SECOND TEST, Mohali (day two):
India 469 all out v Australia 102-4
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e-mail tms@bbc.co.uk (with 'For Pranav Soneji' in the subject), text 81111 (with "CRICKET" as the first word) or use 606 (Not all contributions can be used)1236: India are all over this innings like students around cheap plonk, plaudits to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has manipulated his field, jigged his bowlers around and maintained India's upper hand throughout this match. Day three, what delights await us? Find out tomorrow when I'll be back in the hotseat. Adios. CLOSE: AUSTRALIA 102-4 1232: Australia 102-4 WICKET Clarke lbw Mishra 23
"Mishy" Mishra has the honour of the last over of the day, tossing up a flighty googly which Clarke covers with his pads. However, he opts to go around the wicket - at the behest of his captain - with his fifth delivery and bamboozles the Australian vice-captain with a beautifully disguised googly, which hits Clarke in line with the stumps and straightening to hit middle. Umpire Asad Rauf waits a few seconds before raising his left arm. Sensational finish just one ball before stumps. Poor Michael Clarke, shades of Bangalore there, trapped leg before just before the end of day's play. 1229: Australia 102-3
Ishant continues at a decent lick, but nothing of alarm for the Aussies as the Indians sneak in one final over of the day before the 1230 cut-off time. 1224: Australia 101-3
Mishra goes around the wicket to Hussey and sees the ball turn a good foot and a half from the rough outside the off stump, which isn't exactly what Mike Hussey wants to see at this time of the day. The left-hander brings up the Aussie 100 - a rare moment to see the smattering of Australian flags flying inside the ground - with a sweep to deep square, where Harbhajan pulls off a useful diving stop. 1220: Australia 98-3
On comes Ishant Sharma for a joust, replacing new-ball partner Zaheer, immediately going around the wicket to Hussey, although his second ball is a little too straight and Hussey plonks a single off his pads to fine leg. Mikey Clarke opts for safety leaving the final three deliveries outside off stump. Prudent move with just 10 minutes of play left in the day. 1214: Australia 98-3
The returning Amit Mishra drops a tad too short to both Clarke, who scythes a cut for three to backward point, and Hussey, who latches on to the length to carress the ball through cover point for four. Despite looking relatively comfortable at the crease, this fourth-wicket pair have plenty of variation to contend with - the reverse swing of Zaheer, the twirlings of Zaheer and the tweakage of Mishra. Oh yeah, and Ishant Sharma too. 1210: Australia 90-3
Lovely late reverse movement in towards Mike Hussey from Zaheer, before shaping another away from the bat. Nothing the Hussmeister can do to add to his 29 runs. Maiden over. 1206: Australia 90-3
More flighty twirlings from the Turbanator, a nickname which has lost its lustre in the face of politically correct opposition. Harbhajan tosses up a full delivery outside off stump, but Clarke responds by skipping down the track and thumping the bowler over mid-off's head for four. 1202: Australia 86-3
Zaheer dangles one outside off stump with the intent of enticing a nibble from Clarke, but the batsman eases two runs through the covers. More clever bowling from the left-arm seamer, who sends down an inswinging yorker which Hussey does well to dig out. 1157: Australia 83-3
"Pup" Clarke opts to use his feet to loft Harbhajan, but he doesn't get get hold of the ball as well as he might like, although there was enough willow for the ball to skip away to the long on boundary. The number five adds another run to his tally with a well-judged single to Sachin Tendulkar, who delights the remaining spectators at the PCA Stadium with a sterling dive to prevent leaking further runs. 1153: Australia 77-3
Top-class swing bowling from Zaheer, who has a very useful shout for lbw turned down by umpire Rudi Koertzen. The ball strikes Mike Hussey on the front pad in line with the stumps, but Mr Cricket takes a very big stride with his front foot, a factor which probably saves him an amble back to the pavilion. Absorbing stuff from Khan, who is moving the ball both ways and hiding the ball to keep the batsmen - and everyone else - guessing. Khan goes around the wicket and is promptly dispatched for a cover-driven four by Clarke on the front foot. A little too full in length, but the gifts still have to be put away. "Re: 1056 - I fear your command of French isn't what it once was... I think you mean 'n'est ce pas'. Standards at the BBC these days...!" Andy, Manchester Merci buckets Andy, although I don't think my French was ever where you suggest it once was. 1148: Australia 72-3
