Day Three in Brief
Today the Indian bowling attack was brutalized by Australia’s ever-wagging tail, the last six of whom put on 295 runs compared to 87 from their Indian counterparts.
The highlight of Australia’s 505 was first-time skipper Steve Smith’s joyous 133, which came from 191 deliveries and featured 13 fours and 2 sixes. He was aided in his rescue mission by Mitchell Johnson’s brutal 88 in a partnership of 148 thatt rather broke the back of India’s momentum.
Whatever spirit remained in the tourists thereafter was crushed by Mitch Starc (52), Nathan Lyon (23) and Josh Hazlewood (33*). All of India’s four strike bowlers took multiple wickets but all got biffed around with disdain as well. That wasn’t through lack of effort on their part, but their captain might have shown the same enthusiasm in his tactical maeovres that his men showed in their verbals towards Johnson.
Where the tourists did better was in consolidating during the 23 overs before stumps, after which Shikhar Dhawan (26) and Che Pujara (15) are the not out batsmen. The Indians did though lose the in-form Murali Vijay for 27, victim of Mitchell Starc during the short passage of time in which the left-armer got it all together.
This match is now evenly poised, much as it was in Adelaide and plenty of twists and turns should await us over the coming two days. Make sure you join us tomorrow morning for all the live action.
Stumps on Day Three
23rd over - India 71-1 (Dhawan 26, Pujara 15)
In keeping with the farcical levels of distraction provided throughout this match by the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th men from both sides, the Indian pair delay Johnson’s final over by asking for another drink. It’s been thirsty work you see, the last two overs.
Johnson stews and then produces a sharpish over to Pujara but the Indian No3 is up to the task and negotiates a safe passage to Day 4. His side trail by 26 runs after a truly shambolic display in the field.
22nd over - India 71-1 (Dhawan 26, Pujara 15)
This has been an absorbing little session for most of us, but clearly not Mark Taylor and Michael Slater. They’ve started discussing bats they used during their career, proving that there really is no lower limit to the quality of Nine commentary anecdotes.
Sorry Sarah, I don’t think Lyon is going to get a bowl here.
@rustyjacko *Whines* Can't we give a Gaz a go at the death? Puh-lease?
— sarah jane bacon (@sportzzzgirl) December 19, 2014
21st over - India 69-1 (Dhawan 25, Pujara 15)
You know when your house is in pitch black darkness, and you’re a little drunk, yet somehow you call upon a successful combination of muscle memory and luck to bang the light switch in precisely the right spot without having previously done yourself an injury?
Che Pujara has just played a shot that is the cricket equivalent. He doesn’t seem entirely convinced that he can counter Johnson right now, but he hangs his bat out in hope and somehow deflects a boundary though gully.
20th over - India 65-1 (Dhawan 25, Pujara 11)
Josh Hazlewood has barely put a foot wrong in this Test - even scoring some glorious No11 runs today (is there any better kind of runs?) - and now he’s back for one final spell before the day draws to a close. Dhawan works him for two down to fine leg but he also cops a nasty blow to the gloves and then goes within a rat tail whisker (not his) of chopping on to his own stumps.
With 12 minutes left until the close of day three, the Indians decide it’s the perfect time to get some drinks brought out, the stirrers.
19th over - India 63-1 (Dhawan 22, Pujara 11)
Is it just me or has Johnson’s run-up lengthened today? He looks like he could ask patrons beside the sight-screen for a drink as he rounds his bowling marker. Pujara ekes out a single, Dhawan hangs tough.
Watto manages to bowl at confetti pace with the venom of someone bowling 20km/hr faster. Makes you realise what Aus have missed when unfit.
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) December 19, 2014
18th over - India 61-1 (Dhawan 22, Pujara 10)
Watson continues his swing masterclass, thoroughly baffling Dhawan and looking like taking a wicket with nearly every ball he bowls. It’s brilliant stuff.
Robert WIlson is back and frankly I’m worried about him, becaus ehe thinks he now boasts mystical qualities and has started referring to himself as ‘The Great Roberto”.
“Do you realise that I predicted a ton for MitJo?!?!” he says [so did I, by the way] “Admittedly in the last match (and it wasn’t a ton).but still! What with my brilliant foresight about the likelihood of Warney saying consistently stupid things and Steven Smith being quite good at cricket, I am beginning to wonder if I have a gift. Do you think I should get some earrings and a carny tent?”
You’re kind of like a crap Paul the Octopus, only for cricket. I guess that is an honour of sorts.
17th over - India 61-1 (Dhawan 22, Pujara 10)
Mitch off, Mitch on. With Starc struggling and Johnson’s energies restored, we’ll get one final blast from Australia’s henchman. Che Pujara’s not exactly setting the world alight right now but he waits with patience and once given some width from Johnson’s final delivery, jumps slightly in the air and cracks a horizontal-bat drive square of gully and out to the fence. He really launched into that one with vigor.
16th over - India 57-1 (Dhawan 22, Pujara 6)
Watson produces another series of gems here; top-shelf swing bowling from a minor master of the craft. That means that Dhawan has a battle just to keep his wicket and when he does score, it’s with a nervy edge down to the boundary between gully and second slip.
Watson’s also tones down the theatrics a little too. If he’s a midday movie character in this over, it’s the dismissive jock too overcome with apathy to steal Dhawan’s lunch.
15th over - India 53-1 (Dhawan 18, Pujara 6)
Miserly Mitch is now Sloppy Joe. This over is of such rapidly-changing lines and lengths that the batsmen can’t help but turn the strike with some easy runs.
