Well, what a run-fest at the WACA. That’s something new and original, ha ha, ha, ha. I’m having nightmare visions of Ross Taylor batting for the rest of my life.
It was easy for the batsmen all day, as shown by the 200-run partnerships on each side. Kohli and Sharma were good, but maybe not quite fast enough. Bailey and Smith outpaced them and set the win up with ease, even though it went into the last over.
India had no control after the first few overs: the Aussies picked up singles at will, then added boundaries occasionally when they felt like it. There was no pressure whatsoever in the field.
Australia did have a bit of control thanks to Josh Hazlewood, who bowled excellently to return 1-41 from his 10 overs, while Scott Boland was tidy until the last couple of overs on debut.
Smith and Sharma both pushed their ODI averages past 40 with big centuries. Handy.
Off we go to Brisbane, with hopefully a bit more in the deck for the bowlers to keep things interesting. Geoff Lemon signing off - we’ll catch up with you there on Friday the 15th.
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Australia win by five wickets
49.2 overs, Australia 310-5 (Marsh 12, Faulkner 1)
You’d think, with five balls to go, there would be some prayer of putting pressure on the Australians. But Sran bowled a wide down leg to level the scores, then Dhoni doesn’t even bother to bring the field in.
Faulkner gets to score the winning runs in an ODI once again, in the easiest way he’s ever done it, with a single to long-on. Thanks Mahendra.
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WICKET! Smith c Kohli b Sran 149 (135 balls)
He’s out! No 150 for Sniffer Smith! He just looked to check a drive, was confused by the pace and chipped it to cover.
A twist in the tail? Or the tale? Naaah.
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49th over: Australia 308-4 (Smith 149, Marsh 12)
Only four from Yadav’s over... This is going into the last.
48th over: Australia 304-4 (Smith 148, Marsh 10)
That is a deeply committed piece of fielding from the debutant Sran in the deep to pointlessly save one run. Love it. Smith drove behind point and Sran had to belt all the way around from cover to slide and haul it in. Six from that over, the other three in singles. There have been singles everywhere today. Cue jokes about singles.
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47th over: Australia 298-4 (Smith 144, Marsh 8)
The Australians can ease home now. Five singles from Yadav. A dash of red ink would suit both batsmen here.
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46th over: Australia 293-4 (Smith 141, Marsh 6)
Smith just keeps collecting runs. This is his highest ODI score by a distance, his PB was 105. He takes singles and a brace from Ashwin, Marsh takes a couple of singles as well.
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45th over: Australia 287-4 (Smith 137, Marsh 4)
Sran has bowled well but now they’re going hard at him. Smith doesn’t like the send-off that Sran gave to Warner earlier, he’s having a go at Sran every time he goes for runs. The batsmen take singles, then Marsh cuts three. Smith cuts four. More the square drive really, had to reach for it, an excellent and strange and rare and curious shot. The over goes for 13.
Advantage, players not on debut. A bit over the top, perhaps.
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WICKET! Maxwell c Dhawan b Ashwin 6 (6 balls)
44th over: Australia 274-4 (Smith 129, Marsh 0)
What a surprise - Maxwell slams Ashwin through the covers for four, then holes out to long-on. Marsh gets a bat.
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43rd over: Australia 269-3 (Smith 128, Maxwell 2)
Sran is able to keep things relatively tidy, four singles and a wide. The sting is out of this game. Maxwell doesn’t even try a reverse cut shot through his legs.
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42nd over: Australia 264-3 (Smith 126, Maxwell 0)
Finally, Ashwin bowls a tidy over. Three runs from it.
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WICKET! Bailey c Kumar b Ashwin 112 (120 balls)
Finally they break through. Bailey slams one straight down the ground from Ashwin, but Kumar is able to get across from long-off in time to intercept it. Big cheers for the former captain as he walks from the ground, the partnership was worth 242 and was Australia’s best ever for the third wicket.
41st over: Australia 261-2 (Smith 124, Bailey 112)
Jadeja back. Thank you, say the Australians.
SIX! As Smith comes down the pitch and launches this into the second deck of the stand. He walked straight and hit straight, and that was massive.
Four! To follow up, as Jadeja drops short and Smith cuts away. 12 from the over. It’ll be over soon.
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40th over: Australia 249-2 (Smith 113, Bailey 113)
Finally, Barinder Sran comes back. He took the first two wickets, should have had three, was the prime threat... and then he didn’t bowl after the 11th over. Now he bowls the 40th with the game all but gone. One of those weird captaincy non-decisions that so frustrate people about MS Dhoni.
Smith doesn’t mind, he crashes Sran wide of mid-on for four. The over goes for seven.
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CENTURY! Smith 100 (97 balls)
39th over: Australia 242-2 (Smith 108, Bailey 109)
Smith matches Bailey with a ton, this from the first ball of the over with a single. It’s his fifth century in ODI cricket, and he gives an understated crowd salute as he wipes his brow. All in a day’s work.
Bailey celebrates it by crashing a cut for four, then turns the strike over to Smith who decides that now is the time to clear the front leg and swing. One such shot goes straight down the ground to the fence, another goes off the edge past his stumps and away fine.
14 from the over against one of India’s better bowlers. This is unstoppable now.
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38th over: Australia 228-2 (Smith 99, Bailey 104)
Nothing is getting better for India. The 200-run partnership comes up. Kumar goes for nine. Steve Smith plays a classic pull shot behind square that splits the field for four.
37th over: Australia 219-2 (Smith 91, Bailey 103)
Yadav tests Smith a little, with a fast bouncer that evades the uppercut, then a fuller ball that Smith tries to slog but can only edge into his pad and away into the off-side.