Harbhajan has cut his pace and is throwing up the ball with plenty of flight, tempting Hussey on to his front foot in the hope of some nibbles. Instead the left-hander turns the ball to mid-wicket, while a rare no-ball from Harbhajan takes the run tally to two from the over. 1144: Australia 70-3
Time for some pace as Zaheer Khan returns for Amit Mishra, conceding a run when Hussey runs the ball down into the deep on the leg side. The Indians have slapped a tight girdle around the Aussie middle order. 1140: Australia 69-3
Plentiful turn and bounce for Harbhajan as a puff of dust explodes off the surface and flies above Michael Clarke's waist. Very, very encouraging signs at the end of day two, especially with two attacking spinners doing different things with the ball bowling in tandem. "I have just returned from watching Queensland v NSW in Cairns (watching Symonds try to get his mojo back....) and I was wondering why there wasn't much updating of the Aus-Ind score going on.... now I know!!"
Angharad, formerly of Brixton, currently of Cairns, QLD 1136: Australia 69-3
Harbhajan is giving his balls plenty of revolutions and flight and he induces the edge of Hussey's bat, but Dhoni cannot cling on to a very difficult chance. On a scale of 1-10 of difficulty, with one being "catch that in my mother's pinny" and 10 being "like trying to thread a needle with a garden hose", that would be an 8.2. Another probing over. Meanwhile Mishra serves up another bag of tricks, conceding a solitary single to Michael Clarke. The spinners have taken a stranglehold of this innings. 1129: Australia 68-3
Clarke edges a doosra from Harbhajan just wide of first slip Rahul Dravid, who makes a useful diving stop to ensure the off-spinner's over is a maiden. Clarke manages to get off the mark with a gentle leg-side push at the start of Amit Mishra's fifth over, while Hussey fashions a couple of singles to tootle along to 25. 1124: Australia 65-3
More spinnery from Bhajji, who has Hussey pinned to his crease for a maiden. Mishra bamboozles Michael Clarke with a googly, which the batsman clearly does not pick, but the line was a little too straight so the shaven-headed batsman turns the ball into the on side. 1113: Australia 62-3 WICKET Katich bowled Mishra 33
Hussey's eyes light up as Harbhajan drops short, using the depth of his crease to give him extra time to dispatch the ball to the deep mid-wicket boundary for four taking him to 21. Mishra gives Katich an opportunity to fill his boots with a loopy wide delivery outside off stump, which he promptly thumps to the deep square boundary for four. He looks to do the same with a full toss, but smacks the ball with both barrels right in short leg Gautam Gambhir's midriff. Ouch. But Mishra earns his first Test wicket with his final ball of his second over when Katich plays on to his stumps, neither committing to front or back foot. India have grabbed this game by the short and curlies and it is hurting the Aussies. Vice-captain Michael Clarke is the new man at the crease. 1107: Australia 54-2
Harbhajan comes in to the attack and he's creamed through point for four by Katich. However, the home boy rips his last delivery past the edge of Mike Hussey with a fizzing top-spinner, a very encouraging sign for the Indians. Mishra continues from the other end and gets some steep turn, but nothing too alarming on the second day of a belting surface. Katich fashions two runs through square. 1100: Australia 47-2
On comes Amit Mishra for his first tweak in Test cricket and second ball up he has a useful shout for lbw turned down by Rudi K. Lovely flight sees the ball land on middle stump, but replays indicate the turn off the pitch would have evaded Mike Hussey
's leg stump. Nice start from the leggie
, who concedes a run as Hussey drives to mid-off. Lots of "bowling Missssssshhhhhhyyyyyy!" from Dhoni, which has made my day. All we need now is a few shabaashes and it's like the good ol' days of Mushtaq Ahmed and Moin Khan.
