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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Jonathan Howcroft, Adam Collins & Geoff Lemon

Australia v India: first Test, day four – as it happened

India assumed a strong position on day four of the first Test against Australia in Adelaide.
India assumed a strong position on day four of the first Test against Australia in Adelaide. Photograph: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images

Here’s your match report:

End of day 4: Australia 104-4 (chasing 323 to win)

After three days of attritional cricket the first Test exploded into life on Sunday with 11 wickets falling during three sessions that all-but eliminated the possibility of a draw.

India began the day confidently and looked set for a huge lead before a suicidal collapse saw them plummet from 234-3 to 307 all out. Some of the dismissals would have seemed absurd in T20, let alone a Test match with almost two days remaining.

Che Pujara’s 71 and Ajinkya Rahane’s 70 were the main contributors to India’s imposing 323-run advantage but Rishabh Pant’s 16-ball 28 best summed up the chaos. Nathan Lyon’s ill fortune of days past was forgotten as he picked up six second-innings wickets.

Australia’s run-chase has been peculiar. In large part the application to grind towards the target slowly has been admirable, but in amongst the studious defence have been enough poor attacking shots to account for three top order batsmen, while Aaron Finch gave himself out without obviously gloving a bat-pad catch.

Play will start half an hour early tomorrow (10am local time) meaning a positive result one way or another is inevitable. If this pair make it through to the second new ball, who knows? Perhaps the redemption of Shaun Marsh may yet be the feelgood hit of the summer.

Join Adam and Geoff (and potentially me, if we get to a third session) tomorrow for the conclusion of this engrossing contest.

Shaun Marsh and Travis Head’s partnership ensures Australia enter day five of the first Test with India retaining some hope of an improbable victory.
Shaun Marsh and Travis Head’s partnership ensures Australia enter day five of the first Test with India retaining some hope of an improbable victory. Photograph: David Mariuz/AAP

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49th over: Australia 104-4 (Marsh 31, Head 11) Travis Head compactly defends the final over the session from Jasprit Bumrah and the players leave the field following the most eventful day of this Test.

48th over: Australia 104-4 (Marsh 31, Head 11) Ashwin returns but it’s a nondescript late-in-the-day over notable only for a single to Head.

There has been some scintillating correspondence recently. What took you all so long to fire up?

47th over: Australia 103-4 (Marsh 31, Head 10) Marsh keeps on keeping on and despite focussing on defence he is alert enough to accept a leg-stump half volley and dispatch it for four. Marsh has now been at the crease for 88 deliveries.

“Greetings Jonathan,” howdy Kim Thonger. “Glancing at the Sunday morning headlines here in England, and the scorecard in Australia, it seems to me that the only entity in more trouble than the Australian cricket team at this particular moment in the entire universe, is Theresa May’s government. Also, my autocorrect just suggested cruckrat as a correction for cricket, which I had typed incorrectly. Does anyone know what a cruckrat is? I’m too weary to google it.”

Is a cuckrat an alt-right hamster?

Happy India.
Happy India. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

46th over: Australia 99-4 (Marsh 27, Head 10) More to report from Vijay’s second over, one that begins with a jaffa spinning beyond Head’s outside edge and includes a well-timed glance from the same batsman for three and a late cut for two.

45th over: Australia 93-4 (Marsh 26, Head 5) Bumrah is back for a bowl, which is a reassuring sight following his awkward fall earlier this afternoon. He doesn’t look completely free though and more than once reaches for his non-bowling left shoulder between deliveries. Such is Australia’s mindset even a modest over is rewarded with a maiden.

44th over: Australia 93-4 (Marsh 26, Head 5) After 18 overs 2/43 Ashwin is given a rest, Murali Vijay accepting spin-bowling duties. Marsh calmly strokes a single before Head drops anchor in an unremarkable over.

43rd over: Australia 92-4 (Marsh 25, Head 5) What curse? Marsh calmly glides Shami behind square for a single to bat superstition into a cocked hat. Head, drunk on the fumes of Marsh’s run, then cuts a lesser-spotted boundary behind point. This is a positive tsunami of scoring.

“I want to complain that The Guardian has a direct link to a scorecard and I now have nothing to complain about.” Oh, Andrew Vicars, you can’t be trying hard enough, there is plenty to complain about; a recently retired former Australian Rules footballer commenting on French domestic policy on television news for a start.

42nd over: Australia 87-4 (Marsh 24, Head 1) More dots than The Windmills at Overschie as 87 refuses to budge. Ashwin with another maiden, Head this time comfortable preserving his wicket with little ambition to advance the score.

41st over: Australia 87-4 (Marsh 24, Head 1) As figures of eight overs two for ten would suggest, Shami has hit an impeccable line and length this innings. Once again he forces Marsh into his shell, almost capitalising on the run drought by throwing a wider tempter that the batsman almost chops onto his stumps. 87 lives on until at least a 13th delivery.

Nine overs or half an hour remaining in the day.

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40th over: Australia 87-4 (Marsh 24, Head 1) Head sees off an Ashwin over fired into the footholes from over the wicket. The dreaded 87 lingers.

39th over: Australia 87-4 (Marsh 24, Head 1) Another tight Shami over keeps Marsh in defensive mode but a late single invites Head on strike and he gets off the mark with a clipped single to fine-leg. The over ends with Australia on the dreaded 87...

