Friday 45 Sports Friday, December 28, 2018 Australia openers survive after Kohli, Pujara heroics post huge total India go in search of a crucial 2-1 lead in four-Test series MELBOURNE: A 170-run stand between cen- Kohli started to take on the short ball soon after tury-maker Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat being seen by the physio for a back complaint in Kohli put India in a dominant position in the the afternoon session, he was undone by pace third Test yesterday as Australia’s openers sur- spearhead . The Indian run-ma- vived half a dozen nervy overs before the close. chine had hit a four and was attempting another Dogged Pujara stroked 106 and Kohli 82 be- boundary next ball when he uppercut to third fore they both fell soon after lunch on what until man for Finch to take an easy catch. then had been a lifeless Melbourne pitch. It deprived Kohli of a 26th Test century and Rohit Sharma was 63 after notching the chance to surpass boyhood hero Sachin Ten- his 10th Test half-century when Kohli called a dulkar by making a seventh hundred in Australia. halt to the innings late in the day at 443 for seven They remain tied on six each. A stoic Pujara had as India go in search of a crucial 2-1 lead in the been unflappable in his 319-ball innings until Pat four-Test series. Cummins sent down a rocket that stayed low, That gave the tourists’ attack six overs before breached his defence and clattered into the stumps to target Australian openers Marcus stumps. Pujara, who has scored more runs and Harris and , who battled through to faced more balls than any other batsman in the be eight without loss. “I think we have enough series, added 38 to his overnight 68 in another runs on the board. Already today you can see tremendous knock by a man who has now the pitch has started deteriorating and there’s scored 17 Test tons and two in this series. variable bounce on it. I don’t think it’s easy to It was an arduous day for Australia’s bowlers bat on now,” said Pujara. in hot conditions with Cummins’ 3-72 proving “Our bowlers have been well so I the pick. Sharma, back after missing the second would say we have enough runs on the board.” Test with an injury, was in good touch, but had Despite the ominous task ahead, Finch in- a massive let-off on 15 when he swept a Nathan sisted Australia could still win. “It’s still game on Lyon to square leg where substitute MELBOURNE: India’s batsman Cheteshwar Pujara (R) celebrates reaching his century (100 if we bat really well and then back up and bowl fielder made a complete mess of a runs) with team’s captain Virat Kohli during day two of the third Test match between well and put India under a lot of pressure,” he simple catch. Australia’s leading spinner finally Australia and India in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP said. “I think that absolutely all three results are got a reward in his next over, trapping vice-- still on the table 100 percent-India, Australia and tain Ajinkya Rahane lbw for 34 as the pitch a draw. It’s hard to say after two days with the started to show signs of variable bounce which a knife-edge at 1-1. Last year’s deteriorating, but we are confident we could spell trouble for the home batsmen. saw a dull Ashes draw with England that can bat really big.” Lyon had another chance spilled when Cum- prompted the match referee to grade the pitch SCOREBOARD mins fumbled an easy catch from Rishabh Pant “poor” and there was hope for more juice in it STOIC PUJARA near the boundary. Pant finally fell for 39 and this time round. Scorecard at stumps on day two of the third Pujara and Kohli had continued to build their when Ravindra Jadeja went soon after, Kohli chief executive Kevin Test between Australia and India at the intimidating partnership after coming together made the declaration. Roberts said the pitch would only be fully yesterday: when openers Hanuma Vihari and Mayank Agar- The flat track in Melbourne follows much judged after the Test finishes, but conceded “a wal fell on day one. They batted through to lunch livelier pitches in Adelaide and Perth which pro- sense of urgency in the regeneration of this India first innings with scarcely an alarming moment. But when duced results in the four-Test series which is on wicket square”. — AFP M. Agarwal c Paine b Cummins 76 H. Vihari c Finch b Cummins 8 C. Pujara b Cummins 106 V. Kohli c Finch b Starc 82 Imam takes Pakistan A. Rahane lbw b Lyon 34 R. Sharma not out 63 R. Pant c Khawaja b Starc 39 into lead against SA R. Jadeja c Paine b Hazlewood 4 Extras (lb14, b15, nb1, w1) 31 CENTURION: Imam-ul-Haq scored a half-century as Pakistan made Total (7 declared, 169.4 overs) 443 a good start to their second innings on the second day of the first Did not bat: Mohammed Shami, Ishant Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park yesterday. Imam was Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah on 57 not out as Pakistan reached 100 for one at tea, an overall lead Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Vihari), 2-123 (Agar- of 58 in what has been a low-scoring Test. wal), 3-293 (Kohli), 4-299 (Pujara), 5-361 Imam and opening partner Fakhar Zaman wiped out a first-innings (Rahane), 6-437 (Pant), 7-443 (Jadeja) deficit of 42, taking their side two runs into the lead before Zaman Bowling: Starc 28-7-87-2, Hazlewood 31.4- flicked a ball from first-innings destroyer Duanne Olivier to fine leg 10-86-1, Cummins 34-10-72-3, Lyon 48-7- after scoring 12. 110-1, Marsh 26-4-51-0, Finch 2-0-8-0 The left-handed Imam made a shaky start. He hurried to 15 off 11 balls but all three of his boundaries to that point were off the edge of Australia first innings his bat. He was still on 15 when he was dropped low down by Hashim M. Harris not out 5 Amla at first slip off Dale Steyn. But he then batted solidly in reaching : South Africa’ss Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock plays a shot during A. Finch not out 3 fifty off 71 balls with seven fours and a hooked six off Olivier. Imam day two of the cricket test match between South Africa and Pakistan at Su- Extras 0 and Shan Masood (22 not out) added an unbeaten 56 for the second perSport Park cricket stadium yestetday in Pretoria. — AFP Total (0 wickets, six overs) 8 wicket. Earlier, Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock steered South To bat: Usman Khawaja, , Africa to a first-innings lead. Bavuma made 53 and De Kock hit 45 , , , Josh before South Africa were bowled out for 223. accurate bowling before edging Afridi to wicketkeeper and captain Hazlewood, , , Left-arm fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi Sarfraz Ahmed for 53 off 87 balls with nine fours. De Kock made his Mitchell Starc took four for 62 and four for 64 respectively. Bavuma moved to an runs off 53 balls with five fours before he was last man out, driving Bowling: Sharma 2-1-2-0, Bumrah 3-1-6-0, assured half-century off 66 balls but was then tied down by some Amir to cover. — AFP Jadeja 1-1-0-0.