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Shane's show Warne gives Australia early edge against India
BOMBAY (Reuters) -- Leg spinner Shane Warne and paceman Glenn McGrath gave Australia a perfect start to its Indian test series by bowling out the hosts for 176 runs Tuesday. Warne captured four wickets and McGrath returned a stunning analysis of three for 19 from 19 overs as Australian skipper Steve Waugh's gambit of electing to field paid dividends. At the close of play, Australia were 49 for the loss of opener Michael Slater with left-handers Matthew Hayden (25) and Justin Langer (10) together. Warne, who had a disastrous tour three years ago when Australia lost a three-test series 2-1, picked up four for 47 -- mostly with a leg-stump attack. Australia looked like bundling out the hosts for a much lower score on a wicket with good early bounce, but Sachin Tendulkar hammered 76 in a 75-run fifth wicket stand with Vangipurappu Laxman to lift India from four for 55. Australia, determined to stretch its world record 15 consecutive test wins and end a 31-year test series victory drought in India, was only 127 runs adrift of India's total. Medium pacer Ajit Agarkar struck India's only blow when he uprooted Slater's middle stump inner-edging a drive for 10 with the visiting side on 21. Young off-spinner Harbhajan Singh turned the ball sharply to put some pressure on the left-handers but Hayden hit debutant left-arm spinner Rahul Sanghvi for a huge six over midwicket. Tendulkar sparked an Indian revival with aggressive batting after India were reeling at 62 for four at lunch. But McGrath, returning for a fresh spell, turned the tide by having a watchful Laxman guide a lifting delivery to Ricky Ponting at second slip for 20. Nine runs later, he forced Tendulkar to edge an attempted drive to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. Tendulkar played neat straight drives and vicious cuts for most of his 13 fours in a 114-ball knock. Warne strikes Warne struck first in the morning, bowling a first-ball bouncer to Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly before having him caught in the slips in his second over for eight runs. Once Tendulkar went, Warne had Ajit Agarkar caught and bowled for a duck to leave India struggling at 140 for seven. Warne was denied his third wicket when Javagal Srinath miscued a heave but McGrath, running backwards from mid-on, failed to judge the trajectory. Srinath got another life at four when Warne caught his edge but the ball fell just short of Hayden at slip. Warne finally had him loft the ball to Mark Waugh at mid-off. Srinath scored 12 in his 61-minute stay. Wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia played a dogged 112-minute knock to remain 26 not out. Tendulkar's onslaught Tendulkar raised hopes of a recovery when he was at the crease. India's key batsman made his intentions clear in the first over after lunch with a cracking cover drive for four off Warne. He pulled Warne to the midwicket fence to move to 49 and then brought up his 50 with a wristy single backward of square after spending 103 minutes at the crease. He struck three consecutive fours, two straight drives and one square cut, off Fleming to race from 60 to 72. Australia had got its first breakthrough when McGrath, making good use of the morning conditions, had left-handed opener Sadagopan Ramesh (2) top-edge an attempted hook shot straight to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist. Swing bowler Damien Fleming had Rahul Dravid caught by Gilchrist for nine and opener Shiv Sunder Das fell for 14, slashing hard to Hayden at gully off Gillespie.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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