Kumble restricts Australia

12 April 2012

Matthew Hayden recorded his 28th Test century but India captain Anil Kumble struck back with five wickets to leave Australia at 337 for nine on the opening day of the first Test.

Hayden scored 124 and shared a first-wicket partnership of 135 with Phil Jaques as the hosts had the better of the first two sessions after Ricky Ponting won the toss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Australia were 213 for three at tea before the tourists hit back in the final session, picking up six wickets.

Resuming at 111 without loss after lunch, Hayden and Jaques added a further 24 runs to their opening partnership before Kumble finally made the first breakthrough.

The veteran leg-spinner enticed Jaques out of his crease with a googly and the Australia opener was well out of his ground when wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni removed his bails.

Ponting faced only 13 deliveries before falling to Zaheer Khan. Bowling around the wicket, the paceman took out the off-stump with a beautifully-pitched delivery that sent the Aussie skipper back to the pavilion for only four.

He was joined there in the next over by Michael Hussey who was dismissed lbw by another Kumble googly to leave Australia at 165 for three.

Hayden held things together for the home team and was unbeaten on 121 at tea. But after Michael Clarke was caught at second slip by VVS Laxman for 20 off the bowling of RP Singh, the opener followed for 124 when he popped a Zaheer delivery to Rahul Dravid at mid-on.

Andrew Symonds hit a swashbuckling 35 off 42 balls before he also perished, pulling a Kumble delivery to mid-wicket where substitute Dinesh Karthik took a fine catch.

Kumble picked up two more wickets with Adam Gilchrist taken at point by Sachin Tendulkar for 23 and Brett Lee trapped lbw for a duck. And Brad Hogg became Zaheer's third victim when he was caught at gully by Dravid for 17 off the new ball but Stuart Clark frustrated the tourists, hitting three boundaries in his knock of 21.

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