FIRST TEST, Bangalore (day one):
India v Australia 254-4 (89.2 overs)

By Pranav Soneji

606: DEBATE Discuss the day's play on 606 after 0900 BST

1226: Thanks for all your emails, texts, 606ing (when it was working), I'll be back in the seat tomorrow (hopefully on time) ready with a bag of teeth-rotting sweets, extremely sweet tea and a carrot for dietary balance. Until tomorrow, I bid you farewell.

CLOSE, DAY ONE: AUSTRALIA 254-4 (89.2 overs)

1212: Aus 254-4 (89.2 overs) WICKET! Clarke lbw b Zaheer 11 Michael Clarke makes a half-hearted attempt to get his front foot outside the line of off stump to a straight Zaheer Khan delivery, but the ball whacks him right in line of middle and Rudi Koertzen raises his finger - pretty quickly by his standards - to send "Pup" Clarke back into the pavilion. That wicket also signals the end of play on day one and there are a few wry smiles returning to the faces of the Indians, who have the prospect of a new cherry and a new batsman - probably Shane Watson - to bowl at on Friday morning. But the undoubted man of the day is Ricky Ponting, who banishes all his demons with his first century on Indian soil, his 16th as a captain for his country.

1211: Aus 254-3 (89 overs)
Comfort break? Only during the second half of the dash, the first half is anything but. Cheers Mitch. The increasingly forlorn Indian fielders look further crestfallen as Hussey nicks a thick outside edge off Ishant Sharma past second slip through to the vacant third man area for four, a boundary which moves him to five runs of yet another Test half-ton. A nifty nudge into the covers reduces the deficit to four, while partner Michael Clarke opts for the safety first approach. Sharma's hair is still as voluminous as it was at the start of the day, surely some form of product has to be applied during the intervals? I reckon there's a small family of four hiding in there somewhere, frantically combing away any knots and split ends for maximum impact.

1205: Aus 248-3 (88 overs)
(This is MM doing a crafty over while Pranav takes a quick break. Since 1 October, ICC regulations don't permit a substitute fielder for "comfort breaks", but thankfully that doesn't apply to text commentators). With Zaheer back in the attack, Clarke has to don a helmet for the first time, and after he guides a single to leg, India take the second new ball. Kumble posts two slips and a gully with the arrival of the new cherry, though many of the Indian fielders look rather weary at this stage. Hussey is content to defend his stumps for most of the over, though he tips-and-runs a quick single to mid-on to keep the strike. Back to you, Pran.

1159: Aus 246-3 (89 overs)
Nothing of note from the first five balls from Harbhajan, who opts to go around the wicket to the left-handed Hussey. However, his last ball goes the same way as the first five, straight bat, all along the carpet for another maiden.

1156: Aus 246-3 (86 overs)
Virender Sehwag replaces the profligate Kumble and he puts the brakes on the scoring, conceding just one of his fourth over. Enthralling it isn't right now with the close of play approaching. it's all about self-preservation right now rather than extravagant strokeplay.

1153: Aus 245-3 (85 overs)
Harbhajan absolutely rifles through his six deliveries to Michael Clarke, who carefully bats away anything with the potential whiff of danger. A heartening maiden after the boundaryfest of the previous over.

1151: Aus 245-3 (84 overs)
Captain Anil Kumble brings himself back on and offers Michael Clarke a huge Aussie spider-like present, first with a leg-side long hop dispatched to the deep mid-wicket boundary for four before a short and wide delivery outside off stump, this time sent to the point boundary. Hussey gets in on the act from yet another short ball, this time pulled square leg for four. That is the most expensive over of the innings so far as the usually tight-fisted Kumble concedes a mammoth 13 runs. That boundary moves Hussey to 39. Apologies to all you 606ers, we're having a few technical problems so you can't post your comments.

1147: Aus 232-3 (83 overs)
More defensive prods as Harbhajan probes, but Hussey is not offering a sniff. Maiden over.

"Not bad from Ponting to get the century, pretty good effort considering he had an average of under 13 in Tests in India."
Eirebilly via the TMS inbox

1143: Aus 232-3 (82 overs)
Renowned for their scintillating scoring rate, the Aussies have opted for the slightly more conservative approach in this, the first Test of four on the sub-continent. Just the one single from Sehwag's over as Clarke maintains his defensive vigil.

1140: Aus 231-3 (81 overs)
Captain Anil Kumble eschews the offer of a second new ball, placing his faith in himself and his two fellow tweakers. Harbhajan attempts to toss the ball up, but Hussey is one step ahead, easing on to his front foot and driving through cover for three. Michael Clarke, clad in his baggy green, is slightly more watchful .

"Re 1122 I once managed to beach and almost sink a cruiser on the Norfolk Broads. And to think the navy turned me down...."
Tim (still in Burgess hill) via the TMS inbox

1137: Aus 228-3 (80 overs)
Mike Hussey gets tangled up attempting to fend off a delivery fizzing outside of his leg stump from Sehwag. He manages to get bat on the ball, which narrowly evades his leg stump. Sehwag then commits the spinner's cardinal sin - overstepping the front crease for a no-ball.

