Kumble turns up the heat

CRICKET/India v Australia, second Test: India will head into the final day of the second Test against Australia in Chennai today…

CRICKET/India v Australia, second Test: India will head into the final day of the second Test against Australia in Chennai today needing 210 to square the series with 10 wickets remaining.

In the three overs of their chase possible before stumps yesterday, openers Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag bludgeoned 19 runs to set out their stall.

First-innings centurion Sehwag finished on 12 not out while Yuvraj was unbeaten on seven with Glenn McGrath conceding 18 of the 19 runs in his two overs.

Australia had set India a victory target of 229 after being bowled out for 369 in their second innings with Anil Kumble building the platform for a possible Indian victory with 13 wickets in the match.

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The main resistance was provided by the fifth-wicket pair of centurion Damien Martyn and nightwatchman Jason Gillespie, who put on 139 before both fell to Harbhajan Singh before tea.

They took the score from an overnight total of 150 for four to 230 without further loss at lunch.

The pair added a further 54 after lunch and Gillespie was still there when Martyn reached his century. Then Harbhajan finally accounted for Martyn, who was caught by Rahul Dravid on 104, which included 11 fours and a six.

Just one run was added to the total before Gillespie's dogged resistance ended for 26, made off 165 balls. The paceman was caught in a spin by Harbhajan with Dravid again catching.

That brought together Michael Clarke and Darren Lehmann and they added a further 62 runs before Lehmann was removed by Kumble with Parthiv Patel taking the catch at the wicket.

Kumble then removed Shane Warne for a duck with VVS Laxman taking the wicket.

Kumble trapped Michael Kasprowicz for five for a six-wicket haul in the innings after also taking three wickets on day three. Harbhajan then bowled McGrath for two to end the innings.

Kumble's figures of six for 133 gave him the bowling honours and match figures of 13 for 181.

England's controversial tour to Zimbabwe next month looks certain to go ahead after the inquiry into racism within their cricket found no evidence when it was presented to the International Cricket Council yesterday.

The 73-page report, compiled by India's Solicitor General, Goolam Vahanvati, and South African High Court Judge Steven Majiedt, outlined the chain of events that resulted in the impasse between the Zimbabwe Cricket Union and the players.

But it found no evidence of the racism alleged by former captain Heath Streak and 14 other white cricketers, which led to them going on strike and refusing to play for their country again after last April and, if proved, could have resulted in their expulsion from world cricket.

It also virtually ended England's hopes of avoiding their contentious 10-day trip to Zimbabwe.

Australia first innings 235; India first innings 376.

Australia second innings (overnight 150-4)

J Langer c Dravid b Kumble 19

M Hayden c Laxman b Kumble 39

A Gilchrist b Kumble 49

S Katich lbw b Zaheer 9

D Martyn c Dravid b H Singh 104

J Gillespie c Dravid b H Singh 26

M Clarke not out 39

D Lehmann c Patel b Kumble 31

S Warne c Laxman b Kumble 0

M Kasprowicz lbw b Kumble 5

G McGrath b Harbhajan 2

Extras (pen-5 b-19 lb-15 w-3 nb-4) 46

Total (all out, 133.5 overs) 369

Fall of wickets: 1-53 2-76 3-121 4-145 5-284 6-285 7-347 8-347 9-364

Bowling: Pathan 12-3-39-0 (w-3), Zaheer 22-6-36-1 (nb-2), H.Singh 46.5-12-108-3, Kumble 47-7-133-6 (nb-2), Sehwag 1-0-5-0, Y Singh 2-0-7-0, Ganguly 3-1-2-0

India second innings

Y Singh not out 7

V Sehwag not out 12

Extras 0

Total (for no wicket, 3 overs) 19

To bat: R Dravid, S Ganguly, V Laxman, M Kaif, P Patel, I Pathan, A Kumble, H Singh, Z Khan

Bowling: McGrath 2-0-18-0, Gillespie 1-0-1-0.