Rishabh Pant fails to join in with Virat Kohli’s Madness-inspired nutty dance.
Rishabh Pant fails to join in with Virat Kohli’s Madness-inspired nutty dance. Photograph: David Mariuz/AAP

38th over: Australia 85-4 (Marsh 23, Head 0) Marsh picks up a single off another tight Ashwin over but it’s an over dominated by an awkward dive from Bumrah that looks to have done the paceman a bit of damage. He has left the pitch nursing his left arm.

37th over: Australia 84-4 (Marsh 22, Head 0) India have plugged away for 37 overs without sending down anything unplayable. They have still snagged four top-order wickets, which says plenty about Australia’s issues right now.

WICKET! Handscomb c Pujara b Shami 14 (Australia 84-4)

Bowling change with Shami replacing Ishant and it works! After a series of full and straight deliveries Shami drops short but Handscomb can’t execute the pull, mistiming an attempt high on the splice of the bat and lobbing a simple catch to midwicket. Another promising innings ends tamely for Australia. India must think they’re almost home now.

36th over: Australia 84-3 (Marsh 22, Handscomb 14) Ashwin hasn’t bowled many grenades in his now 15-overs but he lands one in the rough outside Marsh’s leg stump that takes off. The bowler has moved over the wicket to the left-hander after previously operating around. He rattles through a quick maiden, the second in succession.

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35th over: Australia 84-3 (Marsh 22, Handscomb 14) Maiden over, bowled by Ishant, defended by Handscomb. The approach to the Victorian is still full and straight with a hint of inswing but the batsman has been up to the task so far.

For the record, my perfect scenario at the end of today would involve a pint of Guinness and a bacon-loaded cheeseburger.

34th over: Australia 84-3 (Marsh 22, Handscomb 14) Ooooh! Handscomb escapes after clipping Ashwin powerfully straight into the hands of short leg, powerfully enough for the fielder not to hang on. Tough on the fielder, one of those that might stick occasionally and would count as a bonus if it did. Meanwhile Marsh has played his way out of his funk, nudging a couple of singles and then using his feet to meet a wider Ashwin delivery on the half-volley and clobber it through the covers for a rare boundary.

33rd over: Australia 78-3 (Marsh 17, Handscomb 13) More runs for Handscomb, three this time from Ishant’s latest over, using the bowler’s angle from wide of the crease into his pads to his advantage. Marsh continues his real-time form decline, suffering a blow to his bottom hand from a delivery that climbed on him more than he expected.

32nd over: Australia 74-3 (Marsh 16, Handscomb 10) Once again Handscomb rotates the strike nicely against Ashwin with Marsh content to dab away the remainder of the over. After that brisk start Marsh is becalmed.

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With 19 overs left in the day the final drinks break is taken.

31st over: Australia 73-3 (Marsh 16, Handscomb 9) Ishant Sharma returns for his second dart after a miserly five-over spell from Bumrah. Ishant’s second delivery is a beauty, jagging in off the seam and striking Handscomb in the midriff as he jackknifes out of the way. The follow up is the obvious wicket-ball, full and swinging in, targeting Handscomb’s deep guard with late movement, but the Victorian is alive to the danger.

30th over: Australia 72-3 (Marsh 16, Handscomb 8) Australia use their feet much more to Ashwin this over and they profit by rotating the strike three times to keep the bowler adjusting to the right-hand / left-hand combination.

There are 118 overs remaining in this one.

29th over: Australia 69-3 (Marsh 15, Handscomb 6) Bumrah strikes Marsh on his front thigh from around the wicket in what might be the under-fire Australian’s first false shot, 33 deliveries into his innings. The rest of the maiden over is made up predominately of leaves as India continue to rack up the dot balls.

28th over: Australia 69-3 (Marsh 15, Handscomb 6) Ashwin does his best to tempt Marsh into a rash stroke but a scampered late single is the only thing of note in a quick over.

27th over: Australia 68-3 (Marsh 14, Handscomb 6) Handscomb pulls Bumrah for the first boundary in an age, adjusting quickly to a rare shorter ball in an over otherwise on a good length. Jason Gillespie has just compared Handscomb’s technique to England’s Gary Ballance, for anyone playing along at home without vision wondering how deep in his crease the Australian batsman stands.

All smiles for India as they celebrate the third Australian top order wicket.
All smiles for India as they celebrate the third Australian top order wicket. Photograph: David Mariuz/AAP

26th over: Australia 64-3 (Marsh 14, Handscomb 2) Marsh has been proactive since his arrival at the crease, defending, attacking and running with purpose. He advances his score by two from this Ashwin over and looks in the best nick of any Australian we’ve seen so far today.

25th over: Australia 62-3 (Marsh 12, Handscomb 2) Bumrah is full and straight at Handscomb, targeting his obvious weaknesses - bowled and LBW - but the batsman is up to the task, playing with a straight bat for five deliveries then working with the bowler’s natural angle for two through midwicket.

24th over: Australia 60-3 (Marsh 12, Handscomb 0) This has not been a vintage display form Australia thus far. Can they survive the day?

WICKET! Khawaja c Rohit Sharma b Ashwin 8 (Australia 60-3)

Gah! Khawaja looked like he walked out to bat with ants in his pants and his dismissal comes as little surprise. Ashwin caught the Australian advancing, deceived him in flight, meaning when the ambitious drive was launched it was inevitably a streaky edge. The ball went high and spinning towards deep cover where three fielders converged and Rohit took a very good diving catch.

Ravichandran Ashwin will have a major say in the outcome of the first Test.
Ravichandran Ashwin will have a major say in the outcome of the first Test. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

23rd over: Australia 59-2 (Khawaja 8, Marsh 11) Better from Khawaja, leaving plenty and defending securely from the crease during this Bumrah maiden.

