Aussies in complete control

The world8217;s best cricketers surrendered meekly as Australia put themselves in the driver8217;s seat and threatened to run away with th...

The world8217;s best cricketers surrendered meekly as Australia put themselves in the driver8217;s seat and threatened to run away with the game inside three days, making a mockery of the concept of a six-day Super Test.

With Australia having taken a lead of 221 runs by stumps on the second day, the only redeeming feature for the World XI was a 76-run knock by India8217;s opener Virender Sehwag and Andrew Flintoff8217;s three wickets in three overs which sent the hosts packing in their first innings for 345, an addition of just 14 runs to their overnight score.

But the Aussies struck back with vengeance, packing off World XI for 190, a score made possible only on account of Sehwag who was the only batsman who managed to dominate the bowlers, slamming 14 fours in his 82-ball knock.

The action packed second day of the Test saw 15 wickets tumble on the spin friendly wicket of the SCG.

While Stuart MacGill and Shane Warne wreaked havoc on the World XI batsmen, Aussie paceman Glenn McGrath also made merry.

The World XI reply was most unbecoming of a side boasting of such stars as Brian Lara and freshly crowned Indian skipper Rahul Dravid.

Sehwag waged a lone battle as his teammates returned to the pavilion one after another until he was dismissed by Warne, the score reading 134 for four.

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The Indian found an able partner in Jacques Kallis 44 and both looked to put up a big score but Sehwag was unlucky to be caught by Katich at forward short leg off a blinder by Warne.

Flintoff played an entertaining cameo of 35 runs in 36 deliveries. He clubbed four sixes off MacGill, two of them in the same over, but the leg spinner had the last laugh, dismissing the all-rounder as he attempted to go for another big hit.

SCOREBOARD

	nbsp;	Australia 1st Innings, Overnight: 331-6; A Gilchrist lbw b Flintoff 94, S Watson lbw b Muralitharan 24, S Warne c Kallis b Flintoff 5, B Lee c Smith b Flintoff 1, G McGrath run out 0, S MacGill not out 0, Extras b5, lb11, w3, nb6 25, Total all out, 90 overs 345. FoW: 1-0, 2-73, 3-154, 4-163, 5-260, 6-323, 7-331, 8-339, 9-344. Bowling: Harmison 18-3-60-1, Flintoff 18-3-59-4, Kallis 7-1-35-0, Muralitharan 30-3-102-2, Vettori 17-3-73-1. World XI: 1st Innings: G Smith c Gilchrist b Lee 12, V Sehwag c Katich b Warne 76, R Dravid c Gilchrist B McGrath 0, B Lara lbw McGrath 5, J Kallis c Hayden b Warne 44, Inzamam-ul-Haq st Gilchrist b MacGill 1, A Flintoff c Lee b MacGill 35, M Boucher c Gilchrist b Warne 0, D Vettori not out 8, S Harmison c Clarke b MacGill 1, M Muralitharan c Langer b MacGill 2, Extras b1, lb1, w1, nb3 6; Total all out, 47.1 overs 190. FoW: 1-27, 2-31, 3-43, 4-134, 5-135, 6-147, 7-151, 8-183, 9-184. Bowling: McGrath 12-4-34-2, Lee 8-1-54-1, Watson 6-0-38-0, Warne 12-3-23-3, Macgill 9.1-0-39-4. Australia 2nd Innings: J Langer c Smith b Kallis 22, M Hayden batting 27, R Ponting batting 17; Extras 0, Total 1 wkt, 20 overs 66. FoW: 1-30: Bowling: Harmison 7-1-25-0, Flintoff 4-0-14-0, Kallis 3-1-3-1, Muralitharan 3-0-8-0, Vettori 3-0-16-0.	nbsp;