VVS returns compliments

That 46.2-over partnership stitched up, to an extent, the dismal umpiring lacerations of Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson.

With the two back in the pavilion, the exercise came into the hands of Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. That partnership has so far yielded 31 runs in eight overs. And India, with 216/3 on the scoreboard should feel the comfort and smile.

To assume that India are well and truly back in the saddle will take time to declare, as in any post-surgery recovery period. And this is a period that Tendulkar and Ganguly will have to handle with care, with their kid gloves on.

India are still 247 runs behind Australia’s 463, set after Symonds remained the last man standing at 162 after getting his fourth reprieve. Bucknor refused to refer to the third umpire to a stumping off Anil Kumble when Symonds was on 148. He reached his 150 soon, in 208 balls and 18 fours. Brett Lee got his little milestone and Mitchell Johnson joined the fun at Kumble’s expense.

Clark was the only tailender to disappoint. The number 11’s departure left Indians to negotiate three overs before lunch and openers Wasim Jaffer and Rahul Dravid somehow managed.

Post break, a delivery from Lee hit the base of Jaffer’s off-stump, the ball curving away slightly before the batsman could position himself in its line. The cheap dismissal of India’s lone specialist bat was a bitter blow. And it seemed he was out on a no -ball that Benson had failed to spot.

Laxman started off in brilliant fashion with a backfoot punch through covers, adding another towards square-leg in the same over from Johnson. Shots that followed included a brilliant pull, a cover-drive on the front foot, a straight-drive, a flick off his legs, a nudge towards fine-leg — he showcased the entire range of shots at his disposal to a genre of Australian bowlers present today. He was severe on Johnson, hitting him for four fours in an over, and eight in total of the 18 he displayed at the SCG.

Such was his elegant aggression that the run-rate hovered around its maximum through the series, and the fifty partnership came from just 53 balls.

He took the challenge of all different field-placings that Ponting threw at him — silly mid-off and short cover, deep point, backward square-leg and long-leg — and emerged the winner.

Till tea time Laxman and Dravid had played out 23.3 overs, reaching his half-century in just 43 balls with 10 fours in it.

Dravid at the other end just stayed on, and on. For a batsman playing an unfamiliar role in a most difficult phase of his career can be daunting, but to his credit Dravid hung on, taking 40 deliveries to move from 18 to 19. It was his immense sense of responsibility and selflessness that brought out the colours of vintage Test cricket. He was lucky too, four times, but his knock today can be rated among the best for that sheer ability to provide support.

Laxman, meanwhile, reached his century and immediately removed his helmet and raised his bat, flashing his big smile. That 127-ball effort had special value to each — the opposition, the venue, the team, and him too. When he went, caught at short cover for 109 off Brad Hogg, he had already brought back the smiles that come after a successful operation.

Meanwhile, the team management has decided not to lodge a protest against poor umpiring on Day One.

Scoreboard

Australia (1st Innings): (Overnight 376-7): A Symonds not out 162, B Lee lbw Kumble 59, M Johnson c Ganguly b Kumble 28, S Clark lbw Kumble 0; Extras (b2, lb9, w4, nb3) 18; Total (all out, 112.3 overs) 463

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-27, 3-119, 4-119, 5-121, 6-134, 7-307, 8-421, 9-461

Bowling: RP Singh 26-3-124-4, I Sharma 23-3-87-0, S Ganguly 6-1-13-0, Harbhajan 27-3-108-2, Kumble 25.3-0-106-4, Tendulkar 5-0-14-0

India (1st Innings): W Jaffer b Lee 3, R Dravid c Hayden b Johnson 53, VVS Laxman c Hussey b Hogg 109, S Tendulkar batting 9, S Ganguly batting 21

Extras (b-4, lb-8, w-3, nb-6) 21

Total (for 3 wkts, 62 overs) 216

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-183, 3-185

Bowling: Lee 15-4-34-1, Johnson 18-2-75-1, Clark 11-3-28-0, Symonds 7-1-19-0, Hogg 11-0-48-1