The day in brief
Well that was another absorbing day of cricket in this 3rd Test at the MCG. The scene is now set for an equally-compelling finish with Australia in a commanding position - 326 runs ahead - but not entirely certain that this talent-laden Indian batting line-up will fold on day five.
Australia started the day by mopping up the Indian tail in clinical style before Chris Rogers (69) nudged, nurdled and occasionally even blasted (yes, you read that right) his way to his fourth consecutive Test half-century and provided the ballast as Australia went about setting a challenging total for the tourists.
The Indians pegged them back with a steady flow of wickets though. Shane Watson (17) and Joe Burns (9) fell to loose strokes and Steve Smith (12) to a leg-side trap that had given the Indians no joy previously.
Of the Indian bolwers, Yadav (2-73 from 14) was expensive and took wickets from shockers but stuck at his task, Ishant (2-49 from 19) was both probing an occasionally menacing and Ashwin (2-56 off 22) never less than a threat.
If India’s batting form of this summer and the feisty spirit in which this series has been played holds true, we’re in for a far more absorbing final day tomorrow than the raw numbers might suggest. Make sure you join us at 10am local time for all the live action.
Stumps on Day 4 - Australia leads by 326
75th over - Australia 261-7 (Marsh 62, Harris 8)
With all that faffing of the last over, the world’s oldest-looking 24-year-old, Mohammad Shami, will bowl the last over of the day. He starts with some rubbish down the leg side, which suits Ryan Harris just fine in his efforts to chaperone Marsh through to stumps. Harris even sneaks two through mid wicket when Shami fluffs his attempt at an in-swinging yorker.
And that is that. Stumps is called on day four and the Australians lead by 326 with a 10am (local time) start tomorrow due to the time lost to weather today.
74th over - Australia 259-7 (Marsh 62, Harris 6)
There’s just six minutes left now until the end of the day’s play but if India are in a hurry to let their bowlers get the maximum opportunity for a dismissal, they’ve got a funny way of showing it. They loll about in the field and at one point the ball - in the process of being passed back towards Yadav - is tossed over Kohli’s head and half-way out to the boundary.
Good to see CA offering a $20 adult charge to see the denouement of this Test match tomorrow. #goodvalue
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) December 29, 2014
73rd over - Australia 257-7 (Marsh 62, Harris 5)
Ryan Harris isn’t afraid of a bit of hard work and digs in admirably as Ashwin zeroes in around his middle and leg stumps with a series of curling, drifting offies. His defence looks impregnable but it’s effective for now. The maiden also probably comes as a relief to the bowler too. Australia leads by 322.
Updated
72nd over - Australia 257-7 (Marsh 62, Harris 5)
Yadav produces a maiden to Marsh. Six balls, no runs. Fancy that.
KFC Trivia: What will Brayshaw call cricket balls in this commentary stint? A) Cherries B) Nuts C) Tomatoes D) Mogwais #ChannelNineNonsense
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) December 29, 2014
71st over - Australia 257-7 (Marsh 62, Harris 5)
The other thing that this recent onslaught has achieved for Australia, aside from the obvious, is that it’s blunted Ashwin’s influence as he’s reactively tended towards a flatter and faster trajectory. That’s a big win for the home side.
Updated
70th over - Australia 255-7 (Marsh 61, Harris 4)
Marsh is in charge now. He gets the strike back from Harris, digs out a yorker and then pummels Shami for a pair of wonderful boundaries through cover. He struggled to the 40s and made batting look like learning Sanskrit, but now I’m convincing myself he’s on for a ton. Can Harris hang around? Is there enough time? Australia leads by 320.
69th over - Australia 246-7 (Marsh 53, Harris 3)
Whoooof!! Out of nowhere, Shaun Marsh explodes into action by advancing down the track to Ashwin and thumping the spinner over long-on for six to bring up a determined half-century. India need to be careful here because Harris is no slouch, as his first-innings 74 would attest. I remember watching him play as a genuine all-rounder for the Redbacks in the late 90s. What a time that was. I wasn’t even receding yet.
@rustyjacko When one leaves a game then returns, one's perspective is different from those who have watched it. Aus look MILES ahead to me!
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) December 29, 2014
But I’ve seen things, Gary. I’ve seen things.
68th over - Australia 236-7 (Marsh 44, Harris 2)
Rahane thinks he has another catch at leg gully from Harris but Kumar Dharmasena makes another judicious call, rightly identifying that it had come off the batsman’s hip. The Australian lead edges past 300 with 2 to Harris.
Robert Wilson is on the mark, as usual. “There’s been so much sub-Beckett gloom about the evils of IPL and the death-throes of tests in the last couple of years. With this game setting up beautifully for the last day, that lovely NZ win and the W.Indies currently showing some wherewithal, may I just say that the death throes seem quite vigorous and entertaining?”
Yes, you certainly can.
WICKET! Johnson c Rahane b Shami 15 (Australia 234-7)
Shami strikes with a a slower-ball bouncer, tying Johnson up and drawing a false stroke that bobbles up in the air to Rahane at mid-wicket. The Australian lead now sits at 299 and there is a lot of feeling out in the middle. Johnson appears to have words to Kohli and perhaps Ishant on the way off. No surprises there, though probably not a great idea on the part of the tourists if the Gabba is anything to go by.
67th over - Australia 234-6 (Marsh 44, Johnson 15)
Ashwin and Dhoni have conspired to place two men in the deep, straight, to Johnson. That almost brings about a wicket when the Aussie moves down the track and biffs another flat, fearsome drive but it skids through to Murali Vijay from a single bounce, never rising greatly above head height.
