Cricket: India assault worries Warne

INDIA took charge of the second Test against Australia in Calcutta with a breathtaking assault on Shane Warne and his team-mates yesterday.

The Indians, who bowled out the tourists for a modest 233 on the first day, amassed 369 for 3 by close of the second day's play to take a first- innings lead of 136 with seven wickets in hand.

Openers Navjot Sidhu (97) and Venkat Laxman (95) put on 191 for the first wicket, before Sachin Tendulkar added a brilliant 79 off 86 balls. Tendulkar hit 12 fours and two sixes, sharing a third-wicket stand of 140 with Rahul Dravid (76 not out).

Tendulkar, who hit 204 and 155 earlier on the tour without being dismissed, fell to the second new ball shortly before stumps when he cut Michael Kasprowicz straight to point.

Nearly 75,000 home fans cheered wildly as the batsmen got stuck into the hapless Australians, whose hopes of fighting back after a 179-run defeat in the first Test at Madras wilted under the hot sun.

The tourists suffered a double blow when vice-captain Steve Waugh's discomfort while batting on Wednesday was diagnosed as a groin injury, ruling him out for the rest of the match. Waugh will bat only if required in the second innings.

The Indians were particularly severe on leg-spin wizard Warne, who was thrashed for 90 runs in 24 unsuccessful overs. Spinning partner Gavin Robertson went for 1 for 67, while fast bowler Kasprowicz returned 1 for 86.

Second day; Australia won toss

AUSTRALIA - First Innings 233 (S R Waugh 80, R T Ponting 60).

India - First Innings

V V S Laxman c Healy b Robertson 95

N S Sidhu lbw b M Waugh 97

R Dravid not out 76

S R Tendulkar c Blewett b Kasprowicz 79

*M Azharuddin not out 9

Extras (b2, lb6, nb5) 13

Total (for 3, 90 overs) 369

Fall: 1-191, 2-207, 3-347.

To bat: S C Ganguly, N Mongia, A Kumble, J Srinath, R K Chauhan, Venkatapathy Raju.

Bowling: Kasprowicz 24-5-86-1; Wilson 12-2-50-0; Blewett 9-2-34-0; Warne 24-2-90-0; Robertson 13-1-67-1; M Waugh 8-1-34-1.

Umpires: K Parthasarathy and B C Cooray.