22nd over: Australia 59-2 (Khawaja 8, Marsh 11) Khawaja is not in his happy place quite yet. After being deceived by Bumrah he chases a couple of Ashwin’s shadows in a skittish over. One sashay down the crease in particular almost ended in a host of dismissals and betrayed the confusion in the batsman’s method.

21st over: Australia 57-2 (Khawaja 7, Marsh 10) Bumrah replaces Shami from the Cathedral End and he begins a fun duel with Khawaja. The batsman survives, and picks up a couple with a nice glance to leg, but he’s also beaten on outside and inside edges with Bumrah making the ball move seam off the pitch just enough to provoke some false strokes. There is something aesthetically pleasing about watching a right-arm bowler make the ball move away from a left-handed batsman from around the wicket.

20th over: Australia 55-2 (Khawaja 5, Marsh 10) Marsh looks switched on early in his innings and he brings up Australia’s 50 with a cut so late it was posthumous*, angling Ashwin away to the third-man boundary. He repeats the trick for two later in the over to reach double figures in quicktime. Ashwin has yet to settle on his length. He’s coming around the wicket to the two lefties, meaning he doesn’t have the rough to aim for that Lyon used to such great effect.

*I know I’ve appropriated this from somewhere, can anybody tell me where?

Marcus Harris’ twin 26s on debut is making for statistical merriment.

https://twitter.com/deeputalks/status/1071636418835886080

19th over: Australia 49-2 (Khawaja 5, Marsh 4) Marsh is neither a solid starter (40% of dismissals under 10), nor a second innings specialist (averages just 19 from second digs) but he has to deliver for Australia this afternoon. He’s at the non-striker’s end this over, watching Khawaja play out a Shami maiden with the minimum of effort.

I caught this as the players were leaving for the Tea interval. Very “DAN! DAN! DAN! DAAAAAAN!” areas.

18th over: Australia 49-2 (Khawaja 5, Marsh 4) Marsh is into his work, defending Ashwin calmly from the crease then pulling a rare shorter ball for three with intent.

17th over: Australia 45-2 (Khawaja 4, Marsh 1) Huge breakthrough for India. Harris was playing nicely and the threat looked to be coming from Ashwin alone so to have a seamer receive such a gift is an enormous bonus. Defining partnership now for Australia with their two senior batsmen at the crease, the latest to arrive in the middle perhaps batting for his Test career.

WICKET! Harris c Pant b Shami 26 (Australia 44-2)

Poor shot from Harris, trying to late cut a length delivery succeeding only in guiding Shami into Pant’s gloves. Freebie for India.

16th over: Australia 44-1 (Harris 26, Khawaja 4) Ashwin keeps Khawaja pinned to the crease with a tight, rapid maiden.

15th over: Australia 41-1 (Harris 26, Khawaja 1) Khawaja again unconvincing, this time inside-edging Shami almost onto his stumps, then getting hit in his Specsavers avocado after failing to get any bat on a sharp inswinger. He’s still there though and prospers with a lovely three from a checked straight drive.

14th over: Australia 41-1 (Harris 26, Khawaja 1) Much much better from Harris this over, capitalising on Ashwin overpitching and driving square for four, then whipping wristily against the spin for another boundary. Not so good from Khawaja who is fortunate his thick-edged attempted cut drops fractionally short of backward point. After three days with the handbrake on this game is now careering like a billy cart down a mountainside.

13th over: Australia 31-1 (Harris 17, Khawaja 0) Harris defends Shami’s opening three deliveries then drives loosely at the fourth, edging to the cordon where he’s DROPPED by a diving Pujara. Lucky lucky lucky. Harris survives courtesy of India’s barmy slip positioning. There wasn’t a regulation second slip which meant Pujara at first had to dive a mile to his left - which he did - but he could only fingertip the ball towards third-man. The weird fly-third slip was only just in shot when the chance went down.

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This will be a 150 minute final session I reckon with 38 overs still to be bowled in the day. It is hot and sunny out in the middle of Adelaide Oval right now and Shami has the ball in his hand ready to hurl it towards Marcus Harris.

Before we go much further we must dwell on that Finch dismissal. Replays were inconclusive - there was no hot spot on Finch’s glove, nor was there a spike on RTS, however, the vision doesn’t reveal daylight between glove and ball. Would it have been given out by DRS had the bowling team reviewed? No chance. Would Finch have been reprieved had he gone upstairs? Perhaps. A curious incident indeed consideringIndia’s confident appeal and Finch’s reluctance to review, especially in the context of him referring what looked a reasonably plumb LBW earlier.

Thank you very much Geoff, you have proven once again you are a prince among cricket commentating Geoffreys (subsection: Geoff’s unlikely to mention rhubarb).

It’s time once again for me to resume my role as the nightwatchman of this OBO line-up and shepherd the fourth day’s play through to its close. It promises to be a significant final session with India’s postprandial kamikaze opening the door for Australia to snatch an improbable victory.

Please keep me company, either on Twitter - @JPHowcroft- or by email - jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com. This is the Sunday graveyard shift and I don’t want to creep into the Monday dreads just yet.

Tea – Australia 28-1 need another 295 runs to win

The break in the order that Australia didn’t want brings about the interval. At least they’ll have 20 minutes to compose themselves before Harris and Khawaja continue. Probably they’ll need to be positive against Ashwin, there’s enough turn and bounce in this pitch that there’s no point sitting back and letting him fusillade you.