1131: Aus 224-2 (78 overs)
Virender Sehwag makes a belated appearance, replacing his captain's efforts. Not a bad start from the shaven-headed opener, who slows things down considerably with his well-flighted off-breaks. And his final ball is an absolute beauty - pitching on Hussey's middle stump before turning sharply past the outside edge into the hands of Dhoni. Very encouraging though.

1126: Aus 222-2 (77 overs)
It's hardly enthralling viewing right now as Harbhajan goes through the motions without actually looking particularly threatening. Meanwhile, the Bangladeshis could be on the brink of a historic victory in Mirpur.

1122: Aus 220-2 (76 overs)
Kumble is properly fired up for this spell, but his external histrionics have absolutely no effect on Hussey or Ponting, who merrily cruise along like a couple of pensioners boating down the Norfolk Broads. We haven't seen a boundary for a while, not that it will bother the Aussies, who have bags of gaps to exploit all over the park.

1119: Aus 217-2 (75 overs)
Blimey, my fingers are close to falling off as the Indian spinners rattle through their overs. Harbhajan opts for more flight from his six deliveries, slowing the pace and throwing up more air. Just one run from the over when Ponting tucks the ball around the corner.

1116: Aus 216-2 (74 overs)
Ponting rocks on to his back foot to swat Kumble through mid-on, but completely misses the ball, sparking a huge appeal from Kumble and all the close fielders, but once again umpire Rudi Koertzen is unmoved. the South African gives the Indian captain a right good stare with his hands on his hips to indicate his displeasure at the overzealous appealing, which to be fair, was overzealous. Replays suggest the umpire was right to turn the appeal down, the ball hit Ponting on the thigh pad.

1112: Aus 214-2 (73 overs)
Harbhajan looks thoroughly ineffective right now. I can count on my fingers the number of deliveries he has managed to turn. Two very easy runs from another benign over.

1107: Aus 212-2 (72 overs)
Anil Kumble must have walked under a record number of ladders this morning as he sees a ball spit from outside the rough of Mike Hussey's leg stump, on to his glove and just wide of Gautam Gambhir at short leg. And Kumble is livid. God job there are no dogs about, they would be kicked all the way to Chennai. Another good - if unlucky - over.

"About the Irn Bru bars. My dad used to run a pub and would often come back from the cash and carry with whole boxes of both Irn Bru bars and Highland Toffee bars, something stupid like in excess of 50 odd bars in a box, a miracle I still have my own teeth. Really though, can we get back to the cricket - and can someone, anyone, please knock out Ponting's stumps. I'm finding it difficult to think of a cricketer/sportsman/person I despise more."
Vikki, Russell Square via the TMS inbox

1102: Aus 211-2 (71 overs)
Spin-twin Harbhajan Singh is back for some action and the off-spinner immediately targets the rough created by Zaheer Khan outside Hussey's leg stump for some purchase. But Hussey and Ponting are like the Jamaican relay team at times with their speed and understanding between the wickets, or they seem to run that way when you consider the lack of alacrity in India's XI. Hussey moves on to 24 with a fine glance past Dhoni for four. One-way traffic here, although Ponting should have been given his marching orders on 110 in Anil Kumble's previous over.

1058: Aus 205-2 (70 overs)
Controversy. Ricky Ponting pushes back what looks like a bumped ball catch to Anil Kumble, who appeals to Rudi Koertzen, while the rest of his team-mates look a tad bewildered. However, the South African umpire is unmoved, much to the Indian captain's chagrin. Replays will not brighten Kumble's mood - it looks as if Punter has returned the catch on the full. From bad to worse as Hussey is beaten all ends up by a googly, but the ball squirts past slip for a single. Eventful over.

1053: Aus 201-2 (69 overs)
The first signs of reverse swing as Zaheer Khan brings the ball back in sharply to Mike Hussey, who sees the ball whizz past his off stump after opting to shoulder arms. He gives his captain a little nod to indicate the ball's going "Irish", as they call it in Australia. Good over from Khan, who looks the most threatening of the Indian bowlers right now.

1048: Aus 201-2 (68 overs)
Kumble searches out the rough outside Hussey's off stump, but the left-hander extends his front leg and hits the ball on the bounce, giving it little opportunity to grip on the surface for a boundary through the covers. Two more runs follow as Hussey opens the face of his bat to guide the ball down through point, a shot which brings up the 200.

1044: Aus 194-2 (67 overs)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni opts to stand up to the stumps to Zaheer Khan in an attempt to force Ponting back inside his crease. Brave move, especially as Zaheer is bowling at 85mph and upwards. Nonetheless, it looks a good decision as Ponting cannot pierce the infield and a maiden is bowled.

