14 Wednesday 28th December, 2011

India’s Sachin Tendulker walks off the field after being bowled by (unseen) of Australia on the second day of their first Test match at the Ground in Australia, on Tuesday Dec. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill)

Peter Siddle, right, of Australia celebrates after out Sachin Tendulker, left, of India on the second day of their first Test match at the in Sehwag and Pattinson Australia, on Tuesday Dec. 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Andrew Brownbill) involved in verbal duel BY NEIL FRANKLAND COREBOARD MELBOURNE: After the heat gen- pointing his bat towards Pattinson. S erated by the two controversial deci- The big-bodied Pattinson answered Australia 1st Innings India 1st innings MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — sions on the opening day, the first Test back with equal aggression. (Overnight score 277 for 6) G. Gambhir c Haddin b Hilfenhaus 3 was dismissed in the just got spicier as Indian opener Siddle, who was stationed at mid- c Dhoni b Yadav 37 V.Sehwag b Pattinson 67 last over of the day, falling short of his was on Tuesday off, came to join the argument. Finally, Ed Cowan c Dhoni b Ashwin 68 R. Dravid 68 elusive 100th international century but involved in an altercation with it was umpire Marais Erasmus who S. Marsh c Kolhi, b Yadav 0 S. Tendulkar b Siddle 73 giving India a strong start to it first Australian pacers spoke to Sehwag to calm down before R. Ponting c Laxman b Yadav 62 I. Sharma not out 0 innings on Tuesday’s second day of the and Peter Siddle during the visitors’ the proceedings continued. M. Clarke b Khan 31 Extras: (w 1, nb 2) 3 first Test against Australia. first innings. On Monday, the dismissals of M. Hussey c Dhoni b Khan 0 Total (for three ) 214 Peter Siddle bowled Tendulkar for The incident happened in the Australian opener Ed Cowan and B. Haddin C Sehwag b Khan 27 Overs: 65 73 to leave India on 214-3 at stumps in fourth ball of seventh over - and had kicked up a con- P. Siddle c Dhoni b Khan 41 Still to bat: V. V. S. Laxman, V. Kohli, reply to Australia’s first-innings 333. fourth after lunch break - bowled by troversy with the former questioning J. Pattinson not out 18 M. S. Dhoni, R. Ashwin, Z. Khan and U. The ended a 117-run partner- Pattinson. the ICC’s failure to implement the B. Hilfenhaus c Kohli b Ashwin 19 Yadav. N. Lyon b Ashwin 6 Fall of wickets: 22-1, 97-2, 214-3. ship between Tendulkar and Rahul Sehwag, who was on 16, played the Decision Review System for all Test Extras: (21lb, 2w, 1nb) 24 Bowling: Pattinson 15-3-35-1 (1w), Dravid for the third wicket. ball down to fine leg and ran for a sin- series. TOTAL: (all out) 333 Hilfenhaus 14-1-50-1 (1nb), Siddle 15-2- The Melbourne Cricket Ground gle. Pattinson stood at the middle on The Australian media blasted the Overs: 89 53-1 (1nb), Lyon 14-2-53-0, Hussey 5-0-15- crowd of over 50,000 rose to their feet his follow through with his elbow Indian Cricket Board for refusing to Fall of wickets: 46-1, 46-2, 159-3, 205-4, 0, Warner 2-0-8-0. as Tendulkar walked from the ground stretched which Sehwag evaded. use the DRS in the series while calling 205-5, 214-6, 286-7, 291-8, 318-9, 333-10. Toss: Australia after a fluent innings that put India on After completion of the run, an visiting coach Duncan Fletcher a Bowling: Zaheer 31-6-77-4 (1nb, 1w), Umpires: Marias Erasmus (SA), Ian top in the opening Test. angry Sehwag had a few harsh words “hypocrite”. Sharma 24-7-48-0, Yadav 26-5-106-3 (1w), Gould (Eng) The 38-year-old Tendulkar rarely for the bowler and he was also seen (The Times of India) Ashwin 29-3-81-3. TV Umpire: Paul Reiffel (Aus) looked troubled by the Australian bowl- Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL) ing attack as he reached his 50 off 55 balls with six boundaries and a six, yet Dravid and Virender Sewhag had to reach as he brought up his half cen- Zaheer Khan ball to Sehwag in the Lyon was bowled around the legs by was finally beaten by a fine ball from set up a strong platform for the India tury, and was given another life on 58 gully. His wicket ended a dangerous 72- fellow-spinner Ashwin for 6 to end Siddle which swung back between bat innings with a 75-run partnership after when he edged a James Pattinson ball run, seventh-wicket stand with Siddle Australia’s innings. and pad. opener (3) went early, that Haddin couldn’t glove. that saw off the new ball late Monday Australia opener and top-scorer Ed Dravid scored a cautious, but playing an ill-judged shot outside off He finally went when he dragged a and steadied the Australian innings Cowan was replaced by substitute field- nonetheless impressive, half century stump and being caught by Brad Pattinson (1-35) ball onto his stumps. after a middle-order collapse. er for most of the day off 137 balls and will resume the third Haddin off the bowling of Ben Australia resumed on day two at Siddle went soon after, caught while he received treatment for a sore day on 68 stumps with night watchman Hilfenhaus (1-50). 