"Man i wish I was at home watching this, stuck on the early shift. It sounds like the Aussies are getting pile-drived. Keep it up BBC."
Gursh, London via TEXT 811111056: Australia 46-2
Zaheer has a not too shabby appeal for lbw turned down by umpire Asad Rauf. Once again there is plenty of movement, this time with the ball darting in to Hussey's leg stump. The Bangalore Royal Challenger (hardly rolls off the tongue, nes pas?) oversteps the popping crease striving for extra pace. 1050: Australia 45-2
Ishant's first ball of his seventh over dissects wicketkeeper Dhoni and first slip Rahul Dravid for four. Replays suggest it was more Dhoni's chance than Dravid's had he dived low to his left. And to compound matter further, Hussey turns the next ball through the gap between gully and third slip for a well-controlled boundary down to the vacant third man. Hussey adds three more with a single and a two before Katich pushes hard at a delivery outside off stump which races down to third man once again off a thick outside edge. Expensive over, but it's not as if Ishant served up any buffet bowling. 1045: Australia 30-2
Hussey tinkles a stray delivery on leg stump from Zaheer around the corner for a fine glance for four. The former Durham skipper takes the pace off the ball and steams through for a very well taken single. 1039: Australia 25-2
The first runs off the bat for a good four overs as Hussey dabs into the covers for a quick single. Ishant oversteps by a good distance and a leg bye bump up the extras tally by two. "Not six shredded wheat (see 1025) but I did eat six weetabix for breakfast for a while... Maybe Hussey 'knows what's good for him, ok?'"
Dave, Manchester via the TMS inbox Blimey, I'm glad I don't have a share a bathroom with you Dave. Kudos for the early 80s advert chat though. 1034: Australia 22-2
More shape from Zaheer, who is making the ball dart back in to the two lefties before sending the ball the other way. Thoroughly intelligent bowling from the former Worcestershire seamer, the ability to swing the ball both ways at will is usually a skill reserved for the upper echelons of fast bowling . Maiden number four. 1030: Australia 22-2
The Indian seamers are really turning the screw here, giving about as much away as my local high street bank. Ishant goes around the wicket to the lefties hoping to exploit that early reverse movement, although the Delhi seamer sends down a wild final delivery fortunate enough not to be called a wide. Successive maiden number three. 1025: Australia 22-2
Absolute ripper from Zaheer Khan, who makes Mike "I eat six shredded wheat for breakfast" Hussey hopelessly grope outside off stump before the bail sails into the mitts of Mahendra Dhoni. Is it me or does it feel like India are bowling on a completely different pitch to what the Australians were bowling on? And has anyone ever eaten six shredded wheat before? What happened? 1021: Australia 22-2
Ishant cranks up the afterburners reaching a shade under 90mph to Simon Katich, who watchfully fends and prods before a thick outside edge runs down towards the unmanned third man boundary for four, which takes Katich to 17. Anyone seen what's going on in Chittagong? The Kiwis are 100-7 against Bangladesh. Who'd a thunk it? 1015: Australia 17-2
More shape for Zaheer, who is giving Katich a right good testing. Maiden over. 1010: Australia 17-2 Ponting lbw Sharma 5
Ishant resumes from the City End and his first delivery comes back off the seam, but Ponting judges the length well as it flies over his stumps. His next ball isn't so well played as Sharma raps him in line on the front pad, but umpire Rudi Koertzen shakes his goateed head, although replay suggest the ball would have clipped middle and leg. But Rudi's finger points to the heavens - albeit as if it has been lifted by a crane - when Sharma strikes Ponting on the back foot three balls later. So Ponting gets another working over from Sharma, who is fast becoming a bete noire for the Aussie skipper. New man Mike Hussey is at the crease. Replays suggest as if Ponting thought he had got an inside edge onto pad, but Snicko isn't having any of it. Interesting to note that Sharma is getting the ball to reverse in only the ninth over, which is quite possibly the earliest I have seen a ball in a match. 1005: Australia 17-1
"Kato" Katich is a crease shuffler, which sounds like a bit of a euphemism but isn't. Zaheer strays to leg stump and the New South Wales captain flicks a fine glance for four. 1000: And we're back out in Chandigarh with Zaheer Khan resuming to Simon Katich. TEA 0943: Australia 13-1