Watto's bowled a hell of a spell. Responding well to being treated more as a frontliner. #AUSvIND
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) December 19, 2014
14th over - India 47-1 (Dhawan 16, Pujara 2)
What a world we live in; now even Shane Watson is firing down bouncers and he even feels as though he’s got Dhawan caught behind when the ball in fact glances the left-handers’ helmet badge.
Watson follows that with a gorgeous hooping in-swinger and lets off the kind of primordial scream of that kid I was talking about before, the one who actually fell into the wheat thresher.
It’s a maiden wrothy of its own IMDB entry.
13th over - India 47-1 (Dhawan 16, Pujara 2)
Starc continues with a little less success than in his previous over, but there’s still an air of expectation that maybe he’s back on track. He sends a wild bouncer well over the head of Pujara to finish the over and then gives the blameless batsman a mouthful too. You really do have to love fast bowlers, otherwise only their mothers do.
Steve Smith's eight pairs of gloves lined up on the boundary. A placeholder until they build him a proper shrine: pic.twitter.com/fmSBH0LAAY
— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) December 19, 2014
12th over - India 43-1 (Dhawan 13, Pujara 1)
All of a sudden the Australians are moving the ball around, Shane Watson in this case. After a single to Dhawan, Watson sends a textbook outswinger past the forward-pressing blade of Pujara and then lets offone of his patented “oohs”, so hammy you’d think he was a midday movie actor and had just learned of a particularly gruesome farming accident.
What’s that Shane? Another local kid has fallen into the wheat-thresher?
Updated
11th over - India 41-1 (Dhawan 12, Pujara 0)
Che Pujara doesn’t quite yet boast the body of work as impressive as Rahul Dravid, the man to whom he’s often compared, but he always looks calm at the crease and he’s watchful of his first few deliveries from Starc.
Mitch Starc was PUMPED after that one! LIVE: http://t.co/NaGNJAi0VK #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/kNjpAUtliT
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 19, 2014
WICKET! Vijay b Starc 27 (India 41-1)
Just as Nine rather unkindly chose to show highlights of Bruce Reid rather than assess Mitchell Starc’s bowling, the latter rams one in short to Vijay and with a little extra bounce outside off, draws the batsman into a nothing shot that sends the ball ricocheting into the stumps off the inside edge.
Vijay just sort of hung the bat out at it and Starc reaped the benefits. The out of form bowler has removed the in-form batsman. Fancy that.
10th over - India 41-0 (Vijay 27, Dhawan 12)
Watto time! Yes, everybody’s favourite lumbering all-rounder is back with his slightly addictive, wobbly seamers. He adjusts to the left-hand-right-hand combination by sending deliveries down the leg side to both. Once he reverses that equation he could be in for some luck.
Speaking of...erm...singing cricketers...
@GuySebastian & @NOLLSIE will be bringing cricket and music together when they rock the #NorthSydneyLife festival! pic.twitter.com/aY5I9Ch3l4
— NorthSydneyFestival (@NorthSydneyFest) December 18, 2014
9th over - India 40-0 (Vijay 27, Dhawan 12)
Well, Johnson’s batting form didn’t carry over into his bowling, but will Mitchell Starc’s own successess with the bat translate into an improved performance with the ball? He was poor in the first innings, very poor. This first over in the second innings is much better and costs just a single to Vijay.
Here is an alarming stat via Nine: Starc has played 14 Tests across 9 different series’. That tells you a little bit about his yo-yoing form.
8th over - India 39-0 (Vijay 26, Dhawan 12)
Perhaps aware that his form is not quite what it might be, Dhawan cleverly drops Hazlewood’s first dlivery at his toes and sets off for a quick single.
It’s wise to hand Vijay strike at the moment - the latter unleashes one of those cover-driven boundaries that seem to be playing on a loop so far this tour. It’s not always a hallmark of Indian batting in Australia but the way he’s so confidently planted his front foot in his four innings’ so far is probably a hint to his teammates.
I think this is about Vijay:
Ctrl C Ctrl V
— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) December 19, 2014
7th over - India 33-0 (Vijay 21, Dhawan 11)
Johnson’s given one more over- probably his pre-allocated quota - to try and get the early breakthrough. You’d think he’ll also come back for one more little burst at the end, too.
Murali Vijay probably has one eye on the clock, but he’s also full of positive intent and trying to drive during Johnson’s maiden.
@rustyjacko I don't have a problem India taking it to MJ verbally. It didn't work, but have to attack sometimes. #contest
— Simon (@swa11ace) December 19, 2014
6th over - India 33-0 (Vijay 21, Dhawan 11)
I’m not sure how much video Josh Hazlewood has watched of Dhawan, but I don’t think he’s going to get him by giving width outside off stump and allowing the Indian to slash over gully, as he does for a boundary here.
Vikrant Patwardhan has this to say: “Young Jackson, methinks we’re being too harsh on the Indian bowling... After all, they’ve had little - probably no - practice bowling to a tail in a test outside India these past 7-8 years...”
Erm, hmm... I suppose it’s a bit like Australians playing reverse swing; how to tell whether they’re any good at it when they don’t stay in long enough.
Updated
5th over - India 27-0 (Vijay 21, Dhawan 5)
Johnson comes around the wickets to Vijay and that new grip of his must be magic because he biffs a pair of boundaries to start the over, a classic off drive and then a streakier one through gully. After that he’s driving uppishly and far less convincingly, causing Johnson to stare at him as though he’s just had his sand castle kicked over and Vijay is the brazen culprit.
14 come from the Johnson over, in fact, which is all over the shop.
4th over - India 13-0 (Vijay 10, Dhawan 2)
Hazlewood’s radar is slightly amiss to start his second over, which allows both Vijay and Dhawan a bit of respite from Johnson’s maniacal bloodlust. They’re pushing ones, twos and slowly establishing themselves.
