Mongia at his best

Cricket Australia 182 India 319 for 6

Friday 11 October 1996 23:02 BST
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Nayan Mongia's maiden Test century put India in command of the one-off Test against Australia in New Delhi yesterday. His unbeaten 137 came in 442 minutes off 323 balls with 17 fours to guide India to a second-day total of 319 for 6, a lead of 137.

He said doubling up was tough. "It is mentally and physically tiring to keep wicket as well as open the innings in international cricket."

He received admirable support from Saurav Ganguly, who made 66. The pair added 131 for the second wicket on the slow pitch. Australia's bowlers struggled to find gaps in the pair's defenses as they tried spin on the uneven wicket, but could not find the effectiveness shown by India on Thursday.

Mongia was dropped by Mark Waugh at first slip off leg-spinner Peter McIntyre when on 96 but Ganguly fell when he top-edged a sweep off left- arm spinner Bradd Hogg. Mark Waugh moved across from first slip to take the catch behind the wicketkeeper. Ganguly's 66 came off 154 deliveries and included nine fours and a straight six off McIntyre.

Rahul Dravid arrived after India's captain, Sachin Tendulkar, and his predecessor, Mohammed Azharuddin, fell cheaply, and put on 61 with Mongia for the fifth wicket.

Dravid was out for 40 to the second delivery with the second new ball from Steve Waugh when wicketkeeper Ian Healy dived full length for a brilliant catch.

(Second day; Australia won toss)

AUSTRALIA - First innings 182 (A Kumble 4-63).

INDIA - First innings

(Overnight 57 for 1)

V Rathore c Ponting b Reiffel 5

N R Mongia not out 137

S Ganguly c M E Waugh b Hogg 66

*S R Tendulkar c M E Waugh b McIntyre 10

M Azharuddin b McGrath 17

R S Dravid c Healy b S R Waugh 40

S Joshi c Ponting b McIntyre 23

A R Kapoor not out 8

Extras (b5 lb1 nb7) 13

Total (for 6, 113 overs) 319

Fall (cont): 2-144 3-169 4-199 5-260 6-303.

To bat: A R Kumble, V B K Prasad, D Johnson.

Bowling: McGrath 23-9-43-1 (nb5); Reiffel 14-5-34-1; S R Waugh 13-5-25- 1 (nb1); McIntyre 34-6-100-2; Hogg 17-3-69-1 (nb1); M E Waugh 12-0-42- 0.

Umpires: S Venkataraghavan (Ind) and P Willey (Eng).

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