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Aus vs Ind Adelaide Test: Australia triumphs despite Kohli's heroics

Sports
DC Correspondent
13 Dec 2014 11:56 AM IST
The hosts lead the series 1-0 after 48-run win in Adelaide
Aus vs Ind Adelaide Test: Australia triumphs despite Kohlis heroics
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Nathan Lyon's fifer has pushed India on the backfoot on the final day of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday. Photo: Screengrab

Adelaide:In one of the most nailbiting Test encounters in recent times, Australia held their nerve to defy Virat Kohli's heroic 141 and beat India by 48 runs in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.

Here is how the action unfolded on day five.

Opener Murali Vijay was unbeaten on 47 while Virat Kohli was not out 25 after the Indians lost Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara in the morning session.

Vijay wasted no time in bringing up his second fifty of the game, shortly after lunch break. Kohli too reached 50-run mark and kept himself in with a chance to score another hundred in the Test.

Meanwhile, Australia were done in when Michael Clarke limped off the field with a sore hamstring. It did not look good when he got down on the field and with physio coming out to check Clarke, it was clear that the Australian skipper needed to leave the field.

While Australia looked a little out of sorts, Kohli and Vijay made sure they did not lose their concentration and brought up India's two-hundred before tea.

The duo continued their good work as runs were not hard to come by for Indians. Australia, on the other hand, continued to search for a wicket. Vijay and Kohli zoomed their way into 90s with some big hits. Vijay was the first one to move closer on 99 but Kohli overtook him to score his second hundred of the game.

Vijay though had his share of nervous moments with a loud shout of LBW against him and a ripper from Ryan Harris missing the off-stump by inches. While he deserved his first hundred in Australia, it was not to be as Nathan Lyon caught him plumb in front.

The offie struck again in the same over to end Rahane's inning for zero and put Australia back into the game.

While Kohli continued to grow strong, Rohit Sharma displayed his love for adventure at the time when India needed it the least. Once again failing to find any consistency, he departed after scoring just six runs.

Saha then joined Kohli in the middle as match headed towards a nailbiting finish. Saha smashed 10 off Lyon's one over with a six and a four. But he played a shot too many and was castled by Lyon in the same over.

Kohli, then took matters in his own hand, as he continued to punch against the Australian attack. But his resolve and Indian hopes were dashed when Kohli mistimed one off Lyon's bowling. Mitchell Marsh, fielding in deep, managed to hold onto the catch after almost making hash of it.

As the dejected Kohli made a walkback to the Indian dressing room, entire Adelaide Oval gave him a standing ovation.

Mohammed Shami too could not last long as Harris had him to give Australia their seventh wicket. Varun Aaron was promoted ahead of Ishant Sharma but he too got out cheaply off Johnson's inswinger.

Australia then wasted no time in wrapping Indian inning with Nathan Lyon taking his eight and final wicket of the inning. Ishant Sharma danced down the track only to get out stumpped.

The only time a team has scored more than 300 runs in the fourth innings to win a test in Adelaide was in 1902.

As expected, the Australians did not resume their second innings on Saturday, with captain Michael Clarke declaring on their overnight score of 290-5.

Steven Smith remained not out on 52 while Brad Haddin was unbeaten on 14, leaving the Australians a minimum of 98 overs to bowl out the visitors.

The home team got a lucky break when Dhawan was given out for nine in the fifth over of the morning, caught down the legside by wicketkeeper Haddin off Mitchell Johnson.

Television replays showed the ball came off Dhawan's shoulder but because India refuses to allow the use of DRS -- the video review system used by all other cricket countries -- Dhawan was unable to ask for a reprieve.

The Australians got a second wicket with the total on 57 when offspinner Nathan Lyon dismissed Pujara for 21, deceiving the batsman with a ball that stayed straight and found the thinnest of edges.

While self-preservation was the first priority for Vijay and Kohli, the pair kept the scoreboard ticking along with some controlled aggression.

Vijay reached the interval three runs short of his second half-century of the match after a patient 121-ball knock that featured three fours and a six.

Kohli, who scored a hundred in India's first innings, also picked up three boundaries to get to 25 off 37 deliveries, setting up an exciting end to a match that began emotions high after the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes late last month.

( Source : reuters/dc )
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