Unfortunately for Yadav, those were the last two balls of an over that had already been worked around for five runs. And they’re not even too fussed about scoring against him, because they know there are overs from the spare bowlers that have to be bowled.
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CENTURY! Bailey 100 (106 balls)
36th over: Australia 213-2 (Smith 88, Bailey 101)
That’s the ton for Bailey! Thanks to Kumar, who fielded on the off-side from his own bowling as Bailey took a single, then threw at the stumps and conceded an overthrow. Bailey’s third ODI hundred. That’s a great result for one of the genuine good guys of cricket, and a batsman who is so quick to be questioned and so slow to be appreciated. He’s kept things very calm after ball one today, and paced the innings perfectly.
35th over: Australia 209-2 (Smith 87, Bailey 98)
Yadav is doing what he can, but these two are so well set now. Bailey is closing on triple figures and doesn’t want to do anything rash. He drives two runs straight, then flicks two to fine leg, then takes a single. The numbers keep ticking by.
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34th over: Australia 202-2 (Smith 85, Bailey 93)
Finally Dhoni gives up on the dairy spinners. The butter-makers. Deadly on home decks, diddly on this one. At least today. Bhuvi Kumar comes back for his gently paced swing bowling.
How different might the story be, though, had the ump noticed the glove-touch and fired George for a first-ball duck.
Only two runs conceded.
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33rd over: Australia 200-2 (Smith 84, Bailey 92)
Another milestone up. Smith belts Jadeja behind square for four, then whips him for two. Nine from the over. They keep coming.
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32nd over: Australia 191-2 (Smith 77, Bailey 90)
It’s actually amazing how easily these two are scoring. Doing what they like but barely taking a risk. No slogging. Shot selection. It looks like a video game. What world is this?
Ashwin comes back. What captaincy is this? It’s so easy. He bowls short. Smith slams four through cover. Six from the over.
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31st over: Australia 185-2 (Smith 72, Bailey 89)
Jadeja is back for another go, but he’s around the wicket this time. It’s a comparative triumph, two singles and three runs to Bailey on the cut shot.
30th over: Australia 180-2 (Smith 70, Bailey 86)
There’s one over down from Kohli. The four singles weren’t too bad, but the short ball that sat up for Bailey to sledgehammer into the fence was not so helpful for India.
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29th over: Australia 172-2 (Smith 68, Bailey 80)
Ashwin is still thinking about his bowling - he can’t stop Bailey’s smashed cut shot at point. Single. Yadav delivers another bouncer given a wide for height. Still, only four runs from the over.
Dhoni still needs seven overs from a combination of Ashwin, Jadeja, Sharma and Kohli.
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28th over: Australia 168-2 (Smith 67, Bailey 78)
Love watching this. Virat Kohli, one of the most magnetic and aggressive and potent batsmen in the world, coming on to be the opposite of all of those things as a bowler.
The gentlest of medium pace, sent down in a barely competent childlike flurry of arms and legs.
Still, he’s always a competitor. And he’s putting the ball in the right spot. Two runs down the ground, a couple of dot balls, a couple of singles. Five runs in total. Not so bad.
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27th over: Australia 163-2 (Smith 66, Bailey 74)
Dhoni has no choice but to bring Yadav back. That over brings back a bit of control, but no threat. Three singles, then Smith glides two runs square of third man to finish off the set.
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26th over: Australia 158-2 (Smith 63, Bailey 72)
Enough of the milking, it’s time for the steak! Australia are taking Ashwin apart here, he’s getting no turn from the wicket and the batsmen up the ante. Bailey down the pitch first ball to drop-kick six runs over the sight screen. Smith goes back to the fifth ball as Ashwin drops short, and lashes four square of the wicket. Then as Ashwin bowls fuller Smith drops one into the straight crowd as well.
19 from the over, Ashwin 48 from his 5 overs, and Dhoni short a bowler.
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Half-century! Smith 50 (55 balls)
25th over: Australia 139-2 (Smith 52, Bailey 65)
Another seven runs worked from Ashwin, easy as pie. Microwave pie.
24th over: Australia 132-2 (Smith 49, Bailey 62)
Australia coasting at the moment, Dhoni letting them pick his spinners apart. Singles everywhere from Ashwin, then Bailey plays a perfectly timed reverse sweep for four. You don’t often see that shot played convincingly, but that looked in full control.
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23rd over: Australia 124-2 (Smith 47, Bailey 56)
Jadeja still going at a run a ball. In other cricket news, these two are a couple of very exciting inclusions for the Southern Stars. Future guns for sure.
Lauren Cheatle and @NaomiStalenberg, both named in the Southern Stars squad for the first time today. #ThunderNation pic.twitter.com/1aNLKbjpgi
— Sydney Thunder WBBL (@ThunderWBBL) January 12, 2016
22nd over: Australia 118-2 (Smith 44, Bailey 53)
The spin train rolls on. Five from Ashwin’s over. Dhoni in a rush.
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Half-century! Bailey 50 (60 balls)
21st over: Australia 113-2 (Smith 42, Bailey 50)
Bailey brings up his 18th ODI half-century at the end of the over with a single to deep cover. Five of those from the Jadeja over, plus a wide.
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20th over: Australia 107-2 (Smith 40, Bailey 47)
It’s so hot at the WACA that there are people wandering around with water-backpacks hosing down small children who are sitting on the hill in the sun.
Have you guys thought about... shadecloth? I know it’s crazy, but humans have the power to put objects between them and the sun.
Bailey decides to make the field work: Sharma is not the fleetest of foot, so Bailey plays a reverse sweep that teases Sharma all the way to deep cover. Four. Nine from Ashwin’s over. This pair are working the spinners expertly.