66th over - Australia 233-6 (Marsh 44, Johnson 14)
Johnson might have been unshackled by that boundary off Ashwin because he unleashes a thunderous blow off Shami here too, a cross-bat mow that almost kills both the bowler and Umpire Kumar Dharmasena. That breeds some trepidation among the fielding side as well and there’s a fumble in the field next up to gift him a single.
I haven’t mentioned it yet, but how magnificent has it been to have Bill Lawry back for what is now a kind of bittersweet Christmas present to cricket lovers?
I'll never get tired of Bill Lawry saying 'he hit it as clean as a whistle' #AUSvIND
— Smokie Dawson (@smokiedawson) December 29, 2014
65th over - Australia 228-6 (Marsh 44, Johnson 9)
Mitchell Johnson had waited a shade under half an hour to to move beyond his score of four, but he doubles that in fine and muscular style by slog-sweeping Ashwin over mid-wicket for a boundary. The Ausralian lead creeps up to 293 with 15 overs still to play today.
64th over - Australia 223-6 (Marsh 44, Johnson 4)
Did I mention that today’s play has been stretched by an hour due to the delays earlier? It will conclude at 7pm local time, in just under 50 minutes. Out in the middle, Ishant thinks he’s got Marsh trapped in front not playing a shot, but replays confirm what was not immediately obvious to the naked eye - that the ball had pitched outside leg.
63rd over - Australia 221-6 (Marsh 43, Johnson 4)
Ashwin might take his time a little more than he is right now, but there is a game to win and that demands a certain degree of urgency. This over costs just a single to Marsh but all of a sudden the greater threat is coming from Ishant at the other end.
62nd over - Australia 220-6 (Marsh 42, Johnson 4)
Like an umpire copping a ball to the swingers, there’s plenty to love about the sight of Ishant being French-cut for a boundary in a potentially-tight encounter. The corallory benefit is that it fires up the bowler and he produces a bruitish leg-cutter that cannons into Shaun Marsh’s midriff.
He’s hiding the ball in his run up, Ishant, though not his intention to attack the batsman at every opportunity. Marsh now has 41 ugly runs, which are the best type of runs of all. Australia leads by 285.
Updated
61st over - Australia 215-6 (Marsh 37, Johnson 4)
Ashwin lobs, angles, pushes and twists through another probing over but one in which the Aussie pair resists unleashing their strokes.
This tweet will only make sense to Australian TV viewers, but I’m giving it a run anyway.
Been lucky enough to catch some of the Test today in between the Bogus Buddhist Monk coverage.
— Schlitz (@Schlitz310) December 29, 2014
60th over - Australia 214-6 (Marsh 36, Johnson 4)
With Yadav possibly a little worn out, Ishant returns in search of some rabbits but Johnson always gives him a run for his money. India’s intensity right now is locked on, typified by Kohli’s scrambling dive at mid on to stop a certain Marsh boundary. Three runs saved is three fewer to chase.
59th over - Australia 213-6 (Marsh 35, Johnson 4)
There must have been something agreeable in Marsh’s drink because he skips down the track to Ashwin’s first ball and thumps it to the long-on boundary. As he does so, I get that universal symbol of the cricket lifer: the TVs automatically-generated warning that it’s been on for too long without change and that it’s about to power itself off. I don’t think so, pal.
Australia leads by 278. Michael Clarke is still talking 400.
58th over - Australia 208-6 (Marsh 30, Johnson 4)
Drinks have arrived on the ground after this Yadav over, but this game is coiled up like a spring and loaded with possibilities. From here until stumps Mitch Johnson could belt India out of the game, but India could also skittle the tail and earn themselves a chase around the 300 mark. Might be time to change whatever plans you had for tomorrow.
@rustyjacko Re Kiwis: to be fair, at least most of us have stopped calling them the Black Craps. So there's that.
— sarah jane bacon (@sportzzzgirl) December 29, 2014
Not as contentious as the name of their badminton team...
57th over - Australia 207-6 (Marsh 29, Johnson 4)
Michael Clake tells his new Nine cohorts that it’s important for Marsh to hang around with the tail, and hanging around is about all he’s done in the last hour. It’s sound logic though; Marsh anchors, Johnson, Harris and co go the tonk. Every tun is crucial and all that. Even if Australia was to edge past the psychological barrier of 300, it’ll be a tough ask for the tourists on a day five pitch.
Updated
56th over - Australia 205-6 (Marsh 28, Johnson 3)
Figuring that if it’s good enough to get batsmen out it’s good enough to get the tail as well, Yadav fires one in at Johnson’s pads but gets turned for three through mid-wicket. That is followed by an absolute screamer though - a searing, away cutting gem that almost kisses the outside of Marsh’s bat but is a little too good even for that.
Australia leads by 270.
WICKET! Haddin c Dhoni b Yadav 13 (Australia 203-6)
Now Haddin is gone and Yadav has another! And again India take a wicket with a ball down the leg side. This one was full and angled past Haddin’s boots and he feathers a bottom edge around the corner to Dhoni. Haddin seems perplexed to have been given out, but he’ll be less so when he takes a look at the replay. It was certainly out.
55th over - Australia 200-5 (Marsh 28, Haddin 11)
With a traditional ‘in/out’ field in place, the Australians find it a little easier in this over to knock Ashwin about. Haddin brings up the 200 with a single but Marsh might have capitalized better on a couple of full tosses that were caned straight at the men on the on side.
Oh you Kiwis...
just heard the channel 9 Comms talking +vely about the Blackcaps. Why has it taken them so long to acknowledge the efforts of a better team?
— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) December 29, 2014
54th over - Australia 197-5 (Marsh 27, Haddin 9)
Finally Shaun Marsh breaks the shackles. This time Umesh Yadav overpitches and the batsman is able to to shape for the cover drive and punch it from a deep, well-set position through the field and out to the boundary. Are those ironic cheers from an unkind MCG?
