There was something a bit inevitable about all that
A far better game than the last few, for sure, but you always got the sense that Australia would reel that total in with ease. Glenn Maxwell fused all of his best traits to spearhead that chase with 96, while Shaun Marsh (62), Steve Smith (41) and James Faulkner (a handy 21 not out at the end) all played their role. India shouldn’t be disheartened by their bowling effort, with Ishant, Yadav and Jadeja all doing their level best, but again they’ve been caught out short of runs.
Thanks for joining myself and Geoff tonight and we’ll see you for a little more live OBO action yet to close out the Australian international summer.
Australia win by three wickets!
Australia 296-7 (Faulkner 21, Hastings 0) defeat India by three wickets
Faulkner gets the single to get the Aussies home and again they’ve reeled in a big total! India cannot buy a win and with this, Australia take the series out 3-0
WICKET! Maxwell c Dhawan b Yadav 96 (Australia 295-7)
Maxwell departs with one run to get and a four needed for his ton! That’s a shame, but he’s played a hell of a hand here to get his side home. Earlier in the Umesh Yadav over he thumped a resounding six over long-on and then flogged four over point to set up the perfect scenario: one to win for the side, four for his own century. He tries to smash it over long-off but skies it to Dhawan. Ah well.
48th over: Australia 285-6 (Maxwell 86, Faulkner 20)
Ravi Jadeja’s certainly not throwing in the towel here but the Australian pair is playing him with far more comfort now and tally up 5 runs in this over to edge closer to success. Maxwell’s on for a hundred with a little bit of luck and a lusty swipe or three.
47th over: Australia 280-6 (Maxwell 84, Faulkner 18)
Oh dear. Ishant’s been pretty good tonight but you can’t spear one onto Glenn Maxwell’s hip and not expect to be glanced for four. That and a single are the start to this over and there’s also a few twos to Faulkner, who is playing a muted but valuable little hand here. 16 from 18 for the Aussies. Piece of cake.
46th over: Australia 271-6 (Maxwell 79, Faulkner 14)
Poor Ravi Jadeja. He’s ripped one a mile here and taken James Faulkner’s edge but without a slip or third man in place it runs away for four. There’s better to come after Faulkner’s single because Maxwell skips down the wicket and plays a lovely inside-out lofted drive over cover to pick up another boundary. Maxwell eases a single to mid-on to finish the over and retain strike. 25 off 24 now. Regulation stuff for these two.
45th over: Australia 261-6 (Maxwell 74, Faulkner 9)
Ishant appears again now and after a single to each batsman he catches Maxwell by surprise with a little extra gas when the Victorian is looking to carve him through cover. Next up is far weirder: Maxwell turns one to Yadav at square leg and runs but the big paceman refuses to throw at the stumps fearing overthrows. Will he live to regret not chancing his arm? He only had one stump to aim at but Maxwell is the guy they need! Anyway, 35 from 30 is the equation for Australia.
Crowd update: 47,638 in the house tonight. Unders?
Updated
44th over: Australia 257-6 (Maxwell 72, Faulkner 7)
It’s real cat and mouse stuff now between Jadeja and the batting pair. Well, giant cricket-playing cats and mice anyway. The Australians are happy to chip around safely to take 5 from the over. They’ll attack at the other end.
43rd over: Australia 252-6 (Maxwell 68, Faulkner 6)
Yadav’s probably gotta ‘go’ here, if the Aussie pair is serious about reducing the work in the last few overs. Easier said than done though, especially when he’s cutting you in half like he does to Faulkner with the first delivery of this over. Faulkner gets off strike and then Maxwell does his thing very well, disdainfully swatting the paceman for six over long-off and then clubbing a no-ball-full-toss in the same direction for four. Free hit! Maxwell gives himself room and cracks it at extra cover but Kohli pulls off a wonderful save. With 15 from the over Australia now need 44 from 42 deliveries. Easy right?
42nd over: Australia 235-6 (Maxwell 55, Faulkner 5)
Ravi Jadeja is back now, which I can’t help but feel spells trouble for Australia, but they do well enough in this over to squirrel away some singles and keep moving.
41st over: Australia 232-6 (Maxwell 53, Faulkner 2)
For now James Faulkner is content to turn the strike and let his better-set teammate go to work but Maxwell can’t get much happening against Yadav and compounds the lack of scoring by copping one to right to the groin from the final delivery of the over. Ouchie.
Clive Rice update:
All round cricket geniuses in one photo, talent was rich in the all rounders category in the 80s! #OCP pic.twitter.com/6DlmEKulou
— Old Cricket Photos (@oldcricphotos) January 17, 2016
Maxwell brings up his half-century!
40th over: Australia 231-6 (Maxwell 53, Faulkner 1)
Maxwell decides it’s time to toy with Sran a little and after flogging a halt-tracker for four wide of cover he’s sticking out his back leg as the bowler runs in for his next delivery in an attempt to throw him off his line. That doesn’t entirely work but a few balls later Maxwell cannons the left-armer over cover with a controlled slog to bring up his 50 from as many deliveries. He would have had four more with a rasping pull if not for some electric fielding by Jadeja at square leg.
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) January 17, 2016
39th over: Australia 218-6 (Maxwell 41, Faulkner 1)
Maxwell eases a single down to third man to put the new man Faulkner on strike and the latter almost perishes immediately when he chops one towards his stumps. Instead it bounces away for a quick single. Ishant Sharma is putting in a real shift here, cutting it in towards the pads and searching for another breakthrough. He looked like a chump in his first spell. Now he’s a man possessed.
WICKET! Wade c S Dhawan b Ishant 6 (Australia 215-6)
Wade loses his head and with that, is wicket! There goes Bill Lawry’s partnership... The keeper gets a short one from Ishant and looks to cross-bat it out towards cow but instead sends a top edge looping innocuously to Dhawan in the ring at mid-on. There was no real need for that and Wade’s on his way.
Updated
38th over: Australia 215-5 (Maxwell 39, Wade 6)
Re that call on Australia’s batting depth, James ‘The Finisher’ Faulkner is still to come and also John Hastings, who is certainly no mug with the willow in his hand. Australia would be backing themselves to win this. There’s five singles in this Sran over and Bill Lawry marvels at this partnership that’s developing between two Victorians. They’ve put on 11 so far. Australia need 81 from 72 deliveries.
