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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Geoff Lemon at the MCG (earlier) and Scott Heinrich (later)

Australia v India: second Test, day three – as it happened

Steve Smith
Australia’s Steve Smith is dismissed for 8 on another disappointing day with the bat against India in the third day of the second Test at the MCG. Photograph: Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AP

Summary

India ended day two at the MCG with the ascendancy and day three produced more of the same as Australia’s batting frailties were again exposed. As the hosts slumped to 99-6 midway through the evening session - marking a collapse of four wickets for just 28 runs - it looked like India might win with more than two days to spare. But Cameron Green (17 not out) and Pat Cummins (15 not out) shared in an unbroken 34-run stand for the seventh wicket to ensure Australia will have at least something to bowl at on Tuesday.

Of great concern to Australia is the form of Steve Smith, whose 1 and 1 not out in Adelaide has been followed up with scores of 0 and 8 in the second Test, and that of Joe Burns, whose return of 0 and 4 in Melbourne surely make his days in the Test team numbered. David Warner cannot return fast enough for an Australia line-up that is yet to surpass 200 this series. What made India’s decimation of Australia’s top and middle order all the more meritorious was the calf injury suffered by Umesh early in the innings. It placed the load squarely on Bumrah, Siraj, Ashwin and Jadeja, and they did not disappoint on a deck that wasn’t overly helpful to the turning or seaming ball.

Controversy will surround the dismissal of Australia captain Tim Paine, who was adjudged caught behind on review despite Hotspot suggesting the ball made no contact with the bat. But even that can’t detract from India’s dominance. All things being equal, they should wrap things up on day four and level the series.

Good point, Krish. But I’m inclined to view Adelaide as an aberration rather than an oncoming trend. But stranger things have happened.

Updated

Stumps - Australia 133-6 (lead by two runs)

Green and Cummins have done very well to ensure a fourth day’s play and a second innings for India. As wickets tumbled earlier in the evening session it looked like India might wrap it up today, but we still have a game on our hands.

It was all India today, however, with a special mention to Ashwin, who seemed to always be bowling. He’ll sleep well after a return of 1-46 from 23 overs.

66th over: Australia 133-6 (Green 17, Cummins 15) The last over goes to Ashwin. There’s still some fireworks in Green’s blade as a boundary wide of mid-off puts Australia into the lead. That’s one box ticked. Cummins has the honour of facing the last two balls of the day. Ashwin finishes with a leg-break, Cummins protects his wicket and that is stumps.

65th over: Australia 128-6 (Green 12, Cummins 15) Siraj probes outside the off-stump and does enough to interest Green, who flashes away but hits air particles only. That was oh so close to the outside edge. Green then manages to keep a short, fast one down - off his glove - with leg gully lying hungrily in wait. One over to go. Australia trail by three runs.

64th over: Australia 127-6 (Green 11, Cummins 15) Green picks up a single and the over looks to be petering out but there’s plenty in Ashwin’s final delivery as Cummins prods uppishly and is lucky to survive as the ball lands just in front of the short cover fielder. Two overs remaining today.

63rd over: Australia 126-6 (Green 10, Cummins 15) Siraj returns. Cummins defends like a Lion as the day’s play records yet another maiden over.

More on the Paine dismissal from Kishalay Banerjee: “Regarding Paine’s dismissal, could a possible solution be that the decision is out only if both Snicko and Hotspot return positive results? It’s not ideal by any means, but it might help to negate the chances of the Snicko picking up other sounds and causing issues, which seems to have happened in this case.”

Hmmm. That would normally be the case - ie Hotspot and Snicko concur. But when one technology says no - particularly Hotspot - how can it be out?

62nd over: Australia 126-6 (Green 10, Cummins 15) Both batsmen rotate the strike with a series of singles off Ashwin and these two have now put on 27 for the seventh wicket in a bit over 14 overs. It’s been a defiant stand that will (should) at least ensure there is play tomorrow.

61st over: Australia 123-6 (Green 9, Cummins 13) Cummins turns Bumrah past leg gully for a single before the paceman again tries to work Green over with pace and variety: a short ball followed by a lethal yorker. Again, Green is equal to the task.

Here’s Pant putting Cummins down.

60th over: Australia 122-6 (Green 9, Cummins 12) Dropped catch! Cummins plays inside a straight one from Ashwin and gets the thinnest of thin edges that Pant fails to glove. They would have loved that one but Cummins survives.

59th over: Australia 121-6 (Green 9, Cummins 11) More Bumrah - and let’s face it, that’s no bad thing - around the wicket to Green. The fast bowler, short square in place, peppers Green with a couple of bouncers before unveiling the three-card trick: the rapid, inswinging yorker. Well played by Green, who digs it out, but is then made to pay with another short ball that hits the batsman flush on the bicep. Welcome to Test cricket, Cam. Shield cricket can only prepare you so much. But Green is doing well.

58th over: Australia 120-6 (Green 9, Cummins 11) Jadeja is relieved of his duties after that expensive over as Ashwin returns for his 19th over. Green collects a quick single to point and that’s about the over. Australia trail by 11 runs.

Here’s the Green biff from two overs ago.

57th over: Australia 119-6 (Green 8, Cummins 11) Normal service is restored courtesy of Bumrah, who keeps Cummins guessing with some short stuff, some straight stuff and even a slow full-toss. A maiden over, but a very watchable one at that.

56th over: Australia 119-6 (Green 8, Cummins 11) Shot! Cummins picks up Jadeja on the half-volley and goes down the ground for four before handing the strike to Green, who gets into the swing of things with a big hoick over midwicket that’s barely feet short of a six. Nine from the over. A rare productive one for Australia, who move to within 12 runs of India.

Here’s some vision of the Paine dismissal.

55th over: Australia 110-6 (Green 4, Cummins 6) Bumrah returns. Green gets his head over the ball and defends safely before getting under a rising short ball. Those watching have no idea what Bumrah will do next. Must be a nightmare for the man facing him. A single to point looks possible but Cummins sends Green back. fair enough, too. Bumrah resumes with a maiden.

54th over: Australia 110-6 (Green 4, Cummins 5) Green pushes Jadeja to mid-off for a quick single. What a great opportunity this is for the young man. His country needs him. And he looks determined to protect his wicket, in no rush to advance the score. But in the distance a man called Bumrah warms up...