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19th over: Australia 98-2 (Smith 39, Bailey 39)
1:40 - that’s how long Jadeja’s over took. I can tell you nothing.
Smith flicks four, another eight in total from it.
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18th over: Australia 90-2 (Smith 33, Bailey 37)
Ashwin? More like AshLOSE. Ravi feels the sting of that zinger as he bowls a short wide pie that Smith slashes for four. Ok, it was his second ball, we’ll give him some slack. India’s premier spinner also concedes four singles. Handy, the required rate is now nudging 7.
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17th over: Australia 82-2 (Smith 27, Bailey 35)
Smith is starting to play some of his uniquely styled shots - a lovely flourish in the pull shot that he directs behind square - but he’s not getting more than singles for most of them. Four such singles from the over, plus a wide. Yadav is still generating some good pace, and the hard pitch is giving him some decent bounce as well. Time for drinks.
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16th over: Australia 77-2 (Smith 25, Bailey 33)
Jadeja races through an over, conceding just two singles and a two.
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15th over: Australia 73-2 (Smith 24, Bailey 30)
Yadav has Bailey hopping a bit - literally, as the pace surprises Bailey and has his shovelling awkwardly towards mid-off. Bailey is using this strange batting stance, he’s basically facing mid-off rather than the bowler, which means that his pads rather than his bat are facing the ball. You’d think it would be a risky proposition, especially given some of the troubles of Shane Watson with the front leg. But Bailey must have some rationale.
Phil Withall doesn’t want a successful chase. “I will predict an Australian capitulation, mainly because I can but also because I like to listen to Channel Nine commentators attempt to hype their product as it sinks. It probably won’t happen but you’ve got to have a dream.”
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14th over: Australia 70-2 (Smith 23, Bailey 29)
Jadeja on for his first over of left-arm twirl. Smith chips three runs over midwicket. A couple more singles result. John Ryan is insistent that 310 in 35 overs can still happen because his Marian Cricket Club once made 260 in 20 overs. Sound logic.
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13th over: Australia 65-2 (Smith 19, Bailey 28)
Ouch. Another near run-out, and a painful one. Umesh Yadav comes on for some proper fast bowling. His short ball smashes Bailey on the hand, sandwiching his fingers. Bailey was busy with the pain, he actually jumped in the air after the ball had hit, and only then did he realise Smith was halfway down the pitch given the ball had skewed into the gully.
Bailey set off like a rabbit in gunfire, but he still would have been short if the throw had hit. He gets some treatment on the hand.
Three from the over in singles.
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12th over: Australia 62-2 (Smith 17, Bailey 27)
Dhoni brings on Rohit Sharma to try to sneak an over of part-time off-spin. It’s tough work on this pitch, Maxwell only bowled three overs for 22 in the first innings.
The Australians want a piece of him. Smith can’t get it, an ugly pull for one. Bailey can get it, a handsome drive down the ground for six.
BAILEY TIME.
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11th over: Australia 51-2 (Smith 15, Bailey 18)
One wicket for 52 is a bit better than 2 wickets for 40. That’s the difference between the Australian and Indian efforts after 10 overs. So Bailey decides to redress it, with two clouted pull shots for four. The first of which is hit so hard it goes right through Ravi Ashwin at midwicket. A few singles and there’s the 50. Bailey doubles his score.
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10th over: Australia 40-2 (Smith 13, Bailey 9)
Nicely done: Bailey cover-drives to perfection through the covers. Then he gets spooked by Kumar’s line, and sees out the rest of the over. Kumar has pitched a tent outside off-stump and is not going to relocate.
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9th over: Australia 36-2 (Smith 13, Bailey 5)
Bailey up on his toes to tug two runs.
“Brings the bat arieournd,” says Clint Wheeldon on ABC radio. Sometimes the Australian accent just sounds like we’re making aeroplane noises. Interesting chat with AJ Tye, the Perth Scorchers bowler, about some of the massive crowds he’s played in front of this year.
Only four from Sran’s over.
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8th over: Australia 32-2 (Smith 12, Bailey 2)
There’s one you don’t see every day. Or any day. Ever.
Very nearly three run-outs from the one ball.
Bailey drove it straight. Kumar flicked it towards the non-striker’s stumps. Smith was out of his ground but the ball missed. The batsmen took an ill-advised single. Sharma picked up at mid-on and threw at the non-striker’s end. Bailey would have been out. Missed. Then the ball flew down towards the other stumps, with Smith short of his ground again, and missed.
Triple non-threat.
Smith pulls three runs.
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7th over: Australia 28-2 (Smith 9, Bailey 1)
This is terrific stuff from Sran, and he’s supported by his infielders. He’s a tall and angular left-armer, his accuracy has been exemplary on this pitch, and a Bailey single behind square is the only Australian profit from the over. Smith can’t get him away, a nice flick from the last ball saved well by Rahane at short fine leg.
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6th over: Australia 27-2 (Smith 9, Bailey 0)
Kumar dishes up two wide bouncers and a leg bye, just to keep the scorers fresh. Smith finds a single and a double from the bat as well.
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5th over: Australia 21-2 (Smith 6, Bailey 0)
I hesitate to mention the DRS in an India game, but if they had it, Sran would have been on a hat-trick in his third over of international cricket. Bailey gloved that ball down the leg side. Umpire Kettleborough gave a very good not out in favour of Dhoni in similar circumstances early, but this time Bailey definitely gloved the ball. He is spared a golden duck courtesy of the BCCI.
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WICKET! Warner c Kohli b Sran 5 (Australia 21-2)
Sran wraps up the opening pair! Real trouble for Australia now, Warner got some width and lashed the drive at it. Like Finch he didn’t read the pace, and ended up slamming it in the air to mid-off where Kohli made it a formality with an AFL-style mark.
