Filed under Ind v Aus 3rd test Perth

Two imported first class players - Edward Cowan & Chris Rogers - both openers and both left handers. sadly, they both were negotiators with bat rather than a dasher..

Or may be we didn't see that aspect of'em before they got out. Ishant Sharma broke that slow opening partnership of 41, then removed Johathan Dean 3 balls later - all in the same first over he bowled since coming on first change to Irfan Pathan and Pankaj Singh.

Captain Mark Higgs edged one Ishant's short pitched delivery to wicket-keeper (Karthik, not Dhoni) and Indians looked like making inroad into home team. Walks in John Rogers - 21 year old Canberra kid who was prepared to leave crease & hit over the top. This was the first time a ACT batsman began to break stranglehold Indian new ball bowlers had created. Although VRV Singh seemed stiff from his Sydney traveling (bowled 11 no balls) and Irfan Pathan didn't bend his back.. scoring was slow, until as I said, J Rogers arrived.

Left hander made good partnerships with Randall Starr & wicket-keeper James Crosthwaite and was 7th man out. ACT managed to bat out the day, almost touching the smallish total Indians had made when they batted yesterday. Now tomorrow, 3rd and last day, will be a day of decisions for both the captains. will they make a match out of this tour game, or it goes down like just a spam!?!

India XI vs ACT XI, 3 day tour match, end of Day 2 scorecard
India 1st Inn : 325/9d in 84 overs.	ACT XI 1st Inn : 292/8 in 93 overs
Jaffer 92(91b,8x4 2x6), Sehwag 24(49b)	Chris Roger 60, Cowan 14, Dean 0
Karthik 25(39), Dravid 62(91), Yuvraj 2	Higgs 1, John Rogers 98 (190b, 12x4)
Dhoni 38(37b 6x4), Pathan 33, RP 12	Starr 27, Crosthwaite 27, Ritchard 15
Perera 2/40, Swards 3/45, Ritchard 2/71	Pathan 1/18, Sharma 3/26, Rudra 2/16
ACT XI are 33 runs behind with 1 day to go..

Just one note
**Guess when Indian team first played at Manuka Oval? ESPN's appy fizz facts tells us it was all the way back in 1947 when Lala Amarnath took field as captain. Indians ran after to win that match, making home invitation eleven bat twice in two days but results couldn't be achieved!

India XI vs ACT XI : Practice match

Good little match building at Manuka Oval

Home team bat out Day 2 tour match

Why is WACA (Perth) cricket pitch so famous

Preview : 3rd test (Perth) to test both teams

Day 1 : no one ahead, none behind

Day 2 : Pratap & Pathan swing surprise search'of 17th

Day 3 : 348 runs to make, 8 wickets to take, 2 days to go

India deny Aussies their 17th, again & how