Ishan’t slip doesn’t prove too costly, though at least Finch was able to see off the newest of the new ball. India in the box seat though, with four sessions to play. That’s it for me, your final session of the day will be in the loving arms of Jonathan Pie Howcroft.

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WICKET! Finch c Pant b Ashwin 11, Australia 28-1

Aaron Finch has given himself out. Ashwin bowls wide of the wicket, angling in and landing just short of the major footmark. It gets good turn regardless, lobbing into Finch’s pad and up into the air. Pant runs around from behind the stumps to take the catch near short leg. The only question is whether it brushed any glove. Finch isn’t sure. He comes down to speak to Harris, though why Harris would have a better idea I can’t begin to guess. Eventually Finch walks. That innings went better than his first attempt, but there’ll be questions asked over his spot and his batting position already.

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11th over: Australia 0-26 (Finch 10, Harris 13) Shami is on a hat-trick as he starts his first over of the innings, after picking up the last two wickets of Australia’s first effort. His hat-trick attempt is as unsuccessful as Lyon’s, meeting a solid defensive block. Finch does the same to most of the over before escaping the strike.

10th over: Australia 0-25 (Finch 9, Harris 13) Harris may be a left-hander, but he’s calm enough against Ashwin. Works a couple of runs through midwicket when the chance arises, and otherwise waits the bowler out.

9th over: Australia 0-23 (Finch 9, Harris 11) Ishant to Finch, finding the pad again. The batsmen run a leg bye, then Vijay’s throw misses the stumps and isn’t backed up properly, giving up another run. Kohli, like the Queen, is not amused. Finch takes advantage of the strike to drive nicely, on the up but not over-hit, through cover for four. That’s more the speed. The target comes down to 300.

8th over: Australia 0-17 (Finch 5, Harris 11) Ashwin into the attack, who bowled so well in the first innings with his off-breaks. Concedes a couple of singles.

7th over: Australia 0-15 (Finch 4, Harris 10) Computer glitch in the mainframe there. In the meantime, Harris carves Ishant through point for a boundary. Left-hander using the width and angle.

6th over: Australia 0-10 (Finch 4, Harris 5) Harris gets a big nick from Bumrah and it rolls away through the gully for three. Indian annoyance grows.

5th over: Australia 0-7 (Finch 4, Harris 2) Finch is made to play a bit more by Ishant in this over. And beaten once. And gets a bouncer to duck. It’s torrid stuff out there for batsmen trying to find their feet. Good cricket.

We’ve been banging on about no balls for a while, but this remains true.

4th over: Australia 0-7 (Finch 4, Harris 2) Finch gets strike against Bumrah, and yanks his hand off the handle as he fends away a single. Each run will feel like cooling water on the parched tongue of Mr Finch. Harris blocks out the rest.

3rd over: Australia 0-5 (Finch 3, Harris 1) Ishant, in trying to make amends, does not. Only two balls in his over make Finch play. Here’s the info from Freddie Wilde and co.

2nd over: Australia 0-5 (Finch 3, Harris 1) Bumrah to Harris, working the channel outside off after coming around the wicket. Harris is happy to leave things alone for a maiden.

In the meantime, Smriti Mandhana has given the Hobart Hurricanes some cheer after a pretty miserable last couple of seasons. She smoked 69 from 41 balls in the WBBL to drive Hobart to their highest ever score of 196-6. They bowled the Stars out for 124 in reply.

1st over: Australia 0-5 (Finch 3, Harris 1) And just to add to the party, Finch gets his first Test run in Australia. How relieved he’ll be, working three into the leg side. Harris gets a single the same way.

WICKET! But overturned on review!

Finch is reprieved. And what a reprieve that is! Finch was clean bowled third ball in the first innings. He’s leg before wicket from the second ball of this innings. Gone to an Ishant inswinger that careers back in towards him and strikes the pad. Marcus Harris urges the review, probably just out of sympathy. But it’s a no ball! The video replay shows the thinnest of no balls, a couple of millimetres of line behind Ishant’s heel as it lands. Well.

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Admittedly 323 doesn’t necessarily look that steep just as a number. But only 19 teams in Test history have made more than that to win in the fourth innings. And never at Adelaide Oval. This game is hard.

Australia must chase 323 to win

No need to bother with declaration strategy, then. India come to a pretty soft conclusion to their innings after looking like they were in a position to really drive a star picket into Australia’s hopes. But the rush of wickets will make the home side feel a bit better.

The draw is out the window: the sun is shining, there are more than four sessions to go, and if Australia bats most of that time they’ll get the runs. Or they’ll get bowled out. It’s imperative for the home side’s self-respect and confidence that they at least make a good first of the attempt, even if they fall short.

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WICKET! Ishant c Finch b Starc 0, India all out 307

Is Australia still in this? Simple tailend wicket to wrap things up. Starc bowls short at the body and Ishant stands tall to splice it up in the air, coming down into the cupped hands of short leg.

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106th over: India 307-9 (Ishant 0, Bumrah 0) India’s No11 is happy to block out the Lyon over. A clever strategy to just block and wait for those sweet, sweet byes.

105th over: India 307-9 (Ishant 0, Bumrah 0) Bonus runs for India as Starc bowls short and wide down leg once more, and again so wide that it passes the keeper. Again the umpire doesn’t call wides, which is good for the bowling team, but the designation of byes is bad for the wicketkeeper. We’re at 36 extras including 21 byes in this innings, most of those from Starc, and none of them Tim Paine’s fault. That’s over ten percent of India’s total in extras, and it could hurt Australia in the run chase.

