By Julian Linden
SYDNEY, Jan 2 - Indian paceman Rudra Pratap Singh
captured the vital wickets of Phil Jaques and Matthew Hayden in
a superb opening spell to reduce Australia to 95 for two at
lunch on the first day of the second test on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old left-arm seamer dismissed Jaques for a duck
in his second over then Hayden for 13 in his fifth over before
Australia launched their fightback on a glorious summer's day
at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey shared an
unbroken partnership of 68 to guide the home team to lunch
without any further losses as they strive to equal their own
world record of 16 consecutive test victories after winning
last week's opening match in Melbourne by 337 runs.
Ponting struck six boundaries to remain unbeaten on 36
after two rare failures in Melbourne while Hussey hit three
fours in his 37 not out.
Jaques had been a model of consistency since earning a
recall to the Australian side since the retirement of Justin
Langer, scoring 50 or more in each of his last six test
innings.
He needed another half-century to equal the world record
for consecutive test 50s but departed without scoring when he
slashed at a short ball from Singh and top-edged a catch to
wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni.
Hayden, who was man of the match in Melbourne after blazing
a century in the first innings, was squared up by Singh and
Sachin Tendulkar held a sharp catch at first slip.
Ponting survived an appeal for caught behind off Sauruv
Ganguly on 17 then a missed stumping chance from off-spinner
Harbhajan Singh on 31 to reach lunch with his wicket intact.
Hussey, who also missed out on a big score in Melbourne,
was in splendid touch on a pitch that offered some early life
to the Indian seamers but settled down into a perfect batting
strip.
The left-hander hardly played a false shot as he and
Ponting brought up their 50 partnership in an hour off 72
deliveries and threatening to pile on more runs in the
afternoon.
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)