Two balls later he’s at it again, opening the face of the bat and slicing Yadav to the right of the man at point for four more. Australia leads by 262.
53rd over - Australia 188-5 (Marsh 19, Haddin 9)
Ashwin is on for a wicket here. Haddin edges him for two and then punches a more convincing single, but you get the sense that he’s the man who needs to get the job done for India. The pacemen are naturally tiring but at least applying pressure from the other end. Right as I say that, Ashwin leaves the field. Hopefully it’s nothing drastic.
52nd over - Australia 185-5 (Marsh 18, Haddin 6)
This is a strange old innings from Marsh - now he French-cuts one past his stumps for a single down to dine leg - but are we underestimating the conditions? To the naked eye the bounce looks even and true. Brad Haddin’s strokes suggest as much too. Or are the Aussies just in survival mode? If so, India are a big chance of wickets and even a favorable result.
51st over - Australia 182-5 (Marsh 17, Haddin 4)
Spin aesthetes rejoice! Ravi Ashwin is back with his probing offies. There’s plenty of loop and drift in to Marsh and he has a man set back at gully if the lefty opts to slash on the off side. The final delivery of the over tempts that very stroke - it’s wide and spinning the other way but Marsh resists any instincts and urges and lets it go by.
50th over - Australia 181-5 (Marsh 17, Haddin 3)
Brad Haddin’s not exactly humming along either, but at least has the foresight to nick another single late in the Ishant over in the hope of attacking from the other end. It’s probably time for Ravi Shawin to come back into the attack, methinks.
49th over - Australia 180-5 (Marsh 17, Haddin 2)
Marsh has erected around himself an impenetrable wall of of glass but the only problem is it’s opaque in both directions, so he’s bogged down without scoring for yet another over, this time against Shami.
David Lim, meanwhile, is my new hero. He’s done the Watto trawling that would be unpalatable and frankly well beyond the keyboard dexterity of most of us mortals. The results are actually somewhat surprsing.
“Yeah, I should be working instead of reading your blog and trawling cricinfo…” he starts tentatively.
“Watto’s come surprisingly close to 4 50s in a row. He’s done 3-in-a-row in two test series (Ashes 2009, India 2010) and twice in ODIs (v England to 2011 WC, and v Bangladesh/Sri Lanka). He’s even done it once in T20s, although that streak was V Sri Lanka August 2011, v South Africa October 2011 and V WI March 2012… Still a rubbish test batsman.”
48th over - Australia 180-5 (Marsh 17, Haddin 2)
Following on from his wicket-taking over, Ishant offers up all sorts here; wide ones, short ones, full ones but not too many good ones, so a pair of singles is the only action for the scorers.
47th over - Australia 178-5 (Marsh 16, Haddin 1)
Shaun Marsh has tightened up noticeably in recent times, perhaps trapped in his own personal battle but perhaps also upon the realisation that a knock of clarity and depth is required here. He’s absorbing a lot of strike for little reward but finally gets Ishant away for a single from the fifth delivery of this over. Probably wisely, Haddin pinches one himself to keep the strike.
46th over - Australia 176-5 (Marsh 15, Haddin 0)
With the collective tail of India well and truly up, Brad Haddin is welcomed to the crease with a barrage of verbals from Virat Kohli and co. Kohli actually stands right at the popping crease as Haddin takes guard, not his finest hour of the series.
Haddin takes perhaps the best option in the circumstances and chooses to ignore his opponent, but Kohli is spoiling for a fight here and you can already sense something special might be to come in India’s second innings. Can they pull this off. To quote Al Michaels, do you believe in miracles? Australia leads by 241.
Burns c Dhoni b Ishant 9 (Australia 176-5)
Ishant grabs another! He’s short and wide to Burns - certainly not the pick of his efforts this afternoon - but the Queenslander wafts at it unconvincingly and a thick edge sails through low to a diving/falling Dhoni. India are right in this.
GAME. ON.
45th over - Australia 176-4 (Marsh 15, Burns 9)
Like the faithful family dog who won’t even stop chasing the ball when it’s past dark and the throws are more deviously aimed into bushes, Shami continues after tea and his over costs just a single to Burns. Every time I’ve watched Shami in this series I haven’t been able to stop myself wondering how much better this Indian side would have fared with Bhuvi Kumar as their other pace option.
Heart u Bhuvi.
44th over - Australia 175-4 (Marsh 15, Burns 8)
Just for something completely different, Ishant kicks off the evening session with a huge no ball, his fifth of the innings and tenth of the match. If Michael Holding was ‘Whispering Death’, Ishant should be ‘Blurting Overstep’.
A development on that Adam Gilchrist retweet from earlier: after an inquiry from ABC’s Franis Leach as to when the last time was that Watson peeled off four fifties in a row, the only answer I could come up with was ‘at the cosmetics counter at David Jones’. Any stattos out there know whether he’s achieved the feat even at first class level? For some reason I’m leaning towards no.
Has he done it at ODI level? That would make more sense.
That middle session in summary
84 for the loss of 3 wickets - I call that a minor win for India in that post-lunch session, but with the Australian lead at 239 and growing, things around bound to get tougher, especially with Australia’s ever-wagging tail bound to ruin the fun for the tourists.
Chris Rogers fell for 69 when he might have gone on to a ton, Steve Smith went without runs for a change and in slightly bizarre circumstances, while Watto more or less did what Watto does. It was a while before Ravi Ashwin came on, perhaps too long, but he was a cut above when he did finally have a bowl to the left-handers.
Of primary interest now is whether the weather and Australia’s thirst for a 4-0 series win will conspire to produce a result. That might be out of their hands if India bowls particularly well after tea but you can fairly safely bank on a chase of at least 300 on Day 5.
