Aussies battle to a draw

Leg-spinner Shane Warne warmed up for next week's first Test by capturing seven wickets but Australian batsmen struggled on Saturday as their three-day game against Mumbai ended in a draw.

Warne rallied his team in their last warm-up game by claiming seven for 56, ripping the heart out of the national champion side's second innings in a mesmeric spell that read 12.3-38-7.

But Australian batsmen struggled to come to terms with Indian conditions and were 141 for six in their second innings when the match ended.

The visitors were in danger of losing the game at 80 for six before skipper Steve Waugh made a stubborn 34 not out to salvage the draw in the company of Damien Fleming (22 not out).

Waugh, who scored an unbeaten 106 in the first innings, faced 101 balls and struck six fours in his knock that lasted almost two hours.

Mumbai declared their second innings at 191 for eight about half-an-hour after lunch on the final day to leave Australia an improbable victory target of 317 or to play a minimum of 48 overs.

Leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule claimed four for 38 as Mumbai scented a repeat of their victory three years ago. Mumbai had then won a three-day game and the tourists went on to lose the three-Test series 1-2.

Australia collapse

Opener Matthew Hayden was the first to go, edging paceman Paras Mhambrey's low away swinger to wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe for six runs.

Michael Slater was stumped by Dighe for 32 off Bahutule, who also removed Ricky Ponting (2) to an identical dismissal after the batsman was beaten in the air stepping out.

Bahutule, one of the Indian Test probables, bowled left-hander Adam Gilchrist (4) with the ball rolling on to the stumps off the inner-edge and pad.

Left-hander Justin Langer hit the leg-spinner tamely to midwicket after scoring 18 before Warne's unlucky run out for eight runs left the Australian batting in disarray.

Warne failed to regain ground at the non-striker's end as Steve Waugh sent him back after taking off for a run.

Transformed bowler

After lunch, Warne had both Amol Mazumdar (17) and Mumbai skipper Sameer Dighe (5) caught at mid-on by Damien Martyn, who was substituting for the injured Mark Waugh.

Warne, who gave away 81 runs for a lone wicket in the first innings, was a transformed bowler on a pitch affording sharp turn as Mumbai lost their wickets adding 88 runs.

In the morning, Mumbai's Vinayak Mane and Wasim Jaffer hit half-centuries in a 103-run opening stand before paceman Glenn McGrath broke through by having Mane caught behind for 57.

Mane's 108-ball knock contained nine fours, six of them coming against paceman Damien Fleming.

Warne had Jaffer (52) caught by Ricky Ponting at point going for a lofted shot. Jaffer faced 122 balls and struck seven fours.

He then struck twice in one over by removing Vinod Kambli (2) and Robin Morris (0) off the first and last deliveries.

Kambli, who failed to score in the first innings, was caught at slip by Matthew Hayden attempting to steer the ball and Morris was stumped by Adam Gilchrist as he stepped out of the crease.

Warne then won a nice duel against left-hander Jatin Paranjpe to dismiss him for 35.

Paranjpe hit Warne for two straight fours off consecutive deliveries and then hoisted him over long-on for a six.

Warne promptly responded with two bouncers and dismissed the batsman the next over to an easy catch by Langer at point.

The bowler, under pressure having missed the recent home series against West Indies with a finger injury, then dismissed Ramesh Powar (13).

The batsman miscued an attempted heave over long-on and Fleming took a straightforward catch at mid-on.

Scoreboard

Mumbai (1st innings): 328 for nine decl.

Australia (1st innings): 203 all out

Mumbai (2nd innings):
V Mane c Gilchrist b McGrath 57
W Jaffer c Ponting b Warne 52
J Paranjpe c Langer b Warne 35
V Kambli c Hayden b Warne 2
R Morris st Gilchrist b Warne 0
R Powar c Fleming b Warne 13
A Majumdar c sub (Martyn) b Warne 17
S Dighe c sub (Martyn) b Warne 5
S Bahutule not out 7
Extras (LB-2, NB-1) 3
Total (for 8 wkts decl., 67.3 overs) 191
Fall of wickets: 1-103, 2-121, 3-123, 4-123, 5-154, 6-166, 7-178, 8-191.
Bowling: McGrath 13-4-31-1, Fleming 11-3-43-0, Warne 21.3-5-56-7, Miller 21-4-57-0, Hayden 1-0-2-0.

Australia (2nd innings):
M Slater st Dighe b Bahutule 32
M Hayden c Dighe b Mhambrey 6
J Langer c Mane b Bahutule 18
R Ponting st Dighe b Bahutule 2
A Gilchrist b Bahutule 4
S Waugh not out 34
S Warne run out 8
D Fleming not out 22
Extras: (b-4, lb-4, nb-7) 15
Total: (for 6 wkts off 55 overs) 141
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-47, 3-57, 4-61, 5-64, 6-80.
Bowling: Mhambrey 9-3-21-1, Morris 7-1-34-0, Kulkarni 18-7-27-0, Bahutule 15-4-38-4, Powar 5-3-6-0, Kambli 1-0-7-0.

Mail Cricket Editor