Phil Hughes in action before his dismissal on the opening morning of the first Test between Australia and India. Source: The Daily Telegraph
Shane Watson and David Warner have consolidated after Australia lost two wickets in the first session. Source: The Daily Telegraph
INDIA's controversial snubbing of the video-review system has blown up in its face after skipper Michael Clarke rode his luck to rescue Australia with an epic unbeaten century in the first Test.
It was a momentous day for Clarke (103no), who thumped his 23rd Test ton to surpass the iconic Sir Donald Bradman (6996 Test runs) and become just the 10th Australian to enter the 7000-run club.
Check out the Fox Sports scoreboard.
The run-machine found a surprise accomplice in debutant Moises Henriques (66), who batted superbly to steer the tourists (7/316) to safe ground at stumps on day one at MA Chidambaram Stadium.
With Australia teetering at 5/153 after Ravichandran Ashwin (6-88) ran riot, their top dog, Clarke, and newest pup, Henriques, blasted 151 for the sixth wicket to sucker-punch the Indians.
But Clarke needed a get-out-of-jail card, with India left to rue their decision not to have the Decision Review System (DRS) available in this four-Test series.
Indian great Sachin Tendulkar has vehemently opposed the use of technology in cricket, but the home side needed the rewind button more than ever to remove Australia's best batsman.
The sliding-doors moment came just before tea. With Australia shaky at 5/206 and Clarke on 39, the skipper prodded at an Ashwin delivery that Cheteshwar Pujara claimed at short leg.
The Indians celebrated wildly. The problem was umpire Kumar Dharmasena saw and heard nothing. And with no video-official upstairs, the Indians were rendered powerless as replays showed Clarke got a healthy inside edge.
It was a crushing blow for the home side, who watched helplessly as Clarke surged before cracking a mid-off boundary to post his century off 168 balls.
"I thought at first what are these guys appealing for ... at first glance, it looked like it rubbed his thigh-pad but once I saw the big screen, it was a different opinion," Henriques said with a wry grin.
"We didn't speak about it, but when he (Clarke) saw the replay at the tea break he realised he was a bit lucky."
A rueful Ashwin added: "It was quite clear for me he hit the ball, that's why we all went up.
"At the end of the day it does happen ... the umpire was an off-spinner himself."
Henriques, Australia's 432nd Test cricketer, was outstanding. The 26-year-old allrounder arrived at the crease with Australia in trouble but he showed the sagacity of a veteran, playing confidently to post his half-century from 101 balls.
"Luckily after the first ball the nerves died down a little bit but they were going through the roof waiting to bat," he said.
"Then when that wicket fell and having to walk out the legs started to turn to jelly. But after that first ball and after the first run things started to calm down a little.
"I certainly think I had the opportunity to make it my best innings but it was a little bit disappointing, I really wanted to get through the day and make sure we finished five wickets down.
"I could have been a little bit more ruthless at the end if I was going to be critical. But if someone said youre going to have 60-odd on debut Id take it."
Henriques finished the day with strapping around his lower left leg but he said: "Im sweet to bowl. No dramas at all."
While Henriques stepped up, the day belonged to Clarke.
Having plundered a record 1595 runs at 106.33 in the 2012 calendar year, the 31-year-old reached a special milestone when he moved past The Don with a single off Ashwin to move to eight.
Later, he ticked another box, outperforming another icon, Ricky Ponting, at parallel stages in their Test careers.
After 90 Tests, former skipper Ponting had compiled 7062 runs at 55.61. In his 90th Test, Clarke finished the day with 7092 at 53.32.
Ponting had 22 centuries. Clarke now has 23.
Given the clay-like appearance of the wicket, the toss was crucial and after calling successfully, Clarke had no hesitation choosing to bat first.
Ed Cowan (29) began briskly, as evidenced by his thumping six off Harbhajan, but he departed just balls later, stumped by MS Dhoni attempting to hammer Ashwin to leave Australia 1-64.
The tourists then slumped to 2-72 when Phil Hughes (6) played on attempting to cut Ashwin.
Shane Watson (28) and David Warner (59) guided the tourists safely to 2/126, but after lunch the duo and Wade departed in quick succession to leave Australia reeling at 5/153.
Ashwin trapped Watson lbw from just the first over of the second session before doing the same to Warner just as the aggressive opener had his first offshore ton in sight.
And when Wade became the third lbw victim midway through the second session, it was left to Clarke to produce the type of heroics befitting Bradman.
"He wasnt too different to when Ive batted with him before in Shield cricket. He likes to smile out there and we enjoy our cricket and enjoy batting together," Henriques said.
"I think that relaxing, calming effect that he has and that confidence that he has as a batsman starts rubbing off on the people that he bats with as well."
Of the dusty Chennai pitch, Henriques said: "There wasn't much seam movement or anything like that but both their quicks were getting it to reverse and I think with our quicks theyll probably penetrate the wicket a little bit more than what those guys did.
"Hopefully with guys like Jimmy (James Pattinson), Peter (Siddle) and Mitch (Starc) with a little bit more air-speed ... there was certainly reverse swing so I think the key with reverse swing is to try to bowl to new batsmen with it and be smart with your fields.
"It was a day-one wicket so that might change as the wicket wears on."
PHOTO DISPUTE
We are unable to publish photographs from the Test series in India due to a dispute between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and international news organisations.The BCCI has refused access to Test venues to established picture agencies including our supplier Getty Images. News Limited considers the BCCI action to be a strike against freedom of the press. News Limited, along with international photo and news agencies, is not providing live imagery from the tour in protest.
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