01-Nov-2008 190
Michael Clarke (112) capitalised on India`s butter-fingered fielding as Australia batted out of trouble in the third cricket Test in New Delhi today.
India, in their second essay, were 43 for two wickets, stretching their overall lead to 79 with Gautam Gambhir (21) and Rahul Dravid (5) in the middle when stumps were drawn.
India threatened to bury Australia under their mammoth first innings total of 613 for seven declared but the Aussies, thanks to their resolute batsmen and some favour from lady luck as well, responded by amassing 577 before being bowled out.
On a track which yielded 1200-plus runs over the last four days, India needed to pouch even the half-chances to deal that knock-out punch but Anil Kumble could only watch in exasperation as his profligate teammates went about spilling sitters.
