Australia wins, but questions remain

A Test match that began with several questions hanging over Australia has ended with a consummate victory over India, but some answers are still needed.

Australia beat India by 122 runs, a figure that corresponded with Ricky Ponting’s total for the match.

But the difference between the two teams wasn’t Ponting or the other Australian batsmen.

It was the bowlers – thanks not only to their efforts with the ball.

Confronted by a team boasting Test cricket’s two highest-scoring batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, the Australian pacemen dominated.

And when batting collapses threatened in both innings, it was the men at the end of the Australia’s tail who stepped up, with their influence emphasised in the selection of man of the match.

James Pattinson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus were the only contenders, with the one who got the most runs, Pattinson, getting the nod.

His bowling figures for the match of 6-108 in only his third Test spoke for themselves, but no louder than the 55 runs he scored without losing his wicket in either innings.

Despite winning the match inside four days, Australia still have a niggling question about their openers.

Newcomer Ed Cowan starred in the first innings, top-scoring with 68, then backing up with eight in the second.

Opening partner David Warner had similarly disparate innings of 37 and five.

Shaun Marsh’s first-innings duck followed by three in the second puts his spot at No.3 in doubt and Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin were also down on form.

For the Indian fans – and most of the Australians – the great disappointment of the match was Tendulkar’s failure to register his 100th international century.

In what seems likely to be his final appearance at the MCG, the game’s highest-ever run-getter made 73 and 32 – and received two more standing ovations.