Updated
37th over: Australia 210-5 (Maxwell 37, Wade 3)
India’s fielding has really lifted a notch in the last ten overs and now Jadeja throws down the stumps when Maxwell takes a quick single but the Aussie is too fast for him on this occasion. Ishant’s the bowler this time and he’s only giving up singles for now.
Aust batting depth on par with South Africa circa 99. Not as nervy either
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) January 17, 2016
36th over: Australia 206-5 (Maxwell 35, Wade 1)
Matthew Wade’s the new man at the crease for Australia and as far as number 7s go, he’s pretty handy. But that was an excellent over for India, who wriggled out Marsh in a manner they couldn’t have expected and restricted runs as well.
WICKET! M Marsh run out (Yadav) 17 (Australia 204-5)
Some sloppy running spells the end of Marsh! Oh my word. Did he think the ball was going to Maxwell’s end? The Victorian flogged a drive out towards the fence at deep extra cover and there was always three in it but Marsh really lumbered back to the strikers’ end and perhaps thought Yadav’s rocket arm would be heading to the ‘danger’ end where Maxwell was heading. It wasn’t and with a smart take at the bails by Dhoni he’s gone!
Updated
35th over: Australia 202-4 (Maxwell 32, M Marsh 17)
There’s a big lbw shout against Maxwell here but it hit both the pitch and his pad outside the line of off stump, so Umpire Simon Fry has no problem giving it the thumbs down. There’s a slightly better appeal against Marsh but it’s missing leg and then Ishant turns a dot ball into a two with a sloppy piece of fielding at mid-on. India’s intent is excellent here, but the execution is momentarily off. Don’t correct it quickly and this could slip away fast.
34th over: Australia 199-4 (Maxwell 31, M Marsh 15)
Not a heap going on in this over but it does finish with a sustained blast of this gem at the end, which is never a bad thing. Australia need 97 runs from 96 deliveries now.
33rd over: Australia 194-4 (Maxwell 28, M Marsh 13)
“India can go bang bang and it’s massively game on here” says Brett Lee. I’m not sure it qualifies as a sentence but it’s certainly an arresting combination of words to consider. Umesh Yadav was growing in confidence as his first spell progressed and he’s back now for another, but does Marsh a big favour by whanging a half-tracker a good two feet down the leg side. Marsh tucks it around the corner for four and glances the next to the same rope. Oh dear.
Updated
32nd over: Australia 185-4 (Maxwell 27, M Marsh 5)
Maxwell is such a master of improvisation when he’s in form and there’s a wonderful moment here when he shapes to play Ishant for a conventional shot but adjusts on the run to ramp a short one over the vacant slip region and pick up four. He’s taking charge in the early stages of this partnership.
31st over: Australia 178-4 (Maxwell 21, M Marsh 5)
There’s a decent amount of pressure on Glenn Maxwell here but you wouldn’t know it from the way he calmly lofts the returning Sran over long-on for a boundary here. Marsh goes even better, leaning into a full one from Sran and creaming it along the ground for four to long-on. That fizzed away to the fence.
30th over: Australia 167-4 (Maxwell 15, M Marsh 0)
He’s been crying out for a chance all summer and now Mitchell Marsh gets it, wandering to the crease to replace his brother with plenty of work still to be done.
WICKET! Marsh c Dhoni b Ishant Sharma 62 (Australia 167-4)
Ishant gets Marsh! The lefty looks to glide to third man but instead edges straight into the gloves of Dhoni behind the wicket. Ishant is cock-a-hoop and well he might be. If the complexion of this game hadn’t already changed then it’s almost tipped in favour of India now!
29th over: Australia 162-3 (Marsh 61, Maxwell 11)
Well it didn’t take long for Glenn Maxwell to unfurl a switch-hit as he looks to immediately employ his expanded repertoire of shots. One is battered away through his conventional point for four and there’s eight from the over as he gets moving. Bill Lawry doesn’t like it and brays at Mark Nicholas’ suggestion that switch-hitting is a “bit of fun”.
“We’re not talking about fun, we’re talking about whether it’s right or wrong” protests Bill. He’s a treasure.
Updated
28th over: Australia 154-3 (Marsh 61, Maxwell 4)
Ishant’s back or another trundle and it’s much better stuff than he offered up earlier so there’s only three runs to Maxwell from the over.
Updated
27th over: Australia 151-3 (Marsh 61, Maxwell 1)
Oooooft, now Maxwell almost perishes at the hands of Jadeja and Dhoni as he launches into an enthusiastic drive and looks back to see that the Indian keeper has whipped off the bails. Replays reveal his foot was always home but it was a nervy few seconds there. Maxwell gets off the mark but again Jadeja has forced the breakthrough.
Maxwell is wearing the baseball-style cap, to be clear.
With two spinners on I do feel Maxwell could have gone the Floppy. Disappointing. #AUSvIND
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) January 17, 2016
Updated
WICKET! Bailey stumped Dhoni b Jadeja 23 (Australia 150-3)
Bailey is stumped by Dhoni! STOP. PRESS! And it’s lightning-fast work from the Indian captain after Jadeja teases Bailey out of his ground and sends one past his outside edge. That’s a huge wicket for India. Glenn Maxwell will be under the pump here. Maybe this chase isn’t as straightforward as I’d assumed.
Updated
26th over: Australia 150-2 (Marsh 61, Bailey 23)
Single, single, single, single. Again, I’m not swiping right here. Australia are just finding runs that easily. This Jadeja over finishes with, yep, you guessed it, a single.
25th over: Australia 145-2 (Marsh 59, Bailey 20)
“The bowling is so...sort of...mixed...” says Nine’s Mark Nicholas, trying to find a positive spin on things. He’s subsequently belted for six by Bill Lawry. “The bowling is rubbish,” interjects the plain-speaking doyen of the box. Brilliant stuff.
24th over: Australia 142-2 (Marsh 57, Bailey 19)
Good umpiring calls are always worth pointing out I suppose and Richard Kettleborough has a ripper here when he refuses to give George Bailey out when he appears to flick one around the corner to Dhoni, nor call the ball a wide. The noise? A flick of Bailey’s leg and the ump knew it. Either side of it there’s a boundary through cover to Bailey and later Marsh creams an even better drive to the fence.
23rd over: Australia 133-2 (Marsh 53, Bailey 14)
Only two runs from this Jadeja over as the all-rounder continues to zip through them at a rapid rate. Would he not be better slowing things down just a touch and trying to produce another peach like the ball that got Smith? Just a thought.