104th over: India 303-9 (Ishant 0, Bumrah 0) Lyon gets serious turn from the last couple of balls, with two men waiting for a catch in close on the leg side. He finishes a maiden with two wickets, and has 6-122.

No hat-trick for Lyon

Bumrah strides forward and defends, to the chagrin of everyone who wanted him to get out and everyone who wanted him to slog a six.

WICKET! Shami c Harris b Lyon 0, India 303-9

Lyon is on a hat-trick! And he’ll never have a better chance to convert one. Shami is never known to stick around, so he charges Lyon first ball and wallops to deep midwicket for Lyon’s fifth. Simple catch. Bumrah will be next in...

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WICKET! Rahane c Starc b Lyon 70, India 303-8

No hundred for Ajinkya. He wants to get the score moving given the quality of his company, so he aims the reverse sweep at a ball well outside off. Could probably have just driven that through or over cover? Instead he finds Starc, halfway to the boundary at backward point, who follows his wicket maiden with a catch.

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103rd over: India 303-7 (Rahane 70, Ishant 0) When Ishant Sharma comes in at No9, it does not fill you with confidence about the competence of a lower order. Ishant confirms this impression by groping several times outside off, sticking his posterior out and fumbling forward with his arms like he’s trying to sit down on the loo at 3am without turning on the light. Starc is not able to wipe him out.

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WICKET! Ashwin c Harris b Starc 5, India 303-7

Rahane won’t get a hundred if he runs out of partners, though. And India’s tail is long. Starc is still bowling dross, starting that over with a ball about three metres outside leg, but when he bowls a not-quite-short ball at the body, Ashwin tries to take it on with the pull regardless. He lifts it tamely to the deep.

102nd over: India 303-6 (Rahane 70, Ashwin 5) Rahane is purring along. Works two from Lyon on the sweep, two on the cut, and two with a square push. He could even be thinking of a hundred here.

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101st over: India 297-6 (Rahane 64, Ashwin 5) Starc is entrusted to continue, but he still doesn’t look right. Beats Rahane, you could say, but only because the batsman decided to fling his bat at a ball well outside off stump. Starc then bowls short on leg stump and is jabbed for a single. Ashwin misses an attempted uppercut when cramped on his off stump, but Starc loses the line when he tries to repeat that ball and goes down leg again.

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100th over: India 296-6 (Rahane 63, Ashwin 5)

Missed stumping! Well, the stumping missed Paine more than the other way around. Ashwin charged, swung, and missed after almost yorking himself. Paine was there to knock the bails off, but the ball turned a lot from a full length, and also leapt high. It soared past the wicketkeeper’s shoulder in the end and well outside leg stump. Away for three byes. A few singles follow. Runs flowing.

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99th over: India 290-6 (Rahane 61, Ashwin 4) Four more fairly unair byes, as Starc clears the batsman and the keeper with a bouncer. Fair to say the attack leader has not been at his best this match. Ashwin plays him out comfortably enough.

98th over: India 285-6 (Rahane 61, Ashwin 3) A slightly different approach from Ravi Ashwin, who blocks out Lyon at first before gliding two runs to third man. Last ball of the over he tries to whip the ball square, hits short leg in the helmet, and the ball lands just between keeper and leg slip! Paine dived but couldn’t reach it. So nearly another for Lyon. A single takes India’s lead to exactly 300.

WICKET! Pant c Finch b Lyon 28, India 282-6

Lyon gets his man. Smart bowling. Knew that Pant was likely to move, so Lyon slanted the ball wide outside off stump. Pant went for it anyway, couldn’t adjust the shot enough, and skewed it to Finch at deep cover. Pant’s 28 came from 16 balls.

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97th over: India 282-5 (Rahane 61, Pant 28) Starc with the ball from the other end. He tests out Rahane with a couple of balls, nipping about, but when he overpitches Rahane drives through cover for four.

96th over: India 278-5 (Rahane 57, Pant 28) Resuming after lunch, it’s Lyon coming round the wicket to Pant. Looking to straighten down the line. Pant respectfully checks out one delivery. Respectfully checks out another. Then says, that’s enough of that. Charges to loft cleanly over midwicket for four, on the bounce. Charges again, decisive footwork but only getting the inside half of the bat and dragging four along the ground through the same region, just beating the two converging outfielders.

Down the track a third time, and blasts one down the ground for four! Hazlewood was chasing back and tried to slap the ball back in, but couldn’t reach it. Then for the last ball of the over, Pant stays at home and hits it for six! In the power stance, hit it cleanly over midwicket once again. The over costs 18 runs. I don’t know if this is declaration batting or whether he’s just liberated to play his shots. But either way, Nathan Lyon has been Pantsed.

It probably helps that they’re about the only Australian players who people would recognise. Or who are sure of a spot in the team. But it’s still a great result. Josh Hazlewood the quiet hero of recent acting exploits for me.

Good to see some love for the stattos, too. We have a veritable smorgasbord of statisticians working from the Adelaide Oval press box. Ric Finlay, the ABC’s long-standing master of understatement. Andrew Samson, who English and South African listeners will know so well, the creative virtuoso stats performance artist who is moonlighting for SEN. Freddie Wilde is here from CricViz for the deep-dive analytical stuff, and his whizkid colleague Ben Jones is on the way over after being used by the Australian team to try and unpick Kohli’s batting. Then there’s Lawrie, of course, working on the telly.