We’ve had a lot of valid delays today on account of the heat, but the stoppage at the end of this over to apply a new grip to Vijay’s bat is a bit absurd.
3rd over - India 8-0 (Vijay 7, Dhawan 1)
Johsnon’s plan is clear here; bang it in short and slide it across the right-handed Vijay. Might he let it swing a little as well? We shouldn’t look a Gift Mitch in the mouth, I guess, especially when he cannons a nasty short one into Vijay’s shoulder. Ouch. The batsman has a laugh, perhaps not the last, when he glides the next ball through point for four.
Ian Chappell, meanwhile, has recieved word that Marnus Labuschagne’s cap is not a real baggy green and has thus been talked off the ledge. Strange given he’s previously referred to the cult of the baggy green as “bullshit” and disparagingly refereed to the cap as “a bit of cloth”.
2nd over - India 4-0 (Vijay 3, Dhawan 1)
Fresh from his exuberant display of batting, Josh Hazlewood bounds in to Dhawan, all legs and thick shoulders. Dhawan’s made starts but no lasting impression in this series but he gets off the mark with a single to leg. A social media star on account of his catching efforts yesterday, Aussie sub fielder Marnus Labuschagne.
Ian Chappell is a bit peeved that the latter is wearing a baggy green cap but he’s actually not, it’s one of the Cricket Australia lookalikes that are doled out to A team players and Under 19s. It’s the little things, you know?
Hazlewood's inability to take a wicket in that first over is a bit worrying? Is the youngster losing his touch? #AUSvIND
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) December 19, 2014
1st over - India 0-0 (Vijay 0, Dhawan 0)
Johnson takes the new ball for Australia and he’s immediately honing in on the small, specific space between the bottom of Murali Vijay’s face guard, and the top of Murali Vijay’s face guard. A reasonable idea for a quick.
He’s also hitting Vijay’s bat on the top of the splice, surely one of the most satisfying feelings for a fast bowler. “You’re not going to middle a ball that I bowl, mate”, his face seems to say.
@rustyjacko Only one thing better than one Number 8, and that's two Number 8s #JohnsonandStarc
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) December 19, 2014
Australia bowled out for 505 and lead by 97
You know what else is particularly bad news for India? Micthell Johnson tends to bowl like a dream after he’s made runs. He’s also had a nice old rest while Lyon, Starc and Hazlewood went to work.
India’s batsmen, on the other hand, might have had their energies sapped in standing out in the field for so long and they’ll face a very uncomfortable examination now. An hour and a bit (probably 90 minutes) is long enough to get yourself in but it’s also more than enough time to get yourself out.
A few quick wickets and Australia is in the box seat for a win, a steadying partnership between Vijay and Dhawan and the best India can hope for is to be back on level terms by stumps with the view of setting an awkward target tomorrow.
“The Test match is in a position where it could go very badly very quickly for India” says Ian Chappell, hovering like the Grim Reaper.
WICKET! Hazlewood b Ashwin 33 (Australia all out for 505 - a 97-run lead)
Well that didn’t take long.
After a single to Starc and two to Hazlewood, the latter unleashes a lusty attempted slog against Ashwin but misses it by a considerable distance and gets bowled. The Indian spinner engages in the kind of muted, almost joyless celebration you’d expect of one who has stood in the blazing heat for three hours longer than expected and desired.
Updated
The Hurt Locker
Afternoon OBOers and welcome to what will be an abbreviated evening session following the unkind decision of Umpires Erasmus and Gould to prolong India’s post-lunch misery. Their thought – not so bad in theory – was that with only one wicket remaining the Indians remained a chance of finishing the Australian innings off.
Well, that went well didn’t it?
Before we start, it’s “I told you so” time (write in with your own if you feel like it – russell.jackson@guardian.com or @rustyjacko ). Mitchell Starc went a long way to setting in stone one of my present theses on Australian cricket; never before has a country boasted so many players who actually offer something more dynamic and useful with their non-core skill. Ashton Agar, pre-revival Mitch Johnson, Ben Cutting, Shane Watson, and now Starc. Australia should really just reverse its batting order and be done with it.
Putting aside individual milestones, here is a stat that tells you a lot about these two sides in both batting depth and – to be brutally honest – the tactical nous of their respective captains: India put together 87 runs for the loss of their last 6 wickets while Australia is now sitting on 295 and counting in the same period.
Yes, it’s Steve Smith who is the greenhorn captain, not MS Dhoni. Is Dhoni even conscious at the moment?
In honour of Geoff Lemon’s cavalcade of YouTube clips, here’s my own tribute to India’s captain:
Tea - Australia right on top with 503-9
It’s been another dominant session for Australia today. Mitchell Johnson smashed the Indian attack before lunch, but after lunch he and Steve Smith just consolidated. Both were then dismissed in an Ishant Sharma over, but the tail batted on. Johnson made 88 and Smith 133, but Nathan Lyon also made 23, Mitch Starc had an unbeaten half century and debutant Josh Hazlewood is 31 not out.
India are a shambles. When they started today they were in the frame for a lead of at least 100 runs. That was wiped out blow by blow, and now Australia have pushed on to a 95-run lead of their own. Seven sessions remain in this Test, there is time aplenty.
“Surely this lot are pushing for some sort of record for cumulative totals of the 8-11th batsmen?” says Matt Harris. “Nearly 200 put on by Johnson, Starc, Lyon and Hazelnut.”
