Australia vs India 2014/15 - 4th Test, Day 5, Lunch: Murali Vijay gets India off to solid start after Australia's overnight declaration

Murali Vijay

Sydney, Jan 10 - India reached 73/1 at lunch in their second innings while chasing a target of 349 runs on the fifth day of the fourth and final Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) here on Saturday.

Australia declared at their overnight score of 251/6, leaving India a target of 349 runs in 90 overs.

Australian skipper Steven Smith and the team management believed that it would be quite difficult for India to chase down 349 runs on a day five pitch and declared early in the morning.

Openers Murali Vijay (35 batting) and Lokesh Rahul (16) looked solid at the crease, though Vijay was dropped in the tenth over by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin off the bowling of spinner Nathan Lyon.

However, Australia did not have to wait long for success as Lyon, the most successful bowler of the series with 21 wickets, got another when he scalped first innings century maker Rahul, who gloved a turning delivery to backward short leg.

Vijay and Rohit Sharma (19 batting) stuck it out in the middle thereon.

Though offie Lyon was the lone wicket-taker, the Aussie pacers were the stars in the morning session, testing the Indian batsmen with their length and pace in seaming conditions.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, with respective figures of 7-4-5-0 and 5-4-1-0, built the pressure on India by giving away less than a run per over.

Australia 1st innings: 572/7 declared

India 1st ?innings: 475

Australia 2nd innings: 251/6 declared

India 2nd innings (target 349)

Murali Vijay batting 35

Lokesh Rahul c Warner b Lyon 16

Rohit Sharma batting 19

Extras (lb 3) 3

Total 73/1 (Overs 29)

Fall of wickets: 1-48 (Rahul, 13.2 overs)

Bowling

Mitchell Starc 7-4-5-0

Ryan Harris 5-1-14-0

Nathan Lyon 11-2-45-1

Josh Hazlewood 5-4-1-0

Steven Smith 1-0-5-0

Match details

Toss: Australia chose to bat

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) and Richard Kettleborough (England)

TV umpire: Simon Fry (Australia)

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka)

Reserve umpire: Gerard Abood (Australia)