Just on a personal note, thanks for all the heartfelt regards for my ‘Embarrassing Bodies’ style medical struggled. Like this from Vikrant Patwardhan: “Welcome back Herr Jackson. I hope the runs today are only of the cricketing variety.” Arf.
Tea - Australia leads by 239
43rd over - Australia 174-4 (Marsh 15, Burns 8)
Ashwin’s bowling has been one of the more subtle joys of this series; not commanding the headlines of his century-making colleagues (or selection in the first Test, even) but always absorbing. Burns guides him for hree down to third man but otherwise he’s mixing up his line and trajectory to keep the batsmen guessing, which is a good thing for a bowler of his gifts.
The Aussies surive the over and so head to tea with a lead of 239. I’ll be back with some more thoughts on all of that after a short drinks break of my own.
42nd over - Australia 170-4 (Marsh 14, Burns 5)
Burns get busy against Ishant, deftly clipping the paceman down towards the third man boundary for three and then staying alert for Marsh’s quick single a ball later. It looks like we’ll have one more over before tea after a session in which India has remained focused on limiting the total they’ll chase tomorrow.
41st over - Australia 165-4 (Marsh 13, Burns 1)
Joe Burns arrives at the crease and is perhaps is given a charitable run when Dhoni essentially allows him to push a single to the vacant cover region. It’s an awkward little scenario for Burns - a breezy 40 here will do the job to push the lead up around 350 or more but a failure trying to do so won’t leave him with a fulfilling debut from an individual perspective.
WICKET! Rogers b Ashwin 69 (Australia 164-4)
Dhoni’s decision to introduce Ashwin to the left-handed pair pays immediate dividends. A ball after sending a sharp turner fizzing past the outside edge of Rogers, Ashwin pitches one up fuller and straighter, tickling the inside edge and sending the ball ricocheting back onto the stumps. There’ll be no century for Rogers this time around and India are pegging this back nicely with regular wickets. Australia leads by 229.
40th over - Australia 164-3 (Rogers 69, Marsh 13)
Ishant has been the cause of a few nightmares for Australian batsmen over the years but his reintroduction here is more like a wet dream for Chris Rogers, who clobbers consecutive boundaries - one straight, one through cover.
39th over - Australia 155-3 (Rogers 60, Marsh 13)
Bad news for fans of leg gullies: with two left-handers at the crease, the off-spinner Ravi Ashwin is on for a bowl but gone is that man around the corner. Marsh pushes two but that’s the only commotion for the over.
38th over - Australia 153-3 (Rogers 60, Marsh 11)
At some point in this game, MS Dhoni has decided that every Australian batsman has a weakness to the short ball and needs a leg gully in place. That or he knows that one of them does and stubbornly doesn’t want to admit that he can’t remember which.
Chris Rogers still has his doubters
@rustyjacko Thrilled to be proven incorrect, but today will not be the day Bucky breaks his century hoodoo. The end.
— sarah jane bacon (@sportzzzgirl) December 29, 2014
Yadav and Shami might bowl him to one at this rate though, Sarah.
37th over - Australia 150-3 (Rogers 59, Marsh 10)
Shane Warne, for his part, thinks that Australia should bat sensibly for 25 overs, have a bit of a crack for 10-15 and then stick India in before stumps. I think he’s being a little optimistic about India’s over rate there, but I could be wrong.
Shami is a little ragged in this over, conceding four leg byes down to fine leg and then getting biffed down into the same region for 3 by Rogers. Again the Indians are pursuing that leg theory in the hope of a catch at leg gully. At least they have recent precedent.
36th over - Australia 143-3 (Rogers 56, Marsh 10)
It’s hardly the point with Shaun Marsh, I know, but he’s just so goddamned beautiful when he’s on song. To the second ball of this Yadav over he stands up proudly and lashes the bowler through point for four and then even in shots that don’t bring runs, looks a million bucks. Who am I kidding? He probably makes even more than that.
With a 208 run lead now, how long should Australia bat? Michael Clarke has an idea. “I still like that number 380 or 400” he says, probably deeming it a bit gauche to blurt out “700!” A draw gives them the series, remember.
35th over - Australia 139-3 (Rogers 56, Marsh 6)
Shami finishes the over by digging it in short again, but Rogers plays this one straighter and lives to fight another day. Will today be the day he finally breaks through for his first Test hundred of the Australian summer?
Catch Review - Rogers saved by the TV umpire
Shami thinks he has Rogers caught behind down the leg side with a rank half-tracker, but the ball made contact with the ground as it entered MS Dhoni’s gloves so the Australian opener survives.
34th over - Australia 135-3 (Rogers 55, Marsh 4)
Shaun Marsh arrives at the crease for Australia and either glides Yadav through gully for four or gets an edge when he’s squared up, depending on your view. Mark Taylor is quite impressed that Yadav has dismissed Marsh on 5 occasions, meaning he has possibly has no clear recall of the 2011-12 summer.
Updated
WICKET! Smith c Rahane b Yadav 14 (Australia 131-3 and leads by 196)
Oh wow, if I hadn’t seen that with my own eyes I wouldn’t believe it. Remember what I said about India bowling on Steve Smith’s hip? That wasn’t foolhardy, it was and is now genius. Yadav rams another one in, this time with a leg slip in place, and the Australian captain whips it around the corner straight into the hands of that man, Rahane.
“I suppose if you have a leg slip for 550 overs, one’s eventually going to go there,” says a clearly unimpressed Shane Warne. That’s slightly less surprising than the dismissal.
33rd over - Australia 129-2 (Rogers 54, Smith 13)
Showing either that he has faith in his man or that he’s run out of ideas, Dhoni brings Shami back after a brief rest, this time from the Southern end of the ground, running in towards the KFC pie sightscreen end. It’s the traditions that I really love when it comes to boxing day.