53rd over: Australia 108-6 (Green 3, Cummins 5) Siraj carries on with his lively spell. He’s been excellent. India have been excellent, particularly after tea. Cummins showcases a forward defensive that might teach a thing or two to some higher in the order and it’s tough going out there until a rare loose ball outside off is punched through the covers for three.

52nd over: Australia 105-6 (Green 3, Cummins 2) Jadeja continues to Green, who can do no more than defend the ball off the back and front foot in another maiden over.

51st over: Australia 105-6 (Green 3, Cummins 2) Green steps into a straighter one from Siraj and is trapped on the crease. The appeal for leg before goes up but the ball looks to be definitely heading down leg. Siraj looks to be moving the ball in to the right-hander. Just one run from the over. Australia still trail by 26 runs.

50th over: Australia 104-6 (Green 2, Cummins 2) A no-ball, a single and a few dot balls is the summary of Jadeja’s latest offering. As you were.

49th over: Australia 102-6 (Green 1, Cummins 2) Green gets off the mark at the 12th time of asking with a single past the bowler. That Paine dismissal looks funkier by the minute. Not sure how that could be given out.

WICKET! Paine c Pant b Jadeja 1 (Australia 99-6)

48th over: Australia 101-6 (Green 0, Cummins 2)

A controversial decision but a wicket all the same and Paine is on his way. The Australia skipper looks to play and miss to Jadeja but India are interested in caught behind and review the decision. Hotspot showed absolutely nothing as the ball passed the bat but Snicko detected a sound. And that’s enough for the umpire’s call to be overturned. Paine is not happy and fair enough. That sound might have been something other than leather on willow. We will be hearing more on this one.

But what’s done is done and Paine is out. Australia won’t be making India bat again at this rate.

47th over: Australia 99-5 (Green 0, Paine 1) Paine ventures to the middle with the worries of a nation on his shoulders. Siraj completes his over to the Australia, who gets off the mark with a single off the final ball.

And it’s hello to Saptarshi Paul: “Barring the second innings at Adelaide, Australia has not even been able to cross 200 in their two proper innings. They are 98-5 in this one too. Is it the Indian bowling that’s too good, or is the Australia batting actually poor? They either seem to be playing T20, or just hanging on for dear life, letting the attack come onto them. If India doesn’t collapse like they did in the second innings, I think the Aussies will find it difficult to stay on top much longer with this kind of batting.”

Make no mistake, this is an outstanding attack. They have a plan, and know how to execute, to every batsman. And to think Umesh isn’t bowling at the moment.

WICKET! Head c Agarwal b Siraj 17 (Australia 98-5)

Oh boy. Siraj returns and strikes immediately as Head chases at a nothing sort of ball outside off-stump and sends a regulation outside edge to Agarwal at second slip. More - much more - was needed from Head but he is gone and Australia are in all sorts of bother, still trailing India by 33 runs.

46th over: Australia 98-4 (Head 17, Green 0) Jadeja, too, is speeding through his deliveries, giving Green no time to get settled or think for that matter. The new batsman sees off the threat comfortably enough in another maiden over.

45th over: Australia 98-4 (Head 17, Green 0) Ashwin races through yet another maiden over. What great responsibility rests on the shoulders of these two batsmen. They are unlikely saviours but this is how you make a name for yourself.

WICKET! Wade lbw b Jadeja 40 (Australia 98-4)

44th over: Australia 98-4 (Head 17, Green 0)

More runs for Head, this time past short fine-leg. A single then puts Wade on strike and he persishes to possibly his first lazy shot of the innings. Perhaps Jadeja got the ball to skid on a bit, and perhaps it was a tad quicker, but Wade goes back when he might have gone forward and is absolutely plumb as the ball cannons onto his pads. The batsman takes the decision upstairs but Wade is resigned to his fate. That is out. And Australia are in trouble.

43rd over: Australia 95-3 (Wade 40, Head 14) Wade is quite happy to wait for the bad ball from Ashwin but there are very few of those in existence. Another maiden.

Much is being made of Steve Smith’s slump, but what of Joe Burns? Have we seen the last of him at Test level?

42nd over: Australia 95-3 (Wade 40, Head 14) Head continues to use all parts of the crease, again giving himself plenty of room but being denied runs by some sharp fielding in the covers. Maiden over.

41st over: Australia 95-3 (Wade 40, Head 14) Ashwin keeps Head on a short leash with four dot balls before the batsman squeezes one to mid-off for a quick single. Ashwin saves his best for last, getting one to bite off the pitch and beat Wade’s outside edge. Ashwin has been up a while but he continues to bowl well.

40th over: Australia 94-3 (Wade 40, Head 13) Wade sweeps for two behind square before two singles follow in what seemed a lightning-quick over.

Very good, I would have thought.

39th over: Australia 90-3 (Wade 37, Head 12) Double change and now Ashwin reappears from the other end to give Bumrah a break. So it’s spin-spin for India. There’ll be no issue with slow over-rates here. Head gives himself plenty of room, looking to cut through the covers, but he misses as the ball just clears the stumps and is fumbled by Pant.

38th over: Australia 89-3 (Wade 36, Head 12) India finally make a change but it’s spin for spin as Ashwin makes way for Jadeja. Wade nurdles a single to mid-off before Head drives smartly through extra cover for two.

Here’s the latest on Umesh.

37th over: Australia 86-3 (Wade 35, Head 10) Bumrah is full and straight to Head, who steps across his crease and clips the ball just in front of the fielder at leg gully. It’s living dangerously but he tries the shot again later in the over and has success this time, playing squarer for two. Bumrah is not impressed and finishes his 13th over with a dastardly bouncer that goes well over Head’s, um, head. My, Bumrah generates some speed from that short run.

36th over: Australia 83-3 (Wade 34, Head 8) Rahane persists with Ashwin and why the heck not? He and Bumrah are dangerous bowling in tandem. Head turns one through midwicket for two before concluding the over with a meaty cut shot that clatters into the legs of Gill at bat-pad.

35th over: Australia 81-3 (Wade 34, Head 6) Head works Bumrah through midwicket for three and though it wasn’t the most convincing of shots, and was helped by a misfield, he’ll take it. Wade then tries, without success, to get under a bouncer from Bumrah, turning his head to the oncoming ball and getting struck flush on the back of the helmet. A delay ensues: concussion test and a new helmet and Wade is good to continue. Bumrah has his tail up here. Fast, hostile, outstanding. Australia trail by 50 runs.