1040: Aus 194-2 (66 overs)
I have just had an email from my colleague Saj Chowdhury, full-time long-suffering Newcastle United fan. Bereft of any form of sporting joy of late, imagine his delight as a second-string Bangladesh side give New Zealand, one-day conquerors of England during the summer, a right run for their money in Mirpur. It's slightly more staid in Bangalore as Australia churn out a further four runs from Anil Kumble's over to move towards the 200 mark.

"Lemon or orange crystals had brief popularity in the 70s in rural Sussex. Such was their acidity that the tongue was left painfully fissured for several days after ingestion of a quarter of a pound (ask ye dad kids). They were briefly bested by 'spacedust' but this later, transitory, confectionary was presumably a victim of the termination of the Apollo lunar programme. They just couldn't mine the stuff any more."
Edward Little, Mondovi, Italy via the TMS inbox

Aus 190-2 (65 overs)
Zaheer Khan ambles up and is flicked to deep mid-wicket by Ponting, who looks like a man set to clean up at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Hussey is looking slightly less assured, but he has only been in for 30 minutes or so. Nonetheless a nudge off the front foot sees Mr Cricket move to double figures.

"On the subject of Wham bars (0908), one of my friends bit into one once and broke their front tooth. I always found that an Irn-Bru bar was much better as it combined the chew of the Wham, the tongue discolouration of both Black Jacks and Fruit Salads and the ridiculous sugar and e-number content that only comes from something that has no naturally occurring ingredients in it. I've always found them difficult to come by after moving from Scotland to England - so if anybody knows where I can get some, I'd be willing to hear it."
Euan Granger via the TMS inbox

As I am employed by the impartial and non-commercial BBC, I would like to point out that other tongue-colourant sugar-based confectionery are available.

"Curly Wurly! Now there was a thing of modest beauty. The perfect blend of chocolate and caramel. It could make your gums bleed with a single mouthful. Builders everyone in the 1970's would melt down the product as a cheap alternative (and somewhat more powerful) to mortar and concrete, whilst using the product in it's usual form was perfect for girders. Buildings across the UK are held up by this masterful design by Mr Cadbury. We would not have it any other way though would we? "
The Lawman via the TMS inbox

Aus 188-2 (64 overs)
While digesting that superlative missive, you'll be glad/gutted/non-plussed to learn no runs were scored off Anil Kumble's 20th over.

Aus 188-2 (63 overs)
Oh dear, Zaheer would have had a pretty close lbw shout as Ponting shoulders arms to a delivery that nips back off the surface, only to find Asad Rauf's right arm outstretched to indicate a no-ball. The left-arm seamer finishes off the over with a good delivery which shapes back in to Hussey, who gets a thick inside edge down to fine leg for a single.

"Clive (Tea break). Twice in my life I have found myself lying on a sofa in a near-paralytic state brought on by too much booze the night before, with only a tube of Pringles to eat (Thai sweet chilli and lemongrass flavour on both occasions). And both times, they utterly spanked my hangover. Seriously, it was like becoming a new man. I have no idea what they put in those things, but it cannot be natural..."
Tom Hawkey via the TMS inbox

Aus 185-2 (62 overs)
A clearly seething Kumble wants blood - he shouts "catch it" as Ponting hits a shot all along the carpet. Mind you, with the look he has in his eyes, I would dive at everything to avoid that death-gaze. Two runs from that over.

Aus 183-2 (61 overs)
Mike Hussey could not pick a better time to caress a four through mid-wicket. Fresh from a dropped catch from the previous over, the left-hander moves on to seven with a very attractive leg-side stroke. Not that Anil Kumble will think the same though.

Aus 178-2 (60 overs)
Kumble grimaces as Mahendra Dhoni puts down a very tough chance from Hussey, a thick outside edge which cannons off the wicketkeeper's thumb. As a fully paid up member of the Wicketkeepers' Union, that was a very difficult chance, but if you're a fully paid up member of the Leg-Spinners' Union, that matters diddly. Two runs from a frustrating over.

Aus 176-2 (59 overs)
A non-plussed Ponting leaves a sizable chunk of Ishant Sharma's 15th over well alone, no need to risk his wicket with some needless wafting when you're in his sort of form. he eventually manages bat on ball, nurdling a single down to third man. By the way peeps, 606 is doing a roaring trade so let's have your thoughts.

"Enjoying the commentary from here in Jordan. On the food colourant and additives thing (see 0935) I remember eating a whole can of Pringles sour cream crisps. Apart from feeling very sick for an hour or so I had a kind of chemical reaction which made my lips tingle for about 12 hours and have never touch 'em since. I am alone in this is or is it supposed to be this way? On another issue - why doesn't the ICC invest more in cricket in the Middle East - we get loads of sun though not a lot of grass?"
Clive, Jordan via the TMS inbox

Thanks to all you eagle-eyed readers writing in about Simon Katich, who is no longer with WA but with New South Wales, or the Speed Blitz Blues as they are now known. And Western Australia are no longer WA but the Western Warriors, but you know whadda mean, don't you?

