Australia’s rebuilding phase had come after Praveen had cut short Adam Gilchrist’s farewell to just three deliveries and after Ponting had failed to come off his horrendous summer form. Michael Clarke was also nipped in the bud and it was three down for just 32.

A threatening pact of 76 between Hopes and Michael Hussey provided some nerve-wracking moments, but it ended with him caught behind for 44, Sreesanth forcing him to edge to Dhoni.

Mitchell Johnson was his second victim after a bristling first spell where he was unlucky to miss Hayden twice in the slip region.

Soft dismissal

The late order in the Indian batting had failed to live up to the early surge. Stocked with plenty of wickets and a set of firebrand batters, India added a mere 55 runs in the last set of 10 overs.

The slide started immediately after Tendulkar’s soft dismissal. It was in contrast to his colossal 176-minute stay at the crease.

His opening partner Robin Uthappa made another dedicated attempt to curb his attacking instincts to stitch a 94-run stand that negated Brett Lee’s first spell before turning it on against Stuart Clark.

Tendulkar hit two straight drives off Clark before turning his attention to Johnson to bring up his 89th half-century (70 balls). Uthappa got out to a leading edge and Gautam Gambhir fell to an ambitious shot at long-on off. Part-time spinner Clarke returned with the best figures and scalped three wickets, including Tendulkar’s.

... contd.