Harbhajan bowls the last over before tea, with Ponting facing the first ball. First ball is driven to cover, the second is also punched into the same area, but wide of the man saving the single and that's Ponting's second boundary. The Aussie skipper safely copes with the last four balls and that is tea. 0938: Australia 9-1
Ponting takes a suicide siingle off Zaheer to mid-wicket, where Sachin Tendulkar gathers and throws, but he misses the target with Ponting a good metre out of his ground. I don't mean to sound like a merchant of doom of anything but that could cost India the match. Hyberbole? Love it. 0933: Australia 8-1
Nothing to make Katich shift uncomfortably in his crease as Ishant sends down six deliveries on and around off stump. Maiden over. "Just got back in and am interested to see your imputed views on demand management and fiscal policy (see 0822). You really are a good old-fashioned Keynesian, aren't you? Refreshing to see in one so young. A bit like watching Trescothick when he's on form - cricket is made to theoretical and complicated, the best idea is just to blatter it. Only with more/less tax. Anyway the IMF'll be after good people like you soon enough."
Paul in Lancs in the TMS inbox
"More than his runs, I am waiting to see Dhoni's captaincy. The way he set up Ponting in second innings of last match and got him out cheaply was a delight."
Bend_It_Like_Murali on 6060928: Australia 8-1
Katich punches in to the off side for two before tucking a single off his hips. Zaheer goes around the wicket to Ponting, giving him a right good stare after the Australian captain confidently defends back down the pitch. 0923: Australia 5-1
Simon Katich clips away Ishant Sharma's first delivery off his pads for a confident boundary before clipping off his hips for a single. Rather than grip the ball in your classic seam-up position, Sharma is bowling cross-seam in an effort to scuff the ball up as quickly as possible to get the ball to reverse swing. 0914: Australia 0-1 WICKET Hayden bowled Zaheer 0
Zaheer Khan opens up with the new cherry and immediately gets the ball to wobble outside Matthew Hayden's outside edge. And the huge Queenslander inside edges onto his middle stump and the crowd go bananas! Once against Hayden is dismissed with the third ball of the innings - but there's no dispute over this wicket with the bails spread all over the PCA Stadium turf. It's the sixth time Zaheer has dismissed Hayden in his career. Out trots Ricky Ponting. No pressure, eh? INDIA 469 ALL OUT 0858: India 469-9 WICKET Dhoni lbw Siddle 92
The field spreads to give Dhoni the single wherever he wants it, but the Indian captain isn't having any of it as he turns down everything. But he perishes from the sixth ball of Peter Siddle's over attempting to turn a reverse swinging delivery down to fine leg. Replays suggest Dhoni was unlucky as he was struck just outside the line of off stump, but I called that out as soon as I saw it on TV, so I can see why Rudi Koertzen called that out. But India really should have hit the 500-mark with Dhoni celebrating only his second Test century. 0858: India 469-9 WICKET Zaheer run out 2
SLAP! Dhoni dances down the track and plunders Cameron White over mid-on for his fourth six, WALLOP! Dhoni smacks the next ball at head height towards White, who makes a vague attempt to place his hands somewhere near the ball but wisely gets them out of the way. Umpire Rauf also opts for self-preseveration as the ball hurtles away for four. But poor judgement from Dhoni, who calls Khan for a quick single after batting away a faster White delivery to mid-on, sees his partner run out just short of the crease. Dhoni set off like an Olympic sprinter but his partner had to run around the bowler, costing him valuable time. 0852: India 459-8
Tidy over from White, who leaks one run bowling nothing particuarly spectactular. He has bowled about half the overs in two Test matches than he did in the entire Australian season this year. More tight lines from Siddle ensures Dhoni can only add a further run to his 82. 0841: India 457-8