Two come from the Shami over (five according to Ian Healy, who is getting a little ahead of himself). Australia leads by 195 now.
Did you hear that Dav Whatmore is now going to coach Zimbabwe? What a win for the administrators of his wikipedia profile.
I won’t be happy until @dfwhatmore has coached every Test playing nation, and at least 6 associates.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) December 29, 2014
32nd over - Australia 127-2 (Rogers 53, Smith 12)
Speaking of lessons that have gone unlearned, India’s insistence on bowling at Steve Smith’s hip without a traditional fine leg in place continues to mystify most of us, I’m sure. Here Yadav gives Smith two consecutive opportunities to tuck him around the corner for four and the Aussie skipper obliges with minimal fuss.
Meanwhile, this is a little bit interesting, don’t you think?
Gilly shows his allegiances... pic.twitter.com/ryfUDbYk5v
— Daniel Jack Paproth (@pappy90) December 29, 2014
I mean I’m sure he was hacked, but you know...
31st over - Australia 119-2 (Rogers 53, Smith 4)
If Smith’s game-plan here is to get a wriggle on, he’s not quite showing his hand yet. He lets four Ishant dot balls go by before pushing a single and then the bowler fulfills what now almost seems his destiny; to bowl no balls. That’s four today. We often harp on about it, but how had is it for international bowlers to get this right?
30th over - Australia 117-2 (Rogers 53, Smith 3)
Umesh Yadav appears for his first trundle of the session and though he doesn’t quite look loose enough to do so, is soon cranking it up over the 140 kmph mark and getting Rogers hopping around on the back foot. The first ball of the over costs two through point but Yadav’s radar is on track thereafter.
2014 first class returns for Smith and Rogers Rogers 26 matches, 2086 runs, avge 49.66 Smith 11 matches, 1450 runs, avge 90.6
— Peter Lalor (@plalor) December 29, 2014
29th over - Australia 115-2 (Rogers 51, Smith 3)
This could be an interesting passage of play for Rogers; with the string of scores he has behind him now and a team mentality in mind, might he chance his arm a little in pursuit of quick runs or just play the anchor while his captain accelerates?
Chris Rogers brings up 50
28th over - Australia 112-2 (Rogers 50, Smith 2)
Chris Rogers is in a typically-dour purple patch right now - if such a thing exists. With another handsome drive off Shami, he’s now scored four consecutive half-centuries in Test cricket, achieved with monotonous consistency if not ease. After the first Test a great many Australians wanted to give him the chop, remember.
27th over - Australia 108-2 (Rogers 46, Smith 2)
Captain Smudger gets off the mark by pushing two through the cover region but it’s a bright and productive over from Ishant, who is always bringing the batsman forward and forcing him to play.
Watson 69 runs in two innings plus some handy bowling. Unless he grabs five tomorrow, a fairly typical Test for him #AUSvIND
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) December 29, 2014
26th over - Australia 106-2 (Rogers 46, Smith 0)
He’ll never be a dasher, but Chris Rogers has read the mood here and decided that he’ll have a biff if it’s short and wide outside off stump, which is what he does through gully to claim a boundary from Shami.
“If you’re going to be a bear, you may as well be a grizzly,” says James Brayshaw. I’m not even sure he’s talking about cricket, to be honest.
Rogers finishes the Shami over with a flourish, following his momentum through a cover-driven four as though he wants to catch up with it and appreciate it from up close. It’s a glorious stroke, so he’d be within his rights.
25th over - Australia 98-2 (Rogers 38, Smith 0)
Smith arrives will all his usual fidgets and finicking, but he’s rock solid in defence and watchful. He might be seeing it like a beach ball at the moment but he pays Ishant the utmost respect for now.
WICKET! Watson c Dhoni b Ishant 17 (Australia 98-2)
Ishant strikes! The first delivery of this over is a vast improvement on the last, tempting Watson forward to nibble at one he might have left and the thick edge flies low to a diving Dhoni. Australia leads by 163 now as captain Smith strides to the crease.
24th over - Australia 98-1 (Rogers 38, Watson 17)
Shami partners with Ishant after the break and his radar is a little more consistent than his colleague. He too squares up Rogers but this time the batsman keeps the ball down. A single to Watson is the only other happening.
How intense was that rain delay? I’ve had word through from Melbourne Cricket Club librarian David Studham that visitor numbers passing through the magnificent collection he curates spiked from 169 to 654 during the delay. I wonder what they perused. Some vintage Chappelli? The shortlived Zimbabwean version of ‘Inside Edge’ (yes, such a thing exists and yes the library has it. What an institution)?
23rd over - Australia 97-1 (Rogers 38, Watson 16)
Ishant restarts play in appropriately lethargic fashion, sending a stiff, stunted half-tracker own the leg side. The second delivery is in stark contrast - it squares Rogers up beautifully but a diving Shikhar Dhawan makes a hash of his diving attempt at second slip and spills the attempted catch. It might have carried to Ravi Ashwin at 1st slip, to be fair, but Dhawan went hard and parried it out of his teammates’ grasp. Not ideal, really.
Following one of cricket’s immutable laws and to the ire of the bowler, two balls later Rogers clips Ishant through mid-wicket for a crisp boundary. So far so bad for India.
The covers are off again - I promise
And the players are out their champing at the bit.
And in keeping with Channel Nine’ s penchant for impersonations of impersonators, here’s one last Late Show clip, their take-down of the Australian cricket book market of the early 90s.
