Thursday 18th December, 2008 stump, Clarke chose a poor time to loft the spinner Paul Harris and was caught at mid-on. Australia needed Katich’s fight on a pitch that Sri Lanka set to was not as brutal as expected, but still offered enough bounce to make the fast men smile, espe- cially when running in to the tail-enders. Katich, tour Pakistan Magnetic first who grew up in Perth before moving to New South Wales, made his first Test at his old home ground memorable, settling well after watching Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey depart by the sixth over. He drove hard, relaxing with a push through cover off Steyn for a boundary, and then swung three fours in a row from Kallis. A sliced cut car- ried over the rope at third-man to bring up his day at the WACA half-century and he followed with a textbook shot SCOREBOARD Round one of the 1990s, they entered this series with their best through the gully. battle between the chance of success. Twice on the first day they had While Katich hit seven mostly crisp bound- aries and a six, Clarke was happier to work the Australia 1st Innings world’s top-ranked their opponents in tender positions before allow- teams could not have ing them to escape to a more comfortable pose ball around before lunch and then became more M Hayden c Smith b Ntini 12 desperate to follow through after the break. His S Katich lbw b Morkel 83 been more magnetic on through a mix of defensive settings and an inse- a first day when the cure outlook. fifty came when he skipped down the pitch to R Ponting c de Villiers b Ntini 0 sides swayed between Andrew Symonds and Brad Haddin emerged Harris and chipped a boundary over the spinner’s M Hussey c de Villiers b Steyn 0 being in control and for the third session determined to attack and did head. An attempt at a repeat caused his downfall. M Clarke c Smith b Harris 62 needing to catch up. At it so comfortably. The situation was tense but they In a surprise move Harris delivered 21 overs A Symonds c McKenzie b Harris 57 stumps in the absorbing weren’t fazed, with 93 runs coming at more than on the first day, earning two wickets, while Ntini B Haddin c Duminy b Ntini 46 tug-o-war, South Africa five an over. The momentum, which lapped like was the most successful with 3 for 66. Morkel, who B Lee c Duminy b Steyn 29 and Australia were eye- the edges of the Swan River, was on Australia’s ended the day with Mitchell Johnson’s lbw, took 2 for 62 and appeared the most difficult to negotiate. J Krejza not out 19 balling each other, with bank. Then, once again, the tide changed briefly Ranatunga Miandad the hosts scraping, and as Symonds, whose 57 from 68 balls was a blast Steyn was better when the ball was shiny and his M Johnson lbw b Morkel 18 head-to-head with Brett Lee started well. Lee (29) Sri Lanka is set to play two Test Extras 10 at times, exploding from his pre-fishing past, miscued in a similar Matches and three One-Day towards 9 for 341. manner to Clarke. Both players were horrified. popped an awkward delivery to point as Steyn col- Total 9 wkts, 89 overs 341 Internationals in Pakistan next For the first 29 min- For the teams it was a game of tag. Whenever lected a couple of victims. Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-14, 3-15, 4-164, At the toss Ponting said his senior batsmen January if India fails to tour the coun- utes South Africa one side was caught the other sprinted away. try following the recent terrorist 5-166, 6-259, 7-298, 8-303, 9-341 opened with a Haddin kept Australia ahead as the shadows from had to stand up, but within 32 balls three of them Bowling: Ntini 18 1 66 3, Steyn 18 2 71 had departed. Ntini and Steyn were nervous ini- attacks in Mumbai. Although the Board flamethrower, burning the light stands grew across the ground, looking a of Control for Cricket in India is yet to 2, Kallis 15 2 65 0, Morkel 17 1 62 2, Australia to 3 for 15 high-class batsman, especially when hitting tially, spraying their opening deliveries, and then suddenly, with help from the edgy Australians, make a formal announcement, coun- Harris 21 2 70 2 after they won the toss, Jacques Kallis for a straight six. His lapse came try’s Sports Minister and past greats but then Australia coun- on 46 when Ntini took the second new ball and he they were world beaters. The career crisis of Hayden, who hit two fours have objected the team making the trip tered with a 149-run slashed to deep point. to Pakistan. partnership between Simon Katich and Michael Like Katich’s