Cricket-No embarrassment for India, says Ashwin

India are not uncomfortable by their showing on the tour of Australia in spite of being soundly beaten in the first three tests and taking another hammering on the first day of the fourth, bowler Ravi Ashwin said on Tuesday.

Off-spinner Ashwin took two of his country's three wickets before lunch at the Adelaide Oval but Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke ran rampant in the afternoon to push the hosts to 335 for three at the close of play.

"I think it was really good batting by Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke, they really took the game away from us in the second session," the 25-year-old told reporters.

"Teams have to play, someone has to lose so nobody is embarrassed in the dressing room," he added.

"We're all quite happy to keep coming out and keep trying again and again. Nobody is embarrassed, I'm very sure about that."

Ashwin was dropped for India's innings and 37-run defeat in the third test in Perth and it was not only his bowling that was missed at the WACA.

A handy batsman, he scored a century in his third test against West Indies in November and a half century in the second test against Australia in Sydney.

Despite the most of the much vaunted specialists above him in the batting order having had disappointing tours, he was confident they could give a good account of themselves in Adelaide.

"I think we have nothing to lose at this point in time," he said.

"Being three-nil down gives us a bit of a license to go out and play our natural game which could be a real blessing in disguise for us and all that's important is to get those first 20-30 runs and stick it out.

"We'll have to look for those initial starts and try to capitalise and that could be the crucial stage of this game."

As for the bowling, Ashwin, who finished with 2-81 after the first day, repeated his feeling that he and his team mates, quick bowler Ishant Sharma in particular, had been unlucky in Australia.

"I've said this before but I really believe the rub of the green hasn't gone our way," he said.

"The nicks are not going to hand for (Sharma), he's beating the bat so many times, it's that kind of day at the office."

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India sent in as both sides pick four quicks

Australia's captain Michael Clarke won the toss and sent India in to bat after both sides chose four fast bowlers on the first morning of the third Test at the WACA.

Clarke and the selectors chose to go away out Nathan Lyon, his place taken by the left-armer Mitchell Starc, who has shown inspiring control, speed and swing in recent club and Twenty20 appearances.

India built-in the seam and swing of Vinay Kumar at the expenditure of R Ashwin, on a pitch that has retain a distinctly green hue all through its training.

The last time India fielded four quicks in a Test was at the SCG next to Australia in 1992, when Kapil Dev, Manoj Prbhakar and Javagal Srinath were connected by the debutant Subroto Banerjee.

Australia needs only a draw to recover the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, have lost it to India in 2008.

India: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Vinay Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.

Australia: David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Starc.

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Kohli fined for obscene sign

Virat Kohli has been fined 50% of his match fee after making an obscene sign during Australia's enormous first innings in the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Kohli plead guilty to a level-two charge of "using language or gesture(s) that is seriously obscene, seriously offensive or of a gravely insulting nature to another player, player support personnel, umpire, match arbitrator or any third person during an international match".

A press photographer wedged the India number six raising his middle finger towards a section of the crowd - a gesture they say that prompted by criticism from the audience as Australia piled on over 300 runs on day two.

India was only able to pick up one wicket on a trying day. Team manager GS Walia said: "The matter has been determined. The player felt guilty and sorry and the matter has been closed.

"When he went to the match umpire, he (Kohli) said 'sorry and that out of emotions I must have done it'."

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'India require to bat out of their skins'

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly says it is not "not possible" to save the SCG Test but for that to happen, Indian batsmen need to bat out of their skins.

India have already approved a mammoth 291-run lead and three days' play is still left in the match, where a victory will hand Australia an unquestionable 2-0 lead.

Ganguly sought to remind India the excellent win against the same opponents at Kolkata in 2001, where India came up successful against all odds.

"I don't believe in the word 'impossible' in sport after what India did to Australia at Eden Gardens in 2001. We follow on 274 runs at the back but came back to win the match by 171 runs, thanks mainly to VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid's pains with the bat and Harbhajan Singh's bowling on the final day.

"But can such a extraordinary feat be recurring? To get even close to something like that - or indeed simply save this match, the Indian batsmen will have to bat out of their skins when they get their chance," Ganguly said.

The former India skipper said what harm India the most was an off-colour Zaheer Khan.