Vikrant Patwardhan is on the same train of thought: “Right then, last 4 wickets have added more runs than the first 6. We’re entering Ashes 2013-14 territory now, and Brad Haddin hasn’t even come to the party yet.”
Cameron Fink sat by me at Trent Bridge 18 months ago: “We’ve got some pretty good memories of watching a debut number 11 get amongst the runs...” A little way to go yet for Hazlewood, but I rule nothing out.
So, the vitality and impetuosity of youth!
With this in mind, as you await the baby-faced Russell Jackson, I leave you with your teatime poem: a verse reworking of Smells Like Teen Spirit. Give it a spin.
Updated
109th over: Australia 503-9 (Starc 51, Hazlewood 31)
Umesh Yadav, somewhat shorter than Ishant or Aaron, bowls a good ball to Hazlewood that beats the edge. Drives the next back to the bowler. A couple of lavish drives this, a half-Lara follow-through, but no runs coming.
And that. Is. Tea.
108th over: Australia 503-9 (Starc 51, Hazlewood 31)
So this pair might just bat till tea anyway, and as it stands it’ll be India wishing the teams had gone off at the scheduled break. Hazlewood and Starc have gathered runs with ease in this extra half hour. Hazlewood nearly slogs a drive back to Ravi Ashwin but it didn’t quite carry, then he comes down, has a big slog, and inside-edges it for four runs!
The 500 is up, and the lead approaches 100.
Hazlewood thumps a single to mid-on. He’s into the 30s on debut.
107th over: Australia 498-9 (Starc 51, Hazlewood 26)
Umesh Yadav is having another go. You get the feeling India are playing the numbers now, continue shuffling everyone until someone manages to chance the right ball. Starc pushes him for a single. Hazlewood drives to mid-off and sets off immediately, they dart through for the run. These two are hurting India even more, 44 now for their partnership.
106th over: Australia 496-9 (Starc 50, Hazlewood 25)
The Starc-half-full is up! A 50 for Mitchell Starc as he takes one run, then four more for Hazelhoff as he drives Ravi Ashwin over cover, lofted and dangerous, but getting enough of it for four. Apparently that’s now the highest debut score by a No11 batsman at the Gabba, surpassing Jeff Thomson’s 23. No doubt Thommo will be proud. Or drunk in a patch of shade somewhere, what am I, his personal assistant?
105th over: Australia 491-9 (Starc 49, Hazlewood 21)
Don’t you forget about Starc, though. Gets a short ball and monsters it through midwicket on the pull to get within a run of his 50.
104th over: Australia 485-9 (Starc 44, Hazlewood 21)
Hazlewood! He’s the new Mitchell Johnson. The extra half hour isn’t about knocking over that last wicket, it’s about punching out the Australian lead to imposing proportions. How is this for a turnaround. Facing Ashwin’s off-sin, first he clobbers one over midwicket with a classic tailender’s slap.
Then he’s come down the track a little and cracked a square drive through point, opening the face a little and seeing that ball spin away off the bat to the fence.
Updated
103rd over: Australia 476-9 (Starc 43, Hazlewood 13)
Clobber. Hazlewood drives hard down the ground through mid on as Ishant got a bit fuller. That goes for four.
Then again! Straight drive from Hazelwood, less smashy and more crisp, and it’s gone to the rope as well. The lead is threatening 70 and every Australian batsman but Haddin has at least double figures.
102nd over: Australia 468-9 (Starc 43, Hazlewood 5)
Starc has a massive wallop at Ashwin and misses. ABC cricket guru Ric Finlay has just reminded the callers that tea won’t be taken at the end of this over because Australia are nine wickets down. They haven’t looked like losing the last one though. Starc gets two runs through midwicket, he has a milestone on his mind. His pre-game batting average was nearly 29, but with this not-out innings it’s past 31.
101st over: Australia 466-9 (Starc 41, Hazlewood 5)
Another big top edge from Starc as Ishant comes back on, but it falls short of mid on as he ran across. They take one run. Both these tall Australian bowlers are left-handed bats, though only Starc bowls southpaw. Hazlewood sees out the over with no more score.
Dhoni must have a headache. “Sometimes I feel like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull, and cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my skull.”
100th over: Australia 465-9 (Starc 40, Hazlewood 5)
Well, with the century of overs up, Starc is eyeing a half century. Didn’t bowl well but he’s a decent batteringsman. They work three singles from Ashwin.
99th over: Australia 462-9 (Starc 38, Hazlewood 4)
Not good stuff from Dhoni: Aaron gets Hazlewood’s edge and it falls just short of first slip, but Dhoni should have gone for that one. Another edge into the gully, then a missed ball that raps him on the thigh pad. Hazlewood doesn’t know too much about this bowling yet. But from the last ball of the over he gains his first clue: gets one on his pads, and with the slip cordon stacked there’s no one at mid on. Drive. Four. Hazlewood’s first Test runs.
The lead is 54. It all started with Mitchell Johnson. I reckon Rohit Sharma will want to hide after this innings. Here is his song.
98th over: Australia 457-9 (Starc 37, Hazlewood 0)
How many is that off the edge for Starc? A big top edge from Ashwin over slip for two, then another edge onto the on side for a single. Hazlewood duly blocks the rest.
97th over: Australia 454-9 (Starc 34, Hazlewood 0)
Josh Hazlewood sees out the rest of the over. Aaron has 2/140 at 5.6 per over. It hasn’t been great game for him.
WICKET! Lyon 23, c Rohit b Aaron
Belated relief for Aaron: bowls a decent ball just back of a length, Lyon tries to drive but it’s not full enough, and he just bunts it straight to mid off. Only one wicket to go for India now. The lead is at 46.
