Australia force India to follow on

Australia asked India to follow on after the home side were bowled out for 171 on Tuesday in their first innings, 274 runs behind Australia's score of 445, on the third day of their second cricket test.

Overnight 128 for eight, India added 43 for their last two wickets with Vangipurappu Laxman doing the bulk of the scoring.

Venkatapathy Raju was the first to get out, trapped leg before wicket by paceman Glenn McGrath for four to reduce India to 129 for nine.

Laxman hit paceman Michael Kasprowicz for two consecutive fours and drove him through the covers later in the same over to raise his 67-ball 50.

He was dismissed when leg spinner Shane Warne, bowling round the wicket, deceived Laxman into playing an attempted sweep too early. The ball took Laxman's glove and went straight to Matthew Hayden at leg slip, who took a regulation catch.

Laxman hit 12 fours in his 59.

Glenn McGrath finished with figures of four for 18 from 14 overs.

Australia lead the three-test series 1-0 with a crushing 10-wicket win at Bombay.

Mail Cricket Editor