkar could not make his crease.