96th over: Australia 453-8 (Starc 33, Lyon 23)
A single for Starc against Ashwin, the Lyon gets one tossed up and goes a mighty slog sweep over midwicket. Four runs. Here’s the difference between how useless India’s tail has proved and what can happen when your bowlers chip in.
95th over: Australia 448-8 (Starc 32, Lyon 19)
The wheels aren’t just off, the wheels have come off, crashed down a ravine and destroyed a small village. Aaron sees Lyon flick three through square, bowls a wide, gets top-edged by Starc for four over the keeper, goes for a leg bye, and then gets bunted over mid off by Lyon for two runs. That’s 11 from the over, a 50 partnership from 43 balls, and a lead of 41 runs.
@GeoffLemonSport Great work with that Roar video clip, you've found something that makes less sense than Ian Chappell. #AUSvIND
— Daniel Muggleton (@danmuggleton) December 19, 2014
I’ve got the eye of the tiger. But also lions? Are all the big cats involved? What is Katy’s position on ocelots? Why does no one talk about ocelots? Also, do you know how to titillate an ocelot?
Updated
94th over: Australia 437-8 (Starc 28, Lyon 14)
A change of tack from Dhoni, as spin comes on to force Starc to make the pace. It works, sort of, as the over only goes for two singles.
93rd over: Australia 435-8 (Starc 27, Lyon 13)
Big drive from Lyon, as Yadav comes on to offer real pace from both ends. He edges it over the slip cordon and it goes for four. Everything Australia’s tailenders do today is blessed. Then Lyon plays a proper shot, walking across and flicking the ball fine for four more!
I told you he was vicious. 13 at a run a ball. Loud as Nathan Lyon, cos he is a champion and you’re gonna hear him roar.
92nd over: Australia 427-8 (Starc 27, Lyon 5)
Aaron to Lyon, who turns two runs around the corner. The runs keep ticking. Aaron rips in another short ball, he’s coming around the wicket now to target Lyon’s body and Lyon ducks into it, hit on the back of the shoulder and it lobs away. But then a great comeback from Lyon, as he punches through mid on and forces a long chase all the way to that distant boundary. He takes three.
91st over: Australia 422-8 (Starc 27, Lyon 0)
Umesh Yadav is back and it’s all happening. First he advances down the pitch and drives two through cover. Then he slams a straight drive, Yadav gets a hand on it and deflects it into Umpire Erasmus, who gets an arm up to protect his face and saves himself a dental injury. He also costs Starc a couple of runs. Starc makes up for it with a clear-the-front-leg slog through wide mid-on for a boundary. 21 from 16. Australia surge into the lead. This is killing India. We’re barely past the halfway point in the match. Starc then drives two through cover, then pulls off the glove for four more.
27 from 19 balls, and India’ short-ball attack is looking pretty dumb. 12 from the over. Lyon has only faced one ball.
Umpire Erasmus gets some medical treatment from the Australian doctor for his wrist, just a bit sore.
90th over: Australia 409-8 (Starc 15, Lyon 0)
Well, Starc has a Test match 99 and is more than handy with the cue. He clobbers one from Ishant over point for four, then drives four more down the ground. Australia hit the lead by a run. Ishant has three wickets today but has now gone for 100 in the innings. Sharma digs in a sharper bouncer and gives Starc the big FU stare after he misses. Starc pulls the next one for a run. Lyon hasn’t faced a ball yet, he has one to go. Starc has 15 from 13 balls.
Australia lead by two.
Andrew James has been paying very close attention, and perhaps needs a hobby. “What is with the Australians wearing underwear with words on the back? Smiggle, budgy smuggler, that sort of thing? In my day (the mid ‘90s) you wore white and you were happy with your lot in life. Must have something to do with that new fangled interwebs I keep hearing about.”
Updated
89th over: Australia 401-8 (Starc 6, Lyon 0)
Nathan Lyon strides out at number ten, with the new man Hazlewood to bat jack. After hearing of Lyon’s exploits in Canberra club cricket I no longer think of him as a timid bunny. He’s a ravening animal just waiting to slip the leash. Beware.
Aaron is the bowler, and Starc is pushing and missing on his drive. Right armer around the wicket to a left-hander. He’s getting some movement and bowling very fast. From the last ball Starc pushes it square, and he manages to get it all the way to the rope out behind point, but the attempted save is ruled good by the third umpire as Vijay rolled over the ball and flicked it back. Three runs and there’s the 400. Only seven runs the difference now.
88th over: Australia 398-8 (Starc 3)
So Johnson falls from the first ball of the over, Mitchell Starc arrives and drives three straight down the ground, then Smith is out from the final ball. Things change quickly.
WICKET! Smith 133, b Ishant Sharma
Two in the over! Ishant the unlikely hero, he hasn’t looke convincing but he’s finally knocked over both of these dangerous batsmen after a partnership of 148. Johnson gone, Smith now gone, he was caught pushing down at one while caught on the crease, away from his body, and an inside edge onto the stumps.
Here are the scores for Australian centuries on captaincy debut.
Graham Yallop: 102
Greg Chappell: 109*
Lindsay Hassett: 112
Greg Chappell: 123
Monty Noble: 133
Steven Smith: 133
Harry Trott: 143
Billy Murdoch: 153*
Warwick Armstrong: 158
Clem Hill: 191
Updated
WICKET! Johnson 88, c Dhoni b Ishant
Dreams of centuries turn to dust in the mouth, as Johnson aims a big drive at an angled Ishant ball and only gets the top edge of the diagonal bat. He falls short, but it’s been a magnificent knock. He’s cut the deficit to just 13 runs, and entertained all and sundry in the process.
