Michael Clarke showed his class and Peter Siddle displayed his grit on Chennai’s red dirt as the pair helped Australia post a first-innings total of 380 in the first Test against India.
Clarke was unbeaten on 103 overnight and was out caught at long-off to left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja’s bowling for 130 on Saturday’s second day of play, having reached his 23rd hundred and ninth as captain.
The skipper’s leg-glance for two off the bowling of Ishant Sharma allowed the 31-year-old to overtake Greg Chappell (7110) to ninth spot on Australia’s run-scoring list, having moved past Don Bradman (6996) on Friday.
Tailender Siddle and Clarke added 54 vital runs for the eighth wicket. Clarke hit 12 fours and one six in a delightful display of what India batting great Sunil Gavaskar called “twinkling footwork” against the spinners.
After having a lucky escape on 39 when a bat-pad chance from the bowling of Ravi Ashwin was turned down by Sri Lanka umpire Kumar Dharmasena, Clarke had another life on 128 when he squirted a catch to silly mid-off from the bowling of Jadeja.
Siddle was ninth man out for 19, caught at slip to spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Siddle fell in the over after Clarke’s departure and James Pattinson (15 not out) and Nathan Lyon added 16 for the 10th wicket.
Lyon was offspinner Ashwin’s seventh victim, caught at leg slip at lunch. Ashwin claimed 7-103 from 42 overs on a dusty pitch.
Harbhajan was furious when an lbw appeal was not upheld against Pattinson in the 123rd over.
The bowler stood outraged in front of the umpire for several seconds, then proceeded to argue his case and did so again with much gesticulating at the end of the over, before he was removed from the bowling attack by skipper MS Dhoni.
India’s decision to not allow the decision-review system in this series has hurt them already, especially with Clarke’s escape on 39.
The tourists had resumed on Saturday on 7-316. Australia won the toss and struggled to 5-153 before debutant Moises Henriques (68) added 151 for the sixth wicket with Clarke.