CHENNAI, March 8: Trust the Indians to let the opposition off the hook. It has happened with sickening regularity ever since the country's first Test at Lord's in 1932, and the third day's play in the first cricket Test between India and Australia at Chepauk on Sunday provided one more such instance.Midway through the final session on Saturday, the visitors were 137 for six with Mark Waugh, the last recognized batsman, having been dismissed. With a first innings score of 257 runs behind them, and the spin trio at their deadliest on a wicket that was breaking fast, India's position was enviable. All they had to do was to get a handy lead and turn the heat on Australia, who had the added disadvantage of having to bat last. But in complete contrast to the Indian tail the Australians defied for more than 75 overs, adding 191 runs.The Indians, however, recovered some ground when, thanks mainly to Navjot Sidhu's rough handling of Warne, they were able to turn a deficit of 71 into a lead of 29.The morningwas disappointing for the Indian team. The stage seemed set for a quick mopping up operation of the Australian innings, particularly as Warne fell early. And yet, the next wicket did not fall till 37.1 overs were bowled. The ninth wicket partnership between Healy and Robertson was unexpected.Robertson made his intentions clear soon after taking strike, swinging Chauhan to mid-wicket and cutting Kumble to the ropes. At the other end, the pugnacious Healy scored mostly in well-placed singles. Suddenly, Kumble and Raju did not look half the menace they had seemed on Saturday evening while Chauhan was still trying to find the correct line and length.This was the time for Azharuddin for trying something else. Perhaps, an innovative move like bringing on Ganguly or Tendulkar might have yielded results. It is a ploy that the more intuitive captains have tried and, in fact later in the evening, this tactic was tried with success by Taylor when he brought on Blewett who dismissed Mongia.But Azharuddin, bynature a conservative and cautious captain, kept the spinners on until rather belatedly he called for the new ball after 98 overs. By then, the score had crept to 254, and in Srinath's first over, Robertson cover-drove to the boundary for Australia to take the lead, unexpectedly and dramatically.Shortly before lunch, the crowd was applauding Healy who reached the highest score of the match, surpassing Mark Waugh's 66. There seemed to be no early end to the partnership for both Healy and Robertson seemed perfectly at ease when the 34-year-old wicketkeeper top edged Raju to short fine-leg.Given the tricky circumstances the knock was made - the score was 119 for five when he entered and the wicket was anything but a batsman's paradise - Healy should rate this innings very highly.The agony for the Indian team did not end with his dismissal. Robertson and Kasprowicz denied the Indians for another 54 minutes during which they stretched the total by another 31 runs.With the initiative having passedover to the Australians, it was in a sombre mood that the Indians commenced their second innings. Mongia and Sidhu, however, got off to a cracking start until Blewett gained a leg before verdict against Mongia which did not please the dapper batsman one bit.The last half-hour was enlivened by Sidhu's pyrotechnics. Warne was his primary target and it seemed that the experienced Indian opener had made up his mind to go after the leg-spinner.Gradually, Sidhu gained ascendancy, pulling and driving Warne with abandon. And in the bowler's eighth over, he cut loose, pulling him twice to the ropes and then lofting him for a straight six to reach his 50. Sidhu did not even wait for the crowd's salutation for his half-century. He excitedly lifted his bat and punched his fist in the air. Out of the 50 runs, 31 were hit off the leg-spinner - six boundaries, a six and a single.