4th over: Australia 20-1 (Warner 5, Smith 5)
A tidy over from Kumar, a few singles and a wide, he’s bowling a tight line and as much as Warner sniffs and puffs at the ball, he doesn’t get one in the right spot for him to have a lash.
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3rd over: Australia 14-1 (Warner 4, Smith 1)
No qualms for the other Australians after that wicket: Smith ticks a single and Warner glances a boundary. So they fall, so they rise.
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WICKET! Finch c & b Sran 8 (Australia 9-1)
The debutant strikes! What a moment, one ball after Finch chopped past his own stumps for four, he lashed too early at a wide ball and dragged it back to the bowler. Another early dismissal for Finch, who has a particular tendency to those.
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2nd over: Australia 5-0 (Finch 4, Warner 0)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar begins proceedings from the Prindiville Stand end in rich afternoon sunlight. Lovely surroundings here. Was nice to see Mitch Johnson get a farewell motorcade, applauded by an otherwise very partisan set of Indian fans. They like Kumar’s over, too - on the dot, five times out of seven with only a wide and a single slipped in.
Aaron Finch is leaving the ball outside off stump. Yes, you read that correctly.
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1st over: Australia 3-0 (Finch 3, Warner 0)
Finch clobbers the first couple of balls, but can’t beat the outfield on either occasion behind square.
He’s facing Barinder Sran, the 23-year-old left-arm fast bowler on debut. Very inexperienced, only 11 first-class games, and 11 List A games before today. Hell of a place to play your 12th, on the WACA against a hostile Australian opening partnership like this.
He keeps Warner quiet for four balls. Nice start.
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It was a curious sort of innings - India are actually a bit below the score you might expect with so many wickets in hand. Neither Sharma nor Kohli could really launch beyond the run-a-ball rate for their innings, and that was reflected in the overall score.
Still, you’ll win more games defending 300 than you’ll lose. So let us see what the Golden Hats can do.
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“Predictions on Australia/India?” asks a breezily confident John Ryan. “I’m going with Australia to hit 310 in 35 overs...”
I think the Australians might be a bit slower starting myself, switching out of Test mode. They’d prefer to ease into this ODI series but they’re going to have to come out swinging to match the asking rate across 50 overs.
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Hmm, they didn’t though, unfortunately for him.
17.5% of Boland's deliveries would have hit the stumps, the highest proportion in the innings. Lowest: Hazlewood, 1.8% #AUSvIND #WWOS
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 12, 2016
Yes indeed - hello cricket friends, Geoff here. While I’m enjoying the traditional pre-OBO pizza and we wave farewell as Russell trundles into the sunset, switch your correspondence settings to my Twitter thingo below, or geoff.lemon@theguardian.com for emails.
That innings in brief
“It’s not much fun,” concedes Australian all-rounder James Faulkner of bowling to Rohit Sharma, whose 171 not out from 163 deliveries featured 13 fours and 7 sixes. “It’s in our hands now to chase the total,” he adds. Mark Taylor asks if the home side can reel it in. “Of course,” laughs Faulkner.
Sharma was the star here but Virat Kohli’s unselfish 91 from 97 was vital. Here’s something to consider though: India’s total might still be 20-30 under par. Australia’s bowlers? None were terrible with debuntants Boland (0-74 off 10) and Paris (0-53 off 8) showing decent signs in trying conditions. Josh Hazlewood was superb with 1-41 from his 10 and James Faulkner his usual effective self wiht 2-60 from 10. Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell copped some stick but that was always on the cards on a deck like this.
Anyway, I’ll hand over to my comrade Geoff Lemon now and he’ll take you through the Australian chase. Adios!
In that innings, Sharma's average went from 39.71 to 41.20. #AUSvIND
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) January 12, 2016
India finish on 309-3 and Rohit Sharma on 171 not out!
50th over: India 309-3 (Sharma 171, Jadeja 10)
Boland is entrusted with the final over and he suffers a little bit of misfortunate again with his second ball, a low full toss that Sharma attempts to clatter over mid-wicket but which flies off a top edge for four over keeper Wade’s head. The bowler can’t complain about the next, a blatant full toss that Sharma clobbers quite predictably into the stratosphere over long-on. Boland plugs away at a plan for yorkers but they’re just not coming out right to Sharma. It finally clicks in his final three deliveries but by then the damage is done; his figures on debut are 0-74 from 10 overs, Sharma’s got 171 from 163 and India 309.
Sharma’s best scores against Australia in ODIs now: 264, 209 and 171*. He’s a limited overs genius against the Aussies.
49th over: India 295-3 (Sharma 159, Jadeja 8)
Ravi Jadeja’s the new man at the crease and he gets straight to work, clubbing Faulkner to the ropes at cow corner and with a bit of pressure on Maxwell on the fence at deep cover, scurrying through for three next up. Faulkner finishes with 2-60 from his 10 overs, a solid effort in the circumstances.
Breaking: John Hastings will replace Mitchell Marsh for the next game of the series. The latter will be granted a rest, for which he’ll be grateful if the pitch is anything like this one.
WICKET! Dhoni c Boland b Faulkner 18 (India 286-3)
What a catch! Boland had an absolute ‘mare in his last over but he’s pulled off a cracking catch here diving to his right at mid-wicket. Dhoni could have sworn he’d just whacked a boundary but the big quick recovers well from the punishment of his previous over to hold a very tough chance.