34th over: Australia 78-3 (Wade 34, Head 3) So much now rests with Wade. The opener looks to take it up to Ashwin, getting on one knee and sweeping for two. Nice fielding in the deep by Siraj, whose extravagant dive and gather saves two runs.

But back to Steve Smith...

WICKET! Smith b Bumrah 8 (Australia 71-3)

33rd over: Australia 76-3 (Wade 32, Head 3)

Smith goes! Big, big wicket for India. Smith looks to play a garden variety leg glance but doesn’t get much of it and the ball just tickles the leg-stump bail on its way through. Smith doesn’t notice initially as he sets off for the single but then looks down at his stumps, shoulders slumped, while India celebrate wildly. Big wicket.

And it was almost two wickets in two balls as Head is welcomed to the middle with a brutal lifter that he fends just over the fielder at gully. Wonderful fast bowling.

32nd over: Australia 71-2 (Wade 31, Smith 8) Ashwin to Wade. The drift into tghe left-hander is pronounced but Wade is equal to the task. Five dot balls are followed by one that is overpitched outside off, inviting Wade to drive past a snoozing Agarwal at mid-off for four.

31st over: Australia 67-2 (Wade 27, Smith 8) Bumrah gets a full over to Smith and you get the feeling that’s what he wants. India clearly have a plan with the leg gully in place to Smith but spoils are shared this over with a maiden the result.

30th over: Australia 67-2 (Wade 27, Smith 8) No change for India after the tea break as Ashwin continues. A Smith single puts Wade on strike and he is beaten by an absolute belter that swerves, spins and bounces straight through the batsman’s defences - over the stumps and past the keeper. Too good for everyone, that ball. Too good even to get a wicket. A peach. Unplayable.

Wade and Pant, meanwhile, are still at it.

29th over: Australia 66-2 (Wade 27, Smith 7) And we’re back for the final session. Bumrah continues his spell. The pitch looks to be flattening out so batting conditions are good, even if there looks to be something there for the spinners. But the good bowlers bowl well in any conditions and Bumrah is one of them. Smith gets proceedings away with a single through midwicket before Wade sees of five straight dot balls. Who will blink first?

Tea - Australia 65-2 (trail by 66 runs)

An even session with Burns and Labuschagne departing but Wade and Smith doing their level best against some quality bowling, most notably by Ashwin. The loss of Umesh to a suspected calf injury could have an enormous impact on this match. The following session will reveal much as Australia look to edge ahead and India look to make further inroads. A big couple of hours are in the offing.

28th over: Australia 65-2 (Wade 27, Smith 6) Ashwin to Smith. Last over before tea. First delivery of the over, Smith meets the pitch of the ball and punches to mid-on for a quick single. The next delivery looks to get a little big on Wade, who is through on his shot when the ball arrives and is lucky to survive as his looped mishit evades the off-side infield. Bizarre final delivery of the session sees Wade leave one wide outside off with such exaggeration that he ends up following through behind the stumps and eyeballing Pant. And that is tea.

27th over: Australia 64-2 (Wade 27, Smith 5) Bumrah has generally been shortish bowling to Wade but as soon as he drops in a full one he is made to pay as the left-hander drives beautifully through mid-on for four. Shot of the session, I’ll wager. A short one follows - of course! - but Wade has no trouble hopping underneath it.

26th over: Australia 60-2 (Wade 23, Smith 5) Smith is all motion as he prepares to face Ashwin, ants in his pants. The spinner switches from over the wicket to around. A sweep is stopped by the leg gully before Smith glances one fine and is still there as the ball lands just in front of the fielder at leg slip. Soft hands kept the shot down but Ashwin is causing Smith plenty of concern at the present time. Maiden over. High-quality spin bowling.

25th over: Australia 60-2 (Wade 23, Smith 5) Siraj is replaced by Bumrah, who’ll get an over or two or three before tea. Interesting move. With Smith not exactly loving the turning ball right now, Jadeja might have been an option. Around the wicket to Wade, Bumrah concedes two runs down the ground and before the opener sees off the rest of the over. Which makes my comments above moot and hypothetical, when you think about it. Ashwin to get possibly a full over to Smith next.

24th over: Australia 58-2 (Wade 21, Smith 5) India cramp the bat as Ashwin continues to Smith, who gets off strike with a single. And he looks mightily relieved to do so after earlier in the over inside-edging one onto his pads dancing down the crease. If anyone has Smith’s number at the moment, it’s Ashwin. And he’s bowling very well this spell: turn, drift and flight from both sides of the wicket. Dangerous.

23rd over: Australia 56-2 (Wade 20, Smith 4) Siraj errs ever so slightly onto Smith’s pads and the batsman picks it up nice and early, clipping wide of the leg-gully fielder for three runs. Wade returns to his watchful self, seeing off five successive dot balls to conclude the over.

And now it’s time for a word from our sponsors Sunil.

22nd over: Australia 53-2 (Wade 20, Smith 1) Two more for Wade off Ashwin and it’s a hurriedly run two at that. Pant really is chirping away behind the stumps but wade is in the zone as he bunts away the last four deliveries of the over.

21st over: Australia 51-2 (Wade 18, Smith 1) Don’t you just love an all-run four? Wade turns Siraj all the way to cow corner as the ball is stopped just inside the rope as the batsmen scurry through for a boundary-that-wasn’t. Wade sucks some big ones in before preparing to face the next delivery. He’s panting. A single follows and India insert a leg gully for Smith. Nothing doing, however. Smith is in no hurry to score. Or fail again, for that matter.

20th over: Australia 46-2 (Wade 13, Smith 1) Ashwin reverts to over the wicket to Smith. Slip, leg slip, short leg in place. Ashwin is a man with a plan. Pant is chirpy but Smith gets off the pair with a clip through midwicket for one. With that out the way, Smith is no doubt plotting the next 99. Wade ends the over with a mishit sweep that trickles fine for a single.

19th over: Australia 44-2 (Wade 12, Smith 0) Siraj continues. Another lbw appeal. Another decision of not out. And another review. And it’s a wasted one with the ball pitching well outside the line of leg-stump en route to Wade’s back pad. Over the wicket to a leftie. Not a great formula for leg before. And that was well outside the line. A reckless review. Wade caresses one through midwicket for two to end the over, handing the strike back to Smith. Who is on a pair.

