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Posted: 2017-03-05 11:14:26

Updated March 05, 2017 22:18:36

Australia has built a modest lead of 48 runs in the second Test in Bangalore, as India's bowlers upped the pressure on day two.

At stumps, Australia was 6-237, with Matthew Wade unbeaten on 25 and Mitchell Starc 14 not out.

After dismissing India for just 189 on day one thanks to Nathan Lyon's heroics, Australia came out at 0-40 looking to patiently build a platform for victory.

Both Australian openers looked determined to progress at a moderate pace, but David Warner (33) was the first to fall when he was undone by a deceptive Ravichandran Ashwin (1-75) offbreaker that cleaned up his off-stump.

Australian captain Steve Smith (8) entered the fray, but he was never able to impose himself on the match as India's spinners racked up the maiden overs and piled on the pressure.

That pressure told when Ravindra Jadeja (3-49) procured the inside edge off Smith's bat onto the pad, before it looped up for the galloping Wriddhiman Saha to pouch the catch.

Renshaw's resistance was far more stoic. The opener, still so new to the Test cricket world, looked unfussed as he went about his business in a typically stubborn fashion, racking up his half-ton in 183 balls.

That patient innings would eventually come to an end 10 runs later when he was dismissed for 60. Having just smashed Jadeja out of the park with an advance down the pitch, Renshaw rolled the dice one too many times, coming down the track but misreading the flight to be stumped outside his crease.

Peter Handscomb was careful at first before adding a bit of adventure to his innings, but he added just 16 runs to the total before falling to an outstanding catch in the infield.

Looking to smash the ball over midwicket, Handscomb's mistimed shot flew instead to Ashwin, who leapt in the air, got a hand to the ball, before juggling it inches above the ground while sprawled on the turf before somehow clasping the ball on his shoulder.

Four wickets down, Australia was looking simply to survive to tea with the pressure ratcheting up, but it proved too much for Mitchell Marsh (0), who fell on the stroke of the tea break when he was rapped on the pads by Ishant Sharma (1-39) with a ball that kept very low.

The other Marsh, Shaun, had a better time of it as he attempted a salvage mission, reaching his half-century off 162 balls.

But having done all the hard work to establish himself, Shaun Marsh fell for 66 in soft fashion, gifting a catch straight to Karun Nair at short midwicket for Umesh Yadav's (1-57) first wicket.

That left Wade to bat out the day in defensive fashion, though Starc was more free-spirited with the bat, hitting two boundaries in his 19-ball 14 not out.

With the pitch deteriorating, Australia will be hoping for the tail to wag to build up a sizeable first-innings score ahead of what will be a daunting second innings later in the match.

Topics: cricket, sport, india, australia

First posted March 05, 2017 22:14:26

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