KEY POINTS:
Sachin Tendulkar book-ended his stellar career with another great knock against Australia at the WACA Ground to give India a strong platform in the third cricket test last night.
Sixteen years after scoring the century on this ground which confirmed his pending greatness, Tendulkar returned to again frustrate Australia's fast bowlers before falling leg before after tea for 71. The Australians had the Indians four down for 245, as this edition went to press.
Tendulkar received a warm ovation from the crowd when he walked out at 2-59 after the tourists had lost two wickets in four overs, but he and Rahul Dravid (52 not out) produced a century stand to defy Australia's quicks.
Dravid returned to first drop with instant results as he looked a changed man from the makeshift opener who was bogged down for long periods in the first two tests.
On a hot, dry day, Australia could not extract the venom they desired from a wicket which was forecast to be super-quick, but in reality played well for the batsmen.
Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer produced an unexpected script when they peeled 56 runs off 12 overs in the first hour before Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee tag-teamed to remove both batsmen to catches behind. The Australians maintained that pressure through the second hour to dry up India's scoring before lunch.
But Michael Clarke let the chance to apply more pressure on India slip when he dropped a regulation nick by Dravid off Lee with the score on 85.
Tendulkar edged Johnson over the slips next over, but from that point on India's two veteran bats regained control.
Tendulkar used the pace of Australia's quicks to twice successfully bunt over the cordon, and he brought up his 50 with the second of those shots.
Dravid was equally effective, and where Tendulkar concentrated his scoring through the legside, his partner drove brilliantly through the off, and brought up his half-century with a perfectly timed shot which bisected two fielders.
Earlier, the two teams agreed to call a truce after the bitter fallout to last week's second match in Sydney. But both sides have made it clear they are desperate to win. The Australians are chasing a world record 17th consecutive test win, while India need a victory to keep the series alive.
The Sydney row has only added interest to the Perth test. There has been a surge in ticket sales and extra police have been ordered to beef up security.
"It's an important test match for a number of reasons," Australia captain Ricky Ponting said.
"First of all, we want to win the test and we want to break a world record. But secondly, it's really important the game is played the right way.
"Anil [Kumble] and I had a really good, open discussion about our responsibilities as captains and leaders and our teams' responsibility to the game and one thing that did come out of all of that was that we're happy to leave that [Sydney] behind us."
- AAP