Updated
Shaun Marsh brings up his half-century
22nd over: Australia 131-2 (Marsh 52, Bailey 13)
Shaun Marsh now brings up his 50 off the bowling of Dhawan. It came from 53 deliveries, featured 5 fours and he looks well set to bat all night. Is he even sweating yet? It’s been one of his most effortless knocks in memory. Worse for India is the misfield by Shikhar Dhawan down on the boundary to finish this over, which gifts four to Bailey.
21st over: Australia 124-2 (Marsh 49, Bailey 9)
Clang! Bailey skips down the wicket to Jadeja and hammers him down to long-on for four and there’s a couple of singles in the over too. He’s certainly not going to let the spinner dictate terms.
20th over: Australia 118-2 (Marsh 48, Bailey 4)
Oof, Bailey’s almost run himself out here and again it was Ravi Jadeja making things happen with a rocket-armed throw to the bowler’s end but it’s just wide of the timber so a lunging Bailey survives.
19th over: Australia 113-2 (Marsh 46, Bailey 1)
George Bailey is in super form at the moment and arrives at the crease with a single to get off the mark. He’s got another significant innings ahead of him if he’s willing and able.
WICKET! Smith c Rahane b Jadeja 41 (Australia 112-2)
Smith goes! And it’s Ravi Jadeja who makes something happen after drinks, tempting the Aussie skipper into a prod and with a thick outside edge he’s presented a simple catch to Rahane at slip. That’s a gem by Jadeja to jag a breakthrough. Game on?
Updated
Drinks - Australia are right on top in their chase
18th over: Australia 108-1 (Marsh 43, Smith 39)
I hope there’s something a little stronger than normal in India’s refreshments because they need a gee-up here. Another game is slipping through their fingers with each passing over. Whether it bothers them much is another thing to ponder.
Updated
17th over: Australia 103-1 (Marsh 40, Smith 38)
This is a better over from Dhawan in that he limits the scoring to three runs but also doesn’t particularly look like making a breakthrough. This is room temperature cricket from India.
16th over: Australia 100-1 (Marsh 40, Smith 35)
There’s a real monotony about the boundary ball that comes in each over now, though this one from Mann is a little unfortunate because he was the victim of a fielding error from Rohit Sharma at cover. Maybe it was a tough one to cut off but I think he could have done a little better.
I hope Gurkeerat Singh Mann's bowling profiles include the prefix, "gentle". Don't think he's cracked 77kph yet.. #AUSvIND
— Brett McKay (@BMcSport) January 17, 2016
15th over: Australia 95-1 (Marsh 40, Smith 30)
Smith takes a moment to adjust to Dhawan’s pace and then tickles a straight one down to fine leg for a boundary. Easy as you like. ‘Is this all you’ve got?’ seems to be his body language at the moment.
14th over: Australia 90-1 (Marsh 40, Smith 25)
Ah, right on cue Gurkeerat Singh Mann arrives with his off spin, but the field is spread and the bowler clearly aiming for containment first and foremost. He’s slow through the air, too. Remarkably so. It’s all perfectly fine until he sends down a long hop outside off stump and Shaun Marsh clatters it through point for four. Not an ideal way for the Indian spinner to finish the over.
I worry that people don't realise I'm wearing my canary yellow Australian cap ironically. Thinking I need to move to a George Bailey hat.
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) January 17, 2016
13th over: Australia 83-1 (Marsh 35, Smith 23)
This chase has already entered the “middle overs” part, hasn’t it? Smith and Marsh are identifying singles quicker than SK Warne on Tinder. India have no real impetus, even with the wicket of Finch. This is just kind of happening to them. Some spin might be worth a go.
12th over: Australia 78-1 (Marsh 32, Smith 21)
Dhoni thinks that Yadav’s efforts warrant a slip to Marsh and I can’t say I disagree. You’ve got to attack and look for wickets, don’t you? No point letting it slip away one 100-run partnership at a time.
11th over: Australia 69-1 (Marsh 29, Smith 15)
Rishi Dhawan looks like a cross between The Nawab of Pataudi Jr and Vincent Cassel and I’ll be honest, the latter could probably work up about the same amount of pace as Dhawan does here in his first over. There’s a crazy appeal for a run-out when Smith has planted his bat firmly in his ground but replays reveal it wasn’t even worth a referral to the 3rd umpire. Dhawan’s bowling is of the Ganguly/Chris Harris mould and for sheer novelty factor he’s slightly perplexing to Marsh, but the lefty picks up a pair of twos to finish the over.
I think I like the Australian Dhawan better than the Indian Dhawan. #AUSvIND
— Cat Jones (@Cricketbatcat) January 17, 2016
10th over: Australia 65-1 (Marsh 25, Smith 15)
Michael Hussey is rightly praising Yadav for “making things happen” and I have to agree because every time I watch the guy bowl, he’s either taking wickets or being belted into Sunday. Yet in this over he’s actually just unlucky, because although his only bad ball was driven square by Smith it should have been cut off by Jadeja, not fumbled for four. The Aussies continue along at a rapid clip. Smith’s got his dancing shoes on and he’s already finding runs.
Updated
9th over: Australia 60-1 (Marsh 25, Smith 11)
Ishant keeps things tight for half an over before the inevitable “pies” (I’m stealing Michael Slater’s lines now) are sent down and feasted on by Smith, who swivels and pulls past mid-wicket twice in as many deliveries when faced with half-trackers. Ishant is still managing a kind of swagger in his step as the over comes to a close, but he’s only fooling himself there.
Ishant remains my favourite cricketer whose name sounds like a defiant exclamation from a 19th century teenager. #AUSvIND
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) January 17, 2016
8th over: Australia 52-1 (Marsh 25, Smith 3)
Steve Smith arrives at the crease as fidgety and nervous-looking as ever but he seems to be picking the ball up well enough in this twilight period of the afternoon. He tucks two to mid-wicket and then unleashes a scything square driving towards point but it’s wonderfully cut off by Jadeja there to limit the damage to a single.
WICKET! Finch c Dhoni b Yadav 21 (Australia 48-1)
Oh dear. Finch’s copped a genuinely good ball from Yadav here and just thrown his hands at it hard to send a thick edge behind the wicket to Dhoni. He groans in disappointment at his error, which represents a squandered chance in front of his home crowd. He’d started superbly but just didn’t have to push at that one. Yadav gets the desperately needed breakthrough.
