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REUTERS - Vangipurappu Laxman scored a dazzling half-century to launch India's fightback in the second cricket test against Australia today.
Laxman blasted an unbeaten 73 off just 71 balls to guide the tourists to a promising 101 for one at tea on the second day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
He also shared a 93-run partnership with Rahul Dravid, who reached tea on 18 not out after adopting a more defensive approach, with India still 362 runs behind Australia's first innings total of 463.
The Australians had started the day on 376 for seven and added another 96 to their overnight score for the loss of their last three wickets, leaving Andrew Symonds stranded on 162.
The powerful allrounder eclipsed his previous test best score of 156 and shared a century stand with Brett Lee before Indian captain Anil Kumble polished off the Australian tail to finish with figures of four for 106.
Lee made an entertaining 59, his fourth test half-century, he and Symonds adding 117 for the eighth wicket on a flat pitch still heavily favouring the batsmen.
Lee fell just five runs short of his highest test score when he was trapped leg before wicket by Kumble but his dismissal failed to stop the run feast.
Mitchell Johnson smacked four boundaries in a quickfire 28 from 30 balls before he holed out to Sourav Ganguly in the deep off Kumble, who finished off the innings when he trapped Stuart Clark leg before wicket for a duck.
Symonds struck 18 fours and two sixes in his 226-ball knock, bettering his 156 against England in Melbourne in December, 2006.
India made a tentative start to their reply, failing to score a single run in three overs before lunch and managing just eight in the first half hour.
Australia made the breakthrough in the seventh over when Lee bowled Wasim Jaffer with a swinging full toss that crashed into the base of off stump, but the celebrations were shortlived.
Laxman, who scored centuries in each of his two previous tests at Sydney as well as a career-best 281 on home soil in 2001, showed why he remains the nemesis of Australia's bowlers, hammering 14 fours.
He was especially brutal towards Johnson, dispatching him to the ropes four times in one over to force the left-arm seamer out of the attack as he raced past his half-century.
Dravid, who has been struggling for form since being moved up to open, had a lucky escape on 15 when he was caught at slip off a no-ball and was content to play the role of anchorman, facing 88 deliveries for his 18 runs.
- REUTERS
