Australia vs India – 3rd Test – Australia embarrass India to take series
It took http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 less than two and half days to humiliate India, and take an unquestionable 3-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar series, winning the 3rd Test by an innings and 37 runs at the WACA ground, Perth, January 15th, 2012.
In another dominating performance, the host’s sublime bowling attack made easy work of the tourist’s batsmen, while http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DA-Warner-c1301’s whirlwind knock of 180 ensured that the Aussies secured a series win with one Test still to play.
Going into the third day, the Men In Blue were 88 for 4 – still trailing their opponents by 120 runs, who put 369 on the board in reply to http://www.senore.com/Cricket/R-Dravid-c2229 and Virat Kohli, who resumed from their overnight scores of 32 and 21 respectively.
The duo added 84 for the fifth wicket, which ironically was the second highest of the match behind the mammoth 214 between Warner and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Andrew-Graham-Downton-c44379 Cowan. However, it provided limited assurance as the Kangaroos’ pace attack used the fast nature of the track to their liking, troubling the batters with near hits and misses.
Kohli’s innings was solid when compared with his veteran partner, who made a resolute 47 before being stunned by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RJ-Harris-c2330’ exquisite in swing delivery which went through his defenses – Dravid’s fifth bowled out in six innings.
While Kohli went onto make a deserved half-century, it was the other end where the Aussie bowlers made inroads as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RT-Ponting-c2377’s safe catch at slip.
The tourists went into lunch with 165 for 6 but the resumption saw http://www.senore.com/Cricket/I-Sharma-c1566, who was holed out at short leg, to bring his side a whisker away from the victory margin.
That job was completed by Siddle as he got Kohli to edge behind the stumps as the Indians capitulated on a humiliating 171. However, his innings of 75 duly gave evidence of the need of bringing youth in the side.
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