H2 Ohhh!

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What a day fascinating day of cricket it was. Test match cricket was at its best on Saturday at the Sydney Cricket Ground as the crowd witnessed an absorbing contest between the bat and the ball.

They saw the art of spin bowling at its very best; both Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh made exceptional use of the roughs created by the bowlers’ footmarks.

And moreover, there were two Australian blokes - Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey - who skillfully tackled the spinners to put up a brave show and keep Australia in the hunt.

The big question for Ponting on Sunday would be whether to take the risk of asking India to chase 280 to 300 runs in 75 overs. Even with a wearing wicket, I feel Australia will need five hours to bowl India out.

If Ponting is to take such a risk, it would be obvious that he would be trying to seal the series, and more importantly, going for the record-levelling 16th successive Test win.

But if the move backfires — and there is a high possibility of that considering the way India batted in the first innings — not only will India break the Aussie winning streak for the second time but it will also give them an immense boost.

With series levelled going into the Perth Test, India would be a lot more confident unit. So I wouldn’t be surprised if Australia adopts a cautious approach and plays the first session.

However, it wouldn’t be that easy. Though the Indian bowlers were unlucky on Day Four, they are at their best and if they strike very early in the day, they could very well bowl Australia out in the first session.

The Indian bowlers were so good on Friday, but were denied breakthroughs by Hussey and especially Hayden. The big man yet again proved his worth by registering his 29th ton. I am sure the ton will be very special for him for three reasons.

One, it helped him level Sir Don Bradman’s number of centuries. Two, he hung on despite suffering a niggle and having to bat with a runner in the latter half of his innings.

And three, it came when it was needed most. Had Hayden fallen after quick dismissals of Phil Jaques and Ponting, with the latter once again unable to read Harbhajan’s ‘doosra’, Australia might well have been bowled out cheaply.

On such a wicket, it becomes imperative for a set batsman to score a big one; otherwise the team is put under tremendous pressure.

However, his dismissal also came through the same shot in the last session. Getting out in this manner definitely appears silly, especially in Test cricket, but one shouldn’t forget that the same shot helped Hayden to unsettle the spinners and garner runs earlier in his innings.

After the Harbhajan-Symonds fiasco on the third day, Michael Clarke gave more fodder to the press by waiting for umpire to give him out for no reason.

There was no doubt whatsoever that Clarke was out and I just don’t understand why he waited at the crease so long. Perhaps, he was standing in sheer disappointment, nothing else.