Australia have the better of the exchanges at Eden

The sprawling Eden Gardens has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for the Aussies. Although crashing to a massive innings defeat in their last appearance here in 1997/98, Australia were unbeaten in five earlier Tests, dating back to 1956/57, winning two and drawing three. The most sublime moment in their dalliance with the Eden Gardens came, of course, one evening in November 1987 when they put it across England by seven runs to lift the World Cup.

On their first official tour of India, Australia arrived in Calcutta for the final Test with a 1-0 lead behind them. Polly Umrigar, in a break from convention, invited his opponents to take first strike. The wicket had taken in some moisture despite being protected from the rains and Umrigar felt the conditions were just right for the lanky Ghulam Ahmed. Having been tormented by Jim Laker all summer, the Aussie weakness against off spin was exploited by another master practitioner in Ghulam. Coming on in the fifth over of the match, he took three quick wickets before retiring to the pavilion with a spell of giddiness. His absence spawned a minor recovery, so crucial in the context of a low-scoring match. Ghulam came back to raise his tally to seven (ten in the match) but Australia ended up setting a fourth innings target of 231. The hosts collapsed against Richie Benaud, ably assisted by Jim Burke's fastish off breaks, to succumb by 94 runs. Benaud culminated a fantastic series - where he discovered the efficacy of a shortened run-up - by taking the first ten wicket haul of his Test career.

Three years later Benaud was back as captain but a strangely negative approach saw Australia decline to chase 203 in 150 minutes on the fifth afternoon. India bowled 52 overs in that time, and by crawling to 121/2, Australia sealed the series 2-1. It was a splendid comeback by India for at lunch on the fourth day they were 123/5 in their second knock, still 14 behind. But half centuries from Kenny, Borde and Jaisimha - who became the first batsman to bat on all five days of a Test - saved a precarious situation. It was the final Test for Ray Lindwall who took his tally of wickets to 228, only eight adrift of the then world record held by Alec Bedser. It was also the last Test Australia played before the famous tie at Brisbane some ten months later, with only two changes, Simpson and Kline for Burge and Lindwall.

For the third successive tour, in 1964/65, Australia's last stopover was Calcutta. With the series tantalisingly tied 1-1, rain played spoilsport, lopping off the last two days to nix the prospects of a decisive result. Tiger Pataudi inserted his opponents only to watch openers Lawry and Simpson put on 97 but Salim Durrani (6/73) saved face by precipitating a dramatic collapse which saw all ten wickets plunge for 77. Aussie leg spinner Rex Sellers - an Anglo-Indian born in Bulsar (now Valsad in Gujarat) - played his only Test, without scoring a run or taking a wicket.

On the 1969-70 tour, the visitors again landed in Calcutta with the series deadlocked 1-1. The Aussies were given an ominous welcome when communist posters around the city reproached Doug Walters, quite inaccurately, for having served in Vietnam. Bill Lawry put India in, a la Steve Waugh in Mumbai, and with Australia cruising home by ten wickets, the results bore an uncanny resemblance. 'Garth' McKenzie took out both openers without a run on board and only a Vishy half century lifted India. Bishen Bedi's career best figures of 7/98 in 50 overs kept the lead down to 123 but his spin twin Erapalli Prasanna - otherwise lethal in the series - toiled for 49 overs without reward. On the fourth morning six spectators were killed in a stampede over tickets before play started. India were shot out for 161 and the crowd was particularly incensed by skipper Pataudi's dismissal for one, caught on the long leg boundary sweeping Mallett. A minor crowd disturbance occurred during the Aussie innings when spectators in the upper stands pelted refuse, forcing their cousins lower down to spill over into the field. Lawry's brawl with a photographer exacerbated frayed tempers but the Aussies knocked up the 39 runs needed in just five overs. The game ended with one day to spare despite 150 minutes lost to bad light on each of the first three days.

Ten years later, Kim Hughes' side came into the fifth and penultimate Test trailing 1-0 in the series and having just suffered an embarrassing defeat to East Zone after two declarations by Hughes. A first innings lead of 95 in the ensuing Test opened the way for another Aussie declaration in the second knock, setting India a challenging 247 in 245 minutes. The hosts finished 47 adrift with six wickets in hand when bad light ended the match 22 balls early. Yallop's 167 remains the highest innings on either side in the six Tests here between the two countries.

India finally secured their elusive first victory over Australia in Kolkata, in their sixth attempt. Javagal Srinath gave the springboard with a splendid opening spell that accounted for two batsmen, Slater and Blewett, in the first over of the match, only the second such occurence in Test history. Steve Waugh made 80, still his highest Test score in India in 11 innings, before his runner Blewett was run out. In reply India piled up 633/5 - a first innings lead of precisely 400 - before closing shop. Each of the top six crossed fifty, with Azharuddin's unbeaten 163 at his favourite ground, being the only three figure knock. Shane Warne wouldn't have forgotten the mauling he copped en route to figures of 0/147, the worst of his career. Australia collapsed without a fight in their second knock, losing by an innings and 219 runs. It was their fourth biggest defeat ever, the previous three having all come against England.