Symonds brings back Australia from the brink in Sydney Test

After receiving initial blows from Indian bowler R P Singh, Australias Andrew Symonds helped his team to set up a formidable score by remaining unbeaten at 137 at the end of the first day of the Second Test between India and Australia played here at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Sydney, Jan 2 : After receiving initial blows from Indian bowler R P Singh, Australia's Andrew Symonds helped his team to set up a formidable score by remaining unbeaten at 137 at the end of the first day of the Second Test between India and Australia played here at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Australia won the toss and decided to bat, but the decision of its skipper Ricky Ponting seemed to go awry as its opener-Phil Jaques and Matthew Hayden- returned to pavilion within the first ten overs of the first innings.

While Jaques went for a duck in the third over after wicketkeeper M S Dhoni took his catch in a R P Singh's delivery, Hayden followed soon in the ninth over again on Singh's delivery, but this time Sachin Tendulkar took the catch.

Hayden made 13.

Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey tried to bring stability to their team but failed after Harbhajan Singh and R P Singh took their wickets, respectively within close intervals.

Ponting, who was declared lbw, made 55, and Hussey made 41 before Tendulkar caught him. Harbhajan dealt another quick blow to Australia by taking the wicket of Michael Clarke. He made one run.

Adam Gilchrist, who made seven runs, followed suit as he was sent back to pavilion by R P Singh. Australia was tottering at 134 for six.

However, the duo of Andrew Symonds and Brad Hogg helped Australia to get back after its disastrous start. The duo added close to two hundred runs before Indian skipper Anil Kumble dismissed Hogg for 79 runs.

As the play for the first day came to an end, Symonds was batting at 137 runs and Bret Lee at 31.

R P Singh who bowled 21 overs and took four wickets was the most successful Indian bowler, followed by Harbhajan who took two wickets at an economy of 4.4 runs per over. Ishant Sharma, Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar also bowled today but failed to take any wickets. Kumble gave 82 runs in the twenty overs that he bowled.

ANI