Updated
7th over: Australia 48-0 (Marsh 25, Finch 21)
The Aussies will chase this one down in 40 overs if the tourists don’t get through act together but again Sharma’s offering up tripe, banging in a half-tracker for Shaun Marsh to blaze a pull shot through square leg for four. Ishan’t has a decent head of steam up but he’s not quick enough for that.
6th over: Australia 42-0 (Marsh 20, Finch 20)
Barinder Sran just looks sad now, but it’s his bowling that will cause frowns for his captain. His first delivery strays onto Marsh’s pads and gets knocked away for three and then he gives Finch too much width with two consecutive deliveries, the first of which is cut to the rope and the second – a low full toss – is dispatched to the fence at long off. Worse is to come two balls later when Finch cracks one straight to Gurkeerat Singh Mann at mid-off and the debutant shells an absolute sitter! The Indians are a rabble at the moment, it’s safe to say.
Updated
5th over: Australia 31-0 (Marsh 17, Finch 12)
Dhoni’s seen enough of Yadav so brings on Ishant Sharma and his hipster/samurai/top-knot thing. Actually, it’s more of a rear-knot if I’m being entirely fair, but he does look like someone who could convince you to pay $145 for a plain white t-shirt made from Mongolion free trade hemp. For now cricket pays a little better for the paceman and his first over features a variety of lines that give scoring opportunities. Marsh clips off his hip through square leg and with some enthusiastic running between the wickets picks up three.
Updated
4th over: Australia 26-0 (Marsh 14, Finch 11)
The worrying thing about this for India so far is that neither of their bowlers has done much wrong and yet still the Australian pair is off to a flyer and with no undue risk. Finch is now pulling and cutting with ease and every ball looks like a scoring opportunity, though he does get lucky with a french cut past his timber to pick up a single. Marsh finishes this Sran over with a carbon copy of the shot the over before, punishing the paceman to pick up four. He looks like a genius at the moment.
3rd over: Australia 19-0 (Marsh 10, Finch 8)
Finch looks like he’s ‘on’ tonight and plays a lovely back-foot drive for three through cover here off Yadav – a tough shot with the ball coming through above waist height at pace. Finch made it look like a cinch. Marsh is even better to finish the over, also driving on the up with fluency to pick up another boundary to deep extra cover.
2nd over: Australia 11-0 (Marsh 5, Finch 5)
The willowy Barinder Sran pairs with Yadav and there’s plenty of action packed into his first delivery, which Finch has a big wooly swipe at and it’s soon flying high down to third man for a single. There’s also a single to Marsh and a leg-side wide before Finch latches onto some generous width to clatter four through extra cover, nodding in appreciation of his own shot. Not without reason, either.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Marsh 4, Finch 0)
Okay we’re off at the MCG. Umesh Yadav grabs the shiny new white ball and flings down a wobbly seamer outside Shaun Marsh’s off stump and there’s a few more dots before Marsh spears the penultimate delivery through the vacant point region for a rasping boundary. You can’t give him that kind of width.
While we wait for the Australian chase to begin
Just drink in the majesty of this Shahid Afridi dismissal ten minutes ago in Pakistan’s ODI against New Zealand. One day his headstone will have some kind of hologram display of a moment like this.
Shahid Afridi 7(3) c Kane Williamson b Adam Milne https://t.co/w143qMpGMJ #NZvPAK #cricingif pic.twitter.com/p5creS1zto
— Cricingif (@cricingif) January 17, 2016
Obligatory Shane Warne update
Holidays with my amazing kids nearly done. 10 day poker tourny starts Wednesday, then back to UK as my work is finished for the Oz summer !
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) January 17, 2016
Okay, chase time
It is indeed Russell Jackson here to take you through this Australian run-chase, which if you’ll excuse me in saying so, feels somewhat familiar to the other two games in this series. Perhaps this MCG deck isn’t the road we saw in Perth but it’s hardly spicy. Steve Smith’s slightly provocative gambit of sending the Indians in doesn’t look unjustified tight now and he and his men enter this pursuit brimfull of confidence that they’ve got the firepower to get the job done.
Me? I wouldn’t call it firepower but I make up with enthusiasm what I lack in dynamism, so look forward to bringing it all to you live. Doesn’t be shy, either. Emails, tweets, texts, hand-written letters and telegrams will all be accepted gratefully with only the rubbish ones left unpublished. Now there’s some pressure, eh?
My highlight of the Indian innings? Not so much Virat Kohli’s knock as Ian Healy’s description of one drive “flying through the guts of the gap” at cover. Genius. It’s not going to get any better than that over in these parts, folks.
Australia need 296 to win
Another big chase, up around that 300 mark. But you reckon this will be a tougher chase than in the previous two games, given how this track has played.
India were fiercer in their attempts to score, they launched earlier, but they still found it hard going in the face of bowling that was accurate but not exactly diabolical.
Australia have already produced record run chases for the grounds in Perth and Brisbane, and they will need to do that again to win here tonight. But under lights, on a drop-in pitch, timing is not always that easy.
Over to India’s bowlers! Ravi Ashwin is out after some ineffectual showings. Yadav, Sran and Ishant Sharma will join Rishi Dhawan and Jadeja in trying to restrict the Australians.
4-58 the best bowling figures, those of John Hastings.
1-48 for Richardson and 1-63 for Faulkner, all of them bowling their full 10 overs. Boland went for 63 from 9, Maxwell excellent with 46 from 9, Mitch Marsh just the two overs for 12.
Yet another ODI century for Virat Kohli, the man who could break all records in this format if he can maintain his output over a full career. And a treat it was to watch, as was Rahane’s timing and Dhoni’s clouting at the end.
That it’s from me - Geoff Lemon on my way out, I’ll leave you in the capable typing hands of Russell Jackson.
49th over: India 295-6 (Jadeja 6, R. Dhawan 3)
Another debutant in Rishi Dhawan, 55 List A games to his credit. It’s tip and run in this last over as they hunt that 300 mark.
Faulkner bowling. A wide that becomes two as Wade fumbles. That’s a bonus. Cheers, say the Indian batsmen. Rishi Dhawan can only drive the next back to Faulkner. He gets two down the ground, one more on the sweep. Jadeja a single to cover. Can’t find the rope. Swinging very hard.