display in the morning, Australia off Ntini in the first over, worsened on 12 when his feet were stuck and his bat waved a catch to “Is it possible for one team to arrive Clarke. It felt as though the brutal start had never were desperate for the contributions of Clarke, in Mumbai and indulge in mass murder, happened and that the batting side reaching 400 Symonds and Haddin to secure their total. South Graeme Smith at first slip. Next ball Ponting attempted an off drive and his push was well and have another team go and play was as certain as the wind picking up in the after- Africa’s bid to topple the world champions, who cricket in the winter afternoon sun at noon. are still trying to prove they are an all-conquering taken by de Villiers at third slip. Ntini was on a hat-trick, but Hussey was allowed to leave his first Lahore immediately after,” Indian Looking ahead, or trying to decide which side force, started in stunning style with Dale Steyn Sports Minister Manohar Singh Gill would finish on top, was not wise. With Katich and and Makhaya Ntini frightening the home bats- delivery. Hussey received the best ball of the dismissed had told PTI making a strong statement Clarke appearing untouchable while picking up men. However, Katich wasn’t scared and despite against the team touring Pakistan. half-centuries, both departed within two runs some uncomfortable fends he out-performed his trio when Steyn angled one across him and the batsman was forced to play, nibbling to de Villiers There were media reports in before tea and Australia’s position was a wonky 5 more highly-respected team-mates during a cru- Pakistan that Sri Lanka were set to fill for 166. cial 83. who accepted a stunning catch diving forward from third slip. The pace of the action slowed, but the gap if India pulled out and when South Africa were back in front but it does not Clarke was streaky at times during his 62, but asked for comments, Shane Fernando, look like their preferred position. Having chased his exit was costly. An over after Katich was lbw to something was always happening throughout the day. It could be a classic series. the Media Manager of SLC told ‘The Australia since their readmission in the early a Morne Morkel full toss that was heading for leg Island’ that Pakistan Cricket Board’s Director General Javed Miandad had asked Sri Lanka Cricket Chairman Arjuna Ranatunga of the team’s avail- ability to tour Pakistan if India pulled out. 56th National Moores says Panesar Ranatunga had pledged SLC’s fullest support to Pakistan as the Sri Lankan team doesn’t have any international Badminton lacked practice commitments during this period when the former Pakistan captain phoned his Peter Moores, the England 105 runs in the chase. former Sri Lankan counterpart yester- Championship coach, has defended Monty “As you go through your day, Fernando added. Panesar’s poor show in overs you get into a rhythm so Ranatunga had also told PTI in an begins today India’s record chase in that’s quite challenging for earlier interview that the Sri Lankans Chennai, blaming it on lack of someone who is suddenly were happy with the security arrange- practice ahead of the series. charged with the job of bowl- ments in Pakistan that was in place dur- by Manjula D (CHICO) has come for- Panesar last played a first- ing out an Indian Test match ing the Asia Cup tournament. ward to sponsor the .Phillips class game in September and team that are playing very event giving away over- went in to the first Test with- good cricket,” Moores said. all prize money of Rs. 1 The 56th National out a warm-up game, after the Panesar’s record in Tests, million -the biggest Badminton scheduled match was can- he said, compared very Ranpandu Football tourney Championship, con- amount awarded in local badminton histo- Jae Jong Choi, Managing Director of Ceylon Heavy celled following the Mumbai favourably to a lot of spinners ducted by the Sri Lanka terror attacks. who had started out in the commences today Badminton Association ry. Industries & Construction Ltd., symbolically hands over the Sri Lanka Telecom sponsorship cheque to Prof. Ranjith De Silva, the President Moores echoed the words of game around the same time will get underway today David Capel, Panesar’s coach and he was still very young. The Ranpandu and Yonex–Sunrise, of the Sri Lanka Badminton Association at a media briefing Gold Cup Football and the finals will be at Northamptonshire, who “People talk about him devel- Singapore are the co in Colombo.