WICKET! Labuschagne c Rahane b Ashwin 28 (Australia 42-2)

18th over: Australia 42-2 (Wade 10, Smith 0) Marnus gone! Around the wicket again to Labuschagne, Ashwin angles one across the right-hander but the ball goes straight on and takes the outside edge. It’s an easy catch for Rahane at slip and that is a big breakthrough for India. Lovely, cunning delivery from Ashwin. Looked to be a bit of drift in there, too. It was a deadly delivery. Smith strolls to the middle, on a pair. He blocks the last ball of the over. And is still on a pair.

17th over: Australia 42-1 (Wade 10, Labuschagne 28) Siraj over the wicket to the left-handed Wade, who is in no hurry to escalate the run-rate. And why would he be? He might have been stuck on five for three-quarters of an hour, but at least he’s still out there. As Burns knows, you can’t do much with the pads off. Siraj switches to around the wicket and - would you believe it - Wade’s eyes light up to one wide outside off as he cuts past point for four. That blast has increased his strike rate this dig to 20. Very nice shot.

16th over: Australia 38-1 (Wade 6, Labuschagne 28) His near misses shunted to the deep recesses of his mind, Labuschagne drives Ashwin through extra cover for three. The spinner is around the wicket now. Wade then picks up a single to fine-leg, leaving Marnus to see off the rest of the over with a minimum of fuss.

I don’t really know why, but I like this tweet. It has a message and I think there’s something in it for all of us.

15th over: Australia 34-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 25) Shane Warne is remarking on the telly that Labuschagne looks “a lot calmer” today than in the first innings. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing for Marnus. Regardless, he knew very little of one from Siraj that straightened up and struck him on the pads, back in his crease. The lbw appeal is knocked back by the umpire but India take the decision upstairs. Review dismissed! The ball would have clipped the middle bail but umpire’s call stands. A chunk of fortune there for Labuschange. And again next ball as he steps into a short ball and lives to fight another day as his miscued pull shot lands just out of reach of the retreating square-leg fielder. Eventful over.

14th over: Australia 33-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 24) Ashwin continues. With Umesh down, we can expect plenty from this man today and likely Jadeja, also. A fair bit of turn greets Labuschagne, who picks up two down to fine-leg but it’s a marginal call if it actually hit the bat or glove. There’s no mistake later in the over as Marnus punches through the covers for three. Definite turn there, which will hearten India’s spin duo. And Nathan Lyon.

Thanks Geoff. Australia’s second-wicket pair is digging in staunchly here after the early examination from India’s new-ball attack that claimed Burns for another low score. What kind of target would Australia like to defend in the fourth innings? A huge one, obviously. What are they feasibly likely to set India? We shall see, but to put Australia’s chances in context see the tweet below. The likely loss of Umesh to a calf injury must be factored in. It is a huge blow for India. As ever, please get involved as I take you through to the close of play. Look up for email and Twitter details, down for comments.

13th over: Australia 28-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 19) Siraj gets an over all of his own, in the lead-up to drinks. Bowls alright, just the single to Labuschagne. The debut bowler will have to contribute with wickets today. He bowled well in the first dig, picked up Labuschagne and Green.

That’s the mandated refreshment interval, and that means it’s time for me to hand over to Screamin’ Scott Heinrich. Thanks for your company, and remember: knowledge is half the battle. (GI Joe)

12th over: Australia 27-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 18) Ashwin, slip, leg slip, short leg. Marnus backs away and forces to cover, and what would have been a very tight single becomes two runs witha fumble. He cuts late to deep third where Siraj chases back to save one, as they score three. Wade keeps bringing his back foot around while defending, turning front on to the ball.

The deficit is down to 104.

11th over: Australia 22-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 13) Bumrah and Ashwin, the prime partnership for India now. Australia have the deficit down to 110. Labuschagne keeps defending a tight off-stump line, four balls in a row. One slip has come out to cover to cut off his run option. Just two regulation slips now, plus a leg slip. Cover, mid-off, mid-on, and then for the bumper midwicket set two thirds back and long leg near the rope. Haven’t seen a short ball though. Full again, and he’s able to drive to that deep midwicket for one.

10th over: Australia 21-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 12) After nine overs it’s spin time. And why not? Ravichandran Ashwin, with 2 for 62 and then 4 for 55 so far on tour, bowling his cerebral off-breaks. Overpitches to Labuschagne first ball and gets driven for a couple, then corrects to very nearly have him lbw from the next ball, Marnus just getting some bat to it in time to knock it away from pinning him in front of middle stump. A run results. The left-handed Wade defends hesitantly, playing from the crease and prodding three times in a row.

9th over: Australia 18-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 9) Shot from Labuschagne! Perfect straight drive to hit back at Bumrah’s attempted yorker. Then a Jedi leave to a wider ball. Some napkin maths, assuming that Umesh pulled a calf rather than hurting an ankle given he didn’t obviously slip or anything: the third Test starts late this year, January 7, giving him nine days. And it may be in Melbourne which would mean no travel. If it’s a minor calf strain, we’ve seen players get back in that sort of time. But with a fast bowler’s workload, and given that he looked in serious discomfort, you’d think it’s unlikely.

Meaning India would be without Umesh, Shami, and Ishant, three of their big four who helped them win last time. Can Bumrah and Ashwin do the lifting alone, with support from inexperienced players? Does T Natarajan have a chance at a debut instead of Saini, as a left-armer to offer something different?

8th over: Australia 13-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 4) This is trouble for India: Umesh Yadav has pulled up sore and is leaving the field in the middle of his over. Something with his ankle, it looked like? He bowled the third ball of his over and immediately stopped and called for the physio. Now he’s crossing the boundary line, and Mohammed Siraj is stepping in. It took Siraj about 30 overs to get a bowl in the first innings, but he’ll have to do a major job if Umesh can’t continue here. India also have two spinners, so the loss isn’t as bad as it could be, but that’s another senior bowler potentially out of the series.

The over is a two-bowler maiden.

7th over: Australia 13-1 (Wade 5, Labuschagne 4) The Australian batsmen are keeping the singles ticking over, again and again pushing into the gap at cover for a run. Three times this over. You wonder whether Rahane might employ a short cover or similar to make that more difficult. At the moment he prefers to keep his catchers in position. Is the square leg necessary for Bumrah? Endless things for captains to ponder.