Dhawan keeps doing so, from the last two balls of the innings, and misses them both. Massive slogs, but Faulkner just keeps sliding them past the bat.
49th over: India 289-6 (Jadeja 5, R. Dhawan 0)
Jadeja off strike at the first opportunity. Dhoni advances but misses, Wade cleans up.
Four! Back on his stumps this time, Dhoni, turns the length ball into a short ball, swivels his whole body and pulls it square of the deep backward position, on the bounce.
Six! Boshed down the ground with full Dhoni authority, as Hasting’s attempted cutter slips out, reaches Dhoni on the full toss, and he plants it onto the black shade cloth by the sight screen.
Out! As per backyard rules. One ball after that, Jadeja can only get a single.
Updated
WICKET! Dhoni c Maxwell b Hastings 23 (9 balls)
Holes out after some big hitting, he’s got the accelerator down but eventually he bashes this short ball out to Maxwell at deep midwicket, who adds to his tally of catches and gives The Duke his fourth wicket.
48th over: India 277-5 (Dhoni 13, Jadeja 3)
It had started alright for Mann: he cut a single from Faulkner, before Dhoni utterly slammed one down the ground, but along the turf to long-on.
Then it was a four, and the crowd erupting in cheers as Mann pulled beautifully along the ground between the two men in the deep behind square.
But that was as good as it got. Gone next ball. Jadeja drives a two, then a one.
Updated
WICKET! Mann b Faulkner 8 (7 balls)
He was on a hiding to nothing, the new fellow, and could only have a big slog at Faulkner across the line. Inside edge, and unluckily from a pull shot, it clipped his leg stump instead of going for runs.
47th over: India 268-4 (Dhoni 12, Mann 3)
Kohli goes from the second ball. Gurkeerat Rupinder Singh Mann is coming out for his ODI debut, after 47 List A games.
Hastings bounces the new man second ball. Mann top-edges the next short one for two lucky runs. Hastings goes for only three in the over and has taken the key wicket. He’s an unsung bowler who has actually done some incredibly good work for his national team.
Updated
WICKET! Kohli c Bailey b Hastings 117 (117 balls)
A fine innings comes to an end, as Kohli mistimes his attempt to clear cover from a length delivery, and ends up slamming it straight at George’s hat, which makes no mistake.
46th over: India 265-3 (Kohli 117, Dhoni 12)
Dhoni just finds a single immediately, gets off strike. Faulkner is trying to bowl a dry line outside off, bowls a wide, then a wide yorker drive for one.
Then?
Six! Dhoni, second ball, walks down the wicket and absolutely smears that over wide long-on. That was utterly brutal. Across the line, not quite the helicopter but he got a very full ball and gave it everything.
Then?
Four! After another wide, that is. Faulkner tries the wide yorker again and Dhoni goes to 11 from 3 deliveries with an astonishing cover drive, angled bat, and that ball booming off the blade like a cannon had gone off.
That was the rare sort of shot that, watching live at the ground, makes you flinch when the ball is struck.
A single. A single. 16 from the over. They needed that. I need a lie down.
45th over: India 249-3 (Kohli 115, Dhoni 0)
Well. Rahane had raised his fifty the ball before he was dismissed, with a two. The batsmen crossed while the ball was in the air. Dhoni at the other end. Kohli gets a couple more, then a convoluted boundary out to deep midwicket.
The same pair who produced the catch make a mess of the ground fielding, as Maxwell dives and misses the hard-struck pull shot along the ground, and Smith right back on the rope can’t get to it either backing Maxwell up. Smith crashes into the rope with the ball in hand.
WICKET! Rahane c Maxwell b Hastings 50 (55 balls)
Tremendous outfield catch! Cool as you like, they’ve practiced this in T20 leagues all around the world. Rahane pulls, it’s high and out towards the rope at the very long eastern side of the ground. Smith tracks around the boundary and takes the catch just inside, knows he’s going to run over the rope. But Maxwell is waiting, and Smith throws in a casual underarm lob to his teammate as he goes over the line. Maxwell completes one of the easiest catches, at least on his part, that he’ll take in his career.
44th over: India 241-2 (Kohli 109, Rahane 48)
SIX! And Kohli makes a mess of what was otherwise a perfectly tidy over. Just walks into Scott Boland’s barbeque and flips over the trestle table. Take that, salads.
A single from each of the first five balls, then Kohli drives so high and handsomely over mid-on that you can hear the gasp rather than the roar.
Century! Kohli 100 (105 balls)
43rd over: India 230-2 (Kohli 101, Rahane 46)
The over didn’t start well: an off-cutter it looked like from Richardson, that nearly got Rahane’s wicket as he drove off the edge just in front of short third man. Rahane got off strike next ball with a pull to long leg. Then...
Four! Absolute classic Kohli, that is his true trademark. The particular cover drive he plays, yes. But that slapped on-drive, with the hockey-shot wrists, whether skating along the ground or lofted in the air, that is Virat Kohli.
He plays one of the latter, the airborne variety, over straight midwicket to pick the gap in the deep for four. Then ticks over a single behind square to raise his hundred.
After 91 in Perth and 59 in Brisbane, there’s a ton for Kohli. His 24th in his career. Only Sangakkara, Jayasuriya, Ponting and Tendulkar lie ahead of him.
42nd over: India 220-2 (Kohli 95, Rahane 44)
Great start by Boland! Dot ball to midwicket, then a handy bit of fielding as he grabs the ball on his follow-through and underarms the stumps down. Rahane had turned and got back into his ground, but has to charge to get a single from the third ball of the over.
Kohli gets another, Rahane glances one more, they just can’t get more. Kohli can at least show some aggression in his running, and he does to make sure they hammer home for two runs from the final ball, turned to deep midwicket.
41st over: India 215-2 (Kohli 92, Rahane 42)
So here we go. The last 10 overs, and they’re past 200. Can they reach that mark of 100 from the last 10? Or will it be too difficult on this pitch? Even 280 would be a good score here, you reckon.
Kohli slashes out to deep cover, was desperate for the second but Rahane said no given they were taking on Maxwell’s arm. Good call, one of them would have been gone.
A couple more singles, then it’s four! as Richardson barely drops short, but Rahane got on the front foot, got in good position, and swatted that between the two outfielders behind square leg. Rahane nearly bowled next ball as he chops one into his foot, but gets away with it. They scramble a single. Eight from the over.
