Yuvraj, Jaffer lead BP XI fightback
16:30 HRS IST - Board President's XI captain Yuvraj Singh played some glorious strokes and lead the fightback alongside Mumbai opening batsman Wasim Jaffer. The duo rebuild the innings after the early loss of Chopra and Badrinath.
15: 15 HRS IST - Board President’s XI lost two early wickets, having taken a lead of 141 runs at the completion of Australians’ first innings. Aakash Chopra (6) and Subramaniam Badrinath (14) were the two batsmen dismissed.
 Michael Hussey plays a shot in Hyderabad on October 4. Teenage leg-spinner Piyush Chawla grabbed 5-89 as Australia conceded a 141-run lead against India's second string in a practice match here on Saturday. © AFP |
Australia, who resumed at 191-4, crashed to 218-9 before last man Stuart Clark proved an unlikely saviour by adding a valuable 96 runs for the 10th wicket with the reliable Mike Hussey.
Left-handed Hussey showed his team-mates the way to tackle spin on Indian wickets with a gritty 126 that contained 14 boundaries and a six.
Clarke, whose batting average from 18 Tests is 11.80, struck four boundaries and two sixes in his defiant 44 before holing out to mid-wicket against home team captain Yuvraj Singh.
Earlier Chawla, 19, and spin partner Pragyan Ojha shared five wickets in the space of 19 runs to slice through Australia's batting.
The tourists added eight runs to their overnight score when left-armer Ojha had Brad Haddin stumped for 34, ending a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket with Hussey.
12:46 HRS IST – Michael Hussey brought up a brilliant century to keep Board President's XI at bay. The Australians require a further 16 runs to avoid the follow on. Stuart Clark continued to frustrate the spinners with his long front foot stride.
11: 35 HRS IST - Australians went into Lunch on Day 1 at 268-9 with Michael Hussey (96 not out, 227 balls, 4x12, 6x1) and Stuart Clark (28 runs, 47 balls, 4x2, 6x2) leading the visitors’ fightback after a substantial collapse.
For the Board President’s XI, it was leg spinner Piyush Chawla who ripped through the lower-middle order early this morning and claimed a well deserved five-wicket haul. However it was Pragyan Ojha who triggered the Aussie downfall, claiming Haddin and Krejza early in the day and exposing the tailenders to the potent BP XI spin attack.
11:00 HRS IST - Stuart Clark came in and frustrated the Board President XI bowlers, adding 17 runs for the last wicket with Michael Hussey.
The Australians’ innings run rate has been less than 2.75 runs per over – a clear indication that their batsmen have struggled against the spinners. Michael Hussey proved to be the only batsman who was able to negotiate Ojha and Chawla with conviction.
10:35 HRS - The Australians lost another two wickets in quick succession. Michael Hussey left stranded on 76 unbeaten. They require a further 33 runs to avoid the follow on with just 1 wicket in hand.
10:05 HRS - Resuming from an overnight score of 191-4, the visiting outfit lost three wickets in thirty minutes of play in the morning session. They required a further 48 runs to avoid the follow on.
Board President’s XI captain Yuvraj Singh persisted with his two frontline spinners Piyush Chawla and Pragyan Ojha, who dismissed
Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (34 runs, 87 balls, 4x5, 6x1), Jason Krejza (0 runs, 3 balls) and Brett Lee (0 runs, 7 balls) in quick succession.
Michael Hussey batted on and Mitchell Johnson joined him at the crease.
