Indian cricket players Rahul Dravid (left), Zaheer Khan (second left) and Virender Sehwag (right) congratulate bowler Amit Mishra at the end of the second day of the second Test against Australia in Mohali yesterday. Mishra claimed two key wickets in his Test debut. - AP MOHALI, India (AP):
MICHAEL HUSSEY was battling to keep Australia in contention in the second Test yesterday after Sourav Ganguly put India in a dominant position on the second day with his 16th Test century.
Ganguly, who will retire at the end of the series, compiled 102 and his 130-run partnership with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who fell eight short of his hundred, helped lift India to 469 and ensured the hosts had a tight grip on the match.
By stumps, Indias position was even stronger with Australia reduced to 102 for four still 367 behind.
Michael Clarke appeared more confident than Hussey, but he fell to rookie legspinner Amit Mishras wrongun on what was the last ball of the day. Mishra had gone around the wicket and trapped Clarke lbw for 23.
Hussey survived a handful of chances including a tough caught-behind miss by Dhoni on 25 but Australia needed his contribution of 37 not out.
Bad start
Australias chase started badly when experienced opener Matthew Hayden played on to Zaheer Khans third ball of the innings, just before the tea interval.
It continued Haydens disappointing series following scores of 0 and 13 in the first Test in Bangalore.
The problem got worse after the break when skipper Ricky Ponting (five), having survived a close lbw appeal, fell in the same manner later in Ishant Sharmas over. The ball cut back sharply, hitting Ponting on the back thigh, and left Australia at 17-2.
Opener Simon Katichs resistance ended on 33, and Australia slumped to 62-3, when he pushed a defensive shot into the pitch and it rolled off his leg and on to the stumps. The wicket was the first for Mishra, who finished with 2-21 from 8.5 overs.
Ganguly was the patient partner in the Indian innings, bringing up his hundred with a pull for four, his eighth boundary, off Cameron White.
Triple figures
He raised both hands in the air and was a relieved man to reach triple figures his place in the lineup had been questioned following a subdued series against Sri Lanka.
Ganguly was dismissed six deliveries later when he skied White to Brett Lee at mid-off, departing after facing 225 balls.
India had resumed the second morning at 311-5 and were 326-6 when Dhoni arrived, pulling his first ball from Lee for four. His fifth, from Peter Siddle, went over fine leg for six.
Dhoni showed his power in a quickfire knock of 92 from 124 balls that included eight fours and four brutal sixes.
Dhoni, who cleared the ropes twice off White, was last man out when adjudged lbw to rookie paceman Siddle when a full inswinger hit him outside the line of off stump.
