Tendulkar lords over Sydney, cracks 38th century

If this is a beginning, several happy endings are slated for the new year, what with a packed itinerary ahead.

Sachin Tendulkar scored his 38th century — his first in the last seven attempts, six of them in Tests. India added over 100 runs in each session at the SCG to 532, which was the second best score against the Australians in the last three years, and they are now in with a good chance of denying the hosts a 16 wins in-a-row record, if not of wrapping up this Test. Australia are 13/0 in five overs in their second innings, and still trail by 56, leading into the fourth day.

Sometimes it gets difficult when happiness comes in such abundance. Perhaps that can account for Harbhajan's appearance tomorrow with the match referee because of a little moment of banter after his charismatic and reassuring presence at the crease.

Harbhajan scored a critical 63 and spent 137 important minutes. Tendulkar was on 69 when Harbhajan arrived as the number 8 bat at the relatively shaky other end, and he left when Tendulkar was 133, and India's score had swelled beyond that of the opposition.

Most laudable was Harbhajan's conviction that helped him stay with Tendulkar through critical junctures. Their 129-run partnership snatched the initiative from the Australians.

Overnight batsmen Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly looked to start the day on a very positive note, the latter being the more aggressive. Ganguly struck two boundaries off Brett Lee—sublime drives off the front and back foot—and handled the short stuff with amazing ease, especially a stunning pull off Clark.

The duo looked set to beat the Aussies in their own game plan. With the field spread out against the barrage of boundaries—fielders manning the two ends of the square—both approached the critical first session with soft hands and quick feet.

Hogg was introduced in the sixth over of the day and Tendulkar took the cue, followed by Ganguly. Then there was Michael Clarke, and both Indian batsmen smashed the Australian left-arm varieties of spin for straight sixes while Tendulkar preferred to stand and deliver, Ganguly was happy to jump out and play the lofted shot.

Ganguly reached his fifty in 68 balls with six boundaries, but just when India appeared to have averted the danger signals and were nearing the first halt to rest, Ganguly fell to Hogg for the third time in the series. Ganguly stepped out again to play a big shot but was cramped for space and a chip shot he managed landed safely into Michael Hussey's hands at mid-off.

Ganguly's departure brought the under-pressure Yuvraj at the crease, and his cheap dismissal cast further doubt about over whether he really belonged to the Test arena on Australian wickets.

MS Dhoni arrived, but became Gilchrist's 40th victim while Test skipper Anil Kumble also fell, putting India on alert.

That was when Tendulkar decided to take charge. Warming up with a few boundaries off Mitchell Johnson and a cracking cover-drive off Clark, he got busy reinventing his famed upper-cut shot against Brett Lee.

Harbhajan showed his ability to switch between cross bat shots to ones driven in the V, varying between attack and dead defence. He crossed 1,000 runs in Test cricket on either side of Tendulkar reaching his century in 160 balls and eight fours. India pushed past 400 before retiring for tea (424/7).

In the first hour post-tea, Harbhajan treated Clark with contempt to reach his half-century from 73 balls and six hits to the fence. He fell next ball, overtaking Kirmani and Karsan Ghavri's long-standing partnership record, but RP Singh and last man Ishant Sharma joined the party to further frustrate the hosts.

Tendulkar showed amazing faith in his number 10 and number 11 bat — giving them as much strike as possible, in fact taking the single of the first ball. RP contributed 13 and Ishant slammed 23, including four fours against Lee.

Tendulkar's contribution in that last wicket partnership 31 was only 8 as he stroked past his 150 before Lee caught Ishant off his own bowling to bag a fiver.

Australia's woeful bowling rate meant that India could only bowl five of the scheduled remaining 11 overs in the last stretch.

Every morning session over the last three days has been critical towards shaping the match formations, tomorrow will be no different with Kumble and Harbhajan on a wicket that is now offering appreciable turn.

Scoreboard

Australia 1st Innings: 463

India (1st Innings) (Overnight 216/3): S Tendulkar not out 154,S Ganguly c Hussey b Hogg 67, Y Singh lbw Lee 12,M S Dhoni c Gilchrist b Lee 2, A Kumble c Gilchrist b Lee 2, H Singh c Hussey b Johnson 63, R P Singh c Gilchrist b Clark 13,I Sharma c & b Lee 23

Extras: (b-4,lb-13, nb-8,w-6) 31

TOTAL: (all out, 138.2overs) 532

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-183, 3-185, 4-293, 5-321, 6-330, 7-345, 8-474, 9-501, 10-532.

Bowling: Lee 32.2-5-119-5 , Johnson 37-2-148-2 , Clark 25-3-80-1 , Symonds 7-1-19-0, Hogg 30-2-121-2, Clarke 7-1-28-0.

Australia 2nd Innings:

P Jacques batting 8, M Hayden batting 5

TOTAL: (for no loss, 5 overs) 13

Bowling: R P Singh 2-0-7-0, Ishant 1-0-4-0, Harbhajan 1-1-0-0, Kumble 1-0-2-0.

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