277-6 and the tailenders managed to eke behind off the bowling of Khan for an back. Ishant Sharma yet to score. Sehwag played aggressively against out another 55 runs despite overnight important 41. Despite overnight showers, the Dravid received a reprieve while on a tight Australian bowling attack. He batsmen Haddin and Siddle falling Hilfenhaus made 19 with three MCG was bathed in sunshine Tuesday, 67 when he was bowled by Peter Siddle was dropped by Mike Hussey in the early. boundaries before lofting a which combined with a strong breeze (1-53), only for umpire Marias Erasmus gully while on 11, hit a lofted shot Haddin (27) added just six runs to Ravichandran Ashwin to the to offer a firmer, -friendly wick- rule him not out due to a no ball. which mid-on David Warner just failed his overnight score before edging a waiting hands of at long-on. et. Serena, Venus Williams to Will Rafael Nadal find new strategy in 2012? play in Australian Open The 10-time Grand Slam against top seeds. champion Rafael Nadal might The World No. 2 Nadal has plan new strategy to conquer been training along with his The former World No. 1 Serena from couple of months. best players in the upcoming friend Marc Lopez in his home Williams and her elder sister Venus The 13-time singles Grand Slam cham- season, where the ATP Tour will town for 2012 preparations, Williams will take part in the 2012 pion Serena Williams will begin her 2012 begin at Qatar Open champi- which will begin at 2012 Qatar onship in Doha in January. Open at the Khalifa Australian Open championship, which campaign with Brisbane International, as The 25-year-old Nadal, who International Tennis and Squash will begin in January at Melbourne Park. she is one of the hot favorite to clinch the has won French Open crown Complex in Doha from 2nd to The Australian Open tournament crown for the first time. Serena, who has for sixth time in his career in 7th January. The Qatar Open Director Craig Tiley said Serena Williams missed most of the season with foot 2011, but lost Wimbledon and championship will take place on and Venus Williams have confirmed to injury and also suffered hematoma, a US Open finals to World No. 1 outdoor hard courts, before play in the year’s opening Grand Slam swelling blood clot in her lungs and a pul- Novak Djokovic and capitulate heading into the Australian event at Melbourne Park next month. The monary embolism this year. his No.1 position in the ATP Open at Melbourne Park. Rankings in July. Nadal said he The former World No. 1 seven-time major title holder Venus The 31-year-old Venus is aiming to needs to improve confidence Nadal is having the opportunity Williams has withdrawn from the win a gold medal in the London Olympics next season, while playing to break the former tennis leg- Auckland tournament, where she is next year, where she will play singles and against Novak Djokovic and it ends Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg struggling from the immune disease mixed doubles along with her sister was one of the terrible seasons of 11 major titles record next Sjorgen’s Syndrome. Venus hopes to be fit Serena Williams. Venus has won the in his career losing seven season. King of clay is also for the Australian Open event, where she Olympics’ gold medals in Singles and championship finals. Spaniard focusing to be fit for the 2012 is going to work hard to recover soon doubles in 2000 Olympics’ games feels he had to improve a lot of season, where he is struggling things to recover for 2012 and from left shoulder pain. from Sjorgen’s Syndrome. Venus also and doubles in 2008 Beijing. looking very positive to return Serena Williams (L) and Venus Williams played several exhibition tournaments (Live Tennis Guide) back to form to compete (Live Tennis Guide)