87th over: Australia 395-6 (Smith 133, Johnson 88)
Varun Aaron is back and he’s already clocking 149 km/h. Smith is not unduly fazed, using Aaron’s pace to deflect to balls through third man for four. A little risky, entirely deliberate, extremely profitable.
86th over: Australia 387-6 (Smith 125, Johnson 88)
Normal service resumes, as Johnson clips Ishant to the square leg boundary. It’s officially Ton Watch for Johnners - the second hand is ticking. So is his batting. Two more with a lofted shot over cover. They have a drinks break and Johnson sits down with cold wet towel over his head. Still hot out there, a little less muggy than yesterday, which was like lying face down in a wet mattress.
85th over: Australia 381-6 (Smith 125, Johnson 82)
Australia know that their counter-punching has got them into a very strong position, and now they’re keen to consolidate. Smith takes two from Yadav’s first ball, then leaves and defends the next five. I’m just getting the numbers on high scores for Australia’s captaincy debut centurions.
Feel free to email me with any thoughts: geoff.lemon@theguardian.com, or tweet @GeoffLemonSport.
84th over: Australia 379-6 (Smith 123, Johnson 82)
What’s this? Another maiden. What’s more, a maiden from Ishant Sharma. To Mitchell Johnson. This is weird.
83rd over: Australia 379-6 (Smith 123, Johnson 82)
Oh, what even is that shot? Johnson goes for a big hoicking pull swat against Yadav, gets a massive top edge, it flies down towards third man, Ishant is there but he’s about 10 metres in from the fence and it clears his head and lands behind him to go for four. That is execrable really. Bad field placement, no judgement of how to possibly take the catch. India, where are thou.
82nd over: Australia 374-6 (Smith 123, Johnson 77)
The Indian lead is only 37 runs as this over starts, and the pair they can’t separate has done most of that damage. Australia were 247/6 when Haddin was out, and 161 runs behind. But as so often happens, India’s bowling let the game slip when it was within their grasp.
I wonder if some stats fan could do an analysis of which teams concede the most runs to their opponents’ lower order?
Johnson nearly gives it away that ball from Ishant Sharma, with a big drive that edges over gully. Single. Smith clips two behind square.
81st over: Australia 371-6 (Smith 121, Johnson 76)
New ball is taken and Umesh Yadav is the man to take it. He had good figures earlier with three wickets for 50-odd, but then Johnson slapped him to all parts. Still has room to mount a comeback. India need it. Smith drives away from his body for three, no footwork but he got his hands through the line of the ball towards cover. Johnson edges a single through a vacant gully. Johnson has been having a bit of attention from the orange vest brigade and the physio at the end of the last couple of overs, getting drinks, getting medication perhaps. Don’t know if he’s cramping or a bit sore, he had a slight back or hip problem in the first innings while bowling.
80th over: Australia 367-6 (Smith 118, Johnson 75)
The Gabba crowd are getting all over these Indians: they were howling bouncers before, now they’re howling misfields and howling any chat in the field. Smith works two from Ashwin then three out through cover. New ball is due.
79th over: Australia 362-6 (Smith 113, Johnson 75)
Ha. What a cat-and-mouse game. India are looking to make Australia force the pace, Australia are working singles and playing calmly. The deficit comes down to 50 runs, but then Johnson sees the last ball in his zone and drives it along the ground through long off, and the fielder down there - Aaron - makes a meal of it, can’t get there quickly enough, sprawls and can’t stop it.
Worryingly for India, Johnson has never made this many in a Test innings and then been dismissed. Top scores 123*, 96*, 92*, this #ausvind
— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) December 19, 2014
Updated
78th over: Australia 354-6 (Smith 111, Johnson 69)
Ashwin is coming around the wicket to Johnson, to try straightening one past Johnson’s edge. Johnson is being patient, waits for a single. Ashwin stays around to the right-handed Smith.
77th over: Australia 353-6 (Smith 111, Johnson 68)
India deciding, belatedly, to take the pace off the ball. The new ball isn’t far away. Rohit Sharma is on to take responsibility for his actions directly, by using the ball. He bowls off-spin as well, and is switching over and around the wicket through his first over. A couple of singles.
76th over: Australia 351-6 (Smith 110, Johnson 67)
Back after lunch, and it’s Ravi Ashwin bowling a maiden as Johnson decides to play himself back in. That, more than anything, says that he’s setting himself for an even longer innings here. This isn’t just smash and dash. The deficit is only 56 runs now for Australia. Steve Smith leading from the front, then Johnson coming in to support him fiercely. What a run Smith has had.
From his Oval maiden century to now, in 12.5 Tests, Smith is now 1232 runs @ 72. 6 x 100, a ton in better than one in four innings. #AusvInd
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) December 19, 2014
Says Kabir Sethi, “Fantastic innings and very well deserved hundred. Going to be fun watching his career over the next ten years. I think the Smith v Kohli will be a great subplot in future Border-Gavaskar trophies.”
Thanks to Scott Heinrich for the morning session, and here I am for lunch. I watched Johnson’s innings from the upper deck of the Gabba, and it was a treat. He’s only occasionally on song with the bat, but when he is there’s no better striker in world cricket. Johnson loves a clean pitch with good bounce, and to face fast bowling. Give him those and he can carve, just like he did here last year when he similarly rescued Australia against England, then came out and battered them with the ball.
Oh yeah, he tends to take wickets after he makes runs.
Apparently Rohit Sharma mocked Johnson for not having taken any in the first innings. Bad idea. Johnson struggles when his self-doubt gets the better of him. The best way for him to paper over that is to get angry. Don’t make him angry.
