Friday, 6 January 2012

Hilfenhaus Completes Indian Rout


Ben Hilfenhaus picked up five wickets as Australia wrapped up an innings and 68-run victory over India on day four of the second Test in Sydney.

It was always going to be an uphill task for the visitors after Michael Clarke's triple ton had helped give Australia a first-innings lead of 468 runs.

Gautam Gambhir (83), Sachin Tendulkar (80), VVS Laxman (66) and Ravi Ashwin (62), though, threatened to frustrate the hosts but ultimately their efforts were in vain - with India's resistance eventually ending in the final session of the day.

Having started the day at the SCG on 114-2, Tendulkar and Gambhir began strongly as James Pattinson and Hilfenhaus struggled to make the breakthrough.

Tendulkar, searching for that illusive 100th century, made the most of some wayward deliveries to keep the score ticking over.

However the introduction of Peter Siddle into the attack paid dividends as he removed Gambhir for 83 - with a leading edge sailing to David Warner at point.

That was Australia's sole success in the morning session as Laxman helped India reach 243-3 at lunch.

The hosts, though, ended a 103-run stand for the fourth-wicket when man-of-the-match Clarke claimed the crucial wicket of Tendulkar for 80.

Mike Hussey claimed the catch at first slips to leave the Little Master waiting yet again to pass the magical milestone.

From there on in it was all Australia as the India middle order folded meekly to the new ball.

A beauty from Hilfenhaus bowled Laxman for 66 while the Aussie pace ace also accounted for MS Dhoni (2). The India captain managed to dig out a yorker, with Hilfenhaus collecting the ball and turning to the umpire for confirmation of the catch. Replays showed it was a legitimate dismissal and so the celebrations began.

Pattinson finally found his rhythm as he chipped in with the wicket of Virat Kohli lbw.

Ashwin and Zaheer Khan added a late flurry of runs with an aggressive 56 partnership but it was too little, too late for India.

Zaheer was accounted for by Siddle for 35, while Ishant Sharma was removed by Nathan Lyon (1-64).

Ashwin, who scored a century against the West Indies, reached 62 before top edging a delivery from Hilfenhaus to Lyon to hand Australia a win which puts them 2-0 up in the four-match series.