A fair bit of love going around for Alison Mitchell’s work across the television and radio broadcasts of this series. Along with Tim Lane on the telly, it’s nice to see the professional broadcaster being given a role at that level rather than entirely relying on former players.

Hello all, thanks Adam for the extended first session. There’s also an extended Indian lead and a contracted Australian hope of pulling this match back. The lead of 275 could almost be enough as it is, with Australia’s batting so unconvincing in the recent past. It’s lunch on the fourth day, so if India can pile on another session’s worth of runs, and get that lead up to somewhere around 350, you’d imagine they would declare with four sessions left and go for the win.

Feel free to send in your thoughts – what is India most likely to do? Or can Australia get on a roll and bowl them out with the lead closer to 300? If so, there’s still the chance that a Khawaja special or a Marsh redemption tale could win a big chase.

LUNCH! India 260-5 (Lead of 275)

95th over: India 260-5 (Rahane 57, Pant 10) If Cummins skips through this over they might get another in from Lyon - we’ll see. From the first ball of it, Pant rotates the strike with a well timed square drive to the sweeper at point. Rahane knows the drill here before a break, defending the rest. The end of an excellent session for the visitors, adding 109 runs across the two and a half hours. Pujara was the major wicket to fall on 72, but much of the damage had been done alongside Rahane through their stand of 87 for the fourth wicket. Rohit fell quickly - both wickets taken by Lyon, the best of Australia’s bowlers - but with Pant now at the crease, the lead could build in a hurry in the middle session. For that, I’ll leave you with Geoff Lemon. I’ll talk to you tomorrow!

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94th over: India 259-5 (Rahane 57, Pant 9) GET YOUR RISHABHS OFF! Of course, Pant goes at Lyon first ball of his new over, charging and smashing him across the line to the midwicket boundary. “Give us your best stuff now, Goaty!” says Tim Paine before Lyon’s final ball of the session, delivered around the wicket and defended by Rahane. The end of a fine spell from Australia’s number one.

93rd over: India 252-5 (Rahane 56, Pant 3) Cummins, underbowled for mine in this session, gets his first go with this second new ball. He’ll get two overs in before the interval. Right on the mark to Rahane, the vice-captain is defending with the straight blade before taking one to point. Pant’s turn, who turns one with a classy flick to backward square, keeping the strike for the next over against Lyon. That’s the match-up we want.

92nd over: India 250-5 (Rahane 55, Pant 2) Pant goes at Lyon first ball! As you do when he’s turning it square. Of course, the feisty youngster got off the mark in Test cricket with a six and brought up his ton at The Oval that way too, so this approach is to be expected. He only gets two for the charge and slap over midwicket, much to the amusement of Lyon. Sure enough, the spinner bites back next with an off-break that rips past the outside edge. So close to two in an over. The last ball is a carbon copy, but Pant pulls inside the line at the last available moment. This’ll be a fun few overs leading into lunch.

WICKET! Rohit Sharma c Handscomb b Lyon 1 (India 248-5)

Rohit lunges at Lyon, inside edging just into the reach of Handscomb, who dives onto the track from silly point to complete an excellent one-handed snaffle. Can Lyon bowl India out? He looks every chance.

Rahane to 50!

91st over: India 248-4 (Rahane 55, Rohit 1) What a lovely way to bring up a milestone, Rahane pulling Hazlewood hard through the gap and to the boundary. After a terrible tour of England, he’s back in business. He celebrates with an equally lovely cover drive, bringing a couple more.

90th over: India 241-4 (Rahane 49, Rohit 0) This is a cruel game more often than not. Lyon puts together another wonderful over, spinning back hard at Rahane who is very lucky not to have his inside edge located. Jump to the final ball of the set and given half a chance to free his arms, he lofts the spinner over midwicket for four. It’s bold and beautiful.

89th over: India 237-4 (Rahane 45, Rohit 0) Warne is making the case that Australia are back in the game if they can take another two quick wickets not. I don’t quite share that optimism but this is their window to make amends at the back end of a disappointing session. Rahane pulls with authority for two to begin, the boundary stopped due to some excellent work in the deep by Nathan Lyon. First ball to Rohit and he’s nearly caught behind, his edge beaten with a Hazlewood beauty.

WICKET! Pujara c Finch b Lyon 71 (India 234-4)

Outstanding from Lyon, hitting the rough with each of the deliveries in this over making life as difficult as possible for Pujara. Early on, the number three gloved just over the head at silly point. But to finish, a deflection off the bat landed in the hands of Finch at forward short leg. That’s the end of a 204-ball stay from Pujara, who has given India a wonderful chance to go one-up in this series.

88th over: India 234-4 (Rahane 42)

87th over: India 234-3 (Pujara 71, Rahane 42) Pujara did have a visit between overs from Indian physio Patrick Farhart for what looks to be a hamstring complaint, or possibly some cramp. Hazlewood is attacking Rahane’s stumps throughout in this maiden over, forced to defend rather than shoulder arms.

86th over: India 234-3 (Pujara 71, Rahane 42) Rahane going nicely here when playing Lyon down the ground after using his feet, collecting three more to start the fresh over. Later in the set they exchange singles past square leg before Pujara finishes the job with that sturdy defence. The lead is 249.



85th over: India 229-3 (Pujara 70, Rahane 38) It is hunting season on Starc, Warne and Vaughan mirroring social media’s view of his last couple of overs. Hazlewood has replaced him, delivering a far more consistent over to Rahane.