Pete Siddle gets another joust and his first ball, a not particularly shabby delivery outside off stump, is thrashed away through extra cover on the back foot by Dhoni. It's all bottom hand, but all along the deck as opposed to an aerial assault. Zaheer brings up India's 450 with a well-placed signal to the right of point. AND OH MY DAYS Dhoni has just waltzed down the crease and just bludgeoned Siddle straight back over his head for an almighty maximum. The temerity to do something like that at nearly 90mph is just frightening. Siddle's mouth probably got just a little bit drier, which is probably just as well because it's time for drinks. Dhoni skips along to 81. 0831: India 442-8 WICKET Harbhajan bowled White 1
A lazy waft of the bat to a Cameron White googly sees Harbhajan bowled through the gate, although the ball just clipped his off stump. Zaheer Khan, man of the match in Bangalore, is the new man at the crease, who immediately gets off the mark with a fine dab behind the keeper for a single. His captain sends a well-flighted delivery down to long-off for a single. "TON" reads the label on Zaheer's bat. I guess "dogged 34" doesn't sound quite as good for a bat name. 444-8 0830: India 442-7
Lovely flourish from Harbhajan, who plucks Watson through the gap between mid-off and point with a font-foot drive for a single. 0825: India 441-7
Dhoni struts down the wicket to Cameron White and lofts him over mid-off, but doesn't quite get the ball in the screws as the batsmen run through for two. Another two runs follow courtesy of a well-placed leg-side dab from the India wicketkeeper. 0822: India 437-7
Dhoni gives Harbhajan an early sniff of Watson's bowling with yet another well-judged single. The off-spinner, who was in the runs in Bangalore, plays a Courtney Walsh-style leave outside off stump, only with less of a flourish than the former West Indian great. "And who was it that said that Test cricket is dead?! An ex-avid fan of cricket myself, I'm finding myself more interested in my Year 12 Economics than in the action at the moment. And that shouldn't ever be true... Perhaps a new low."
Cale (Sydney) via the TMS inbox Cale, keep on preaching the Year 12 gospel - I learned in that one year about things like the Phillips Curve and discretionary fiscal policies than my whole three years doing a economics degree at university. 0812: India 436-7 WICKET Ganguly ct Lee b White 102
After lauding Ganguly's strokeplay, the elegant left-hander plays the most ugliest of strokes as he attempts to marmalise a wide Cameron White delivery, but a pre-mediated skip down the stumps sees him reach for the ball and he scoops up a simple catch for Brett Lee stationed at mid-off. A shame because Ganguly cut loose and fancy-free really is a sight to behold, especially against the tweakers. In comes Harbhajan Singh. 0812: India 435-6
More useful running between the wickets - not a sentence you usually associate with Sourav Ganguly - sees the pair add a further two runs to the total from Shane Watson's 22nd over. 0808: India 433-6
Ganguly turns yet another stray Cameron White delivery off his pads to guide the ball down to the square leg boundary, bringing up his first ever century against Australia at home, his 16th overall in his illustrious career. He pumps his fist and his team-mates are jubilant. Not a bad way to bow out - and he's still got a further two Test matches to add to tally. 0803: India 426-6
Dhoni does well to dig out a Watson yorker with Brad Haddin standing up to the stumps before the Indian captain nudges a single into the off side to bring up the 100 partnership. I'm thinking India will want to bat for another session and a half, pillage another 150 runs or so before giving themselves an hour to make dents into the Australian top order. 0800: India 423-6
Looks like Ganguly is happy to reach his 16th Test century in singles, unlike his partner Dhoni, who does a Shane Watson and eyes the sky after Cameron White serves up a rank long hop wide of leg stump. But rather than hit it towards the Himalayas, he mishits the ball for a single. 0755: India 421-6
Poor bowling from Watson, who serves up a short ball on leg stump for Dhoni to help around the corner for a fine boundary for four. The all-rounder looks to the heavens - "any divine intervention mate?" he may have said. Either that or wondering whether fellow Queenslander Israel Folau will score a bagful of tries at the Rugby League World Cup. 0752: India 416-6
Some marginal - and I really do mean marginal - turn for Watson, who has an ambitious shout for lbw against Dhoni turned down by umpire Asad Rauf, replays suggest a coat of varnish may have dislodged a bail, but even the most optimistic of Aussies would concede that anything less than a not out would have been slightly harsh. 0748: India 413-6
