Clarke and Gilchrist flay India with centuries

Debutant Michael Clarke and captain Adam Gilchrist hit sparkling centuries as world champions Australia sent India on a leather hunt in the first cricket Test here on Thursday.
The overnight pair batted until the last over of the morning session of the second day to lift the world champions to 423-6 in their first innings by lunch at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Clarke, who resumed at 76, was unbeaten at the break on 111 and looking in supreme touch with 16 boundaries and two sixes.
Left-handed Gilchrist, leading Australia in the absence of the injured Ricky Ponting, was at his aggressive best with a blazing 104 off 109 balls that contained 13 fours and three sixes.
Gilchrist was dismissed in the final over before lunch when he was deceived in flight by off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and offered a low return catch to the bowler.
Gilchrist and Clarke smashed 167 in 165 minutes for the sixth wicket to leave Australia in command on a wicket that is expected to crumble in the later stages of the match.
As many as 107 of those runs came in the two-hour morning session on Thursday.
The 23-year-old Clarke showed the maturity and temperament of an established player since coming to the crease on Wednesday with his team struggling at 149 for four.
Clarke moved from 92 to 96 with a boundary off Zaheer Khan and then reached the coveted three-figure mark by pushing Irfan Pathan to mid-wicket for two runs.
Gilchrist joined in the celebrations for his young partner by smashing spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan for a six apiece.
The Australian captain then reached his 11th Test century with two consecutive boundaries off Kumble.
The Indian bowlers wilted under the assault before Harbhajan earned the break against the run of play.
Kumble, who achieved the 400-wicket mark on Wednesday, went for 128 runs in 34 overs and Harbhajan conceded 132 off 33.1 overs.
SCOREBOARD:

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Australia (1st innings)

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J. Langer b Pathan                      52

M. Hayden c Yuvraj b Harbhajan          26

S. Katich b Kumble                      81

D. Martyn c Chopra b Kumble              3

D. Lehmann c Dravid b Kumble            17

M. Clarke c Patel b Zaheer             151

A. Gilchrist c and b Harbhajan         104

S. Warne c Dravid b Harbhajan            1

J. Gillespie not out                     7

M. Kasprowicz c Yuvraj b Harbhajan       3

G. McGrath lbw b Harbhajan               0

EXTRAS: (B-5, LB-15, NB-8, W-1)         29

TOTAL                                  474

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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-50, 2-124, 3-129, 4-149, 5-256, 6-423, 7-427, 8-471, 9-474
BOWLING: Pathan 21-6-62-1, Zaheer 22-2-60-1, Harbhajan 41-7-146-5, Kumble 39-4-157-3, Sehwag 5-0-26-0, Yuvraj 2-0-3-0
Overs: 130; Minutes: 564

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India (1st innings)

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A. Chopra lbw b McGrath                  0

V. Sehwag c Langer b Kasprowicz         39

R. Dravid b McGrath                      0

S. Ganguly c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz     45

V. Laxman b Warne                       31

Y. Singh c Gilchrist b McGrath           5

P. Patel not out                        18

Irfan Pathan not out                     1

EXTRAS: (B_1, LB-2, NB-3, W-5)          11

TOTAL (for six wickets)                150

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