Dec 21: The Australian rains continued to dampen India's pre-Test warm up spirits as they will have to go without much of a practice in the Boxing Day first Test at Melbourne, starting from December 26.
The lone warm up match that India had to become accustomed to Australian conditions prior to the start of the crucial four match Test series in Down Under hasn't done any world of good for them so far.
India lost Sourav Ganguly, who will be playing his 100th Test at Melbourne, for 59 before rain ended play early on day two, with just 10 overs being bowled on the second day, of the three-day warm-up match against Victoria at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Friday.
Rahul Dravid remained unbeaten on a composed 38 alongwith Yuvraj Singh at 6 as India reached 133 for four in 48 overs. The match had a delayed start due to wet outfield, pacer Allan Wise scalped Ganguly for his fourth wicket of the match.
Ganguly decided to go after the Victoria attack after resuming on overnight score of 110 for three. He drove Wise through the mid-wicket region and then cut him for a four before the bowler cut short his innings in the same over.
Ganguly flicked one Wise delivery towards mid-wicket where Aiden Blizzard easily got hold of the red cherry. Ganguly's 59 came off 99 balls which included nine boundaries. The southpaw added 83 runs for the fourth wicket with Dravid.
SCORE
Indians first innings:
W Jaffer c Finch b Wise 0 (12b)
R Dravid not out 38 (147b, 2 x 4)
VVS Laxman c Wade b Wise 1 (5b)
S Tendulkar b Wise 19 (18b, 1 x 4, 1 x 6)
S Ganguly c Blizzard b Wise 59 (99b, 9 x 4)
Yuvraj Singh not out 6 (16b)
Extras: (lb: 1, nb: 9) 10
Total: (for 4 wickets in 48 overs) 133
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-10, 3-38, 4-121.
Bowling: Peter Siddle 15-1-43-0, Allan Wise 15-4-37-4, Andrew McDonald 6-1-11-0, Justin Hastings 6-2-17-0, Byrce McGain 6-2-24-0.
TEAMS:
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain & w/k), Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, V V S Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, RP Singh, Ishant Sharma, Pankaj Singh.
Victoria: David Hussey (captain), Nick Jewell, Rob Quiney, Aiden Blizzard, Aaron Finch, Andrew McDonald, Matthew Wade (w/k), John Hastings, Peter Siddle, Bryce McGain, Allan Wise.
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