84th over: India 228-3 (Pujara 70, Rahane 38) Lyon straight on with the fourth over of the second new ball and that’s not a surprise. He’s replacing Hazlewood, who I suspect will be swung around to replace Starc. Rahane nearly gives a catch to Harris at backward square, the first miscue we’ve seen from him in a while. Pujara returns to type, getting a good stride in throughout to blunt Lyon’s bounce with the harder ball.



83rd over: India 227-3 (Pujara 70, Rahane 37) Oh my, the wheels are reeeeeally coming off at Starc’s end. Three overs into this second new ball and he cannot find his mark. Four byes come when the left-arm sprays wildly down the legside, followed up at the end of an over with a short ball way outside the off stump that Pujara can safely slash out, flaying it over the cordon to the boundary. Oi, Peter Siddle, what you up to next week in Perth, bro?



82nd over: India 219-3 (Pujara 66, Rahane 37) Hazlewood, replacing Lyon, sends down a timely maiden to Rahane. Good ol’ Josh.

81st over: India 219-3 (Pujara 66, Rahane 37) Sorry everyone, I had to reboot my machine so let’s play a bit of catch up. A couple of boundaries from a wayward Starc over here with the second new ball, Rahane glorious down the ground then Pujara helping another loose ball down to the fine leg rope. This is getting ugly.

Updated

80th over: India 210-3 (Pujara 66, Rahane 32) Lyon is turning it hard, past Rahane’s inside edge again, but the Indian vice-captain keeps his cool to turn the next delivery through midwicket to get off strike. Pujara’s turn: defence, defence, defence.

Andrew Samson, everyone.

79th over: India 209-3 (Pujara 66, Rahane 31) More good batting from Pujara to begin, turning one into two through midwicket with hard running. Cummins’ radar is off with the a shorter ball later in the set, Pujara able to get inside the line and help it to the rope. With that, it is drinks with the visitors well on the way to setting Australia a huge target. The lead is 224.

78th over: India 203-3 (Pujara 60, Rahane 31) Neeearly. Lyon finds Rahane’s inside edge for the first time today but it doesn’t land with Finch. Singles to each into the legside before Rahane gets down to sweep the final ball, failing to make contact. Half a shout for lbw but that’s all it is.

77th over: India 201-3 (Pujara 59, Rahane 30) Pujara flicks Cummins off his hip, moving India to 200. Rahane is more enthusiastic about taking on the short ball, hook/pulling for the second time today out to the sweeper for another. That makes 50 runs in 16 overs this morning.

That tweet is from about 45 minutes ago so the count is well over 400 now.

76th over: India 199-3 (Pujara 58, Rahane 29) Umpire Llong has a few words with the Australians about the fielder at backward square leg moving backwards while Lyon is on the way in. Not something you see every day but play on. Two singles either side of the square leg umpire keeps the board moving. The end of a poor hour for Australia.

75th over: India 197-3 (Pujara 57, Rahane 28) Shooooot! From the balls of his feet, Rahane smashes Cummins past point for four. One of the hardest shots in the game to control with a straight blade. Super batting. Another single in that direction gives the strike back to Pujara, who soaks up the remaining deliveries sent down from around the wicket. With two catchers on the leg side, he wants nothing to do with the short stuff.

74th over: India 191-3 (Pujara 57, Rahane 23) Gosh, that hurts. The ball after the dismissal that wasn’t, Rahane rocks back and smashes Lyon thorugh midwicket for four; his first poor delivery of the morning. Three singles follow, the lead now beyond 200. Australia in real strife.

“Good morning,” Good morning to you, Amod Paranjape. “Shouldn’t Australia have opened with Cummins and Lyon? Ashwin really proved me wrong by bowling a normal off spinners line. However this Indian team does have a tendency to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.”

Shane Warne is with you. As for the state of this game, WinViz now have have the visitors at 71%, Australia 15% and the draw 14%. That’s a backward looking measure, but still, they’re in better nick by the minute.

HAS LYON PICKED UP RAHANE? He’s given out caught at short leg but the decision is overturned by the third umpire on review. It missed the glove. NOT OUT!

73rd over: India 184-3 (Pujara 56, Rahane 17) A nice push from Rahane through cover turns the strike over early in the Cummins over, Pujara seeing off the rest with ease. He might still be batting on Tuesday.

72nd over: India 183-3 (Pujara 56, Rahane 16) Adam Gilchrist notes how important this period is ahead of the second new ball, due in nine overs. What they would give for a Lyon breakthrough between now and then. Rahane, on the other hand, wants to keep ticking it over, driving the first ball for three down the ground. Lyon is right in the remainder contest with three men around the bat, spinning hard from the rough but Pujara is up to the task, playing with both his front pad and soft hands.

“I know the redeveloped Adelaide Oval is a shared use stadium,” writes Gary Naylor to me on twitter, “but why can’t all the stands be named after cricketers when it’s used for cricket? A bit of technology (eg projections etc) could project names on to walls. Same for footy when that’s the sport of the day.”

To be fair, it is cricket-heavy on the establishment side of the ground with five footballers acknowledged on the eastern grandstand. More to the point, try telling Mark Ricciuto that the stand would lose his name outside of footy season - or Chappelli in the winter for that matter!

71st over: India 180-3 (Pujara 56, Rahane 13) It has taken 40 minutes but Pat Cummins is now on from the Cathedral End. The batsmen exchange singles before the big quick goes upstairs, but so short that Umpire Dharmasena signals a wide. Rahane picks up a second single behind square to finish. That run advances the Indian lead to 195.