"The first session was so significant for India. It was not only a match-changing, but potentially a series-deciding, session. India were below par, mostly because because senior bowler Zaheer Khan look a little off his rhythm in his first spell. He is so significant to this Indian bowling unit, the team's fortune change with his form and he was off his game," Ganguly added.

Ganguly also question Mahendra Singh Dhoni's decision to bring in part-time spinner Virender Sehwag early into the attack.

"The introduction of Virender Sehwag in the 20th over with the second new ball was mysterious to everybody. This was India's best chance to pick up wickets and get back into the game, particularly as there was so much time left."

Ganguly was all praise for Michael Clarke for most important the Australian side in a terrific manner. Clarke hit his career's first double century to put his side in a commanding position.

"The skipper at the start of the series said that the time had come for each of his batters to stand up, and what an example he has set.

"Clarke has been a fine leader. From the start of the series he came across as a man capable of behavior the senior players. His handling of Ponting and Mike Hussey when the entire media and past players were gunning for their heads is an example to all. And they have delivered for him in this series," he wrote in his column for Sydney Morning Herald.

Ganguly also said that Ponting's outstanding form with a century is not what India need.

"Ponting is a class act and he will be reassured. It was written all over his face. There is nothing more pleasing for a batsman than when he performs under pressure - no matter who he is.

"His footwork has gone from side to side a massive change. I was amazed when watching him on TV in the Hobart Test from my drawing room in Kolkata. He batted well in Melbourne, but looked so certain at the SCG. He has grown in confidence and that is not good news for India," he stated.

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Michael Clarke strain stability

Australia 333 & 240 (Hussey 89, Ponting 60, Yadav 4-70) beat India 282 & 169 (Pattinson 4-53, Siddle 3-42) by 122 runs

Australia captain Michael Clarke praised his team's inspiring first Test win over India - and then told them he wants more.

Australia clinch a 122-run success after their quick’s again tore throughout a star-studded India batting line-up on day four at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Man-of-the-match James Pattinson led the way, in just his third Test, with second-innings figures of four for 53 as India were bowled out for 169 in two sessions.

It ensured Australia will head to Sydney next week full of self-confidence and Clarke has told his team they must cash in.

Australia has not won back-to-back Test matches since the tour of New Zealand almost two years ago, while they have not won two Tests in any of the six series since.

It is a trend Clarke is strong-minded to end as his side looks to show the potential they have begun to display since he took over as captain earlier this year.

"Consistency is what I've spoken about in the past," Clarke said. "There’s a period all through that game where we didn't carry out as well as we'd like, so we need to look to get better that come Sydney.

"When you're on top you need to make the most of that. I think we did that actually well with the ball, and we fight really hard with the bat on Day 3 and again on Day 4.

"It surely is a time to enjoy this success, this first Test match, but once tonight's gone it is about re-assessing, working out how we can get better and go out all guns blazing in Sydney and try to win another Test match."

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni believe his side will react in Sydney, but admitted his batsmen will need to improve if they are to level the four-match series.

"It's a long series which gives you the chance to come back," he said. "We need to score more runs. Otherwise, it would be very hard for us to win. "We need to apply ourselves a lot more. And if we do that I have no uncertainty that we would come back strongly."

Dhoni established plenty of criticism for letting Australia's lower order score easy runs in both innings, particularly on Day 4 when last pair Pattinson and Ben Hilfenhaus shared a 43-run stand that kept the visitors chasing leather for 45 minutes.

Dhoni admit the team needed to improve its strategy when bowling to the tail.
"The bowlers bring us back in to the game. We were short by 50-odd runs in the first innings," he said.

"Their lower order scored some runs, if we had got them earlier, we would have had 50-60 runs less to chase. "We need to find a way to get the lower order out cheaply."

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Umesh Yadav double-blow push Australia

Australia 2 for 68 (Ponting 15*, Cowan 14*, Yadav 2-25) v India

Umesh Yadav strike twice for India, but an assured entrance by Ed Cowan helped Australia avoid fatal batting injure to reach 2 for 68 at lunch on day one of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

Though Cowan made only 14 runs in the session, his determined move toward was exactly what the hosts required after batting first in friendly conditions for the closure and swing of Yadav, Ishant Sharma and Zaheer Khan. Yadav was fast and dangerous, remove David Warner for a watchable, albeit brief, 37, and follow up by nipping out Shaun Marsh.