40th over: India 207-2 (Kohli 90, Rahane 36)
Six! After Kohli hands him the strike with a pushed single, Rahane comes down the wicket to Boland. Suddenly the back-of-a-length ball becomes a half volley, and Rahane drives it dead straight on the bounce into the sight screen.
There goes the team 200.
Four singles and a leg bye otherwise, 11 from the over.
39th over: India 196-2 (Kohli 87, Rahane 29)
Richardson now, another tall right-armer. Another accurate start. Two dot balls and then a single through cover. Just can’t get away on this pitch, the batsmen. Rahane slides a single down to short third man. Kohli flicks one square. That’s it! Only three from the over. Are they going to launch, or fall in a heap like in the closing stages in Brisbane?
38th over: India 193-2 (Kohli 85, Rahane 28)
A couple of runs on the square flick from Rahane, splitting the outfielders. Lots of gaps out there, this was a ground where batsmen like Michael Bevan really came into their own as exploiters of space in the field. Rahane doesn’t have that familiarity, so he finds the short third man for a dot, and gets desperate enough that he flicks the next ball in the air just past Bailey at the catching midwicket.
Only four from the over. India restless.
37th over: India 189-2 (Kohli 84, Rahane 25)
James “William” Faulkner to carry on after drinks. He carries on a lot of the time, actually. Rahane nearly nicks the first ball. He’s done that a couple of times, has Ajinkya. Tried to run a single to third man and been down the wrong line.
Enough of that, he says. Four, as he gets on the front foot to play a mighty clout over midwicket. Faulkner bowls a good bouncer, Rahane wanted to lift it over the keeper but the ball tailed into him, and in the end Rahane was left doing a limbo move in his efforts to contort the bat near the ball. Couldn’t get it.
Single off the last ball, just dinked to the leg side. Wade was across quickly to throw at the non-striker’s end, no point doing it at the closer end because Kohli was so fast coming down for that run. Good team play to have your key batsmen so willing to give up the strike.
36th over: India 184-2 (Kohli 84, Rahane 20)
Nearly out there! The frustration told on Kohli, who tried to loft the off-drive from Boland and only got a huge outside edge that went high over the off-side. Shaun Marsh ran in from the deep but it dropped a metre in front of him.
Undeterred, Kohli advances next ball and plays the same shot for six! That’s what I meant to do, he thinks, as it drops into a full bay in the MCC.
A couple of singles, then another desperate double as Kohli works the ball behind square. He makes it back safely and is well into the 80s. Big over.
35th over: India 172-2 (Kohli 73, Rahane 19)
Maxwell, because he can, fields at point and throws perfectly with the left hand to Finch at cover. Three times in a row Kohli finds Maxwell, thee dots to Faulkner. Then another to midwicket. In the end Kohli has to charge just to bunt the ball into the gap at cover and take one. Faulkner rounds out a great over by keeping Rahane quite from the last ball.
34th over: India 171-2 (Kohli 72, Rahane 19)
Another Indian batsman into the act. In fact Rahane looks the most assured and composed today. He waits for Maxwell, then drives over cover, gorgeous timing. They take seven from the over in all.
33rd over: India 164-2 (Kohli 70, Rahane 14)
Oh yes. Kohli’s drive through wide mid-off is a cracker. The Indian crowd goes up as one. Straight to the fence in Faulkner’s first over back.
32nd over: India 158-2 (Kohli 65, Rahane 13)
Maxwell doing his job here. Seven overs for 35 runs as he starts his next. Kohli can only get a run from the first three balls. Rahane onto the back foot and cuts through cover, picking up two, then runs down the wicket and drives the next back to Maxwell on the bounce. Deep in his crease from the last to pull a single, crouching low.
31st over: India 154-2 (Kohli 64, Rahane 10)
Single, single, single, then Rahane produces a lovely straight drive. Smith was fielding at mid-on but couldn’t stop it. Too fast, too straight.
30th over: India 147-2 (Kohli 62, Rahane 5)
ODI Cricket 101. Welcome to new students. 30th over, spinner, five singles. That’s the stuff.
29th over: India 142-2 (Kohli 59, Rahane 3)
Hastings is just about leaving holes in the deck, first with his feet, then with the way he pounds the ball in back of a length. They can’t do much with him: two singles to Kohli, one to Rahane. Lots of pressure on Kohli now to drive the scoring.
28th over: India 139-2 (Kohli 57, Rahane 2)
Maxwell to bowl. Rahane in the middle now. Batted very well in Brisbane. India need to reset. Four singles and a leg bye.
I live for this stuff.
Only India batsman before Virat Kohli to make 50+ scores in 3 consecutive ODIs v AUS in AUS was Sunil Gavaskar: 4 50s in '85-86. #AUSvIND
— Shiva J (@Shiva_cricinfo) January 17, 2016
27th over: India 134-2 (Kohli 55, Rahane 0)
That over ended a partnership worth 119 - the third century stand on the trot for Kohli for the second wicket. Before he fell, Dhawan had top-edged a boundary over the keeper for four. It was far from his most fluent innings, but at least he got some momentum back later in the piece. India will need it.
WICKET! Dhawan b Hastings 68 (91 balls)
Dhawan goes, he’s looked a bit uncomfortable and a bit streaky throughout, he goes across his stumps a bit, and if Hastings meant to spear the ball into leg stump, it was a brilliant piece of bowling. It hit the stumps so hard the ball ran down to the fine leg fence when it was done.
Updated
26th over: India 127-1 (Dhawan 64, Kohli 52)
Thwock. Dhawan’s pull shots today are all going very straight. Another one goes nearly through long-on as Richardson drops short. Dhawan is catching up the differential in his strike rate, it’s up into the 70s now.
25th over: India 119-1 (Dhawan 57, Kohli 51)
Dhawan still trying to get the motor running. Goes down on one knee to swat Maxwell away through fine leg for four. There’s a bit of interest from Maxwell a couple of balls later when one hits the pad, but it goes unsupported by the key parties of umpire, captain and teammates.
24th over: India 114-1 (Dhawan 52, Kohli 51)
Richardson is back, bringing the beard to the crease. He does well, only three singles from the over.
Dane asks via email, “Any chance of a wicket prepared this series to support bowlers at all? Or are the batting scorecards in lieu of weaker bowling attacks vs the batting attacks?”