6th over: Australia 10-1 (Wade 3, Labuschagne 3) Now it’s Labuschagne’s turn for a marginal leave, Umesh bowling a ball reminiscent of the Burns delivery but a bit shorter, so it would have just cleared the bail. It passes a couple of inches by off stump. This pair keep gathering the quick singles, judging them better than Jadeja did.

5th over: Australia 8-1 (Wade 2, Labuschagne 2) Wade doubles his tally with another drop-and-dash, and Marnus follows his lead. Bumrah bowling from the Members End. That walk, then that stutter, then that trot, then a fling and a projectile that’s barely visible from the grandstand. He fizzes it. Not far from Wade’s off stump as the Tasmanian shoulders arms with a big stride forward.

4th over: Australia 6-1 (Wade 1, Labuschagne 1) Right then. Another fairly frazzled player over the last three innings has been Marnus Labuschagne. Can he get his Test season up and running here? Gets off the mark with a glance. Wade drops a single to point to open his account.

WICKET! Burns c Pant b Umesh 4, Australia 4-1

That’s it. That’s it for the Test career of Joe Burns, you’d have to think. Umesh from the first ball of his over produces something powerful. Some swing in, some seam away, towards the top of off stump via the edge, the appeal, the decision given, and then you can see the confused state of mind for Burns. He comes down the wicket to ask his partner whether he should review for caught behind. Then he tries to make the T symbol and misses his arm with his bat. Also he’s run out of time: the counter hits zero as he tries to make the sign. But the umpires let him review. It shows the Hot Spot mark on the bat, and even if he’d missed it, the ball clipped his pad in front of the stumps and might have been lbw. A frazzled, befuddled Test match comes to a close for one player.

3rd over: Australia 4-0 (Wade 0, Burns 4) Hit on the pad, huge appeal, nearly a run out as well, then Rahane reviews! Burns was absolutely torched by an inswinging yorker from Bumrah, it smashes him on the boot and he falls over flat on his face trying to keep it out. Then he gets up and tries to run, and has to dive back in. The umpire rules that the ball was going too far, down the leg side. The replay shows it as clipping, umpire’s call. Burns comes back by driving three through cover.

2nd over: Australia 1-0 (Wade 0, Burns 1) Conventional attacking field for Umesh Yadav bowling to Burns. Four slips, the fourth positioned wider. One gully. Cover is open. Mid-off, mid-on, square leg, long leg. Positioned for the edge and for the hook. Burns defends, leaves a couple, helped by a ball down the leg side. Made a duck in the first innings, wants to get off the pair, and nearly runs himself out! A real Morse Code run there: dot, dot, dash. Just knocks it to midwicket and bolts, and would have been out if the throw hit at the non-striker’s end. Wade has to do some stretches after that sprint.

1st over: Australia 0-0 (Wade 0, Burns 0) We resume, lunched and watered. Australia trail by 131. Wade takes the first ball. He did this in Adelaide, then Burns did in the first innings here, now they’ve swapped again. First ball Bumrah smashed him on the pad, appeals, it would have been hitting, but it’s pitched outside leg. No review. There’s a fierce yorker as well for Wade to defend. Bumrah is starting hot.

Interesting question. In honesty I’m usually barracking for the story. The best game, the best series. Though it gets complicated by wanting certain players to do well. The Ashes was a better series because of the Stokes miracle, this would be a better series if India wins here, but I love what Matthew Wade has done with the bat in the last couple of years, and it would be great to see Joe Burns get it together for a proper Test career, and I think Bumrah is magical and would love to see him on a tear, and it’s been a long time since a Smith hundred...

In the end, the most satisfying thing is to barrack for cricket. Then you get to enjoy it all.

I had to check three times. They are very close indeed.

Another distant chilly missive, this time from Eoin Sheehan in Ireland.

“Good evening from a wintery Dublin. As the noted authority who first identified popular discontent with the ‘lad’ culture of late-era Channel 9 cricket commentary do you sense similar discontent with the current offering from Fox? I noted Russell Jackson, late of this parish, getting a lot of support on the twitter machine yesterday when he mused that it might be harder to listen to Shane Warne now than it was to face him with the bat during his heyday. Is there any general sense that Fox’s commentary is as dumbed-down as 9 was towards the end? To my ear it seems to be largely bantz between Warne et al, interspersed with attempts by the likes of Isa, Hussey and maybe AB trying to actually call the cricket. I wonder is 7’s calling any more ‘sober’, for want of a better word (being overseas I don’t have the opportunity to listen to it to compare)?”

Hmm. A lot of questions contain their own answers. Seven has mostly gone the route of straightforward expertise: Ponting, Ali Mitchell, Tim Lane, Simon Katich, though there are also others of a different stripe.

A lovely email in from Simon McMahon. “G’day Geoff. It’s so good to have cricket to follow, especially from sunny Australia, seeing as it’s -5 in Scotland just now. I was due to see the Aussies play Scotland in a T20 back at the end of June in Edinburgh, but it was cancelled for obvious reasons. I’ll just need to live off the memories of beating England (with seven future World Cup winners in their team) in 2018. And I’m almost over us not qualifying for last years World Cup in England after the rain stopped us from beating West Indies. Still, gotta love cricket. Made in Scotland. You’re welcome, world!”

On a related note, the aptly named Matt Winter says, “Can you knock on the ABC box and politely ask Merv to stop saying its chilly. - 4°C here and due snow.”

India lead by 131 on the first innings

It’s a good lead, but it’s not necessarily a matchwinning lead. Australia’s batting has been poor but they just need one day for it to click, and today could be it. Make 350 in the third innings and the game will be set up for the home team. India will need to bowl well. As so often happens, the last three wickets fell in a rush. Pretty poor, when we’ve so often seem teams with application have their tailenders add another 30, 50, even 100 runs, and make all the difference in the match.

Time to grab a sandwich.

115.1 overs: India 326-10 (Siraj 0) The player on debut is not out for his first innings, having had a brief taste of the big time. That’ll be lunch, with six minutes to go until the interval was scheduled.

WICKET! Bumrah c Head b Lyon 0, India all out 326

A golden for Bumrah, wicket 394 for Lyon, and a catch held for Australia. Bumrah goes the big slog-sweep first ball and of course there are men in the deep for such a thing. Straight to the deep midwicket.

