MADRAS, India, 18 October 2004 — Damien Martyn struck a valiant 104 to spark a remarkable Australian fightback in the second Test against India yesterday.
Australia, 150 for four overnight in their second innings, compiled 369 on the fourth day to set India a tricky target of 229 to square the four-Test series. At the close India were 19 for none from three overs.
No team has successfully chased more than 155 runs in the fourth innings at the Chepauk ground since the home team won the deciding third Test against Australia in 2001.
Martyn, 32, showed admirable patience to hit his eighth test hundred, raising 139 runs for the fifth wicket with nightwatchman Jason Gillespie (26) to pull Australia out of the hole they had dug on Saturday.
Both were caught at slip in the same over from off spinner Harbhajan Singh on the verge of tea before Michael Clarke (39 not out) and Darren Lehmann (31) added 67 more runs for the seven wicket. Leg spinner Anil Kumble captured his second best test figures of 13 for 181 to celebrate his 34th birthday. He struck twice in one over to finish with six for 133.
Australia owed their recovery almost entirely to Martyn, a classy stroke-player criticized in the past for not always delivering under pressure.
Martyn had struck two hundreds to inspire Australia’s 3-0 series sweep in Sri Lanka in March and again showed his mastery on a slow, wearing pitch.
He dug in for more than 4-1/2 hours in sapping humidity as India went without a wicket for almost two sessions.
Martyn hit classy pulls and drove through cover for most of his boundaries, hoisting Kumble for a straight six to reach his hundred.
However, he began to suffer from cramp and edged Harbhajan tamely to Rahul Dravid at slip. Martyn had hit 11 fours in his 210-ball knock.
India, who scored 376 in reply to Australia’s first innings 235 to take a 141-run first-innings lead, had a bad day in the field.
Gillespie was let off twice on 17 when Harbhajan dropped a return catch and wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel missed a stumping off Kumble. Patel also conceded 19 byes.
