Sehwag century denies Gilchrist fairytale end

ADELAIDE, Jan 28: The broad bat of Indian opener Virender Sehwag denied retiring Australian wicket-keeper/batsman Adam Gilchrist a fairytale finish to his Test career on Monday as the fourth Test here ended in a tame draw.

After trailing by 37 on the first innings, India were 269 for seven, an overall lead of 232, when stumps were drawn early on the final day, the result handing Australia a 2-1 win in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.

The home side went into the final day determined to send Gilchrist off with an unlikely win, but a docile pitch and the diligent batting of Sehwag (151) ensured there were few problems for the Indians.

Gilchrist was given a guard of honour by his Australian team-mates as he came onto the field at the start of the day.

He was also allowed to come onto the field before the rest of the team for the final session, waving to the crowd and shaking hands with both umpires before his team-mates joined him.

In a low-key ending to a career that was anything but, the 36-year-old was embraced by his team-mates when stumps were drawn, gave a quick wave to the ground as he departed and was then greeted by the entire Indian team as he headed to the rooms.

Gilchrist did give the local crowd something to cheer by completing two dismissals to take his record tally to 416.

He caught Vangipurappu Laxman (12) down the leg side off Brett Lee’s bowling and then caught Sehwag from the bowling of Andrew Symonds late in the day.

There was no fairytale Australian farewell for Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar either.

Having made 153 in the first innings, he survived a third umpire decision from the first ball he faced, but was run out for 13 by a direct hit from Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson in his follow through.

Tendulkar had dropped the ball down on the leg side and took off, but was sent back by Sehwag and was well out of his ground, with Johnson having time to steady and throw accurately.

India suffered a setback when batsman Rahul Dravid was forced to retire hurt early in the day for 11 after breaking the middle finger on his right hand when he was struck by a rising delivery from Lee.

There was more drama on the first ball faced by Tendulkar, who drove a ball firmly into close-in fieldsman Phil Jaques. The ball rebounded to Symonds, who claimed a catch.

The decision was referred to the third umpire, but replays showed the ball bounced in front of Jaques before ricocheting off his shin.

Sehwag was dropped on two late on the fourth day as Michael Clarke failed to take another easy chance at second slip off Lee’s bowling. Sehwag made the most of his good fortune to bat India towards safety.

Sehwag’s 13th hundred — his first in a second innings — capped an impressive return to Test cricket after he was left out of the first two Tests.

He has also received plaudits for his bowling.

He played some glorious shots, reaching his first hundred since June 2006 off just 123 balls.

The 29-year-old adopted a more watchful approach at the crease after hitting his century and was at the crease for 354 minutes, faced 236 balls and hit 13 fours and two sixes.

Scoreboard

INDIA (1st Innings) 526 (S.R. Tendulkar 153, A. Kumble 87, V. Sehwag 63, Harbhajan Singh 63, V.V.S. Laxman 51; M.G. Johnson 4-126).

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings) 563 (R.T. Ponting 140, M.J. Clarke 118, M.L. Hayden 103, P.A. Jaques 60).

INDIA (2nd Innings, overnight 45-1):

V. Sehwag c Gilchrist b Symonds 151

I.K. Pathan lbw b Johnson 0

R. Dravid retired hurt 11

S.R. Tendulkar run out 13

S.C. Ganguly c Hussey b Johnson 18

V.V.S. Laxman c Gilchrist b Lee 12

M.S. Dhoni C Hayden b Lee 10

A. Kumble not out 9