First Test, Melbourne (day two):
Australia 333 v India 214-3
Sachin Tendulkar is still looking for a historic 100th international century after being dismissed 27 runs short on the second day of the first Test against Australia in Melbourne.
The India batsman was bowled by Peter Siddle in the final over of the day.
Rahul Dravid was 68* as the tourists closed on 214-3 in answer to Australia’s first innings 333.
The 38 year old Tendulkar, who hit 73 from 98 balls, has been stuck on 99 hundreds since March.
Sachin and Dravid, the two greatest Test run scorers of all time, put on 117 for the third wicket their 20th century partnership.
Tendulkar treated the 52,858 strong crowd to a batting master class with top score stroke play which delivered some perfectly-executed boundaries.
The ‘Little Master’ saw off eight balls in a worried period before tea, following Virender Sehwag’s dismissal for 67 in the penultimate over of the afternoon session.
Tendulkar hit eight fours to go with his six, and reached his 64th Test half century with a single off Nathan Lyon that shaped one of the loudest cheers of the day from a Melbourne crowd featuring a healthy portion of Indian supporters.
But Tendulkar’s wicket would have served as a honest consolation for Siddle, who bowled a ripping spell at the end of the day which yielded 1-7 from four overs.