More whippy wrists from Dhoni, who swats a slower Shane Watson ball for another extraordinary boundary, this time a front-foot put through backward point. Ganguly is more than happy to nudge and nurdle the singles. 0743: India 408-6
The players bound out after a scoffing, with Cameron White first up. The leggie throws up a bit of air to Dhoni, who shuffles down the pitch and absolutely leathers the final ball of the over straight back over the Victorian's head for a mammoth six, which brings up his 10th Test 50 from just 63 balls. Crikey. "I've just woken up and seen the score. It makes me wonder if Australia are well on the back foot on day five will Ponting moan about his own side playing for a draw as he did so (unjustly) with India in the first Test. I can't wait for him to come up against Pietersen in the Ashes. Kev will walk all over him."
Steve in Petersfield, Hampshire via the TMS inbox Steady on there Kev, you've just woken up. The Ashes in England is a slightly different crate of beer, swing-friendly conditions which all the Aussies are familiar with having stints with counties, they're just as home in Blighty than down under. However, the lack of a quality spinner is something to truly rejoice - an Ashes without Shane Warne, how England have dreamt of that day. LUNCH: INDIA 401-6 0700: India 401-6
Johnson rocks up for the last over before lunch and Dhoni brings up the 400 with a single on the off side. Soft hands from Ganguly sees the pair running through for a quick single, which turns out to be the last run before Rudi Koertzen flicks the bails off and calls for a spot of tiffin. Undoubtedly India's session. See you back here in 40 minutes. 0656: India 399-6
Extraordinary from Dhoni, who sweeps right off his middle stump for a single down to fine leg. Two more singles, one each for both batsmen, before Ganguly pierces the infield with a glorious on drive for his seventh four, a boundary which takes him into the 90s. 0652: India 392-6
Mitchell Johnson attempts to shake things up by going around the wicket to Ganguly, but he gets his line all wrong as Ganguly sweetly times a flick off his legs for only his sixth boundary to move to 85. Easy times for the Indians, this pair might as well bat sitting in lazyboy chairs. 0648: India 386-6
Ponting turns to tweak for the first time in the day - and this time he goes to his frontline spinner Cameron White, rather than the left-arm darts of Michael Clarke. But to keep Dhoni keen, the Aussie skipper keeps his mid-on and mid-off up. Instead Dhoni plonks his front pad outside off stump to paddle the ball down to fine leg for a single, while Ganguly turns a ball into the leg side for another run, which takes him to 79. The Bengali's last Test century was 12 matches ago when he smashed 239 against Pakistan in Bangalore. 0644: India 384-6
About 15 minutes to go before lunch and Mitchell Johnson forces the first genuine play and miss of the day as Sourav Ganguly gropes outside his off stump. Just one run from that over, a nudge off his pads from Dhoni. 0640: India 383-6
Watson surprises Dhoni with a last-ball bouncer, which the wicketkeeper attempts to pull but fails to make decent contact, sailing aerially down to third man for a single. 0636: India 382-6
Ganguly launches into a short delivery outside off stump, but manages to find the burly figure of Matthew Hayden at point. Maiden over. Here's a stat for you - India have never lost a match where Sourav Ganguly has scored a century. 0632: India 382-6
Watson looks as if he wants to curled up in bed right now, he's grimacing and clearly not enjoying bowling at this seventh-wicket pair. He digs in a short delivery to Dhoni, who greedily eyes up another pull but rather than threaten the safety of spectators at square leg, he gloves a single down to fine leg. 0628: India 379-6
Dhoni's eyes light up as Johnson wings down a wide delivery outside off stump, but his thick outside edge runs down to third man. Ponting, clearly conscious of keeping runs to a minimum, has spread the field, but there are singles everywhere as Ganguly eases another feather through the offside for one. 0623: India 377-6
Brad Haddin stands up to the stumps in Watson's second over to force Dhoni back inside his crease, although bothers the Indian captain little as he fashions another single, along with his former captain. It's a bit easy for the Indian pair right now as the Indian run-rate goes up to 3.70. 0619: India 375-6