AUSTRALIA 166-2 (57 OVERS): TEA

0941 - Aus 166-2 (57 overs)
With tea on the horizon, Michael Hussey opts to play it sensible as Ishant Sharma sends down a series of deliveries well outside off stump. The seamer, with nothing to lose before the interval, opts to go around the wicket to cut down the angle, but Hussey is unmoved, responding with two solid forward defence strokes straight out of the MCC manual. Off come the bails and that, ladies and gentlemen, is tea. Ponting is set for his first 100 on Indian soil, the Australian captain has six more runs to negotiate.

0935 - Aus 166-2 (56 overs)
Kumble keeps it tight with a maiden as Ponting is stuck on 94, well four six deliveries at least.

"As the son of a former newsagent (see 0908), not doubt you will have suffered the "death-tongue" inflicted by the humble Black Jack. This makes any fruit salad related discolouration pale into insignificance."
Neil from Formby via the TMS inbox

My body convulsed three times remembering the aftermath of a full-on Blackjack OD. If you're familiar with soft drinks in India, you'll know the criminal sugar and artificial colour content in a bottle of Miranda. I once drank three of those in succession, which almost necessitated an ambulance ride through Chowpatty. It also left me with a tongue so orange, Tangoman would have been jealous.

0927 - Aus 162-1 (54 overs)
Kumble ambles in, goes through the motions and sees three further runs added to his third column. It's all very linear, the pitch is about as helpful and friendly as a Russian immigration officer. Three more runs as Punter edges closer to three figures with 94.

0924 - Aus 159-1 (53 overs)
The Ishmeister keeps his 12th over tight, leaking just one run. Try as he might, the 20-year-old cannot find that extra zip to eke out the second wicket.

"If you're broadcasting from Shepherd's Bush, don't you think placing some blow up kangaroos and VB beer outside your office door will get the locals involved?"
Michael from London in the TMS inbox

"I bet Matthew Hayden's as annoyed as somebody who moved all their savings from Northern Rock to Icesave at getting out so early on this road/batting track! Keep up the good work."
Tim (unfortunately in Burgess Hill) via the TMS inbox

0919 - Aus 158-1 (52 overs)
With tea within sniffing distance, the Aussie pair opt for circumspection (I almost spelt that horribly wrong), but just as I say that, Punter launches into a front-foot drive through cover for four off Bhajji, which takes him into the 90s. It almost looks a little unfair right now.

0915 - Aus 153-1 (51 overs)
Our Ish is looking increasingly forlorn right now. It's also worth noting the various paraphernalia jangling around his neck as he comes to bowl. Mr T would be jealous: "I pity the fool (toss)". Two runs come from his 11th over.

0911 - Aus 151-1 (50 overs)
Ponting brings up the 150 as he scoots down the pitch before lofting Harbhajan over mid-wicket for four. A really, really classy shot, it's getting a bit like the 2006/07 Ashes stage right now when you just know Australia are going to score something quite rather large before an eight-man slip cordon collectively chew gum at the end of day two.

0908 - Aus 145-1 (49 overs)
Hands on barnet time for Ishant as Ricky Ponting's inside edge just evades the off stump before the ball tootles along to the boundary for four very painful runs. Ah, the poor lad looks like he could use a hug from his mother. Or a peck on the cheek from a saucy Indian actress.

"What about fruit salad sweets? (see 0846) They were pineapple (and raspberry) flavoured, but they didn't taste horrid?"
Sarah, Skelmersdale via the TMS inbox

As the son of a former newsagent, I can tell you fruit salads are horrid after the 89th consecutive effort, especially as it takes four days for your tongue to return to its normal colour from a sick-ridden yellow. Wham bars though, now there's a chew of quality.

0903 - Aus 139-1 (48 overs)
I once asked my then 10-year-old cousin who lives in Bombay to bowl a couple of spinners to me a few years back. He then launched into the best Harbhajan Singh impression I have ever seen, as well as making the ball fizz like shaken up can of soft beverage. If only Harbhajan could bowl like Dharmik right now, he's be rattling through that top order in no time. Instead, he leaks four runs from his 14th over. With Dad's Army in the field, there are buffet runs everywhere.

0859 - Aus 135-1 (47 overs)
Ishant Sharma and the Gene-Simmons-from-KISS mane is back. It really is an incredible mass of hair, I reckon there are women crying into their skinny moccafrappachinos with pictures of him to show their hairdressers. The reason why I'm so effusive about his barnet is because his bowling is a right bag of spanners as Ponting latches on to a long hop outside off stump, thumping a four through cover. His last ball is a good'un though, although Punter opts for the wise choice and shoulders arms just outside off stump.

