India’s all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja celebrates after dismissing Australian batsman Moises Henriques in the second Test in Hyderabad, yesterday. 

Hyderabad: The first session belonged to Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, the last to Ravindra Jadeja and the middle to Michael Clarke, who struck a strokeful 91 and then surprisingly declared the Australia’s first innings at 237 for nine on the opening day of the second cricket Test against India here yesterday.

Clarke tried to play on the minds of Indian openers by squeezing in three overs before stumps, but openers Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay saw the day off scoring five runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium at Uppal.

Kumar revelled here on a pitch with variable bounce to dismiss three of the top-order batsmen. 

David Warner played on to became Kumar’s first Test victim, Ed Cowan was leg-before to sharp inswinging delivery that appeared to pitch a shade outside the legstump, while Shane Watson was done in by one that swung in and kept a trifle low. 

Then came the familiar Clarke act as he continued to dominate the Indian attack and give substance to the Australia’s batting. Seeing a rash of wickets fall at the other end, he was the ninth to be out nine short of his 10the hundred as captain. He was bowled by Jadeja going for a big swipe.

Clarke and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade (62), raised hopes of a stupendous recovery with Australia’s best fifth-wicket partnership of 145 against India by seeing through the second session adding 104 runs to go to tea at 187 for four.

It was Kumar who effected the breakthrough, this time by sprawling to his left a splendid catch to dismiss Wade and Australia quickly lost the remaining five wickets. IANS