Bumpy ride on flat track

India8217;s predicament is best described by a single pitiful statistic, which states that none of its exalted, and pavilion-resting, top order finished the day with a score higher than Jason Gillespie8217;s 48. Indeed, to collapse from 0-66 to 4-85, the new ball negotiated, on a pitch not even distantly related to Perth, against an affable attack, was unpardonable.

There may be talk of the pressure confronting India, not just Australia8217;s mammoth total of 556, but the follow-on target of 356. However, this is not the Batliboi Second XI but a national team whose batting merits are constantly lauded. Akash Chopra aside, none of them fits the description of a novice.

Once again the fall of Sachin Tendulkar8217;s wicket elicited disbelief, except unlike Brisbane where the umpire erred, this time it was his own judgement that was deeply flawed. His arrival at the crease was accompanied by a cheer usually arrived for a visiting king, for Australians are much taken by his grace as batsman and man.

But Tendulkar will flinch at a replay of the shot that felled him, for rarely does he commit such ungainly hara-kiri. A wide ball was pushed at with no care to feet or position, an uncharacteristic stroke better suited to a tailender than a fellow whose better innings are enshrined in museums.

No batsmen is immune to the sudden flight of confidence, and Tendulkar8217;s last seven Test scores of 9, 32, 8, 7, 55, 1, 0 will not have escaped his attention. Perhaps his early strokeplay is infected with anxiety 8212; runs are few and thus runs must be scored 8212; allowing him to be seduced into indiscreet strokes. Undoubtedly, a proud man will respond with a sufficient answer.

The pitch was friendly, the attack honest, requiring from batsmen little more than patience and watchfulness, not the most exacting of virtues to ask for. Virender Sehwag and Chopra played with the ease of men performing in a Najafgarh bylane, a busy partnership of some surprise: Chopra was outscoring his partner initially, and no Sehwag shot was elevated beyond the level of the grass.

Then, like bored musicians abandoning the prescribed sheet music, discipline was discarded, persistence shrugged off 8212; though Steve Waugh8217;s tactics certainly contributed to Sehwag8217;s demise. The field turned defensive, every slip barring Matthew Hayden at fourth was semaphored to a different position and, as scoring gaps were filled, it was evident the noose was tightening. All that was left was for Sehwag to hang himself, the well set batsman responding by generously guiding the ball into Hayden8217;s hands.

Already Chopra 27 had had his drive caught athletically by bowler Andy Bichel and no sooner had Tendulkar ended his six-ball cameo than Ganguly and Dravid suggested that, despite seven years of sharing meals, they clearly do not communicate adequately. A second run appeared to be met with some 8216;8216;yes8217;8217; and some 8216;8216;no8217;8217;, leaving the umpire to have the final word to Ganguly: 8216;8216;Go8217;8217;.

Earlier, Anil Kumble8217;s perseverance was rewarded with figures of 5-154 off 43 overs but the day again belonged to Ricky Ponting. The one-day captain8217;s staggering knock 242 was almost half his team8217;s total, though its finest moment was his reaction to his double-hundred, which was as sweetly unorthodox as his batting was conventional. Tradition demands a raised bat but Ponting delighted the crowd, and his wife, by looking to her and blowing a kiss.

On Sunday the Indian dressing room will settle for dispensing hugs to Laxman and Dravid if somehow they produce a partnership even partially as enchanting and durable as Calcutta, 2001. If India can escape this match with a draw, Houdini will never be heard of again.