"Just because we're not contributing doesn't mean we're not following the cricket. Its sometimes difficult to check the score, let alone be able to send an e-mail. Keep up the good work!"
Andrew in Luton

0853 - Aus 129-1 (46 overs)
Ricky Ponting's previous best Test score in India was 60 before this innings. The Aussie captain steals a single with a on-drive. Nothing else of note from that Harbhajan over.

0849 - Aus 128-1 (45 overs)
This outfield is like sheet glass, a gentle push from Ponting races away for two as Sachin Tendulkar gets the biggest cheer in yonks as he chases down the ball before unleashing a perfect throw over the stumps to Dhoni. Lest we all forget, Sachin is 77 runs away from becoming the leading run scorer in Test cricket. But right now, the Petit Master will have to wait before he can potentially fill his boots on a very benign pitch.

"Is it just you and me this morning? Back in from a meeting for a bit of breakie, and still no emails. My theory for the UK silence at least is that it's still early in university term and the students are not yet staying up all night to meet deadlines, but their student loans have already run out so they can't now drink beer all night. Not sure what happened to everyone else, though I know all world scientists have been pulled into Geneva to work on the Hadron Collider and you can't get a wifi signal 5km underground. The bankers have other things on their mind. That not everyone accounted for, though."
Paul in Lancs via the TMS inbox

I know what you mean Paul, I'm tempted to batter down all the doors of Shepherd's Bush and turn their PCs or phones on and force them to come up with witty, irreverent comments about why pineapple-flavoured products are horrid but the fruit is the flesh of the Gods. Come on everyone apart from me and Paul in Lancs, GET INVOLVED.

0840 - Aus 114-1 (43 overs)
Katich whips a full Kumble delivery off his toes down to the deep square boundary for four. This pitch is about as predictable as the plot to a Vin Diesel film at the moment. Two words spring to mind. Virender. Sehwag. Drinks break.

0836 - Aus 110-1 (42 overs)
Nurdles after nurdle for the Aussies - and why not? The field is spread, the gaps are ample and the scoreboard is ticking like my old Volvo 340 cassette deck. Four runs from that Habhajan over. The Aussies look so comfortable that Katich and Punter could probably bat in a smoking jacket complete with pipe and still score as freely as they are right now.

0833 - Aus 106-1 (41 overs)
It's all getting a little subdued at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium right now - even home favourite Anil Kumble can't rouse the faithful as he concedes two runs from a very uneventful over.

"Zaheer Khan sort of resembles Pete Sampras." Abbas via the TMS inbox

I like that. I'm going to give you eight out of 10 for that Abbas.

0830 - Aus 104-1 (40 overs)
Katich brings up Australia's 100 - and the century partnership - with a well-placed single to point. It's all looking a little easy for the green and golds as Ponting sinks down on one knee and majestically sweeps Harbhajan, bowling around the wicket, over square leg for an aerial four.

0826 - Aus 99-1 (39 overs)
Kumble chalks another maiden, but nothing is turning. He's getting little of his trademark skid (which sounds a little unnerving), which earns him his numerous lbws. Another maiden.

0822 - Aus 99-1 (38 overs)
Sure enough, Kumble makes a bowling change, axing Zaheer in favour of Harbhajan. But it matters not a jot for Punter, who gets down on one knee and paddles the off-spinner around the corner for a single. Again no discernable turn, probably because he's bowling a little too swiftly right now. Worrying if you're an Indian, loving it if you like singing "Advance Australia Fair", which according to my right-hand man, Mark Mitch, was composed by a Scot. Controversial? Probably not. Maiden over.

0820 - Aus 98-1 (37 overs)
"Tranquil" is one way to describe the demeanour of Ponting and Katich right now as they happily accumilate ones and twos towards the three-figure mark. It's all looking a little too easy for the Aussie pair. Time for some serious pondering from Kumble.

0818 - Aus 94-1 (36 overs)
Nothing of note from Zaheer's 11th over, which finishes as a maiden. Anyone got any good lookalike suggestions for Zaheer? He resembles someone I can't quite put my finger on.

0814 - Aus 94-1 (35 overs)
Big shout from Kumble for a leg before against Katich, but umpire Asad Rauf - who earlier incorrectly adjudged Hayden's dismissal - is unmoved. Katich gets a huge stride forward to a ball which pitches outside off stump and turns, but Hawk-Eye says the ball hit the left-hander in line and would have clipped the top off off and middle. The last time India played a Test series, against Sri Lanka, the players were able to appeal against umpires' decisions in a trial move by the International Cricket Council. Not this time though.

0804 - Aus 88-1 (33 overs)
Kato turns Kumbers off his toes for two from the first ball of the over before seeing out the rest of the over with a straight bat.

0800 - Aus 86-1 (32 overs)
Zaheer is bowling in complete contrast to his opening spell, straying on to Ponting's pads as the Aussie skipper flicks his wrists to send the ball to the square leg boundary for four. Punter looks as relaxed as the man who has discovered a secret passage to Antigua in his back garden.

