Australia v India

Australia won by 39 runs with ninety-seven minutes to spare after Pataudi had sent them in to bat.

India's teamwork, and especially the fielding, showed marked improvement on Melbourne. There was more challenging batting by Pataudi and a remarkable achievement by Jaisimha in scoring 74 and 101 in his first match of the tour after only a few days in Australia. Surti was an impressive all-rounder and Prasanna again took six wickets in an innings.

Walters, on leave from National Service for this Test and the next in Sydney, and the fast-medium bowler, Freeman, came into the Australian side. McKenzie was rested; Simpson, soon to retire, stood down from the match, leaving Lawry as captain.

After India's mild pace attack, the spin bowlers, Prasanna and three left-handers, Surti, Nadkarni and Bedi tested the batsmen on a dull pitch. Lawry stayed for 64, Cowper and Sheahan each passed fifty under pressure and Walters displayed willpower in a stern attempt to find form; he went on to a highly commendable 93. Freeman's first scoring stroke in Test play was a tremendous 6 over mid wicket off Prasanna.

India lost their first three wickets for nine runs, but the consistent Surti scored 52; Pataudi and Jaisimha each 74. Pataudi took the honours of the second day with another memorable innings; he hit a magnificent 6 off Chappell and Jaisimha carried his innings into the next day; he showed style, with on-side placing, and he also exhibited a greater measure of responsibility than did some of the earlier batsmen.

In Australia's second innings Prasanna was India's hero with six for 104. India, set 395 to win, made a grand effort. They began the fifth day 177 for four, Pataudi having succumbed to Walters' in-swinger late the previous afternoon. After Surti had raised his 55 to 64, Jaisimha again carried the burden of responsibility.

He was helped by Borde, who, following an early struggle, hung on to score 63 in a partnership of 119 runs in two and three-quarter hours. Kulkarni batted doggedly in a last-wicket stand with Jaisimha, who was last out, his 101 (nine 4's) having occupied just under five hours. He kept this match alive and his fighting century earned him an ovation.

Cowper, and not the unorthodox Gleeson, proved to be Australia's main spin hope. Gleeson failed to extract the spin which India"s bowlers had gained from the slow pitch and presented no problems to the tourists.