Ricky Ponting made the most unsure of starts, struck on the head second ball, but survive in Cowan's company and had played one or two more sure strokes by the time rain bring an early close to the first session.

Opening up after Michael Clarke won a quite unclear toss, Cowan and Warner walked to the middle under cloudy skies, to a surface that offered the promise of early seam to augment the swing obtainable by the atmosphere. First strike was taken by the debutant, and Cowan respond by playing out Zaheer's well-directed opening over with plenty of nerves but just as much good sense. His first run at home in the second over with a tap wide of mid on, before Warner commence with a streaky inside edge to the fine-leg boundary.

From this discouraging beginning Warner was quickly into stride, cuff a handful of boundaries in between reasonable pushes and nudges around the ground's vast expanse. Zaheer enthused the ball and Ishant bounced it, but Australia's openers negotiated their opening spells with as much self-assurance as could be predictable. The introduction of Yadav encouraged Cowan to unfurl one glorious straight drive amid his otherwise abstemious defenses, and Warner followed up in the same over by biffing the bowler through cover then hooking noisily into the crowd.

A brief rain delay broke the rhythm of the stand, and when the players return Warner perished right away, attempting to do again his hook at Yadav and gloving gently behind to MS Dhoni. Yadav had his tail up, firing down his delivery with plenty of speed, and first ball Marsh was struck on the pad. Having played only one Twenty20 innings since his return to fitness after a sore back complaint, Marsh did not look at ease, and to his seventh ball he walked too late into a drive to keep away from slicing it to gully.

Suddenly 0 for 46 had become two for the same score, and Ponting's arrival bring a crowd response that optional both appreciation and trepidation for Australia's former captain. Second ball Ponting swiveled to hook a short ball, but was struck a stunning blow to the jaw. Ponting was still alert sufficient to side-foot the rebound away from his stumps, but it was another reminder of how his command over the bouncer has slip ever since West Indies' Kemar Roach pin him on the arm in Perth in 2009.

Through it all Cowan maintain his composure, cracking Ishant throughout the covers to add a second boundary to his tally after taking a blow to the body from Yadav, and Ponting gradually began to find a little more equlibrium. He slipped over while pulling at Zaheer, but the ungainly follow-through was less significant than the sight of the ball skimming to the backward square-leg boundary.

Ishant and Zaheer were both ruled well and were joined in the attack by Yadav and R Ashwin, who won the spinner's spot ahead of Pragyan Ojha. Australia's line-up was established two days ago and there were no late changes, with Ben Hilfenhaus in for Mitchell Starc and Cowan named at the top of the order.

Australia's 427th Test cricketer, Cowan was accessible with his baggy green by Dean Jones, before the toss. Clarke's decision to bat was risky given Australia's struggle on Boxing Day last year, when England's swing attack skittles them for 98.

While India's fast men might not offer quite the same threat as James Anderson and Co, they will still be hard to handle on a pitch describe by Cameron Hodgkins, the curator, as similar to last Boxing Day.

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Updated cricket news: Melbourne police notify fans

cricket news: Expecting more than 70,000 crowds at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first cricket Test between India and Australia, the home police have warned the audience to behave or else face expulsion, arrest and on-the-spot fines.

Police said that disorderly behavior among the crowd won't be tolerated.

Those found drunk and disorderly would be penalized Australian Dollar 611, AUD 489 for being offensive, violent or generally unruly and AUD 244 for using threatening, rude or insulting words.

Police supervisor Rod Wilson said uniformed officers and transit police would be out in strength to make sure the big event was free of trouble.

He said police would be at hotels around the MCG looking for underage drinking and anti-social behavior. Transit officers would be at work, mainly at Richmond station.

"We want people to enjoy themselves at the Test, but warn that police will act quickly if they detect any unlucky or anti-social behavior," Wilson said.

"Police will not believe unfortunate crowd behavior and anyone wedged doing the wrong thing will face strict penalty," he said.

"The Boxing Day Test is a great practice in Melbourne. We don't want people consumption to excess and spoiling the day for others," Wilson was quoted as saying by 'Herald Sun'.

Meanwhile, a few transitory showers are predictable early in the morning tomorrow but likely to clear well before the start of the match.

Online bookmaker Centre bet said the locals were paying AUD 2.20 for Australia while for India it is AUD 3.15.

Ed Cowan, who took the place of upset Shane Watson in the Australian team, is the punters' favorite to record the first century.

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