0756 - Aus 81-1 (31 overs)
Oof! Kumble beats Punter with an absolute brute of a leg-break, pitching on middle and fizzing past the outside edge before thumping into the torso of Dhoni, who will have a choice shiner to parade for his sterling efforts. Still, no joy for Kumble, who is nurdled for one by Katich earlier in the over.

0753 - Aus 80-1 (30 overs)
After the misdemeanors and shenanigans of the first five overs from Zaheer, the pitch has settled down in to the predicted road-like surface forecast by various hacks over the past few days. Absolutely no lateral movement in the air or off the pitch for Zaheer, who must be hoping the Kookaburra ball will be roughed up in record time in the slim hope of some reverse swing. one run from that over, a single to Katich to deep square, a run which brings up Australia's highest ever second-wicket partnership in India. Which doesn't really say much about their previous efforts.

0749 - Aus 79-1 (29 overs)
Lots of "Juuuuumbbbbbooooo" from Dhoni as Anil Kumble comes into bowl, but Punter isn't having any of it as he eases what looks like a forward defensive for two through extra cover. Ponting adds another run to move on to 44, while Katich takes his tally to 29 with a simple single. The crowd are somewhat subdued. Whether they're all still polishing off the last vestiges of their idlis and dosas is a moot point.

0745 - Aus 75-1 (28 overs)
Hello, thought you might be back. So Ricky Ponting has made his second highest score ever in India, which tells you how awful his record is whenever he visits the land of bhel puri and samosas. After a scratchy start, Punter - the seventh man in Test history to score 10,000 runs - is looking bahut useful. Anil Kumble returns to seam as Zaheer Khan takes the ball after the lunch interval. Absolutely nothing to trouble the presumably sated Aussie pair, but more worrying for them is the lack of bounce from two of Khan's six deliveries as Dhoni takes two on the second bounce.

AUSTRALIA 75-1 (27 OVERS): LUNCH

That is a tremendous riposte from the Aussies after losing Matthew Hayden to a debatable decision after the third ball of the day. Punter moves on to 41 while Katich is 28 not out, both men looking increasingly comfortable against the twin tweakers, who have had as much joy as a London stockbroker attempting to offload his failing shares.

0701 - Aus 75-1 (27 overs)
Bhajji floats up a full delivery outside off stump, enabling Katich to ease on to the front foot and spank a drive through cover for four. Bhajji pulls at his beard - any harder and he'll yank his jaw out of place. Katich takes a single to mid-on and that's lunch.

0656 - Aus 70-1 (26 overs)
Kumble's radar needs a little recalibration as he keeps straying on leg, inviting Punter to paddle sweep behind Dhoni for four. Ponting is showing all the patience of a nursery school teacher, waiting for the ball to come to him rather than the other way round.

0653 - Aus 66-1 (25 overs)
Harbhajan floats up an inviting, full delivery around the wicket, but Kato is having none of it. The off-spinner has yet to make one really fizz, which is not great news for him or his captain. Two runs from the over.

0649 - Aus 64-1 (24 overs)
Kumble rips one down at 64mph - which was also the speed one of my mates clocked on a speedgun bowling as fast as he can, he wasn't impressed - but it matters not a jot to Ponting, who guides him through the leg side for two easy runs. Batting is looking a little easy now, the demons well and truly exorcised from the early probing overs from the seamers. It looks like a road. Big total ahoy?

0646 - Aus 61-1 (23 overs)
"Nice bowl Bhajji" says MS after a nice floaty effort from Harbhajan, who is clocking them at a fair old pace for a tweaker. Nothing of note from that over, two more singles for Punter and Kato.

0642 - Aus 59-1 (22 overs)
Katich dances down the wicket, realises he is well and truly beaten in the flight by Harbhajan and meekly offers a front pad, sparking a huge appeal from the Indian fielders, who have a more than reasonable shout for leg before considering Katich played no stroke. However, umpire Rudi K has enough doubts in his mind to turn the appeal down, although whether he would say that after the replay... Anyways, Katich doubles up taking two to fine leg, although he is made to sweat with Virender Sehwag's direct hit, but the opener is well within his crease thanks to his dive - take note Sourav - and so ends an intriguing over.

0639 - Aus 56-1 (21 overs)
Punter latches on to a full Harbhajan delivery and caresses the ball through mid-on for four glorious runs, although Sourav Ganguly - fielding at mid-on - won't exactly win medals for his enthusiasm to get his whites dirty. Ponting adds to his total (36) with another leg-side single. The Australians are looking increasingly comfortable, especially with no discernable turn from either tweaker.

0636 - Aus 51-1 (20 overs)
Glorious front-foot stride from Ponting, who nurdles a single to extra cover from Kumble. The veteran (sorry Anil) - playing his last Test at his home ground - isn't getting any turn, which is hardly unusual for him, but the odd ball is skidding through after pitch, which will please him no end.

