Steve Waugh saves Australia
the blushes

Skipper Steve Waugh hit a gritty 106 not out but Australia struggled for the second successive day in their three-day game against Mumbai on Friday.

Australia were dismissed for 203 in their first innings soon after tea to concede a 125-run lead with none of the other batsmen coming good, and prolific scorer Mark Waugh unable to bat with a hand injury.

Mumbai, who had declared their first innings at the overnight 328 for nine wickets, rubbed salt into Australian wounds by raising 83 for none from 28 overs in their second innings.

Young Vinayak Mane, batting on 45, and Wasim Jaffer (36) were going strong at stumps as the Australian attack toiled as it had on Thursday.

Waugh, who is yet to score a Test century in India in three previous visits, stood firm as wickets fell regularly before the innings ended at the fall of the ninth wicket.

The Australian skipper struck 10 fours and three huge sixes in his 162-ball innings lasting 199 minutes and dominated the ninth wicket stand of 70 runs with Glenn McGrath (19).

Australia tottering

Australia were left tottering at eight for 133 and in real danger of being asked to follow-on. But Waugh helped them add 111 runs in the afternoon after being 87 for four at lunch.

Paceman Paras Mhambrey took four for 59 while lanky left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni returned an impressive analysis of four for 39 with 11 maiden overs in his 25 overs.

Steve Waugh, looking for his first big knock ahead of the first test starting on Tuesday, hit three sixes late in his innings after a cautious start.

Two of his sixes were massive hits into the stands over long-on, off successive balls against off-spinner Ramesh Powar.

Adam Gilchrist was the first to go after lunch, wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe completing a diving catch to his left off Mhambrey. He scored 22.

Shane Warne was caught behind for one run off leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule before Damien Fleming (5) and Colin Miller (0) fell to Kulkarni in quick succession.

Early blows

In the morning, Mumbai struck early blows by getting both the openers Michael Slater and Matthew Hayden out for identical scores of 11 with the total at 25 for two.

Slater, who managed only five and 11 in Australia's first warm-up game against an India A side, fell cheaply again by edging Mhambrey to Amol Mazumdar at second slip.

Left-hander Hayden was trapped leg before by Kulkarni off his fourth delivery.

Ricky Ponting was the next to go when the score was on 28, caught behind by Dighe for one run.

Australia received another jolt 10 minutes before the break when Justin Langer gave a tame return catch to Kulkarni for 25. Langer, who struck a century in the first three-day game, hit three fours.

Mark Waugh was ruled out from further participation in the match after he tore the webbing between the ring and small fingers of his left hand going for a catch on Thursday.

Scoreboard

: Mumbai (1st innings): 328 for nine decl.
(Sameer Dighe 84, Ramesh Powar 65 not out, Sairaj Bahutule 51)

Australia (1st innings):
M.Slater c Muzumdar b Mhambrey 11
M.Hayden lbw b Kulkarni 11
J.Langer c & b Kulkarni 25
R.Ponting c Dighe b Mhambrey 1
S.Waugh not out 106
A.Gilchrist c Dighe b Mhambrey 22
S.Warne c Dighe b Bahutule 1
D.Fleming lbw b Kulkarni 5
C.Miller b Kulkarni 0
G.McGrath lbw b Mhambrey 19
Extras (LB-1, NB-1) 2
Total (64.3 overs) 203
Did not bat: Mark Waugh
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-25, 3-28, 4-70, 5-103, 6-118, 7-129, 8-133, 9-203
Bowling: Paras Mhambrey 15.3-2-59-4, Robin Morris 4-1-8-0 (nb-1), Nilesh Kulkarni 25-11-39-4, Ramesh Powar 7-1-42-0, Sairaj Bahutule 13-0-54-1.
Bombay (2nd innings):
V.Mane not out 45
W.Jaffer not out 36
Extras (LB-1, NB-1) 2
Total (for no wicket, 28 overs) 83
Bowling: Glenn McGrath 6-4-15-0, Damien Fleming 6-2-23-0 (nb-1), Shane Warne 7-2-18-0, Colin Miller 8-1-24-0, Matthew Hayden 1-0-2-0.

Mail Cricket Editor