115th over: India 326-9 (Bumrah 0, Siraj 0) Bumrah hasn’t faced a ball, and Mohammed Siraj on debut will take strike. Hazlewood puts it on a length on the off stump and Siraj has a jumbly mobile push at a ball that seams in and nearly takes his off stump. A crouched batting stance, a wavering backlift, and that stance lets him stay low and get under a bouncer. It’s called a wide, which perhaps Hazlewood doesn’t mind because he gets another shot at Siraj. But the No11 survives.

WICKET! Ashwin c Lyon b Hazlewood 14, India 325-9

Hazlewood to Ashwin, who may have to up the ante shortly. Maybe he trusts Bumrah, who has made a few runs lately. Initially Ashwin seems to be pushing in search of a single rather than lining up anything big. The sun is shining, the weather is cool, it’s good batting weather. Lunch is in 11 minutes. India would love to keep the Australians bowling after the break. But it may not get that far, as Ashwin finally commits to a big drive, gets a thick flying edge, and sees it land in Lyon’s hands at gully. First wicket for Hazlewood in the innings.

114th over: India 325-8 (Ashwin 14) Last ball of the over for the Umesh wicket, which brings Bumrah to the middle with the lead at 130.

WICKET! Umesh c Smith b Lyon 9, India 325-8

Sighs of relief for Australia, another one down. A fairly standard off-break, not huge turn but some, and Umesh plunges forward into a defensive shot, meeting the ball far earlier and far harder than is necessary. That ensures that his edge carries to slip.

113th over: India 323-7 (Ashwin 13, Umesh 8) The partnership is worth 15. Ashwin a dirty dozen, Umesh a magnificent seven. Josh Hazlewood comes on to bowl for the first time today. He does Hazlewood things, hanging around off stump, trying a short ball here and there. Ashwin pushes a run, Umesh fends another away with a hope. Farms the strike.

“I would agree and disagree on the 50 thing,” emails Abhi Saxena. “As irrational as it seems to us from the outside, I think batsmen use these markers as something to concentrate on, like a checkpoint. Someone like Kholi/Smith have shifted their markers to the 100 point. I don’t know if you can concentrate a whole day if you don’t make personal markers for yourself... and not the usual team score etc. Like completing chapters of a book, doesn’t make much sense overall, but is surely important as a personal step (both reading and though I haven’t ever written one).

I’d agree about the personal markers being important. I’d argue though that they can be any number – they’re personal. Maybe you want to get to 40, then reset for 60, then 80. Maybe it’s batting a certain number of overs. On the version of writing a book, there’s definitely a sense of achievement at finishing a chapter. But the metaphor in this case would be getting close to finishing a chapter, then rushing through the last page with absolute crap to get it done, rather than taking the time to finish it properly.

112th over: India 321-7 (Ashwin 12, Umesh 7) Ashwin fakes a little hop forward on the crease, as if suggesting he’s about to charge, then stays put. Perhaps he wanted to lure Lyon into a short ball, but instead he gets a full one and comes forward to drive two runs through extra. Gets around his front pad to work a single to follow. One ball for Umesh to face. Six? Or 2.38 fours? Defensively turned to the leg side. Mouths drop open with shock. Clonk, clonk, clonk.

111th over: India 318-7 (Ashwin 9, Umesh 7) Umesh will be delighted to have got off strike first ball facing Starc, who bowls full and very wide and Umesh drives a single. Adam Collins has just stopped by my seat to ask me to look at Umesh’s ratio of fours to sixes in first-class cricket. That’s 106 to 43.

So Umesh hits one six for every 2.38 fours when he bats. That’s a golden ratio.

Ashwin plays a couple of balls towards point, placing the second well enough to get a run. Umesh ducks a bouncer. Sort of half plays a pull shot as he ducks, just a reflex mutter of a swing, like the sleeptalking variation of a shot. Then when it’s fuller he clears his front leg and has an almighty cannon at a ball that instead hits his thigh pad. Umesh = good time ≠ long time.

110th over: India 316-7 (Ashwin 8, Umesh 6) At least you know you won’t get bounced by Lyon. Ashwin takes a run first ball, and I would guess with iron certainty that after the barrage of the last over, Umesh Yadav will be looking to do 3000% of his scoring against the spinner.

Down on one knee, sweeps for four! His first ball of the over and it’s a nice shot, along the ground. Not sloggy at all. Then he even defends a couple. Wide stance, bat wafting in the backlift, and restraint comes to an end with a huge swipe to the leg side, bottom edged and dragged along the ground to midwicket. He’s off strike, and Ashwin is close to run out from the next ball after Wade at short leg knocks the ball back towards the stumps, but Ashwin realises just in time.

India lead by 121.

109th over: India 310-7 (Ashwin 7, Umesh 1) All bouncers now from Starc. Ashwin has one method: back away to leg and try to pull. Starc is back over the wicket for the right-hander. Ashwin gets hit on the collarbone, and has to call out the doctor. Eventually resumes, plays the exact same shot and gets a run. Umesh gets another bouncer, head high. How many are you allowed to bowl these days? Hmm. Starc does pitch up for the last couple. Umesh gets an untidy run, walking across and shovelling to the leg side. Ashwin gets a tidier one pushed out to cover.

108th over: India 307-7 (Ashwin 5, Umesh 0) How does Ashwin play it now? Attack to get a few, or will that just encourage his partner to do worse? He gets put down by Labuschagne at leg slip, another drop, but that would have been a miracle one. Ashwin pulling down the leg side. It’s hard to tell whether it came off bat or thigh pad, but I think it was kind of a bottom edge. Hard at Labuschagne and towards the ground, and it travels so quickly that it hits his hands and pops out before he really knows that it’s there. Ashwin tucks a single to keep the strike.

107th over: India 306-7 (Ashwin 4, Umesh 0) Right, get ready for the bounce-a-thon, the slog-a-thon, and quick wickets. India 111 in front with only the tail to come. Umesh has never met a ball that he didn’t want to slog, nor an innings that he didn’t want to be over quickly. He doesn’t have time to think about hitting Starc’s bouncer though, just tries to get out of the way.

