Yuvraj and Jaffer flay Aussies in drawn India tour match

Test rejects Yuvraj Singh and Wasim Jaffer enhanced their claims for an India comeback by pounding Australia's bowlers in a practice match on Sunday. Left-handed Yuvraj struck a belligerent 113 with seven sixes and as many boundaries while Jaffer hit 93 for the Indian Board President's XI on the final day of the four-day match here.
The hosts piled up 292-4 in their second innings before skipper Yuvraj declared 50 minutes after lunch to set the tourists an improbable victory target of 434 in a minimum of 53 overs.
Australia used the time to get in valuable batting practice ahead of the first Test in Bangalore from Thursday, making 127-2 before the match was called off as a draw after 38 overs.
Skipper Ricky Ponting, looking to make amends for a disappointing average of 12 in eight Tests on Indian soil, followed his 41 in the first innings with an unbeaten 58.
Vice-captain Michael Clarke made 36 not, sharing a third wicket stand of 75 with Ponting after openers Simon Katich and Matthew Hayden had fallen cheaply.
The tourists were embarrassed by India's second string over the four days, first allowing the hosts to pile up 455 in the first innings before being bowled out for 314 in reply.
The reliable Mike Hussey's gritty 126 on Saturday was the lone bright spot for the world's number one side, which struggled to cope with a slow, barren pitch.
Yuvraj and Jaffer, excluded by the selectors for the first two Tests of the four-match series, vented their frustration on the hapless bowlers.
The pair put on 200 for the third wicket as the home team, resuming at 110-2 with an overall lead of 251 runs, hammered 130 runs in the two-hour morning session.
Yuvraj, who smashed six sixes in an over during the World Twenty20 championships in South Africa last year, once again showed why he is regarded as one of the game's most destructive batsmen.
The left-hander hit off-spinner Jason Krejza for a six to reach 50 and also brought up his century with a six over mid-wicket against left-arm spinner Clarke.
Yuvraj and Jaffer were severe on rookie Krejza, effectively ending the Tasmanian's hopes of playing the first Test by plundering 63 runs from his six overs before lunch.
Krejza, who went for 0-123 in the first innings, was hammered for 76 runs in 11 overs in the second. Seamer Stuart Clarke ended the mayhem by removing Yuvraj and Jaffer in successive overs. First-innings centurions Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli put on a quick 52 for the fifth wicket before the declaration came.
Scoreboard:
Australia - 1st innings 314 (M. Hussey 126, P. Chawla 5-89, P. Ojha 3-72)
Board President's XI - 2nd innings (overnight 110-2):

========================================

A. Chopra lbw b Clark                  6

Wasim Jaffer lbw b Clark              93

S. Badrinath c Haddin b Lee           14

Y. Singh c Haddin b Clark            113

R. Sharma not out                     29

V. Kohli not out                      16

Extras: (b14, lb4, nb3)               21

========================================

Total: (for four wickets declared)   292

========================================

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Chopra), 2-35 (Badrinath), 3-235 (Yuvraj), 4-240 (Jaffer)
Bowling: Lee 18-2-60-1 (2nb), Clark 13-5-33-3 (1nb), Siddle 11-0-41-0, Johnson 11-3-25-0, Krejza 11-1-76-0, Clarke 6-1-39-0
Overs: 70

========================================

Australia 2nd innings:

========================================

S. Katich c Kohli b Gony               5

M. Hayden lbw b Chawla                14

R. Ponting not out                    58

M. Clarke not out                     36

Extras: (b4, lb5, penalty5)           14

========================================

Total: (for two wickets)             127

========================================