Cricket: Aussie ecstasy Warne's agony

BANGALORE - Australia comprehensively beat India on day five of the first cricket test yesterday but Shane Warne remained agonisingly short of Muttiah Muralitharan's world record for the most career wickets.

Resuming on 105 for six and needing to survive the day to salvage a draw, India were bowled out for 239. India's best hope of survival ended with Rahul Dravid being trapped leg before wicket by fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz for 60.


Warne, wearing flash shoes with red streaks for the first time in his career - in expectation of taking the two wickets he needed to break Muralitharan's record of 532 - was brought in and out of the attack three times before lunch as wickets tumbled at the other end.

He was running out of time, though, with Kasprowicz taking the only two wickets to fall in the first session.

Warne's final spell started at 120 for seven, when Pathan slogged his first ball for four over mid-wicket.

With four men huddled around the bat, Warne extracted sharp turn but was unable to make the breakthrough.

His many appeals for lbw were rejected and booed by a crowd shattered by India's capitulation in the first match of the four-test series.

Warne was removed from the attack one over before lunch, with Michael Clarke coming on to bowl his left-arm offspinners.

By then Warne had bowled 13 overs, four maidens, none for 55.

Earlier, Clarke had dropped Pathan, a difficult chance low to his left, when India were just 109 for six.

Kasprowicz improved the mood but hampered Warne's record-breaking hopes when he had Dravid lbw, and then bowled Anil Kumble for two.

Dravid had offered more than four hours of resistance, while Pathan had been at the crease for more than three hours.

The win was the perfect start for Australia as they attempt to win a series in India for the first time since 1969.

- AAP