Well Dane, the chat from Chris Rogers on ABC Grandstand - a batsman who has played an awful lot at the MCG - is that this pitch is a bit sticky, a bit slow. There’s just not quite the pace in it that the previous games had, he says, that allowed batsmen to play shots all round the wicket. So a more modest total than the usual 300 might work here.
23rd over: India 111-1 (Dhawan 50, Kohli 50)
Four! Dhawan pounds that like a bag of flour. Maxwell back on and Dhawan gets low to slog-sweep over midwicket.
Gives Kohli the strike, and it’s a half-century for Virat Kohli as he flicks to the on-side. The Indian fans give a bigger cheer than some Test centuries have had at this ground. Dhawan brings up his own fifty from the very next ball with another run. Fiddy, fiddy, Nelson.
Updated
22nd over: India 102-1 (Dhawan 42, Kohli 49)
Near-miss for Kohli as he slashes wide of gully for two runs. Maxwell was the catcher, so if he couldn’t get to that ball, no one could.
He learns from it, Kohli, because his next cut shot is perfect. Perrrrrfect. Times it beautifully behind point and teases the outfielder all the way. Then Kohli shows his adaptability by dinking the ball into the leg-side and darting through for two runs. The hundred arises.
21st over: India 94-1 (Dhawan 42, Kohli 41)
What. A. Shot. Kohli has a cover and a backward point in the circle, and a deep cover point and a third man in the deep. He cuts between all four of them, timing Marsh’s short ball perfectly to beat both outfielders to the fence. They meet at the ball and could shake hands over a job not done.
Gold Floppy update: three broad-brimmed hats in the field. Bailey, Finch, Richardson. Glenn Maxwell tried it for one game but has reverted to the cap. Next match, he’ll be wearing a Carmen Miranda fruit headdress.
Kohli’s boundary inspires Dhawan, who charges Marsh and pulls, inelegantly but effectively, over wide mid-on for four.
20th over: India 85-1 (Dhawan 38, Kohli 36)
Kohli was run out in Brisbane last start, but still running aggressively here. Turns Boland away and belts back for the second run. Three singles follow.
Brendan Brown is feeling a bit glum. “ In a week where sporting officialdom have got it horribly wrong more than once, here’s hoping today’s game is free of controversy.” Haven’t spied any yet, Brendan.
19th over: India 80-1 (Dhawan 37, Kohli 32)
Mitchell Marsh. Thank heavens: last outing was the first Australian match without a Mitchell in the team in living memory. One we were a nation of Barries, now we are Mitchells and Jaysons.
Dhawan walked to the boundary to towel himself off during the drinks break, perhaps he’s a bit crook. He’s still struggling, Kohli finding singles with ease but Dhawan getting marooned for a few balls each time he gets on strike.
Updated
18th over: India 77-1 (Dhawan 36, Kohli 30)
Boland is back - only had one over before, then came off for Maxwell. Now he’s at the other end, showing the 26 on his back to the MCC members. Dhawan smashes straight to point. If someone counted how many shots he’s hit at fielders today, they would know how many it has been. Broadly, lots.
Dhawan misses out on a pull from the next ball, maybe a slower ball? It seemed to get under his bat. Then he’s bashing ... straight to cover. Then should have had a run to backward point but Maxwell does what Maxwell does and cuts it off.
Boland has him on the hook with four dots in a row, but lets him off with a wide - a very high bouncer in the attempt to finish an economical over. Having been pulled up on it, Boland bowls one more easily hit, and Dhawan pulls it through fine leg, not super controlled, but enough for four.
Even so, 36 off 61 is a poor rate for an ODI opener. That’s drinks.
17th over: India 71-1 (Dhawan 32, Kohli 29)
Maxwell dots up Dhawan twice, then three singles unroll from the bals with nudges before Kohli pulls out a brutal sweep. Sadly for him it rolls to Hastings out at deep backward square.
16th over: India 67-1 (Dhawan 30, Kohli 27)
Finch and Hastings are doing a constant swap between mid-on and mid-off when the batsmen rotate the strike. Do they want the taller man at mid-on for the lofted catch? Or the slightly more spry chat at mid-off for his ground fielding? Maybe they just like going for walks. I don’t know.
Five singles from Faulkner’s over. The game is a raft down a river, a lazy drift in the sunshine of a perfect, perfect, perfect Melbourne summer afternoon.
15th over: India 62-1 (Dhawan 27, Kohli 25)
Maxwell doing his job, and the innings already sliding into the accumulation phase. Three singles, one leg bye.
Updated
14th over: India 58-1 (Dhawan 26, Kohli 23)
Ok, I revise that opinion. No one is going after Faulkner, least of all Dhawan, who plays for more shots straight to the field before pulling a single. Kohli adds another.
For an alternate take on the Kohli record:
Kohli the fastest ever to 7000 ODI runs, beating Bradman who, as we all know, fell just 4 runs short of making it with a perfect 100 SR.
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) January 17, 2016
Updated
13th over: India 56-1 (Dhawan 25, Kohli 22)
Glenn Maxwell comes on, his part-time off-breaks the only spin component in this side while Nathan Lyon continues to play in the Big Bash. He has a slip to start with, and a dot ball to start with, but they soon work him for three singles and a two.
This is some record for Kohli.
Virat Kohli reaches 7000 ODI runs in his 161st innings, the lowest number of innings for any batsman https://t.co/kEEOokvkIp #AUSvIND
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) January 17, 2016
12th over: India 51-1 (Dhawan 21, Kohli 21)
Muy interesante. Faulkner is so often a bowler who’s hard to smash, especially bowling at the death. But on the ground where he was man-of-the-match in the World Cup final, I reckon India have decided to target him. Dhawan puts one foot down the pitch and slaps Faulkner, disdainfully, over midwicket, then takes a single next ball. The 50 is up and the batsmen are level.
Updated
11th over: India 46-1 (Dhawan 16, Kohli 21)
It’s time for Scott Boland, the man whose last name so nearly describes his job. The tall and strongly built pacer delivers an accurate over, keeping the batsmen to three singles.
10th over: India 43-1 (Dhawan 14, Kohli 20)
First bowling change of the day brings James Faulkner on, whose Cricinfo photo looks like a man who knows the existence of a few shallow graves. Kohli drives beautifully first ball but mid-off saves three runs. Dhawan smashes yet another ball straight to cover but finally gets a run from such a ball on the misfield.