Rohit of course prompted Johnson’s bat-language reply of “Up yours mate, how many runs did you make?” The Aussie spearhead has battered India to all parts. This stat speaks for itself: that in a century partnership, the new captain in the form of his life has only contributed 32 of those runs. He looked dodgy as hell in the lead-up to his hundred: two near lbw shouts and one nearly chopped on. But he made it.
Every one of these runs Johnson is making are runs Rohit must match. “How many wickets have you got?” Rohit asked MJ. One more innings to go
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) December 19, 2014
Lunch: Australia 351-6 (Smith 110, Johnson 67)
That session pretty much had it all. India looked menacing when taking two early wickets, but, with Smith well set at his end, Johnson waltzed in and took back the initiative with a display of brazen, beautiful and brilliant batting.
Johnson’s contributed 67 runs of the 104-run unbroken union and has stolen the limelight from Smith, which is saying something given Australia’s stand-in skipper has again shown what a delightful batsman he is with a sixth Test century.
Though Australia take lunch with the momentum, it must be remembered that India are still in front to the tune of 57 runs. As we’ve seen several times already in this match, things can change suddenly. But if these two carry on in the same vein after lunch, Australia’s deficit will soon become a lead.
That’s all from me, I’ve had a blast. It’s over to Geoff Lemon.
75th over: Australia 351-6 (Smith 110, Johnson 67)
Australia’s seventh-wicket juggernaut rolls on, with another four to Smith taking the unbroken stand to 102 runs from 82 balls. Really breathtaking stuff from both batsmen, but particularly Johnson.
74th over: Australia 345-6 (Smith 105, Johnson 66)
Really pretty to watch from Johnson, who showcases his genuine batting skills with a lofted, but entirely safe, drive down the ground that sends Ashwin to the fence.
73rd over: Australia 340-6 (Smith 104, Johnson 62)
And there we have it: Smith plays the classic (stand-in) captain’s knock, bringing up his sixth Test century with a boundary behind point. A great effort from a great talent ... it’s a measure of Johnson’s dominance that you occasionally forgot he was out there. But he sure is there, and doing just the job that Australia needs from him.
72nd over: Australia 332-6 (Smith 98, Johnson 61)
Six more for Johnson, who moves his feet to the spinner and drives high and handsome over the long-on fence. Australia speeding towards India’s 408 when an hour ago it seemed an eon away.
71st over: Australia 325-6 (Smith 97, Johnson 55)
Beautiful and brutal in equal parts from Johnson, who clubs two more boundaries off Aaron to move to 50 - off just 37 balls. He carries on the celebration with possibly his best yet, a straight-bat blow to the long-on fence. Way to wrest back the initiative, Mitch.
Smith then moves to 97 - and nearly gets himself out - with a French cut that could quite easily have cannoned onto his stumps. This partnership now worth 79 in barely 10 overs. Remarkable.
70th over: Australia 311-6 (Smith 96, Johnson 42)
Smith moves to 96 with a single but Johnson stays watchful for the remainder of Ashwin’s over until a single off the last ball keeps him on strike.
69th over: Australia 309-6 (Smith 95, Johnson 41)
Another four for Johnson, this time hitting Yadav to the long-off fence to take Australia past 300. Another boundary follows but it’s a streaky one, Johnson’s edge zooming through the vacant third-slip area. Deflated, Yadav loses his length and is cut over backward point to tack another four runs to the Aussie total.
68th over: Australia 297-6 (Smith 95, Johnson 29)
It’s time for some turn as Ashwin replaces Sharma in the attack. I’m sure Sharma was bowling to some sort of plan, but short to Johnson is no sort of plan. Gains India made in the first hour were pretty much nullified by that spell. Smith, exquisite against spin, moves his feet to meet the pitch of the ball and cover-drives for four to move to 95. Great response from the spinner, who gets Smith on the back foot and traps him in front ... the very good lbw shout is turned down. My that was close.
67th over: Australia 291-6 (Smith 90, Johnson 28)
Smith moves into the 90s with a single in a fairly uneventful Yadav over. Four runs come from it and it’s time for another drinks break at a baking Gabba.
Channel 9 are plugging their Classic Catch competition. First prize is two large and year’s worth of KFC. That’s a prize? I’d take the two thousand no problemo but isn’t KFC every day a bit like a Morgan Spurlock experiment that frankly no sane person should engage in?
66th over: Australia 287-6 (Smith 89, Johnson 26)
Sharma continues with the short stuff to Johnson, but it ain’t working. One bumper, a no-ball no less, is merely assisted by Johnson over the slip cordon for four. A few more feet and it would have been six. He then punches off the back foot for three more backward of point. Really good batting from Australia’s number eight. Two to Smith at the end of the over takes this bright and breezy stand to 40 off 32 balls.
65th over: Australia 276-6 (Smith 86, Johnson 19)
Yadav reverts to around the wicket to Johnson and almost gains instant reward as the batsman plays and misses at one outside off-stump.
64th over: Australia 274-6 (Smith 85, Johnson 18)
Now it’s Aaron’s turn for a rest as Sharma returns to the attack. Johnson feasts on a couple of short balls, hooking the paceman for two boundaries - the latter a cracker over midwicket. He then tries it again; this time it drops just in front of the catcher at deep square. Two runs to Smith make it 14 runs from Sharma’s first over back.
63rd over: Australia 260-6 (Smith 83, Johnson 7)
Johnson’s intentions are clear: score runs and score them fast. Nothing particularly comes off for him this over, but signs are he’s going to play his shots in an attempt to get Australia near India’s 408.