WICKET! Jadeja c Cummins b Starc 57, India 306-7

Suddenly Mitchell Starc has more snort than a Sydney New Year’s Eve party. He bends another one inward and upward at Jadeja, who gets his gloves under it with another spinal contortion. Then Starc goes short but a bit leg-side and Jadeja tries the hook but misses. With his quarry thinking back foot, Starc bowls a hard length outside off and Jadeja fends and misses. Movement in the field, deep midwicket going back, the leg slip out, and deep square moving around further, as does long leg. Three out on the leg side. Short, Jadeja hooks anyway, and straight to that deep midwicket! How’s that for a field placing? Smart from Paine, stupid from Jadeja, and no defence counsel can explain that away. Three out for the hook so you play the hook. Cummins only two third of the way back to the long boundary, and he barely moves as the catch comes to him.

106th over: India 306-6 (Jadeja 57, Ashwin 4) Drinks break, and then Lyon bowls a maiden to Ashwin, the pair circling one another.

Robert Wilson marshals the case for the defence. “Passive voice needed,” he implores. “I don’t think it’s a fair cop to claim Jadeja ran out the boss (though it is, I admit, always funny). This is a great little double-value fifty from him and I’ve finally worked out why he appeals to me so much. It’s because he looks exactly (and I mean exactly) like a better version of Han Solo if Star Wars had been written by Tolstoy and directed by Michael Curtiz. He’s got that swashbuckling thing going. Despite himself. You could definitely see him boarding a pirate ship or a moving train - but self-effacingly somehow. Then a spot of puppy-rescue before a serious chat with the Emperor Palpatine about, you know, chilling out a little.”

I fully agree that Jadeja has buckled more than a few swashes in his day. I will still argue that he was trying to manufacture a single for his milestone, rather than trying to play the best shot available to the ball and taking runs wherever they might come. And that preoccupation created a wicket. When you try to get cute, cricket has a way of making it look ugly.

105th over: India 306-6 (Jadeja 57, Ashwin 4) Starc carries on, around the wicket, worked away for a run by Ashwin and a double by Jadeja, before the short ball finally comes out. Nasty, too! Across Jadeja and leaping at the gloves, and in the end Jadeja is saved by the ball being too quick for him. He’s arching his back, trying to get his hands up in self-defence, but the ball clears his gloves by a couple of inches before they can get high enough. So close to a wicket.

“The 50 is meaningless in the big scheme of things - paying attention to it was the very cause of Rahane’s demise. Overall, the focus on the 50/100 milestone in cricket is irrational.” Couldn’t agree more, Robert Speed. I love cricket stats, but it’s bizarre that a choice of recording a stats category becomes something that strongly influences how the game is played. An extreme example of the physics concept of observation affecting the subject.

104th over: India 303-6 (Jadeja 55, Ashwin 3) Not much trouble for Ashwin against his rival off-spinner, calmly tucking a run square. Jadeja gets surprised by Lyon’s bounce, pulling his head back as he pushes behind point the ball leaping at him. But when Lyon bowls short on a straighter line, Jadeja rocks back and pulls for four. There was a deep square leg but that went well in front of him to the long boundary at the city end of the ground.

India’s lead is 108.

103rd over: India 298-6 (Jadeja 51, Ashwin 2) Mitchell Starc replaces Cummins, and this is interesting: left-arm around the wicket to a left-handed batsman. Short leg and a leg slip in place, as well as a forward square leg and a mid-on closer to the bat, then in the deep a square leg and a long leg. So the deep square position is right on square, because there are two fielders behind square, which is the maximum allowed after Bodyline. All of that, and Starc doesn’t bowl a short ball, everything is pitched up. That’s what you call a bluff.

Updated

102nd over: India 298-6 (Jadeja 51, Ashwin 2) You sense that this innings is about to become a scramble. To see how far in front India can get before they fall. If Ashwin bats well though, he could return some calm to proceedings. He drives a little single to cover, Jadeja squeezes one past short leg. Lyon always in the game.

Updated

Half century! Jadeja 50 from 132 balls

101st over: India 296-6 (Jadeja 50, Ashwin 1) Jadeja gets his fifty at the second attempt, but the sword-flourish celebration is a bit hollow a minute after running out his captain. Jadeja has batted really well though. Fully justified his inclusion: first that catch, plus a wicket, and now this. Soaked up a lot of bowling. Ashwin is a right-hander, and we know he can bat – four Test tons to his name – but he’s been a lesser batsman through the latter part of his career for whatever reason. He gets off the mark as Cummins bowls on his legs, pushed away. Jadeja gets a good short ball that he sways away from, it comes off his arm I think through to Paine. Appeal, not out.

Updated

100th over: India 294-6 (Jadeja 49, Ashwin 0) The wicket falls with the lead at 99, as Australia finish bowling the 100th over. Ashwin faces the sixth ball, dot.

Updated

WICKET! Rahane run out 112, India 6-294

What on earth have they done! Rahane and Kohli created a run-out in Adelaide, surrendering that match, and now Jadeja and Rahane have done for the captain here! Jadeja wants his 50th run and thinks that the simplest way is to tap Lyon to cover and take off. Both batsmen run instantly, and hard. But Labuschagne is too quick, with a one-handed pickup and a hard flat fling, and Paine does brilliantly to take the ball with his gloves moving towards the stumps, meaning he can break them without losing a split-second of time. No one was hugely interested in the appeal, but the replay shows Rahane on the line, but not over it, fractionally further out than the decision that went in Paine’s favour. A century and run out. What a waste.

99th over: India 294-5 (Rahane 112, Jadeja 49) Not sure about the Cummins line of attack to Jadeja. Right-arm around the wicket, but Cummins strays leg side a couple of times, and his bouncers don’t threaten as they fade away to that side of the wicket. Jadeja just evades and waits and eventually glances a run.

98th over: India 293-5 (Rahane 112, Jadeja 48) It’s time for spin, time for Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon. With 392 Test wickets to date. Jadeja gets off strike third ball, dinking away a single to square leg. Lyon to the right-hander has looked as dangerous as to the left in the last couple of matches. Rahane defends out the balance.

