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Wednesday, January 16, 2008

India Vs Australia, 3rd Test, Perth - India lose openers after good start

Australia captured two quick wickets to put the brakes on India's strong start to the third Test at the WACA in Perth on Wednesday.

Mitchell Johnson dismissed Virender Sehwag for 29 and Brett Lee removed Wasim Jaffer for 16 as Australia fought back to restrict India to 74 for two at lunch on the opening day.

The tourists had made their best start to the series when Sehwag and Jaffer put on 57 for the opening wicket in the first hour but the Australians struck back after the drinks break.

Both batsmen fell to regulation catches behind the stumps to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

Sehwag, making his first Test appearance in over a year, was first to go. The dashing right-hander had played and missed several time but struck six boundaries before his luck ran out and he got a thick edge off left-arm paceman Johnson.

Jaffer, who kept his place in the side despite failing to make a big score in the first two Tests, adopted a more cautious approach on the notoriously fast and bouncy WACA pitch.

He batted for over an hour and a half, striking two fours, before Lee found the edge.

Rahul Dravid, back in his preferred batting position at number three after opening in the first two Tests, was unbeaten on two at lunch with Sachin Tendulkar not out 13.

The opening session was played in good spirits after both teams promised to be on their best behaviour after the ugly fallout to the last match in Sydney.

Relations between the two teams slumped to an all-time low when the Indian cricket board threatened to cancel the rest of the tour after spinner Harbhajan Singh was found guilty of racially abusing Andrew Symonds.

The Indians lodged a counter claim of abusive language against Brad Hogg but dropped the charge and the threats to abandon the tour after the International Cricket Council agreed to a range of compromises.

Harbhajan was allowed to continue playing in the series until his appeal is heard after the final Test while West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor was sacked for his performance in Sydney.

Despite being cleared to play, Harbhajan and Hogg were both left out of their sides with both opting for an extra seamer.

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