“India really should win,” writes Andrew Benton. “It’s dull when Australia do. Whack those foregone conclusions for six, I say, it’s time to googlify hopes and expectations, curve-ball style! An utterly splendiferous start to the day.”

To think they had India 40-4 (or so) on the opening morning. And in their previous Test at Abu Dhabi, Pakistan were 50-5 before lunch on day one.

Updated

70th over: India 176-3 (Pujara 55, Rahane 11) Another eventful Lyon over, beating Pujara with a beautiful topspinner that holds its line. The Indian number three isn’t worried though, smashing the next ball over midwicket for four. Cop that. Lyon, sure enough, fights back with a harder spun ball that beats the edge and earns a half-shout for LBW. Pujara kicks away the final ball, which again deviated back a long way. Fun contest.

69th over: India 171-3 (Pujara 51, Rahane 10) Back to back maidens, Pujara kept quiet by Starc, who is probing now from around the wicket. It’s the attack-leader’s best over of the morning, racing a quick delivery off the seam past the inside edge and into the thigh pad. He looks a lot better from this angle with the old ball.

68th over: India 171-3 (Pujara 51, Rahane 10) Very good over from Lyon, bringing Rahane forward then darting him back. The most encouraging moment for the home side so far today comes from the final delivery, the Indian vice-captain using his feet to try and reach the pitch, for a brief moment looking like he had run past it.

Updated

67th over: India 171-3 (Pujara 51, Rahane 10) Starc has swung around to the cathedral end but it makes little difference, punished by Rahane through cover for four off the back foot. Lovely shot. Later in the over, he’s happy to pull, albeit along the ground to one of the two met set out on the rope. We said off the top that the first hour was critical today and India winning it - comprehensively.

Pujara to 50

66th over: India 166-3 (Pujara 51, Rahane 5) No issues with Lyon, back onto the ground and into the attack, replaing Starc. That’ll please Shane Warne. Rahane takes one from the first ball before Pujara cuts expertly from close to his body for three, bringing up his half-century in 140 balls. Rahane drives past the diving Lyon down to long-on to finish, keeping the strike with a single. India’s lead is 181.

Cheteshwar Pujara look to the heavens after reaching his half century.
Cheteshwar Pujara look to the heavens after reaching his half century. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Updated

65th over: India 161-3 (Pujara 48, Rahane 3) Nothing wrong with Hazlewood’s start but Pujara is defending, leaving and ducking without concern. Ominous early signs from the first-innings century maker.

64th over: India 161-3 (Pujara 48, Rahane 3) Interesting that Lyon has left the field between overs, replaced by Siddle. We’ll keep an eye on that. Rahane gets his first runs of the morning, cutting Starc for a couple

63rd over: India 159-3 (Pujara 48, Rahane 1) Hazlewood it is from the Cathedral End. Pujara is immediately into his meditative process, leaving then defending with the full face of his blade. But when Hazlewood overpitches, Che is happy to lean into a lovely cover drive, racing away to the boundary for India’s first runs this morning. He makes it back to back fours with an edge through the cordon, albeit not at a catchable height.

Updated

62nd over: India 151-3 (Pujara 40, Rahane 1) On the telly, Shane Warne is making the case that Nathan Lyon should have started the day for Australia. “Who would India want to face least?” he says. “Surely it is Lyon. Mitchell Starc has probably been the least effective out of the quicks so far.” In an effort to locate some of that valuable reverse swing, Starc starting nice and full but there isn’t much about. Rahane is watchful, letting the ball pass across him without offering. Maiden.

The players are on the field. Mitch Starc to begin from the southern end, bowling to Rahane who resumes on 1, with Pujara down the other end on 40. PLAY!

The Australian players will be wearing black arm bands today. In honour of Colin Guest, who died yesterday. He played one Test in 1963 as right-arm fast bowler.

Justin Langer speaks. Walking across the field before play, the Australian coach had a chat with Michael Slater on Channel Seven. He’s suitably upbeat.

“Tell me it’s not raining in Adelaide,” urges ArthurshireCC. “And tell me Pat Cummins arrived at the ground burning with controlled aggression and steely nerve and elite honesty.”

I can and will tell you that. The bureau says there is a 30% chance of rain today but it won’t delay the start as it did annoyingly yesterday. As for Cummins, he is elite as he is honest with a smile every bit as potent as Ben Foakes’. An elite combination, if you will, and my pick to go big this morning.

ICYMI. The vital wicket of Virat Kohli, secured by Nathan Lyon not long before stumps on day three. An accurate delivery that bounced, turned and found the inside edge. This is what dreams are made of for offies.

Welcome to day four at Adelaide Oval!

Some first hours are bigger than others. By the time 15 overs have been bowled this morning, it will be relatively clear whether Australia have a sniff at pulling off a come from behind victory to win this series opener. To do so, they require seven wickets in a hurry, with India’s lead already 166 and Che Pujara building another defining innings.

But in England over the summer, Virat Kohli’s side made a habit of losing wickets in a hurry, something that Tim Paine’s men will know well. Especially after their captain has been removed, which he was when Nathan Lyon picked him up with a delightful piece of tweak last night, deep into the final half hour in the extended final session.

Due to yesterday’s rain, play will start at 10am local time today without any risk of further delays. There is plenty of cloud cover, though, which the local quicks will hope gives them some assistance in moving around the ball, now some 61 overs old.

With plenty on the line, don’t miss a moment of this fourth day on the OBO. How many runs can Australia realistically chase in the fourth innings? Drop me a line in the usual place, or on twitter if that’s more your jive.

Good morning from CB.

Updated

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