62nd over: Australia 257-6 (Smith 83, Johnson 4)
Johnson gets off the mark with three through midwicket before Smith plays the shot of the morning, helping a short one on its way to the third-man fence. Very nearly six, too. Aaron put on notice by umpires about the amount of short stuff this over.
WICKET! Haddin 6, c Pujara b Aaron (Australia 247-6)
First ball after the drinks break brings reward for India and Aaron, who turns Haddin inside out with a delightful, brutal short ball that the batsman can only fend to short-leg. India right on top here. They find a way through Smith and Australia are in all sorts.
61st over: Australia 247-5 (Smith 78, Haddin 6)
Sharma’s excellent opening spell comes to and end, with Yadav tossed the cherry. He begins brightly, if a little non-threateningly, with Smith seeing off a maiden. Time for drinks.
Dwayne Leverock’s beautiful slips catch has struck a chord with OBO followers. Over to you, Matt Harris:
“Morning Scott, thanks for the OBO. Dwayne Leverock’s slips grab is all the more remarkable given that (according to Wikipedia) he’s the second largest man ever to play international cricket, having weighed in at just a touch under 130 kg. Decent movement from the big fella. I’m pleased to note that the largest, Warwick Armstrong, was an Australian.”
60th over: Australia 247-5 (Smith 78, Haddin 6)
Around the wicket, Aaron errs down leg side and is punished by Haddin, who glances deftly to the fine-leg fence.
59th over: Australia 243-5 (Smith 78, Haddin 2)
Haddin gets off the mark with a couple before Sharma twice traps him on the crease and asks two very reasonable questions of the umpire - to the naked eye the second one looked out, full and hitting Haddin in front of middle stump. But he survives, somewhat luckily, replays showing the ball would have struck leg stump.
Back to our earlier classic catches discussion, Peter Leybourne weighs in with this:
Updated
58th over: Australia 237-5 (Smith 76, Haddin 0)
Unperturbed by the loss of Marsh, Smith continues on his merry way with a boundary off Aaron steered down to third man.
57th over: Australia 233-5 (Smith 72, Haddin 0)
That was the last ball of the over. In comes Haddin. Wouldn’t India love to follow up by breaking this partnership before it has the chance to blossom.
WICKET! M Marsh 11, b Sharma (Australia: 233-5)
Another penetrative, probing offering from Sharma - save for a short and wide one that he was lucky not to have to rebowl - keeps Marsh on his toes until he chooses to leave one on a good length that veers inwards and takes out the offstump. An error in judgment from Marsh and the breakthrough that India were looking for.
56th over: Australia 232-4 (Smith 72, M Marsh 11)
Marsh finds his first runs of the day, whipping Aaron off his pads for three through midwicket. Six from the over as the Aussie batsmen rotate the strike.
55th over: Australia 226-4 (Smith 70, M Marsh 7)
Sharms angles one into Smith, who defuses the apparent danger with a deft glance down to fine leg for a single.
Bounce seems pretty consistent and the pitch looks to be holding up very well, but ...
54th over: Australia 225-4 (Smith 69, M Marsh 7)
Another run for Smith brings Marsh on strike, and Aaron welcomes him to the fray with a bouncer that whistles safely past the batsman’s chin. The quick follows up with a couple of tempters just outside off-stump, the second one almost finding the edge. Lovely bowling.
53rd over: Australia 224-4 (Smith 68, M Marsh 7)
No more than a cobweb blower from Sharma, and Smith shows little interest until the last ball of the over when he steps onto the front foot and calmly drives through the covers for an easy three. We’re under way.
We’re just moments away from play a the Gabba.
But first, and back to Marnus Labuschagne’s nice catch yesterday, it got me thinking about great snaffles, one of the great aspects of this great sport.
Trawling YouTube, I came across this - which claims to contain The Greatest Catch Ever. I think not.
I’m still with Vasbert Drakes at the 2003 World Cup.
Updated
The drinks are on Josh Hazlewood’s dad’s mates. Of course, one of the better actual cricketing stories of the past two days is Australia’s impressive debutant paceman.
Five scalps on debut is about as good a statement as you can make, but Hazlewood’s old man and his buddies were already cock-a-hoop once the 23-year-old stepped foot on the Gabba. When Josh was 15, they’d each placed a $100 bet with a British bookie at odds of 500-1 that he’d play Test cricket for Australia by the age of 30. That’s fifty thousand pieces of sweet action.
So, onto day three. Conditions are good, weather is set fair (well, as fair it can be in the unpredictable climes of Brisbane) and Australia should ... should ... be well placed to make decent inroads into India’s lead. As ever, though, the loss of a wicket or two will alter the complexion of the match.
Much hinges on the man below.
Preamble
Top of the morning. Were I to be typing on a French/Belgian keyboard - which, thankfully, I’m not - this would be an Azertyuiop coverage of the morning session on day three at the Gabba. Those who like the gee gees (not to be confused with the Bee Gees) will recall a very smart chaser by the name of Azertyuiop, said horse plundering all manner of good races in the UK in the early noughties.
I digress.
After two pretty absorbing days of cricket, with several notable performances, the name on most people’s lips is Marnus Labuschagne, a South African-born sub fielder who did nothing more than remove a number 10 with an admittedly sharp catch at short-leg. Proof that cricket loves its mini-stories and subplots.
If you missed his pouch, or if you’d just like to see it again, here you go:
Good morning and welcome to the live blog. Scott Heinrich is your man with the QWERTY commentary this morning, taking in what promises to be a pivotal day at the Gabba. After Australia’s fight back yesterday, will they reach first innings parity and start putting pressure on India? Much depends on Steve Smith, you’d think, whose fantastic form means a century on his captaincy debut looks like a fair punt. Alternatively, he might not.
