Record chases and a milestone for VVS

Stats highlights from the third day's play in Perth

18-Jan-2008

Stats highlights from the third day's play in Perth.

VVS Laxman completed 1000 runs on Australian soil © Getty Images

If Australia chase the target of 413 set by India, it will be the second-most successful chase in Test cricket, and the highest on Australian soil. Australia scored 6 for 369 to win against Pakistan in Hobart in 1999 and the record for the WACA is the home team's 8 for 342 against India over 30 years ago; a mark that Ponting's side would want to erase in order to get a record 17th consecutive win. The highest fourth-innings total in Perth is Australia's 7 for 381- while chasing 440 - in a drawn game against New Zealand in 2001.

Sachin Tendulkar fell leg-before to Brett Lee twice in the Test, only the second time that he has been dismissed leg-before in both innings by the same bowler. The first occasion was in March 2002: Zimbabwe's Ray Price had him trapped twice. It was the seventh time Tendulkar had been dismissed leg-before in both innings of a Test.

Lee was by far Australia's best bowler on show, and has now picked up 40 wickets in seven Tests against India at an impressive strike-rate of 44.

VVS Laxman completed 1000 Tests runs in Australia. He is the second Indian batsman after Tendulkar to do so, while Rahul Dravid needs 57 more runs to reach the milestone. Laxman's 79 was his first score of 50-plus while batting at No. 7.

Sourav Ganguly was unable to continue his great success with the bat in Perth, and bagged his tenth duck of his Test career, his first against Australia.

During his innings of 46, Irfan Pathan went past 1000 runs in Tests. Pathan currently has 96 Test wickets, and four more will see him become the seventh Indian player to complete the double of 1000 runs and 100 wickets.

The partnership of 51 between Laxman and RP Singh was the third-highest for the ninth wicket by a visiting team in Perth. The highest also involved an Indian pair: Sachin Tendulkar and Kiran More put on 81 in 1992, a match more known for Tendulkar's 114. RP's 30 was his best in Tests so far.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 38 contained two sixes, which saw him go past the mark of 25 sixes in Tests. He is only the third wicketkeeper-batsman after Adam Gilchrist and Moin Khan to do so.

Sachin Tendulkar VVS Laxman Brett Lee Australia India India tour of Australia

Mathew Varghese is an editorial assistant at Cricinfo