Ponting hits half-century as Australia stretch lead to 486

Ricky Ponting hit five boundaries during his knock of 57 not out © Getty Images

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Adelaide: Jan 27, 2012

A fluent half century by Ricky Ponting as well as the positive approach of skipper Michael Clarke saw Australia extend their overall lead to 486 at lunch on the fourth day of their final cricket Test against India.

Ponting was again at the forefront of this torture to the Indians, batting on 57 as the hosts took the break at 154 for five.

The hosts lost two wickets in the morning session with Clarke (37) and Michael Hussey (15) falling to Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma respectively.

Resuming at 50 for 3, Australians kept scoreboard ticking over with singles and twos before overnight batsman Michael Clarke fell for 37, adjudged caught behind off Yadav’s bowling.

Clarke, just before his dismissal, had changed gears and came down the track to twice lift off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for boundaries on either side of the wicket.

India didn’t begin with Ashwin at the start of the day’s play and instead started with pace from both ends in Zaheer Khan and Sharma.

After first six overs of the day yielded nothing, Ashwin was brought back into attack but Australia had already added 26 runs to the overnight total and both the double centurions of the first innings, Ponting and Clarke, looked well settled.

Half an hour before lunch, Ponting guided Ashwin behind on the onside for a single to raise his half century. This is his third half century of the series, besides a double hundred and a century he made from this productive series.

Just before he reached his half century, Ponting on 46 was given a reprieve by Rahul Dravid at midwicket when the batsman pulled Yadav from outside the off-stump and the fielder, running backwards, couldn’t hold on to the chance.

Sharma was brought back for possibly his last spell of the series, 20 minutes before the lunch break and he immediately delivered result. A delivery from him hit Hussey below the kneerolls and umpire Kumar Dharmasena, after a long pause, ruled in bowler’s favour.

Australia already appear to have enough runs on the board for the best fourth innings total chased for win here has been 315 for 6, made by Australia against England more than a century ago?1901-02 to be precise.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin gave enough indications of his poor form by opening his account off only the 15th ball he faced in this innings.

Ponting has so far batted for 125 minutes and faced 89 balls, hitting five fours in his unbeaten 57 runs. India were unable to clamp down on scoring as the hosts still managed 104 runs off 29 overs from the morning session. (PTI)

Brief Scores: Australia 604 for 7 dec (Ricky Ponting 221, Michael Clarke 210, Brad Haddin 42*; Ravichandran Ashwin 3 for 194) & 154 for 5 (Ricky Ponting 57*, Michael Clarke 37; R Ashwin 2 for 62) lead India 272 all-out (Virat Kohli 116, Wriddhiman Saha 35, Gautam Gambhir 34;  Peter Siddle 5 for 43, Ben Hilfenhaus 3 for 62) by 486 runs. 

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