48th over: India 285-2 (Sharma 157, Dhoni 18)
Okay, so if this doesn’t go too horribly it looks as though Scott Boland will bowl overs 48 and 50. Hmm, his second delivery isn’t a great moment – a full toss that Sharma clobbers over the rope at cow corner before stroking a single through cover to reach 150 from 155 deliveries. He’s hit 12 fours and 5 sixes so far. Superb. Actually make that 6 sixes when he gets under a low full toss and swings it into the stands at long-off. Boland’s attempted and missed two yorkers here and paid the price. 300 is now well within reach for the tourists.
This is huge:
Rohit Sharma has just broken Viv Richards' 36-year-old record for the highest ODI score against Australia in Australia #ausvind
— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) January 12, 2016
47th over: India 269-2 (Sharma 143, Dhoni 16)
Hazlewood ended up with 1-41 from his 10 overs, by the way. Superb in the conditions – a fact that is reinforced when Dhoni cracks Faulkner over the fence at wide long-on and also later in the over, when Sharma plays a cheeky ramp shot to the rope at fine leg. Faulkner hardly erred there but he’s been whacked for 15.
46th over: India 254-2 (Sharma 136, Dhoni 9)
There’s a huge appeal here by Hazlewood when he thinks Dhoni has gloved one around the corner to Wade but replays reveal that it only glanced his thigh pad. There’s also another misfield from Finch, who took that smart catch earlier but has also suffered a dose of the fumbles today. He’s blaming his spikes and to be fair, players have slipped on this outfield throughout the Indian innings. Anyway, all of a sudden India look like they’ll finish up slightly under par.
A big appeal for caught behind given not out. That looks like a brilliant call from umpire Kettleborough #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/dsddm7gKN5
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 12, 2016
45th over: India 248-2 (Sharma 134, Dhoni 5)
The crowd get what they’re after when MS Dhoni strides to the crease hunting for boundaries and he makes a decent start, hoofing Faulkner down to the fence at fine leg after swivelling around on his back foot. Six runs and a wicket is the analysis from Faulkner’s over.
WICKET! Virat Kohli c Finch b Faulkner 91 (India 243-2)
Kohli departs in unselfish style! He really did deserve a ton there but India’s leader-in-waiting holes out to Aaron Finch on the long-off boundary in the pursuit of quick runs. Thus ends a 207-run partnership that ruffled feathers on field and off. “I think it’s safe to say I preferred the much-maligned part of the summer when the visitors were uncompetitive!” says reader Wayne Allen.
44th over: India 242-1 (Sharma 133, Kohli 91)
Hazlewood bowls another gem of an over, zipping it through with bounce and pace to keep the Indian pair honest and circumvent any boundary-thrashing action. Three singles and a two is the only damage. Kohli is now closing in on his century.
@rustyjacko @adamzwar Sunny went one further, no cap pic.twitter.com/0PqxBGZyvP
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) January 12, 2016
43rd over: India 237-1 (Sharma 131, Kohli 88)
Smith’s backed Mitchell Marsh here but there’s no way of sugar-coating it, his bowler is stinking it up. Kohli hammers him for four to start the over and then slaps another one over cover. In between those there was a comically inept slower-ball bouncer that was so high it was deemed a no-ball. He has to keep it very neat for the rest of the over and does.
42nd over: India 226-1 (Sharma 130, Kohli 79)
He’s been a firm hand on the tiller today, Josh Hazlewood, but his reintroduction here is a segue to more Sharma run-scoring as the batsman shaves another boundary down to the third man fence. Kohli also flays him over cover with an ostentatious baseball slap but only gets one for his eye-catching effort. Hazlewood barely put a foot wrong there but he’s still conceded six runs for the over.
Yessss!
I see the Bailey and Richardson hats and raise you Mike Brearley's CAP. No mind for glamour. @rustyjacko pic.twitter.com/sVb7vZPkPV
— Adam Zwar (@adamzwar) January 12, 2016
41st over: India 220-1 (Sharma 125, Kohli 78)
Hmm, not sure that Mitchell Marsh is the answer here but I suppose Steve Smith is unwilling to risk Maxwell’s off-spin. I haven’t mentioned him much of late but Virat Kohli is playing a decent hand here, deferring to his more fluent partner and giving him the strike where possible. It’s a solid over from Marsh with four singles the only cost.
40th over: India 216-1 (Sharma 123, Kohli 76)
Sharma’s tucking into Boland too, lofting four to the rope at long-on and then flicking two more boundaries – one off his pads to fine leg and another over the head of mid-wicket – to make it 12 from the over. No huge risks there, just crisp and highly effective hitting.
Rohit now has the highest score by ANY batsman at Perth vs Australia. Prev. highest was Zimbabwean Stuart Carlisle's 119 in 2001. #AUSvIND
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) January 12, 2016
39th over: India 204-1 (Sharma 111, Kohli 76)
It’s happening. India are launching. This Paris over brings a huge six to Sharma over long-on and though the rest isn’t a total disaster for the Aussies it’s a signal of India’s intent. Boland could be in for a torrid time next up. 200 is gone, 300 is in sight.
38th over: India 196-1 (Sharma 104, Kohli 75)
Boland replaces Marsh and does his job with minimal fuss, limiting the batsmen to singles. There’s a significant onslaught coming soon though, you feel. No shame in this stat though it feels as though this should be higher, doesn’t it?
Rohit Sharma's ODI average is currently the highest it has ever been - 40.60. #AUSvIND
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) January 12, 2016
Rohit Sharma brings up his 9th ODI century
37th over: India 191-1 (Sharma 102, Kohli 72)
He’s there! Joel Paris is still steaming in but it’s not looking like a day for the bowlers and Rohit Sharma dabs him down to third man, sets off for a single and reaches to the heavens in celebration of his well-made hundred. It came from 122 deliveries and featured 7 fours and 3 sixes. The Aussies are not exactly rattled but a bad misfield at point from Finch ends a sloppy over.
