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Symonds ton steers Aussies

02/01/2008

Andrew Symonds rode his luck to earn an unbeaten century and restore Australian pride in the second Test against India.

The home side had languished at 134-6 after seamer RP Singh ripped through the top order with four wickets.

But a brilliant knock from Symonds - ably supported by Brad Hogg with a gutsy 79 - took the world champions to 376-7 at the end of the first day.

The tourists will claim they were on the wrong end of some harsh decision-making from the umpires with several contentious rulings throughout the day's play including two reprieves for Symonds.

The all-rounder seemed to have been caught behind while on 30 after edging a delivery from Ishant Sharma only for veteran umpire Steve Bucknor to brush away the Indian appeals.

And Symonds escaped dismissal just two runs short of his 50 after third umpire Bruce Oxenford rejected a stumping appeal off the bowling of Anil Kumble.

The Indians had been fortuitous however, with Ricky Ponting's dismissal for lbw on 55 remarkably fortunate given the clear edge the ball had nicked before hitting the Australian captain's pads.

Ponting had also been lucky having seen an appeal for caught behind from wicket-keeper Mahendra Dhoni turned down while on 17 before Dhoni missed a stumping chance while Ponting was on 31.

Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke quickly followed their captain back to the pavilion as the home side lost three wickets for just two runs, before Symonds and Hogg steadied the ship.

The Australians sat at 214-6 by tea with the confident Hogg outscoring the powerful Symonds. Though Hogg later departed to a well-taken slip catch from Rahul Dravid off the bowling of Harbhajan Singh, Brett Lee overcame early nerves to reach 31 not out at stumps.