0632 - Aus 50-1 (19 overs)
Harbhajan has Katich pinned to his crease as he once again mixes up his bag of tricks, throwing in the floaters with the arrows, along with the odd doosra. Maiden.

0628 - Aus 50-1 (18 overs)
Captain Kumble is in to the attack and his first ball drifts on to Katich's leg stump, enabling the left-hander to double up to fine leg when he sees the not-so fleet-footed Sourav Ganguly in the deep. Katich adds another single to take him to 18 while Punter tickles a leg glance down fine for two, moving on to 30 as well as bringing up the 50 partnership between the pair. The pair had admirably dealt with a decent performance from India's bowling quartet this morning.

0625 - Aus 45-1 (17 overs)
Katich whips Harbhajan to fine leg, bringing Ricky Ponting on strike against the offie who has some sort of voodoo batting doll of him having dismissed him eight times in Tests, equal with the now-retired Darren Gough. Captain Anil Kumble rings the changes, bringing in extra men around the bat, which the crowd are clearly loving, judging by their decibel levels. And after all that, Harbhajan's first delivery is short and on leg stump, which Punter eyes up and guides down to fine leg for four. The next two deliveries are back on the money again.

0621 - Aus 40-1 (16 overs)
Haven't said much about Mahendra Dhoni today, so here's the ideal time to tell you he gets one right in the thigh as a Sharma delivery squirts past Ponting through on the second bounce to the Indian wicketkeeper, who does a little jig in an attempt to shake off the shooting pains of wearing an 85mph delivery on his upper leg. Sharma drops short and wide outside off stump and Ponting rocks on to his back foot, not exactly timing the ball, but well enough to earn three runs, while Katich adds a single from the next ball.

0615 - Aus 36-1 (15 overs)
Harbhajan mixes up his deliveries, using subtle variations in grip, floating up a flighty off-break before following it up with a scrambled seam quicker delivery, neither of which Katich can get away beyond the close circle of fielders, along with the other four deliveries. Another maiden.

0612 - Aus 36-1 (14 overs)
The brilliantly coiffured Sharma - what products does that man use on that mane? - resumes after the drinks interval, but his seventh over is uneventful but for two singles, one each for Katich and Ponting.

Paul (see 0559), it's a little difficult to be "held up" when you have nothing but clear road in front of you because anyone with three working braincells would be tucked up safely in bed, so excuses can be a little thin on the ground. Is Kannada the only language which (sort of) shares its name with a country? One of Karnataka's neighbours is Kerala, where the language, Malayalam, is possibly the only palindromic language in the world. I think. Oh yeah, drinks break.

0602 - Aus 34-1 (13 overs)
After just 12 overs of seam, Anil Kumble decides it's all about the tweak and Harbhajan Singh is called into action. His third ball to Simon Katich spits and bites on leg stump, brushing the left-hander's top glove and pad before falling short of the despairing dive of Gautam Gambhir at short leg. Nice start from Bhajji, one man who needs little motivation to up his game against the Australians.

0559 - Aus 34-1 (12 overs)
Just when you say nothing drivable on offer, Ponting goes and rocks on to his back foot and slams the ball through cover for four of the most spanking runs you could wish to see. The Aussie captain had a few issues earlier in the over though, aborting a pull after realising the ball was not short enough to hit.

"Mornin'. Is 'held up' a synonym for 'got up late'? I'm keen to know how the City of Bangalore is getting on with its plans to change the name of the city to its Kannadian language version of Bengaluru, as I'm geekily amused at the notion of a city in South India taking adopting a name that sounds to foreign tourists a bit a like a North Indian State and means some of the less up to date ones may get on the wrong train in Delhi, as well having a main language that sounds a bit like a North American country. Can any of your kind readers slake my thirst for pointless knowledge?"
Paul in Lancs via the TMS Inbox

0554 - Aus 26-1 (11 overs)
Just a solitary single from Ponting from Khan's sixth over, part from Ponting's drive through mid-off for four, there really has been nothing to tuck in to for either batsman. Thoroughly enthralling.

0551 - Aus 25-1 (10 overs)
What a cracking over - Sharma has just given Ponting a working over of serious quality. Sharma brings his first delivery back into Ponting, who opts to offer no stroke, prompting the entire Indian XI - and the crowd - for a gargantuan appeal which is turned down by Rudi Koertzen. Ponting opts to give Sharma some manners off his next ball, but it's too quick and his pull shot balloons up and falls safely outside off stump. Ponting opts for circumspection for the rest of the over, but Sharma once again has him in trouble, this time with another sharp delivery which nips back into him, but striking Ponting way above the knee roll. Ponting looks grateful for the single through square leg from the last ball.

0544 - Aus 24-1 (9 overs)
Another outside edge from Katich off Zaheer once again falls short of a diving Rahul Dravid at third slip. But the left-hander - at the top of the order for the dropped Phil Jaques - brushes a leg-side delivery off his hips down to square leg before guiding an attempted Zaheer yorker to the vacant third man area, opening the face of the bat to give him the angle.