36th over: India 182-1 (Sharma 99, Kohli 66)
This pre-drinks Marsh over is somewhat derailed by Sharma’s personal milestone and it’s not until the final delivery that he gets a real chance to pass it but his bunt into the off-side is not worth a run, so he’ll have to sink a Gatorade and mull over his next move.
I am an ODI run rate change denier. And even if run rates HAVE changed, I don't believe that it's man-made. #AUSvIND
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) January 12, 2016
35th over: India 180-1 (Sharma 98, Kohli 65)
Having cooled his jets for the best part of the last 25 overs Joel Paris is back into the attack and Sharma attacks him, muscling a lofted four through mid-on and moving within one blow of his hundred. He’s 98 and retains the strike for the next over once he clips a single down to fine leg.
34th over: India 172-1 (Sharma 92, Kohli 63)
Mitchell Marsh is back, probably with the intention of getting his overs out of the way before the closers move in. That seems a reasonable call once he’s clobbered over point for another Kohli boundary. Smith has to make a call here as to which of Marsh and Maxwell he’ll employ for further overs.
33rd over: India 165-1 (Sharma 91, Kohli 57)
Priceless stuff here by Faulkner (hmm, perhaps not if you consider IPL auction prices), who pins Rohit down for much of the over and only ends up conceding two from it.
Gotta be, right?
India on track for 300 here - wonder who bowls the death overs for Australia ? Boland & Faulkner ?
— Brett Graham (@worldofBG) January 12, 2016
32nd over: India 163-1 (Sharma 90, Kohli 56)
Kohli brings up his half-century in fine style when he swivels onto the back foot against Boland and flashes a big hook shot over the fence at fine leg. It came off 61 deliveries and featured five boundaries and that resounding six.
31st over: India 154-1 (Sharma 88, Kohli 49)
Now James Faulkner rolls the dice on a slower-ball bouncer and it backfires when Sharma sways back and deposits an upper-cut over the vacant cordon to pick up a lofted boundary. “Well over 300” is KP’s take on India’s desired total. They’re half-way there now and both batsmen within reach of milestones.
30th over: India 149-1 (Sharma 83, Kohli 49)
Scott Boland’s back for another go after his impressive early spell and though he’s lacking in preparation in this over it’s economical stuff with only a run-a-ball on offer.
29th over: India 143-1 (Sharma 81, Kohli 45)
With Maxwell dispatched to all corners in his last over, James Faulkner returns to the fold with the aim of duplicating his parsimonious efforts from earlier. He’s tolling his wrists over everything and trying to fox the batsmen at every chance but doesn’t get much help from George Bailey, whose misfield at mid-wicket turns one into two. Maybe the hat’s distracting him. There’s six from the Faulkner over.
Capitalisation is of utmost importance when hashtagging about #GeorgeBaileysHat and #GaryLinekerShat. Very different things
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) January 12, 2016
28th over: India 137-1 (Sharma 78, Kohli 42)
This is another superb and stingy over from Hazlewood, whose fourth dot ball in it flashes past the outside edge of Rohit as he tries quite ambitiously to glide a single to third man. That release comes a ball later but it’s the only score of the over.
27th over: India 136-1 (Sharma 77, Kohli 42)
Hooley dooley. Sharma really attacks Maxwell here, flogging him for a huge six over the fence at long off but the bowler plays a bit of cat and mouse, pivoting in his follow-through and staring at the batsman rather than watching the ball fly high into the stands. After a single to Rohit, Kohli helps himself to his first boundary in 13 overs when he gets down on one knee with a big slog-sweep to the rope at deep square leg. Maxwell unleashes a stifled LBW shout from the over’s final delivery but it’s very hopeful.
Another terrific entry in the annals of great cricket hats:
@rustyjacko The hat to be revered from my youth. This be the man! pic.twitter.com/y1blE9vGSq
— Ravi Nair (@palfreyman1414) January 12, 2016
26th over: India 123-1 (Sharma 70, Kohli 36)
What’s a par score here for India, with this base? 320? More? They’re going to need to accelerate significantly from the current rate of just under 5 per over, but newcomers Joel Paris and Scott Boland have 11 more overs to bowl between them out of the 24 that remain, which is where this pair will hope to do some damage. The returning Josh Hazlewood keeps things tidy in this over.
25th over: India 120-1 (Sharma 68, Kohli 35)
Maxwell burns through another quick over in which there’s singles and a two on offer but nothing from which the two batsmen can do any significant damage. In the absence of a specialist spinner he’ll be doing a lot more of this during the series, Maxwell.
24th over: India 114-1 (Sharma 65, Kohli 33)
Bang! He didn’t heave at it but Rohit Sharma’s just lofted Marsh over the rope at cow corner and did it with a straight bat. That just kept going and going. The local broadcaster says it travelled 77 metres before it landed but it went about as high as that too, it seemed.
23rd over: India 107-1 (Sharma 58, Kohli 33)
It’s Maxwellball time now as everybody’s favourite switch-hitting, off-spinning all-rounder appears for a bowl. It must throw the batsmen because a mix-up nearly leads to Kohli’s run-out at the bowler’s end. Australia’s keeping this in hand for now.
Another theory:
Kohli want to get run out so that Rohit scores 200. What a Team man. #AUSvIND
— Pramod. (@Cric_Pramod) January 12, 2016
22nd over: India 104-1 (Sharma 56, Kohli 32)
It only goes for two but Kohli plays another one of those rubber-wristed pull shots in front of his face here against Marsh and it truly is a sight to behold, like he’s deflecting a bullet away from his face with a bull whip. The over finishes with all sorts of overthrows after Warner has a ping at the stumps but for all that excitement, I’m still replaying the Kohli pull in my mind and wondering whether I’ll do one single thing as impressive in my entire life. Current theory: nope.