97th over: India 292-5 (Rahane 112, Jadeja 47) Cummins to Rahane, back over the wicket, and starts nicely. Back of a length, just outside off, forcing the defensive stroke. Cummins has the quality to pull this match back, he just needs to find the delivery. Cuts the next one into Rahane, fuller, jammed into the pads. Then hits a length, having Rahane defend with high hands from the crease. Fuller, defending on off stump. Short ball, Rahane hooks but doesn’t time it, into the ground and Burns saves well as square leg to stop a run. Then a bouncer with a bit more width, and Rahane rocks back and tries to uppercut but misses. Lured Rahane into a couple of poorly played strokes in that over.

96th over: India 292-5 (Rahane 112, Jadeja 47) Feeling more adventurous, Jadeja reaches wide for a cover drive to Starc, which is well stopped by a diving Wade to keep them to one run. Starc’s line across Rahane has the batsman refining his leave. Hops to defend the shorter ball without visible concern, then checks a little off-drive for another run. They look comfortable, the batting pair.

95th over: India 290-5 (Rahane 111, Jadeja 46) Cummins to Rahane, too straight as well, and Rahane hops and glances a single. Jadeja gets a ball angling into his pads, fuller, and he defends with soft hands, drawing an outside edge into the ground and away for four. Never any risk in that, he played it well. Then he plays a leg glance for one. India up and running this morning.

94th over: India 284-5 (Rahane 110, Jadeja 41) Starc this morning hasn’t got the line yet. Right-hander and left-hander swapping over, and he keeps bowling at their legs, allowing then to work singles. Then he bowls wider and Rahane drives for two, that wasn’t a very safe shot though: it went along the ground but Rahane drove it on the up and reached for it well in front of his body. Any unexpected movement there and he would have been vulnerable. Hard hands would have created an edge that carried. Starc just gives a half shrug, as if to say that he has no problem with anyone playing that sort of shot.

93rd over: India 279-5 (Rahane 106, Jadeja 40) Cummins from the Members End to the left-handed Jadeja. He’s bowling around the wicket, angling in at the batsman and presumably hoping to seam one away. The ball doesn’t do much for him in this over though, and Jadeja can leave everything wider of the off stump, and defend off the back foot to those coming closer.

92nd over: India 279-5 (Rahane 106, Jadeja 40) And we’re away. Mitchell Starc takes the newish ball and charges in from the Great Southern Stand End, with three deliveries left to finish his over that was interrupted when play was abandoned last night. Rahane got clipped on the helmet, causing a delay in the first instance, and then the rain came down. Starc gets that in-swing to the right-hander that typifies his bowling, but Rahane clips him away neatly for a brace.

I’m learning a lot from my co-passengers about who they think is hot, how one guy’s wisdom teeth are going (the fourth is troublesome, the first three came through fine), and who got bashed by someone’s brother. The cricket analysis so far has been limited to, “Is that dickhead Tim Head playing?”

Everything this morning rests on the first partnership. Ajinkya Rahane resuming on 104, Ravindra Jadeja on 40. Rahane batted almost all day yesterday and was first-rate, against bowling that for hours didn’t let up. It was only with the second new ball after the 80th over that the Australians visibly tired and the bowling got a bit less accurate, but for the first three or four hours of the day everyone was at the Indian batsmen, every over, every spell. Rahane fought through it, then stepped up his scoring later. This morning he’ll have to do the spadework again, and the bowlers only need that breakthrough wicket to get things moving.

I am pleased to report that a large group of what can only be described as ‘lads’ have joined my carriage of the train and have arranged themselves in configuration all around me. They are about 19 years old, all wearing Hawaiian shirts and sunglasses, and one is carrying a four-litre box of crisp dry white. It is 10:06am. Start as you mean to go on. Their chief form of communication is shouting sounds that are not words. This is a journey that you and I are now on together.

Updated

“G’day Geoff, my American girlfriend and I are following the coverage from Denver, Colorado,” writes Thomas Walker. “I’m competing with the Seattle v LA game for airtime but can’t wait for the match to start. Question - how did Cameron Green bowl yesterday? We were a little sauced by the time he came on but sounds like Warney wasn’t impressed. Anyway thanks for the OBO we love your work!”

Thank you, those of us down the OBO mines are glad to hear it. Denver is a lovely part of the world. I’ve only been there at the end of summer, it’s probably less great in winter when the usual consolation of snow sports is off the table for virus reasons. But it would be a dramatic locale nonetheless.

As for Green, I thought he was good in the morning session. Came on as the relief bowler, the Indian batsmen thought they might be able to relax for a few minutes, and instead he was hitting pads, getting edges, and quickly bowling in the 140s. He’s only young but the prospect of having 10 overs from him each innings to back up the frontliners is very exciting.

Or if you’d like the more detailed spoken summary from your OBO friends in me and Adam Collins, here we are.

The quick wires recap of yesterday’s play, if you’re of that mind.

What’s happening in the other matches? Kane Williamson made another Test ton, the 23rd for a man who gets to play less Test cricket than his celebrated peers in the world’s premier quartet, and NZ made 431. Pakistan will resume this morning with a nightwatchman in place at 39 for 1. Across the other side of the world, Sri Lanka batted well for 396, but South Africa will be closing on it when they resume much later today Australian time, at 317 for 4.

Get in touch

The old communication game. Just think, back when the Manchester Guardian first started, the OBO had to be engraved by hand and posted up on the bulletin board outside the office. And then if you wanted to contribute a note of good cheer or a reprimand for a typo, you had to go home, write a letter with pen and ink, and dispatch it by horseback with one of your best riders to hurry it to town for inclusion.

These days you can just use electronic mail, as they’re calling it, or the invention of the tweeterphone. My correspondence markers are in the sidebar. Have at it.

Preamble

What’s that? That distant ringing of the bells, that buzz of something approaching? It’s what time? It’s cricket time! Well, why didn’t you say so. It’s day three of the Boxing Day Test. It’s day three in Melbourne, and in Mount Maunganui, and in Johannesburg, where three different Boxing Day Tests are going on. But our one, featuring Australia hosting India, is all set up to be a belter.

To wit: the Indians lead by 82 and have five wickets in hand. But the last four of those are a good chance to be knocked over in quick time. So Australia could polish them off fast if a wicket falls. Also, this third day will likely be the best for batting if history is any guide, even though this wicket has been far more lively than most MCG wickets in living memory. So a lead of around 100 could easily be not enough if the Australians bat well, make about 300 and set India 200 to win later in the game.

It’s all to play for today. Australia leading the series 1-0, India trying to fight back into it. Shall we?

Updated

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