INDIA v. AUSTRALIA

At Calcutta, December 12, 13, 14, 16. Australia won by ten wickets with more than a day to spare in spite of two and a half hours being lost through poor light on the first three days. The final day was marred by an invasion from a section of the crowd on to the field of play. The Eden Gardens pitch, which was not completely bereft of grass, was a bit soft on the first day but improved in the batsmen's favour from the second day. Lawry won the toss and had no hesitation in asking Pataudi to bat. Then McKenzie, with his best spell of bowling in the series, got to work in the heavy atmosphere and on the soft pitch and sent back Engineer and Wadekar without a run on the board. Viswanath attacked the bowling, especially McKenzie, with brilliant drives past point and through cover. He went on to score 54 runs with six 4's. His performance laid the basis for a fair recovery in which Venkataraghavan, Solkar and Prasanna played their part. McKenzie finished with six wickets for 67.

The Indian innings ended forty minutes before lunch on the second day and Australia had replied with 95 for two wickets at close of play. The visitors began brightly with a stand of 65, of which Stackpole scored a very competent 41 before he was run out. Lawry fell to the wiles of Bedi at the end of a fascinating duel with the Indian spinner.

Then Chappell and Walters put on 101 for the third wicket. While Chappell was playing beautifully, Walters was in trouble with his timing. Just as he was getting his touch, Bedi beat him on the forward stroke, and as he lifted his foot Engineer stumped him. Sheahan was looking in his best form when he was run out for 32. All along Chappell was combining sterling defence with judicious aggression but after reaching 99 he edged a quicker ball from Bedi to slip. Chappell hit sixteen 4's in his faultless stay of five hours.

In spite of Chappell's domination Australia were contained to 335 runs. Prasanna was not in his best form and Bedi had to work single-handed-- Venkataraghavan was not used as he should have been--and dismissed seven batsmen for 98 runs. Connolly enjoyed himself at the expense of Prasanna and hit him for three 6's, also hitting another six off Bedi. India were 12 for no wicket when the third day's play ended.

Next day McKenzie was as hostile as on the first day, though the pitch was now easy and the atmosphere clear. India collapsed for 161, Freeman and Connolly taking four wickets each. Freeman, who was playing his first Test in the series, bowled a good direction and kept the ball well up to the batsman; each success inspired him to a better effort. Wadekar alone batted well.

Australia hit off the requisite 39 runs for victory without loss, but not before the crowd had provided some disturbance and excitement. In a part of the stands called the Ranji Stadium, with a flight of two decks, both uncovered, the spectators in the upper one started throwing stones and brickbats at those in the lower one, forcing the latter to rush on to the ground for safety. They were persuaded by the police to sit along the boundary and play was resumed after an interruption of about fifteen minutes.