Australia Loses Test Advantage

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31588, 27 January 1968, Page 15

Australia Loses Test Advantage

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SYDNEY. Australia slipped from a strong position of 211 for three at tea to be 245 for six at the end of play on the first day of the final test against India.

India’s captain, the Nawab of Pataudi, won the toss and sent Australia in to bat. It was Pataudi’s third successive win with the toss.

able to drive and pull with great confidence. Surti Replaced Abid Ali came into the attack to replace Surti, but there was little to encourage India. • The half century stand had ’ come in only 70 deliv fries. ' Then, with the score at 61, ’ Abid Ali gave India a much- ’ needed break through. Cowper, batting fluently, played down the wrong line. ■ and was bowled by a ball that : moved away late. Cowper 1 had batted an hour and hit three boundaries in his stylish i 32. After Lawry was dismissed i later, P. Sheahan quickly at-

However, by tea Pataudi’s decision to send Australia in seemed to have boomeranged on the tourists. The Australian captain, W. Lawry, took the unusual step of taking R. Cowper to the crease as his opening partner. The two left-handers took fierce toll of the Indian new-ball bowling. The left-hander, R. Surti, was taken out of the attack after only two overs, in which he conceded 19 runs. The pitch, in spite of its greenish tinge, played soundly and Lawry and Cowper were

tacked the bowling. He had a “life” at 33 when he hammered an off-spinner from Prasanna into the covers. Abid Ali made a great effort to hold the chance but failed. Australia’s 150 was posted shortly afterwards in 178 minutes. . Best Shot D. Walters began quietly, but he produced the best shot of the day, a sparkling squarecut off Prasanna which took him into double figures. Sheahan off-drove then ondrove boundaries off Prasanna to reach his 50 in 128 minutes. It was his third time past the half-century mark in the series. He was playing some magnificent aggressive cricket but at 59 he had to survive an lbw appeal from Bedi. Walters cover drove Abid Ali for four, then two, and the partnership was worth 50 in 54 minutes. In the last over before tea, Abid Ali dismissed Sheahan for 72, and the Australian rot started. In the failing light after tea three more Australian wickets fell quickly and India was back in the game. Scores:— AUSTRALIA First Innings W. Lawry c Engineer b Prasanna . . 66 R. Cowper b Abid Ali 32 P. Sheahan c and b Bedi .. 72 D. Walters not out .. 50 L. Joslin c Wadekar b Prasanna .. 7 R. Simpson b Bedi . .. 7 I. Chappell run out .. 0 B. Jarman hot out .. 2 Extras (byes 2, leg-byes 4, no-balls 3) 9 Total (for 6 wickets) 245 Fall of wickets: one for 61, two for 136, three for 219, four for 228, five for 239, six for 242. Bowling.—Kulkarni, 10, 0, 40, 0; Surti, 6,0, 45, 0; Abid Ali. 14, 1, 57, 1; Jaisimha, 2, 0. 9,0; Bedi, 16. 4, 34, 2; Prasanna, 16.6, 4, 51, 2.