29 December,2011 12:16 PM IST | | PTI
Australia beat India by 122 runs in the first cricket Test with a day to spare and took a 1-0 lead in the four-match series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Thursday
Chasing a target of 292 in the second innings, India's top-order collapsed like a proverbial house of cards against the pace trio of James Pattinson (4/53), Peter Siddle (3/42) and Ben Hilfenhaus (2/39) to be bundled out for a paltry 169 in 47.5 overs on the final session of the penultimate day.u00a0
James Pattinson was named Man of the Match after his impressive performance.
James Pattinson. AFP PHOTO / William WEST
Sachin Tendulkar promised some ray of hope during his little cameo of 32 runs, but the rest of the top-order batsmen cut a sorry figure against the Australian quicks and at one stage the tourists had lost four wickets for just 22 runs.
Openers Virender Sehwag (7) and Gautam Gambhir (13) and the senior trio of Rahul Dravid (10), Tendulkar and VVS Laxman (1) all failed to save the day for India and departed inside the 90-run mark. Young Virat Kohli (0) suffered his second failure of the match and made matters worse by showing his displeasure at a plumb leg before decision.
Ravichandran Ashwin (30) rode his luck for a while and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (23) was street-smart during his stay, but the task proved to be too tall for them to achieve once the top-order departed early.
Australia were bowled out for 240 in the second innings earlier in the day. Pattinson (37 not out) put on vital 43 runs for the final wicket with Ben Hilfenhaus.
Full scorecard