21st over: India 99-1 (Sharma 55, Kohli 28)
The boundary drought is broken here by Sharma but not in convincing style when a top edge balloons over the head of wicket-keeper Matthew Wade. He’ll take it anyway.
20th over: India 92-1 (Sharma 50, Kohli 26)
With a single from the returning Mitchell Marsh, Sharma moves to his half-century from 63 deliveries, an obdurate innings by Rohit’s standards but one that gives him a base from which to launch his patented late-innings pyrotechnics. It’s a far better effort from Marsh, this one. He was all over the shop earlier.
19th over: India 90-1 (Sharma 49, Kohli 25)
The Indian pair has now gone 24 deliveries without a boundary – not a complete disaster but exactly the kind of slow-down that Steve Smith will have hoped for. The Australian captain helps by diving acrobatically at short cover to save what might well have been four by Rohit Sharma.
18th over: India 86-1 (Sharma 46, Kohli 24)
Scott Boland’s back after drinks with more of the same; nothing glaringly smashable. Rohit and Kohli are content with singles under those conditions but bigger challenges await Boland at the death, when India’s middle and lower order will eye him off for a rental car style thrashing.
There appear to be rival George Bailey Hat Twitter accounts. May they fight each other to the death (literally).
— Andrew (@andrew_54) January 12, 2016
17th over: India 82-1 (Sharma 44, Kohli 23)
Australia’s won the last ten minutes, if you want to phrase it in such increments. Boland’s tightened up and bar one delivery, Faulkner is doing his usual job applying the clamps before this drinks break.
My addition to the #HatChat debate:
Still the best @GeorgeBaileyHat : pic.twitter.com/lo7F854Gjj
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) January 12, 2016
16th over: India 80-1 (Sharma 43, Kohli 22)
This Waca pitch has a decent green tinge to it but now that the sun is out and we’ve seen a bit of the way it’s played, you would have to say that MS Dhoni is perfectly content with his decision to bat first and get runs on the board. There’ll be plenty on offer today, though not in this Boland over, in which the Victorian offers patience and control to concede only a single to each batsman.
15th over: India 78-1 (Sharma 42, Kohli 21)
Smith’s seen enough of Mitchell Marsh now and replaces him with James Faulkner, who is all smiles as he sets about his work but might wonder why he’s the last of the front-line bowlers to be employed. He offers up plenty of variation of pace and length to rack up five dots balls but the slightest opening allows Sharma to smash the final delivery to the fence at mid-on. He sweated on that, Rohit.
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14th over: India 74-1 (Sharma 38, Kohli 21)
Now Boland serves one up a little too full on Kohli’s pads and is ceremonially whipped through mid-wicket for a boundary. It’s an initiation to international ranks for the bowler and Kohli’s just warming up. Boland recovers well enough to concede only a pair of singles for the rest of the over.
13th over: India 68-1 (Sharma 37, Kohli 17)
Marsh over-pitches to Virat Kohli and the way he lathers a cover drive through the cap for four gives you the impression that he has dreams about being fed deliveries in that precise spot. More pitch grumbles:
Another road. The WACA strip playing true to form. #AUSvIND
— Tony Tea (@AfterGrogBlog) January 12, 2016
12th over: India 63-1 (Sharma 37, Kohli 12)
Scott Boland’s on from the other end now and starts with a fairly representative selection of his normal fare – hitting the bat hard in the ‘channel’ outside off stump. “It doesn’t demand selection in this form of the game,” Mark Taylor says of his domestic one-day record, but does talk up a Shield performance against Western Australia. Tell us what you really think, Tubs. It’s a neat start from Boland either way.
Boland Shield performance Taylor speaks of was on the sort of WACA pitch you'll never see for an international game again, eg. actually fast
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) January 12, 2016
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11th over: India 61-1 (Sharma 36, Kohli 11)
Okay, this is getting fun for the batsmen now. For reasons unknown Steve Smith throws the ball to Mitch Marsh and not Scott Boland, and Rohit Sharma feasts on a big full toss, hammering it away through leg for a boundary to move into the thirties.
But to more important matters. First there was the Greg Chappell hat, then the Ritchie Richardson hat, but have we just seen the birth of the George Bailey hat? A brilliant retro nod, this.
How about George Bailey's hat! What a veteran #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Vt1wg1cNnu
— Matthew Taylor (@MattyA_Taylor) January 12, 2016
10th over: India 52-1 (Sharma 27, Kohli 11)
Virat Kohli finally unfurls something attractive now, winding his wrists as though his bat is a magician’s wand as he strokes Paris wide of mid-wicket for a classical boundary. That was gorgeous. I hope he bats for at least 25 overs here. Meanwhile, he’s a little uppish with a straight drive but even mis-timed, it races away to the fence at long-off.
9th over: India 42-1 (Sharma 27, Kohli 1)
There’s three here for Sharma when he swivels around the corner with a pull shot but Virat Kohli takes his time before clipping an account-opening single to fine leg. Kevin Pietersen says he’s well within his rights to take such a cautious approach and that batsmen tend to leave far more deliveries at the Waca than they do elsewhere. He’s a pretty sharp analyst with that stuff, KP. Exactly the kinds of tidbits you want to hear.
8th over: India 38-1 (Sharma 24, Kohli 0)
Joel Paris is settling into a rhythm now, often landing well short of the crease but better controlling the appreciable swing he’s getting in towards the right-handers, of whom Sharma edges a streaky single down to third man. Paris gets one ball at Kohli and it’s angled across India’s star batsman for a dot.