More Kohli love - and the covers that just came off have gone back on
Paul Frame is back. “With regards to how I feel about Kohli, I think he’s firmly in the “Magnificent Bastard (can I get with writing that?)” [you can while I’m in charge but this may later be removed by someone more responsible] category. He is a fantastic run-scorer and he has that street-fighting quality of Miandad, Ranatunga and Ganguly, with all that entails. Just don’t expect too many of the public who don’t support India to take him to their hearts in the way that Misbah Al-Huq has been. Prior to this season’s tragic events I would also have said that about Michael Clarke, which just goes to show how public personas can be very far from the truth.”
One thing that does peeve me though Paul, is when a certain section of Australians - particularly in the media - will say that sportspeople like Kohli “play like an Aussie”. He’s copping that one a lot at the moment. Maybe Kohli and Warner are a little hard to distinguish when they’re jawing off at each other, but I can’t think of many similarities other than that.
Meanwhile, play was meant to resume at 2:30pm local time (in one minute) but the hessian covers are back on as more rain appears. That seems to be a cue for Michael Slater to do an impersonation of a Tony Greig impersonator. Stupidity has reached ‘Inception’ levels.
The covers are coming off
Play might only be 10-20 minutes away but in the interest of transparency, there remains a chance of more rain shortly. Rudi Edsall, meanwhile, has weighed in on my Kohli kwestion from before:
“I’ve come to absolutely love Virat Kohli in this series,” he says. “His outrageous celebration in the last test series here put me offside originally, and then I suspected he was a flat track bully after how much he struggled in England, but he’s been absolutely brilliant over here. Those twin tons in Adelaide oozed authority and class and the innings yesterday was brilliant destruction. He probably needs to work on his temperament a bit - had a rush of blood and very nearly got himself out after that stoush with Johnson yesterday - but he looks a born leader and I think they should make him captain sooner rather than later.”
I actually loved the century celebration in Adelaide in 2011-12. Think about it; 3-0 down and playing in a dead rubber at batsman-friendly Adelaide against a side with nothing much to gain and you celebrate a ton like you’ve just won the World Cup. I think it was actually the moment I started genuinely loving him. He’s also just a bloody good batsman. None of us really have to like him, do we?
Might as well go for the trifecta
And the most truly deranged of them all. Yes, it’s Max Walker doing ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’. Firstly, isn’t it incredible that there existed a time when Australian TV could be this anarchic and bizarre? (intentionally bizarre, that is) Secondly, if you’re wondering who would upload such a thing onto YouTube, look closely, Big Max put it up there himself.
More Late Show magic
Sean Ross has reminded me of another gem from the ‘Late Show’ canon, this spellbinding take on Whitney Houston’s ‘I will always love you’ by Mike Whitney.
By this you can probably tell that there is no immediate prospect of play as Melbourne is lashed with wind and rain.
Great moments in wet-weather blogging
Paul Frame has nailed this one. “Speaking of OBOs that should not have been attempted due to physical illness it’s always worth reading the current editor of Wisden, Lawrence Booth’s 2005 effort that never fails to amuse me.”
And Smyth coming through to mop up the tail. What a man.
I wish my illness on Days 2 and 3 had been due to some kind of legendary drinking session, but I fear the culprit was something far less evocative; a chicken sub from Red Rooster down by the Bullring Bar in the Members Pavilion.
Updates from across the ditch
Phil Withall is following the progress of New Zealand against Sri Lanka and happened upon some pure gold.
“Watching the Kiwi test during the rain and just enjoyed a wonderful Flight of the concords moment. As Russell Arnold has a day in Christchurch to fill tomorrow he was asking his co - commentators what to do. “There’s the park, have a run in the park”
“Murray couldn’t have come up with better.”
It’s still raining - but I have some more Boon
Shameless self-promotion of old work: here’s a Joy of Six post I did on Boonie a while back. Postscript: a disturbing portion of the internet took this as an obituary and tributes started flowing for the great man. He was - and remains - 100% alive.
Here’s my favourite of all his TV advert work and the one that best sums up his modest, unfussy attitude to life. What a man. This is the Tao of Boon.
This one is pretty great as well (bonus Greg Ritchie in non-racially-problematic character points). If ever there was a time and place when washing detergent was required, I guess a flight containing a 1980s Australian cricket team would be it. Possibly a niche market, mind.
More on that weather
The rain has stopped, but the question is whether the grey skies and swirling winds will bring more of it in short time, thus necessitating a conservative approach to resumption.
With no action to focus on Nine train their cameras on David Warner, who is cradling his young child. I have no cute babies to offer you, so David Boon impersonating David Byrne will have to do for the minute.
The weather in Melbourne is not looking good
Terrible, in fact. This always looked like being the case. The Bureau of Meterology said showers might come between 1pm and 4pm local time and right as we’re about to return from lunch, the Milo cricket kids have almost been blown off the ground by high winds and rain and been replaced by groundsmen.
Channel Nine do what they do best, capturing some premium footage of a young child tripping on a boundary rope and face-planting. “No-one was hurt”, says James Brayshaw, a reassurance slightly compromised by the fact it was proceeded by a gleeful, “weaaahhhhhhhyyyyyyy”
The covers are on and at least in the short term, play doesn’t look like resuming.
And what about you?
Where are you watching/reading/listening to this game? Fill me in on days 2 and 3, which exist to me only as admittedly impressive scorecards. Has Rahane finally stamped himself as a man India must pick in all weather? Who would win a hypocrite-off between Virat Kohli and David Warner? I find them both so lovable but guys, c’mon...
On Kohli, Wisden India editor Anand Vasu had a great quote on Fox Sports News this morning: “I think if you’re going to react to being called a spoiled brat you’e probably a spoiled brat.”