They trade a couple more singles, allowing Kohli to come back and flick fine for four. Not a great ball. Kohli has already passed his partner’s score.
9th over: India 35-1 (Dhawan 12, Kohli 14)
Kohli has played very well in the first two games without completely dominating, but perhaps in the absence of Sharma he’s going to step up his work today. He goes twice through wide mid-on against Richardson, flicking the straighter ball away, once for a boundary and then for three.
8th over: India 28-1 (Dhawan 12, Kohli 7)
Missed chance! It goes begging, really. Dhawan pulled at Hastings, top edged it, and Faulkner inside the circle at backward square leg seemed to have concrete gumboots on running back with the flight.
I suspect he couldn’t pick up where the ball was in the sky, and in the end it dropped just out of reach of his hand as he dived backwards. A single results. Kohli lashes Hastings through the covers, not perfectly timed by the sound of the bat, but enough for three runs.
Dhawan cuts two to backward point where the sweeper comes around. They’re starting to get the pace of the pitch, perhaps.
7th over: India 22-1 (Dhawan 9, Kohli 4)
Kohli pulls a single from Richardson, happy to take on the short ball. Dhawan finally gets a run when he finds he can ride the bounce and steer to third man. Kohli watches a wide pass down leg, then hits the next ball in a similar area for a single down to Boland hulking on the rope at deep fine. The Aussie pace attack could pack down in a rugby scrum just as easily.
6th over: India 17-1 (Dhawan 8, Kohli 2)
Good over from Hastings to consolidate. Kohli took four balls to find a single to third man. Dhawan found the bowler and found point with his two balls. Keeps playing shots, keeps facing dots. Something has to give.
5th over: India 16-1 (Dhawan 8, Kohli 1)
Kohli to the wicket, Richo in the game. The latter flicks a single first ball. Dhawan finds the field twice more.
Richardson currently 1-5 off 3 overs; 14 of his 18 deliveries have been dots. #AusvInd
— Jesse Hogan (@Jesse_Hogan) January 17, 2016
WICKET! Sharma c Wade b Richardson 6 (11 balls)
The dream is over. All that talk of Sharma centuries, and he comes undone a mere 94 runs short. It shows how hard it is to make centuries, I suppose. A good ball from Richardson, Sharma didn’t need to play outside the line, just a needless defensive stab in the end but enough to get the nick through to Wade.
Updated
4th over: India 15-0 (Sharma 6, Dhawan 8)
Dhawan likes Hastings. Full again and swat goes the opener, over mid-on for four. Gets bogged down again after that, though, and can’t score from the next four balls. Sharma had awkwardly begun the over with a stabbed single to point.
3rd over: India 10-0 (Sharma 5, Dhawan 4)
Rohit beats point for a single to third man, and the crowd goes up like he just won the game from the last ball.
Speaking of, the Sydney Sixers did that in the Women’s Big Bash this morning. They needed to win eight games in a row to make the finals, and they won the eighth at the last possible opportunity. Needed 15 off the last over, and 2 off the last ball, but Sarah McGlashan got them there in the company of the tail. Great story.
Richardson ties Dhawan down here. Four balls after the single, four struck straight to the field all round the wicket. The moustachioed marauder may be getting antsy, though he is on his adopted home ground of Melbourne, the city where he now lives. Sharma loves Melbourne too, come to think of it: two ODI tons on this ground in the last year, and four in Australia in that time.
2nd over: India 9-0 (Sharma 4, Dhawan 4)
From the other end it’s John Hastings, the Not So Thin White Duke.
The Melbourne Stars did without him last night, in bowling out the Perth Scorchers for a small enough total to leap them on net run rate and host a home semi-final. They’ll still miss him though, he’s a fine operator and an enormous chunk of human being.
He does exactly his job, just a single and a wide from the first six balls he sends down, before getting too full from the last ball and allowing Dhawan to drive dead straight for four.
1st over: India 3-0 (Sharma 3, Dhawan 0)
As if he’s read that article before play, Sharma starts nervously. Kane Richardson opening the bowling very early in his international career, and Sharma lobs him high over mid-on, and nearly holes out third ball. It lands just beyond the field. Then Sharma pulls a short one in the air that bounces in front of long leg.
The cheers from the Indian crowd for each run are electric. If you’re anywhere near the MCG, get down here.
Here’s what to look out for today: a Rohit Sharma century. He already has two at the MCG, and three against Australia on these shores. If he gets another today he is going to break all kinds of records.
I went into deep statistical detail on all of that in this piece here. Swot up.
Oh yes. The crowd is live at the MCG. Much bigger cheer for Sharma and Dhawan coming out to bat than for the Australians to field. India have really made Australia an extra home tour for themselves in the last couple of years.
And what about you? The people out there in OBO land? My love, my life, my light, my loins? Maybe not my loins. How does the world look to you today? How does the sun catch your eye or the night tickle your skin? Geoff Lemon at your disposal: lay on me a story, like silver on a distant sea.
And the crowd goes wild ...well, there’s not many in yet
There's almost as many people out on the ground for the toss as there is in the stands. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/X5lMsErYOs
— Adam White (@White_Adam) January 17, 2016
Those teams in full
Australia
Aus XI: Finch, S Marsh, Smith (c), Bailey, Maxwell, M Marsh, Wade, Faulkner, Hastings, Richardson, Boland #AUSvIND
— FOX SPORTS News (@FOXSportsNews) January 17, 2016
India
India XI: S Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Rahane, Dhoni (c), Gurakeet Mann, Jadeja, R Dhawan, Ishant, Yadav #AUSvIND
— FOX SPORTS News (@FOXSportsNews) January 17, 2016
Updated
The toss
...is won by Australia and Steve Smith tries to strike an early pyschological blow by putting the Indians in to bat, perhaps confident that he and his men will chase down any total that the tourists set.
Team news? Gurkeerat Singh and Rishi Dhawan are in for their debuts for India, while Ashwin and the unlucky Pandey are out. What did the latter do wrong? Australia give Joel Paris a rest and bring in Mitchell Marsh to bowl his overs and provide extra batting cover. Geoff will be on board shortly to take you through the rest.
Updated
Geoff will be dropping by shortly but in the meantime, read Ali Martin on Stuart Broad’s heroics against South Africa overnight.