7th over: India 37-1 (Sharma 23, Kohli 0)
The only unfortunate part of that Hazlewood wicket (and it was a very fine over in which he perfectly executed a plan) for Australia is that it brings ODI batting grand master Virat Kohli to the crease. He’s got 43 overs to work with.
WICKET! Dhawan c Marsh b Hazlewood 9 (India 36-1)
Dhawan goes! A ball earlier he’d been cut in half by one that ducked in sharply but when Hazlewood digs it in short on a leg stump line the left-hander can’t help having a lash at a big pull shot and it flies straight down the throat of Marsh at deep square leg. Australia have their breakthrough!
Updated
6th over: India 35-0 (Sharma 21, Dhawan 9)
The experienced batting pair is after Paris now. Dhawan creams him for a resounding boundary through cover and then a single to get his mojo working. But the bowler also hammers one down into the splice of Sharma’s bat after that and squares him up most uncomfortably before cutting Dhawan in half and almost having him play back onto his timber. That’s a solid comeback from Paris.
Paris to Dhawan sounds like the ultimate culture shock plane trip. #AUSvIND
— Cat Jones (@Cricketbatcat) January 12, 2016
5th over: India 29-0 (Sharma 20, Dhawan 4)
It’s been a decent effort for the Indian pair to weather this early period, even if the bowling’s been a little slipshod at times. There’s movement aplenty for bowlers, both in the air and off the pitch. They’re just not quite nailing their lines and lengths but this Hazlewood over is far tidier than the last couple.
4th over: India 28-0 (Sharma 20, Dhawan 3)
Unless you’re a huge fan of Essendon chairman Lindsay Tanner, there wasn’t a lot to like about the fourth over of this innings because for Australian viewers, most of it went unseen. Replays reveal that Paris has been hooked for a big six by Sharma and the newbie also fires down a big wide, angling towards firsts lip. Let’s hope they stick with the cricket for the rest of the afternoon.
3rd over: India 20-0 (Sharma 14, Dhawan 2)
Oof, is that a drop? No. Hazlewood digs in a steepling bouncer to Rohit but his glancing top edge flies ever-so-slightly over the head of a leaping Wade behind the stumps and runs away for four. The last ball of the over? I’m not so sure, because Nine cut away for news on the AFL supplements scandal. As the novelist George Johnston said of Melbourne: there is no summer, only a period of hibernation between football seasons.
2nd over: India 14-0 (Sharma 8, Dhawan 2)
The local boy Joel Paris gets to share the new ball in front of his home crowd, who could be forgiven for not entirely recognising him. He only made his first-class debut earlier this season but what a day for him, receiving his Aussie cap from local legend Bruce Reid. His first delivery in international cricket is full, swinging in towards Rohit Sharma’s leg stump and gets toed away for a single through Paris’s stifled appeal. There’s also two driven by Dahawan through cover but plenty else to like from the willowy lefty.
Err...
Begin as you mean to go on. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/sKBM4nqxPr
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) January 12, 2016
1st over: India 11-0 (Sharma 7, Dhawan 0)
Josh Hazlewood takes the new ball for the Aussies, resplendent in their canary yellow uniform. It’s about time they abandoned that dark green abomination. The Haze sends his first one down ay half rat power and Rohit Sharma clips it off his pads through mid-wicket for two and then punches even harder next up to pick up a boundary in the same direction. Hazlewood swings the next ball away from the right-hander at a decent rate but then strays down leg again to concede four leg byes. That’s a ropey start from the big paceman.
Time for the anthems
Which is only worth mentioning because the ground MC job – a role normally performed with aplomb by one-time ‘A*mazing’ host James Sherry – is being carried out by that Brodie bloke from Big Brother. In enjoyably amateur style he’s reading all his lines off a folded-up piece of A4 paper.
Speaking of A*mazing, here’s a clash of the titans of a different type: Bibra Lake vs Coolbinia, featuring a kid who boasts that he doesn’t read (“I’ve got better things to do”). Huge if true, and also serious question marks about his school’s selection process.
“Anthems are such a key part of making you get your buzz going”, says Kevin Pietersen. That’s why they pay him the big bucks.
Our debutants today
...are Indian left-arm paceman Barinder Sran (I’ll be honest, I’ve never put eyes on the bloke) and for the Australians, right-arm paceman Scott Boland (think Courtney Walsh with a little less pace) and his left-armer colleague Joel Paris from Western Australia (more a Nathan Bracken type of swing bowler and very capable). Boland has been shaking up a lot of teammates in the nets this summer, if that counts for anything.
More updates on KP’s blue suede shoes as they’re at hand.
.@imVkohli + @KP24 = superstars #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/ozutmKbZIn
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 12, 2016
India win the toss and bat
Hello OBOers. Word just through from the Waca: India will have a bat and Indian captain MS Dhoni says it’s exciting to have some new faces in the side today. “It feels good to be here,” he says. “I was actually thinking about bowling,” says Aussie skipper Steve Smith. “There’s a bit of overhead here.” I think he’s talking about the clouds and not the expenses of running a cricket ground in Perth.
Our line-ups today
Australia: D Warner, A Finch, S Smith, G Bailey, G Maxwell, M Marsh., M Wade, J Faulkner, S Boland, J Hazlewood, J Paris
India: S Dhawan, R Sharma, V Kohli, A Rahane, M Pandey, MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, B Sran, B Kumar, U Yadav
Kevin Pietersen is also in town to join Nine’s television coverage in Australia. He’s wearing blue suede shoes with a suit, a truly maverick move.
Updated
Russ will be here shortly but in the meantime, check out Patrick Skene’s Forgotten Story feature on the Indian-Australian leggie Rex Sellers, who played a single Test under the baggy green in 1964.