Has Australia finally embraced Kohli on this tour? My hunch is yes, but I’m basing this on my (possibly misleading) Twitter feed and the mood of the media, neither of which are entirely reliable barometers of public sentiment. So, OBOers, do you love him, hate him or sit somewhere between the two?
Good afternoon OBOers
Russell Jackson here. As Scott said, it was a dominant morning for Australia there. Save for the wicket of Warner - a decision the Aussie opener didn’t take with much grace - it’s been one-way traffic. What a difference it’s made in this series that Australia has been able to whip out India’s tail when the reverse has not applied to an almost comical degree.
As for me and as alluded to by Scott, the last few days have been less than ideal. For a good 40 hours there I didn’t know who/what/where I was, such was the impact of some Boxing Day food poisoning (it’s all the rage, apparently). I did briefly consider trying to pull off the blogging equivalent of Michael Jordan’s ‘flu game’ (would someone have later sold my tracksuit for $104,765? It’s doubtful) on Day 2 but then my fiancee wisely intervened when I’d reached the point of vivid hallucination. You would have got an OBO, dear readers, just probably not for the game occurring at the MCG, or anywhere in reality.
But it’s all uphill from here. Only cold sweats remain and that might just be on account of regular sightings of those KFC pies. They’re a more conspicuous sight of this summer of cricket than baggy greens, aren’t they?
Updated
Lunch: Australia 90-1 (Rogers 33, Watson 15)
That’s the end of the first session, which belonged wholly to Australia despite the loss of David Warner. The home side’s lead stands at 155 runs with nine second-innings wickets in hand. This game can make a fool of you, but it’s hard to envisage a scenario which leads to Australia losing this match.
Well, as ever, I’ve had an absolute ball these past couple of hours. I’m done for the day. I now hand you over for the rest of day four to Russell Jackson, who’s ‘Done a Warner’ and shrugged off health concerns to do what the fans want: rock up and entertain.
22nd over: Australia 90-1 (Rogers 33, Watson 15)
Watson is rewarded for his positive intent, his thick edge to the third man fence flukey but still worth four runs nonetheless. He follows up with two more to fine-leg. Could this be the day Watto does more than ‘get a start’?
21st over: Australia 84-1 (Rogers 33, Watson 9)
Another probing over from Ashwin, including a slightly slower ball that’s well flighted, keeps the Aussie duo on their toes.
20th over: Australia 83-1 (Rogers 33, Watson 8)
Lunch is approaching and it seems the attention of all and sundry is on what’s for tucker. Not a great deal of endeavour with bat or ball until Rogers latches onto one on his pads and clips Shami through midwicket for three.
19th over: Australia 77-1 (Rogers 29, Watson 6)
A couple of singles off Ashwin’s latest offering, which never looked like going for runs but also never looked like making another breakthrough.
18th over: Australia 75-1 (Rogers 28, Watson 5)
Shami back in the attack now. More positive strokeplay from Rogers, who punches through the covers for four before collecting another couple through midwicket.
17th over: Australia 67-1 (Rogers 21, Watson 4)
It’s more about accumulation now that Warner has left the building; Watson picks up a couple off Ashwin forward of square. Australia’s tactics will be interesting from here: how many runs do they think they’ll need and how long do they think they’ll need to bowl India out? Do they even want to win this match, given a draw will lock in a series win?
16th over: Australia 64-1 (Rogers 20, Watson 2)
Glorious straight drive from Rogers, who you could say picks up where Warner left off and collects a boundary off Sharma.
Updated
15th over: Australia 59-1 (Rogers 15, Watson 2)
Watson picks up a couple of runs (well, it’s a start) but the over belongs to India and Ashwin, with Davey The Dangerman out of the way. Oh, and there was no edge. Warner was plumb.
WICKET! Warner lbw b Ashwin 40 (Australia 57-1)
Warner plays all around a straight one from Ashwin and is struck on the pads, though a fair way down the crease. The appeal goes up and the decision is not long in coming: you’re out, Davey. Warner looks more than a little bemused; was there an inside edge? No DRS so that’s a hypothetical question.
14th over: Australia 57-0 (Warner 40, Rogers 15)
Sharma, over the wicket, maintains what looks to be a deliberate leg-side line. Looking for a feathered edge off a leg-glance, perhaps? Rogers accepts the invitation and clips the seamer through midwicket for two more runs.
13th over: Australia 54-0 (Warner 39, Rogers 13)
Rogers breaks the shackles, moving his feet to the spinner and punching just forward of point for three runs.
12th over: Australia 50-0 (Warner 38, Rogers 10)
Australia finally get Sharma away for some runs off the bat. A single down to fine-leg brings up Australia’s 50 in what has been a breezy start to their second dig. But that’s all she wrote and Sharma’s doing pretty well here, in as much as he’s stifling the scoring.
11th over: Australia 48-0 (Warner 38, Rogers 9)
Rogers completely misses his attempted sweep and is struck on the pads by Ashwin, bringing a quite raucous appeal for leg before from India. The answer is not out and to the naked eye it did look to be missing leg. Still, you don’t ask, you don’t get.
10th over: Australia 47-0 (Warner 38, Rogers 9)
Whaddya know, Sharma returns to the attack at the Members’ End. Hope he enjoyed his one-over spell. It’s a good offering from the seamer, who keeps Warner unusually calm with a consistent line and length. Good stuff from Sharma. That’s two maidens in two overs this morning from him.
9th over: Australia 47-0 (Warner 38, Rogers 9)
Dhoni feels it’s time to take the pace off the ball, and why not? Warner’s taken the quicks to the cleaners. So Ashwin comes on for Sharma, who may well reappear at the other end next over. It’s a watchful start with the turning ball from all concerned; two singles is the net result.
