Reddy, the hero for India, with maiden 100 against Australia in his 4th test

Melbourne, Dec. 29: India has a new batting hero after 21-year-old Nitish Kumar Reddy showed the poise of a veteran to score his maiden century, leading his team's comeback against Australia on day three of the fourth test.

At stumps on Saturday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, India (358-9) still trailed Australia (474) by 116 runs on the first innings, but it could have been much worse.

Reddy, playing in just his fourth test and batting at No. 8, rescued India from a shaky 221-7, sharing a 127-run partnership with Washington Sundar (50).

The pair fell two runs shy of equaling the record for an eighth-wicket partnership for India versus Australia of 129 which Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar set at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January 2008.

Spin-bowling allrounder Sundar offered a difficult chance off the back of his bat to second slip on 18, which was dropped by a diving Steve Smith as Mitchell Starc bowled the first over with the second new ball.

But chances were few for Australia's bowlers. Reddy was unbeaten on 85 at tea, scoring 326-7.

With Reddy on 97, Sundar's 162-ball knock finally ended when he was caught at slip off the bowling of spinner Nathan Lyon (2-88) at 348-8. The patient Sundar struck just one boundary.

Reddy played a lofted drive to cover to move to 99 but lost Jasprit Bumrah for a duck, caught at first slip off the bowling for Pat Cummins (3-86), in the following over at 350-9.

The tension was building as Mohammed Siraj survived three deliveries from Cummins, allowing Reddy to seize the moment and make the century in the following over with an on-drive to the boundary, leading to deafening roars from the thousands of India fans in the stands, including his father.

Reddy's hundred came off 171 deliveries, including 10 fours and one six. Only nine more deliveries were bowled before play was delayed and then called off due to bad light and rain, with Reddy unbeaten on 105.

Resuming Saturday on 164-5, India had wobbled to 244-7 at lunch, losing the wickets of Rishabh Pant (28) and Ravindra Jadeja (17).

Australia's hopes of quickly skittling India's tail faded; however, as 82 runs were added without loss in the post-lunch session. Cummins and Scott Boland (3-57) took three wickets each for Australia.

Australia's first-innings total of 474 was highlighted by Steve Smith's 34th century. Smith's 140 lifted the 35-year-old to equal-seventh most hundreds in test cricket.

The five-match series is level at 1-1 after a rainy draw at Brisbane. The fifth and final test is scheduled to start on Jan. 3 at Sydney.

Rain washes SA vs PAK

Rain delayed the start of the third day’s play in the first cricket test between South Africa and Pakistan with no play possible before lunch on Saturday.

The entire first session was washed out at SuperSport Park with Pakistan scheduled to resume its second innings at 88-3 – still trailing South Africa by two runs.

South Africa has plenty of time left to press its bid for a place in next year’s World Test Championship final. The home team needs to win one of the two test matches against Pakistan for a guaranteed place in next June’s WTC final at Lord’s.

South Africa claimed a 90-run first-innings lead on the back of half-centuries from Aiden Markram and debutant Corbin Bosch, who smashed an unbeaten 81 on a dream debut.

Pakistan had been bowled out for 211 as Bosch claimed a wicket with his first ball and finished with impressive figures of 4-63.

NZ defeat SL

Daryl Mitchell and Michael Bracewell made half-centuries in a 105-run sixth-wicket partnership to help lead New Zealand to an eight-run win over Sri Lanka on Saturday in the first of three T20 internationals.

Outstanding bowling at the death also turned the match in New Zealand's favour as Sri Lanka slumped from 121-0 to 164-8 in reply to New Zealand's 172-8.

Mitchell made 62 and Bracewell 59 in a partnership lasting only 60 balls, after coming together with New Zealand in trouble at 65-5 when Wanindu Hasaranga dismissed Glenn Phillips and Mitchell Hay with consecutive deliveries in the 10th over.

New Zealand's total looked inadequate as Pathum Nissanka made 90 in 60 balls and shared a 121-run opening stand with Kusal Mendis which seemed to have set up Sri Lanka for a comfortable win.

Mendis contributed 46 to Sri Lanka's first century opening partnership in T20s in 122 innings over eight years.

He was out in the 14th over, an over where Jacob Duffy took three wickets for one run, marking the point at which Sri Lanka's run chase began to unravel. Kamindu Mendis and Kusal Perera were also out in the same over.

“They're class batters, particularly those two at the top,” Duffy said. "We know these conditions well with a bit of bounce and swing up top.”

Nissanka was dismissed with total 153-5 in the 19th over and only 20 runs needed for victory.

But Sri Lanka went into the match with a long tail and it wasn't able to finish what Nissanka and Kusal Mendis had started. (AP)