SPORTS Sunday, March 5, 2017 21

Bangalore scored 105 and 107 during their opening loss. of his innings. Rahul’s 61-run second McIlroy ff-spinner Nathan Lyon yesterday said But the pitch in Bangalore, which has an stand with Cheteshwar Pujara (17) seemed he studied India’s average first innings score of 451 in the last to be the only bit of resistance in the Indian toO excel in Indian conditions after his career- seven Tests, seemed to have no demons like batting. Karun Nair also contributed with 26. leads by best haul of eight helped Australia take the turning track in Pune that was rated poor “Like I said, the cracks are opening up and opening day honours in the second Test in by the match referee. it’s only getting harder to bat on this wicket,” Bangalore. Lyon struck shortly after lunch to get said Rahul of the Bangalore track. Lyon, whose figures of 8-50 became the best Kohli trapped lbw for 12, as the Rahul also backed Ashwin, the world’s top two strokes by a visiting bowler on Indian soil, wreaked batsman once again offered no Test bowler, to come back hard against the Mexico City havoc in the final session of play as India were shot to an Australian spinner. Australian batsmen on the second day. ory McIlroy, chasing a return to the world No. bowled out for a paltry 189. He was bowled by left-arm “We know Ash (Ashwin) is a top class 1 ranking in his first start in seven weeks, fired Australia were 40 for no loss at stumps with spinner Steve O’Keefe in the bowler and once he gets a couple of aR second-round 65 on Friday to grab the lead in the openers David Warner (23) and Matt Renshaw first Test. wickets and gets into that rhythm WGC-Mexico Championship. (15) at the crease. The visitors trail India by 149 “Interesting wicket. It’s then he is going to run through The Northern Irishman vaulted into a two- runs in the first innings. what we expected over the Australian batting line-up, shot lead ahead of five-time major winner Phil Lyon, who got the key wickets of India’s here. We knew we which we are very confident Mickelson, American Justin Thomas and England’s Virat Kohli (12) and top run-getter Lokesh weren’t going to have of,” he said. (AFP) Ross Fisher. Rahul (90), eclipsed former South African much grass on the Four-time major champion McIlroy reached a pacer Lance Klusener’s show of 8-64 at Kolkata wicket,” said Lyon, total of nine-under 133 at the Chapultepec Golf in 1996. who bettered his Club for his first 36 hole lead on the USPGA Tour “Obviously I have studied a lot of what previous best of since the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla. (Indian off-spinner) Ashwin does very well 7-94 at Delhi in “I just felt like I had a bit more energy. I had a bit over here. He is the best spinner of the world 2013. more pep in my step,” said McIlroy, who showed and if I can learn off him then so good,” Lyon “I didn’t no ill effects of the stomach trouble he has battled told reporters. expect so this week. “I wasn’t just trying to get through the “It’s finally very satisfying to get some many cracks round today. I was trying to build on the score that rewards for the hard work that you put in,” on day one but I had, and it was nice to feel like that again.” said Lyon, also giving credit to former Victoria they’re there. Mickelson carded three-under 68 for a seven- wicketkeeper Darren Berry and Australia spin I’ll reassess the under total of 135. Fisher also posted a 68 and consultant John Davison, with whom he has wicket after Thomas signed for a 66. worked at different phases during his career. both teams bat For a victory to propel McIlroy back to number This was the third successive time in the on it,” he added. one in the world, current number one Dustin four-match series that the world’s number Johnson would have to finish in a tie for fourth or one Test side failed as a batting unit after they Kohli’s prized scalp worse. Kohli, who had a rare flop in Pune with scores Johnson was also in the hunt after a five-under Scoreboard at stumps of 0 and 13, faltered again after choosing to 66 that put him in a three-way tie for fifth on 136 pad up Lyon’s off-spin that headed straight India 1st innings with England’s Andy Sullivan (65) and Daniel onto the stumps and was adjudged lbw. Berger (66). L. Rahul c Renshaw b Lyon 90 Kohli, who was bowled by left-arm A group of seven players, including Thomas A. Mukund lbw b Starc 0 spinner Steve O’Keefe in the second innings Pieters (69) and Martin Kaymer (67) were four C. Pujara c Handscomb b Lyon 17 of the first Test, wasted a review as the shots back at five-under 137. V. Kohli lbw b Lyon 12 replays agreed with the umpires call and McIlroy finished with six A. Rahane st Wade b Lyon 17 the star batsman walked back with pin drop birdies, two bogeys and an K. Nair st Wade b O’Keefe 26 silence at the ground. eagle on the par-four R. Ashwin c Warner b Lyon 7 Earlier pacemen Mitchell Starc, who got 14th. His lead W. Saha c Smith b Lyon 1 opener Abhinav Mukund for nought, and could have R. Jadeja c Smith b Lyon 3 Josh Hazlewood bowled probing spells to been rattle the Indian batting early in the first U. Yadav 0 larger session. but he I. Sharma c Handscomb b Lyon 0 Rahul, who has survived two dropped missed a Total (all out; 71.2 overs) 189 catches on 30 and 61 at his home venue, did four-foot Australia 1st innings grind his way against the Aussie attack but putt on D. Warner not out 23 got little support from the other end. 17 and a M. Renshaw not out 15 Rahul, who recorded his third Test fifty in three foot Extras (2nb) 2 his 15th match, finally got out to Lyon. The putt for Total (no loss; 16 overs) 40 batsman injured his shoulder during an ugly birdie and slog against Steve O’Keefe in the latter part settled for a par on 18. (AFP) India

Australian bowler Nathan Lyon cel- ebrates the dismissal of Indian team collapse captain Virat Kohli in Lyon Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland whirlwind