Bangalore, March 28: Australia found an unlikely hero in Kasprowicz. The tall, gangling fast bowler, perhaps enjoying his best day in this cricket Test series, grounded the high-flying Indian batsmen to enable Australia record an emphatic eight-wicket win in the third and final Test of the Pepsi series here on Saturday. Australian skipper Mark Taylor under enormous pressure to retain his position, led the team shrewdly, and ensured that the target of 194 runs was achieved without any hiccup with a classy unbeaten century.The top surface of the pitch had crumbled and Shane Warne was expected to be a terror considering the fact that the ace leg-spinner had bothered the Indian batsmen a great deal yesterday. However, he went wicket-less today and it was Kasprowicz, with a spell of probing bowling who put paid to India's pretensions. Kasprowicz who had a poor run in the series thus far, kept a good line and length, attacking the stumps and picking up handsome rewards.
Kasprowicz who got the Man of the MatchAward ahead of Mark Waugh and Tendulkar, earned the honour for striking decisive blows on a wicket which had nothing much to offer the new ball bowlers. Besides, he scalped both Sachin Tendulkar and Azharuddin, which turned the tide inexorably Australia's way.
Australia had to take the initiative to put pressure on India. And they succeeded remarkably as Taylor came up with a perfect balance between defence and attack. Indian who resumed at 99 for the loss of three wickets, plus a first innings lead of 24 runs, had their hopes dashed quickly. Tendulkar pushed a tame return catch to Kasprowicz off a slower delivery which ``stopped'' a bit. Tendulkar made just 31.
A swinging yorker from Kasprowicz undid Azhar who played across and missed. Saurav Ganguly, perhaps smarting under the one-match suspension for showing dissent, was not in his element and was bowled round his legs by off-spinner Robertson. Everything now depended on Mongia but he lacked support at the other end. Anil Kumble looked like stretchingthe innings but missed a full toss from Robertson to be caught plumb in front.
Kasprowicz who had done the early damage from the pavilion end was brought back into the attack in place of Warne who, despite beating the batsmen, failed to strike. Kasprowicz quickly mopped up the tail to send India crashing to 169 -- Harvinder, Raju and Harbhajan Singh having no clue to his bowling. Kasprowicz ended up with five for 28.
A target of 194 was not menacing considering that despite the pitch working on the minds of the players, the downfall of India had not come about because of the terrors in the rectangle. They accrued more to a combination of excellent bowling by Kasprowicz and poor batting by India. As such, Australia were expected to reach the target easily with only Kumble expected to prove a tormentor. However, it was not to be as the small total put the bowler more under pressure as he had to bowl with a less attacking field.
The Indian new ball bowler Harvinder Singh was a big waste and the three overssent down by him only enabled Taylor and Slater to settle down nicely.
Harvinder often erred in length to be hit for boundaries and Australia's 50 came only in 65 minutes in 17.1 overs. The faster scoring-rate when the batsmen were expected to struggle to score meant that the Aussie batsmen were under no pressure. Though Slater was expected to take the initiative and go on the offensive, it was Taylor, struggling to regain his batting form, who showed the way with a series of deft placements and power-packed driving.
Harbhajan did not look the part as he was too raw under the circumstances. Raju is past his best and only Kumble was left to win the match all by himself. The pressure too got to him and Australia coasted to a comfortable win. Kumble left the field as he was injured when Waugh, trying to regain the safety of the crease, ran into him Tendulkar then completed the over.
With his main bowlers failing to make any dent, Azhar looked to Tendulkar in frustration and the little master provided thebreakthrough by removing the dangerous Slater with a fine leg-break and could have had Taylor too had wicket-keeper Mongia taken a fairly simple catch.
However, Taylor and Mark Waugh, taking off from where he left off in the first innings, ensured a win for Australia without any fuss. Mongia had a miserable match and his keeping was below par.
While Kasprowicz won the Man of the Match award, Tendulkar bagged the Man of the Series trophy for his consistent batting.
INDIA (1st innings): 424
AUSTRALIA (1st innings): 400
INDIA (2nd innings; overnight 99-3)
Venkata Sai Laxman c Ponting b Warne (59m, 50b, 2x4) 15
Navjot Sidhu c Lehmann b Warne (90m, 62b, 6x4, 1x6) 44
Rahul Dravid c Healy b Robertson (63m, 31b) 6
Sachin Tendulkar c & b Kasporowicz (75m, 64b, 4x4) 31
Mohd Azharuddin b Kasporow (69m, 52b, 2x4) 18
Saurav Ganguly b Robertson (72m, 55b) 16
Nayan Mongia not out (77m, 37b) 12
Anil Kumble lbw b Robertson (15m, 18b, 2x4) 9
Harvinder Singh lbw bKasprowicz (7m, 8 b) 0
Venkatapathy Raju b Kasprowicz (6m, 5b) 2
Harbhajan Singh lbw b Kasprowicz (3m, 2b) 0
Extras: (5b, 5lb, 6nb) 16
TOTAL: (in 61 overs, 273 minutes) 169
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-50 (Laxman), 2-61 (Sidhu), 3-92 (Dravid), 4-111 (Tendulkar), 5-127 (Azhar), 6-144 (Ganguly), 7-158 (Kumble), 8-159 (Harvinder), 9-163 (Raju), 10-169 (Harbhajan)
BOWLING: Dale 5-1-21-0, Kasprowicz 18-5-28-5 (1nb), Warne 25-6-80-2 (5nb), Robertson 12-2-28-3, Blewett 1-0-2-0
Australia (2nd innings)Mark Taylor (not out) (210m, 193b 17x4) 102
Michael Slater c Azhar b Sachin (108m, 74b, 3x4, 1x6) 42
Greg Blewett lbw b Kumble (27m, 23b) 5
Mark Waugh not out (74m, 58b, 4x4) 33
Extras (8b, 5lb) 13
TOTAL (for two wickets, 58 overs, 210 minutes): 195
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-91 (Slater), 2-114 (Blewett)
BOWLING: Harvinder 3-0-17-0, Kumble 22.4-5-63-1, Raju 15-4-37-0, Harbhajan 6-1-24-0, Tendulkar 11.2-1-41-1
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