Ganguly is more than content to play second fiddle to Dhoni, who doubles up with a wristy flick down to the mid-wicket boundary. Headache-time for Ponting, the runs are coming thick and fast, a bit like the contestants on X-Factor. 0615: India 372-6
Double bowling change as Shane Watson ambles in for his first joust of the day. Watson looks a little too much like Patrick Swayze for me to take seriously, I wonder if he likes pottery. Incredible stroke from Dhoni, who hits Watson on the up through extra cover for four. That shot was off the front foot, but it was played as if he was on the back foot, remarkable. He also gallops down the wicket but mishits his drive for two, which takes Dhoni to 33 from the same number of deliveries. 0610: India 365-6
Ricky Ponting signals his first bowling change of the day with Mitchell Johnson coming in for Brett Lee. Cracking shot from Ganguly, who eases a front-foot push through the covers for three. Johnson has a half-shout for lbw, but umpire Rudi Koertzen shakes his head and signals to the right as if to indicate the huge inside edge onto pad. 0602: India 362-6
Siddle runs in for his 25th over as both batsmen exchange singles. Just seen a close up of Dhoni's bat, which I reckon has more wood than the New Forest. It's more like Mjolnir, the hammer of Norse god Thor than a cricket bat. It probably weighs more than your average Southern American voter too. Drinks break with Dhoni on 27 and Ganguly on 70. 0558: India 360-6
MS Dhoni brings up the 350 with yet another pull shot off Brett Lee to the backward square leg boundary. The Aussies have set the trap but the wicketkeeper isn't having any of it, lofting over the head of the man stationed at short backward square. The next ball sees him guide a single down to fine leg, where an attempted cut from Ganguly ends up in the same place. Dhoni then unleashes an almighty drive through the covers for four. 0553: India 349-6
Nothing spectacular from that over as Siddle probes Ganguly around the off stump line. Maiden over. 0550: India 349-6
Ganguly, labelled a bit of a choker against short-pitched fast bowling during his career, smashes Lee to deep square leg for a single to take him to 67, his highest ever score against Australia in India. Lee stays around the wicket for Dhoni, who utilises the depth of his crease with a back-foot defence to scamper through for a well-judged single. Ganguly replays his shot from the start of the over to earn him another single, while a smart one-handed dive from Ricky Ponting prevents India from reaching the 350-run mark after a Dhoni back-foot swivel. For now anyway. 0545: India 346-6
Quality cricket from Dhoni who, after bludgeoning a four and a six with the pull shot, subtlety opens the face of the bat and guides a Pete Siddle delivery outside off stump through third man for another boundary. But the Victorian seamer gets his revenge with a beauty which leaves the India captain outside off stump. 0540: India 342-6
A smart dive from Cameron White averts a boundary as Ganguly runs through for two before a leg bye off the thigh pad. Lee opts to go around the wicket and serves up a nasty short delivery into the body to Dhoni, who takes a short ball bang on the shoulder. And he doesn't even flinch! No rubbing the shoulder or signalling to the dressing room for wussy spray - just a punched glove from Ganguly and a glance round the corner for a single. That's like the kid at school who never gets a dead arm, no matter how many times the hardest kid in the year punches him there. 0536: India 338-6
Ganguly cuts Siddle down to third man, although for a man who cuts cricket balls as well as Gordon Greenidge or Barry Richards, it wasn't one of his very best. Siddle hits the deck with a short ball to Dhoni, who once again sways on to his back foot and larrups the ball way over deep square leg into the stands for six. What a shot, he nailed that flush out of the middle of the bat. 0532: India 330-6
Lee gets a shortish ball to rear off the pitch, striking Ganguly in the thigh pad, but the former Indian captain eases the next ball into the off-side gap to hand MS his first ball. And how does he react to a short of a length delivery on middle stump? By rocking on to his back foot and pummelling Lee through backward square leg for four. "Morning Brett, howda like dem apples?" Dhoni might not have said. "I've been volunteering at my university throughout the night and have been looking forward to this coverage getting me through the last stint! Anyone else think it was a mistake not to open at one end with Johnson after his success yesterday?"