0539 - Aus 14-1 (8 overs)
A very useful shout rings around the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium as Ishant traps Ponting on the front foot, but once again Rudi K isn't having any of it - and quite right too as replays suggest height would have been an issue, along with Ponting's astronautesque front-foot stride. And after 30 minutes of play, we have the first bouncer as Ponting sways out of the way of a lifter. These two had history at the start of the year. The Aussie captain tucks into the next delivery, rocking on to his back foot and pulling Sharma through square leg for four. Nice comeback from Gene Simmons/Sharma with a lifter which forces Ponting to remove his top hand from the bat. Good battles already.

0534 - Aus 10-1 (7 overs)
Zaheer forces a thick outside edge to third slip with his first ball of his fourth over, but the ball bounces a metre before landing in Rahul Dravid's hands. Almost though. Katich shuffles across his stumps and guides the ball through mid-on for a single to bring Punter back on strike. Interesting, Zaheer opts to go around the wicket for the Australian captain, maybe trying to expose his tendency of shuffling across his stumps early on in his innings. But the former Worcestershire seamer can't get his line right as he strays on to Ponting's pads as the batsmen run through for a leg bye.

0528 - Aus 7-1 (6 overs)
Glorious off drive from Punter off Sharma's first ball, caressing through mid-off with that trademark high follow through for the first boundary of the day. The rest of the over is less fruitful as Sharma probes the back of a length area to keep the Australian captain in check. His last ball is an absolute beauty - a full delivery which leaves the batsman outside the off stump, but Ponting is equal to the ball with a brilliantly judged leave. The Bangalore crowd are going gaga, they love it.

0523 - Aus 3-1 (5 overs)
Another decent over from Zaheer, who gives our Ricky the stare after the fifth ball of yet another useful over. Punter gets his second run with a thick outside edge as he attempts to flick to leg, only to see the ball scoot along the grass to cover. Interesting to note the amount of seam movement Zaheer is getting off the pitch. Interesting.

0519 - Aus 2-1 (4 overs)
Not so hot from Ishant in his second over, spraying a few wide of off stump before straying down leg side to Simon Katich. There's good carry to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni though, but it looks like a decent batting track too. Another maiden, although nothing too alarming for the Western Australia batsman.

0514 - Aus 2-1 (3 overs)
Zaheer Khan is right on the money, which is more than can be said for the world money markets right now. The M. Chinnaswamy pitch is looking like a decent surface for the seamers as Simon Katich doubles Australia's total with a little dab to point for a single. Ponting gives Zaheer plenty of respect, playing a couple of thoroughly extravagant leaves to some probing deliveries outside off stump. Another excellent over.

0511 - Aus 1-1 (2 overs)
Blimey, turn up five minutes late and look what happens... Just seen a replay of Hayden's wicket and the burly left-hander is unlucky there. Zaheer beats him with a beauty which leaves him outside off stump, but it looks like the opener jabs his bat into his front pad rather than the ball brushing his outside edge. The mane of Ishant Sharma is in the action and immediately the seamer has Ricky Ponting jumping around with some seriously lively pace. He has a massive shout for lbw, but umpire Rudi Koertzen is haven't any of it. Excellent start from the Delhi speedster, who has hair as big as Gene Simmons from KISS. I don't think I can recall a fast bowler sporting a barnet straight out of glam rock, although you may disagree.

By Mark Mitchener

0505 - Aus 1-1 (1 over)
Ricky Ponting must be a little perturbed to be in this early, but he gets his side off the mark with a single. Zaheer is right on the money against Katich, who digs out the last ball - and Pranav is in the house to take you on from here.

0459: Matthew Hayden and Simon Katich opening up for the Aussies - no Phil Jaques today - with Zaheer Khan opening up with his left-arm seam.

0455: Just for once, the boot is on the other foot in terms of experience, as a rather inexperienced Aussie line-up - only a handful of which have played on the subcontinent before - face India's veterans. Here are the teams:

India: G Gambhir, V Sehwag, R Dravid, S R Tendulkar, S C Ganguly, V V S Laxman, M S Dhoni (wk), A Kumble (capt), Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, I Sharma.

Australia: S M Katich, M L Hayden, R T Ponting (capt), M E K Hussey, M J Clarke, C L White, S R Watson, B J Haddin (wk), B Lee, M G Johnson, S R Clark.

Umpires: Asad Rauf and R E Koertzen.

0450: Morning, everyone. Hope you're up early (or late, as the case may be, depending on where you are in the world) - to be with us for the much-anticipated India-Australia Test series.

The news from Bangalore is that Australia captain Ricky Ponting has won the toss and has elected to bat first. Full teams in a minute, but all-rounder Cameron White is making his debut for the tourists.

I'm afraid Pranav Soneji, who's meant to be in this chair, has been held up - so I hope you consider me an adequate "sub-fielder" stand-in.