8th over: Australia 45-0 (Warner 37, Rogers 8)
Shami’s discipline deserts him and he pays the price as Warner latches onto a full one outside off-stump, clubbing it through extra cover for another four. He has just two gears, this guy: full and off. A precious and precocious talent, indeed.
7th over: Australia 39-0 (Warner 32, Rogers 7)
Dhoni’s seen enough and replaces Yadav with Sharma. Well, 32 runs from three overs is punishment enough without having to continue, don’t you think? Rogers takes a good, hard look at the new bowler and a maiden over is the result.
6th over: Australia 39-0 (Warner 32, Rogers 7)
Rogers on strike to Shami and it’s a more sedate over until the veteran ‘does a Warner’ and pulls through midwicket, though he doesn’t get all of it and picks up three runs. Australia’s lead passes 100.
5th over: Australia 34-0 (Warner 31, Rogers 3)
More runs for Warner, who punches a straight one from Yadav through midwicket and urges Rogers along for an all-run four. A big chase for Sharma and everyone’s knackered after that.
Predictably, that’s where the running between wickets ends as the next two balls are carted to the fence: one flayed high over backward point and the next pulled in front of square. A lazy 14 runs off the over. Exhilarating batting.
Updated
4th over: Australia 20-0 (Warner 18, Rogers 2)
Shami finds Rogers’s edge, but the ball lands just in front of second slip. That’s better from Shami, a maiden, but Australia are still motoring along at over five runs an over.
3rd over: Australia 20-0 (Warner 18, Rogers 2)
Wowee! Way to hit back! Yadav catches Warner in two minds with a straight one off a good length, finding an inside edge which flies over the top of the stumps and beats the keeper en route to the fence. On another day that’s out.
The boundary brings up 3,000 Test runs for Warner, though perhaps not quite in the manner he would have wanted. More like it from Warner last ball of the over as he steps onto the front foot and drives through extra cover for four. Sore arm, sore hand, doesn’t matter to Davey.
2nd over: Australia 12-0 (Warner 10, Rogers 2)
Not a particularly good over from Shami, either. S’pose everyone is allowed a loosener, but both batsmen have been given plenty of sighters with balls generally short of a lenghth. When they have been full, they’ve also been wide. Two singles come from a trouble-free over.
1st over: Australia 10-0 (Warner 9, Rogers 1)
So Warner shrugs off injury concerns and joins Rogers to open the batting. I remember when Gordon Greenidge used to bat ‘injured’ ... he’d limp to the middle, stay rooted to the crease and flog everything that came his way. Could that be in store from Warner? Oh, hang on, that’s how he bats anyway.
Warner duly takes eight runs from Yadav’s first two balls and 10 runs come from a very poor first over.
WICKET! Shami c Smith b Johnson 12 (India 465 all out)
Nice, if a little tentative and lofted, cover drive from Shami earns two more off Johnson. But that’s the end of the penny section, with a flat-footed swipe bringing an edge which Smith snaffles at second slip. That’s three for Johnson and a good effort from Australia to a) Wrap it up early this morning and b) Clean up India with a 65-run lead when, at one stage yesterday, the tourists were 3-409.
And it’s a very good morning to Gary Naylor:
“As an Australian, are you aware of how galling it is to be lectured (as we were on ABC Radio ten minutes ago) about the “rules” of sledging. David Warner, who might be expected to be a touch reticent on such matters having been fined in the First Test, was judge and jury this time, advising us that “What goes on the field stays on the field - that’s the “rule”” (or words to that effect). Like Virat Kohli, I might choose to be selective in my respect for this Australian XI.”
I hear ya, Gaz.
Updated
128th over: India 463-9 (Shami 10, Sharma 0)
Harris from the other end for Australia. Shami goes the tonk but only gets a single, which worryingly (for India) brings Sharma on strike. Sharma makes Glenn McGrath look like Brian Lara. Surprise of surprises, though, Ishant sees off the rest of the over unscathed. Well, I never.
127th over: India 462-9 (Shami 9, Sharma 0)
Two wickets in a maiden over across two days from Johnson. That’s a fair effort. The end is night for India.
WICKET! Yadav c Haddin b Johnson 0 (India 462-9)
Johnson resumes his over, with new batsman Yadav lasting precisely two deliveries. The one that gets him is a beauty of a short ball which cramps the batsman and finds the edge near the shoulder of the bat. Would’ve removed better batsmen than this number 10.
Updated
Recap (for those living under a rock)
- We’re three days into a five-day match at the MCG, the third of a four-Test series which Australia lead 2-0
- Australia made 530 in their first innings, with Steve Smith falling eight runs short of a double ton
- India resume play today on 462-8, having dominated much of day three thanks to an MCG record fourth-wicket stand of 262 between Kohli and Rahane
- Mitchell Johnson got flogged to the tune of 1-133 and raised the ire of Kohli by throwing a ball at him (well, he was aiming for the stumps, right?)
- Australia mistakenly lathered up with butter instead of sunscreen ... how else would you excuse their fielding?
- David Warner is borderline injured after copping one in the nets
- MS Dhoni can do the splits
Preamble
Welcome to our live blog of day four of a Test which hitherto has been pulsating and absorbing in equal measures. Really, despite the multitudes who (outside Australia and England) no longer attend the matches, who says Test cricket is dead?
You’ll have to traipse far and wide to witness better batting than what we saw from Kohli and Rahane yesterday. It was compelling, entertaining - and refreshing, considering India’s position in the match and series.
They’ll want to capitalise today on gains already made, but for Australia’s part they’ll want to exorcise the fielding demons that haunted them on day three. You can’t always be good in the field (and improvements from here would show Sunday to be a blip on an otherwise upward trajectory), but boy did the Aussies drop a sitter or two.
Took me back to my school cricket days. And Phil Tufnell’s professional career.
