A marvellous fighting partnership between the ever reliable Ian Healy and the suddenly famous Gavin Robertson seemed to have Australia heading for victory when Navjot Sidhu launched an assault on Shane Warne that put the contest back on an even keel after three days.It's been an absorbing battle and Australia can thank that pair for being in contention, but they did get some assistance from Mohammed Azharuddin whose captaincy in the first session was puzzling. On a pitch where the top order batsmen had struggled to score, he allowed Ian Healy far too many easy singles. With most of the leg-side fielders in the outfield, Healy wasn't encouraged to risk a big hit and was content to play safely and accumulate runs. This was in contrast to Mark Taylor's captaincy where he crowded the Indian lower order batsmen and Australia were rewarded with a 5 for 10 rout to end the first innings.Throughout the partnership, Healy kept a cool head and played with great determination. He's surely played as many influentialinnings in Test cricket now as either of the Waugh twins whose big innings have been behind many of Australia's successes. The only difference is a number of Healy's vital innings haven't been converted into centuries, but they have been no less important. That is a remarkable record for a man who is selected to excel with the gloves and has a wonderful record in his main task.And, on the subject of achievement, Gavin Robertson has also been outstanding in this Test. Bombarded in his opening overs, he has fought back with courage and common sense and was by no means a silent partner in the liaison with Healy. Robertson possesses a solid defence and made good use of his cut shot whenever the Indian bowlers pitched short.Australia's lead was 71, a huge turnaround from a likely deficit at one stage and a good chance it was a match winning advantage. This figure was enhanced by the fact that the Indian batsmen didn't take as many singles as they should and the Australian fieldsmen capitalised by standingdeeper which helped them to save a few firmly hit shots.During the Healy-Robertson partnership it appeared that either the pitch had died or else the Indian bowlers had wilted a little. The trend continued even when Shane Warne was bowling from the pavilion end, but when the leg spinner switched ends he bowled some devilish deliveries. This was in the middle of a spell where Navjot Sidhu was becalmed, not scoring off Greg Blewett's medium-pacers and padding away Warne's bouncing leg-spinners.However, Sidhu suddenly broke the shackles with a spate of boundaries, the third in successive deliveries from Warne erasing the deficit and putting India in credit. An animated Sidhu continued the onslaught against Warne and brought up his second half-century in the match with a huge six.This was a fitting climax to another good day's cricket. In three days both teams have landed some solid blows, but no one has yet produced the knockout punch. This may come when Tendulkar and Warne square off for their nextround in this heavyweight bout.