Niall, Canterbury via the TMS inbox 0526: India 326-6 WICKET Sharma ct Katich b Siddle 9
Blimey, when number 11s are punching fast bowlers off the back foot through the covers for boundaries, you know this is a battling pitch sent from the heavens. Beautiful shot from Sharma, reminiscent of VVS Laxman in his 2001 Aussie-battering pomp. Siddle is clearly not impressed and opts for the round the wicket tactic - and it pays off as Sharma chips up a simple catch to Simon Katich at leg gully attempting to fend off a short ball to the heart. Out strolls captain MS Dhoni. 0522: India 322-5
Sourav Ganguly launches into a beautiful cover drive, which is cut off from the boundary by Mike Hussey at deep point. Mr Cricket's quick pick-up and throw to the bowler's end is fumbled by Brett Lee as Ishant launches into a full dive to make his ground. Lee receives attention for what looks like a cut between the webbing between the middle and ring finger, which has gotta hurt. Ganguly pushes Lee through the covers, while Sharma does the same with a quick single, although a direct hit from Mitchell Johnson at mid-on would have sent the lanky fast bowler back to the pavilion. 0514: India 318-5
Siddle steams in, but more obdurate defiance from Sharma, who could have the potential to frustrate Ponting like a man who has just discovered his greenhouse has been infested with hungry aphids. 0510: India 318-5
Play is held up as a huge jumbo jet screams over the PCA Stadium, it was flying so low I think I could see the safety demonstration from the window. Brett Lee opens up from the other end and serves up the tastiest long hop on middle stump and Ganguly languidly pulls the ball through square leg with little flourish for a sweetly timed four. Our Binga is easing himself in here as he floats around the 81mph area. 0504: India 314-5
Ganguly pushes through the covers for an easy single, which will please the Australian s as it brings Ishant Sharma on strike. The tall seamer plays a very untail-ender-like stroke, easing the ball through the covers for two. A shorter Siddle delivery sees Ishant glove the ball high into the air, but the ball loops to safety where a short leg would have been stationed. He sees off the rest of the over with a firm straight bat and a dogged conviction. 0459: The players are out, Pete Siddle has the ball and Sourav Ganguly is taking guard. There are about eight people in the stands. We're off. 0455: We have a beautifully crisp, sunny Punjabi morning awaiting us at the PCA Stadium - as far as mornings go, you can't really top it. The Aussies will be hurling around a five-over old ball, so Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and new-boy Pete Siddle - who bagged Test cricket's all-time leading run scorer as his first victim for his country - will be looking to capitalise on the bounce and shine and send nightwatchman Ishant Sharma back in the hutch. 0447: Morning team, ready for day two of some hot, steamy cricket action? No? Back to bed with you, we've got more intrigue than the Milk Tray man awaiting us today in Mohali.
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