Sachin becomes the first cricketer to score 40 test hundreds by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Scorecard:	India v Australia
Player:	RT Ponting, JJ Krejza, MS Dhoni, SC Ganguly, VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar, RS Dravid, M Vijay, V Sehwag
Event:	Australia in India 2008/09

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DateLine: 6th November 2008

 

India with the help of Sachin Tendulkar's 40th test hundred ended day 1 at 311 for 5. Ganguly and Dhoni were at the crease. They would want to repeat the Mohali act to get India past 450 as the pitch is already affording turn for the spinners.

Good start by India
India were off to a brisk start. M. Vijay starting his international career looked confident. He along with Sehwag put on a partnership of 98 before he edged one of Watson to be caught behind for 33. Sehwag went on to score a brisk fifty. Rahul Dravid continued with his poor run of form getting out caught bat pad of Krejza for a duck. Sehwag followed suit playing on to him. Suddenly the off spinner looked threatening in spite of being expensive.

Sachin and Laxman get India out of the woods
At 116 for 3 India were looking down the barrel. Laxman joined Sachin and the two best players against Australia started rebuilding the innings. They were particularly severe on the debutant off spinner. Ponting continued to bowl Krejza after lunch and runs started to leak. Both batsmen used their feet against him and punished anything loose. The bowler was going at five an over. Both batsmen consolidated and were involved in a century stand. Post tea Ponting tried hard with the quicks but they got nothing off the pitch. Laxman went on to complete a sublime half century in his 100th test before falling to Krejza. The partnership between them was worth 146 and they got India out of a hole

Sachin gets to a timely hundred
Saurav who is playing in his last test match joined Sachin. Sachin went on to become the first cricketer to get 40 test hundreds. He was well helped by the Aussies who dropped him in his ninety's. Lee and Johnson the offenders . Krejza extremely unlucky on both occasions. But Johnson came back to trap him leg before for 109. Ganguly and Dhoni were at the crease at the close of play,India ending at a comfortable 311 for 5. Ganguly would desperately want to get to his hundred in his last test as he already has one on debut.