Stumps on Day One. Australia is 259-5 (Smith 72 Haddin 23)
Righto. Sort old-fashioned day of Test cricket, The People. We’ve been spoiled by 3.5 runs per over rates in relatively recent times, but today India bowled fairly straight if a little short on a wicket with a bit in it for batters and bowlers. It was quick and bouncy, yet true. And India thought they were on the WACA on occasion.
Australia? After Dave Warner went for a duck, Chris Rogers and Shane Watson made it look easy, both getting into the mid-50s before, perhaps, thinking, I’m closer to a hundred than a duck. Shaun Marsh, too, looked very good when he wasn’t missing it, and eventually nicking out, as did the new chum Joey Burns who was cheered on by 70,000 Victorians like they’d thawed out Dean Jones. And Brad Haddin survived a heap of short stuff from around the wicket, and relished it, he’s a little crazy like that.
But, as always, and as he’s done all this Year of Our Lord Dennis Lillee 2014, Steve Smith batted and batted, and batted. And he did it easily, barely getting out of a canter on a wicket he reckoned needed respect. Ditto the Indian attack.
The Indian attack? Tried hard all day but was let down early by some shoddy fielding. Ravi Ashwin bowled the same ball for 25 overs or so, and took one wicket. Ishant threatened, a bit, as did Yadav, and Shami.
And after 90 overs of cut and thrust we have a two-horse race with no out-and-out favourite. Important first session tomorrow with a fairly new ball and BJ Haddin still a bit shaky.
Join us tomorrow from 10:30am AEDST, whatever time that is in your part of the world, this website would tell you.
I’m Matt Cleary. Bye for now.
90th over: Australia 259-5 (Smith 72, Haddin 23)
Okay - 90th over. Is this the last one? Let’s hope so. Dear Lord let it be. Apart from a couple of mighty blows down the ground by Smith and Haddin, and Yadav’s peppering of Haddin from around the wicket, this last session has been a damper squib than a squib in the depths of the Southern Ocean, whatever a squib is, one assumes a form of sea-life.
Okay - change of bowling it’s Mohammed Shami, right over to Smith.
Andrew James advises: “Please stop. Writing those. Short sentences. You aren’t. James Ellroy. Last time I checked he wasn’t writing about ads between the action. Call the event as it happens and leave it at that. We are entirely unimpressed with your nicknames for cricketers and your mates who “predict” rugby league.”
Ha. “We”, Andrew? Have you done a poll? Are you The Queen?
Righto - last ball of the day. Shami. To. Haddin. Shadows. Encroaching. Full ball. No run.
And that, The People, is Stumps on Day One of this MCG Test match, Australia versus India and if you were calling a winner you could not in any good conscience. Both teams are $1.90, and that’s just it.
Right. Quick refreshment break and I’ll do some sort of summation, making sure the sentences are nice and long in case Her Majesty gets on my hammer again.
Updated
89th over: Australia 255-5 (Smith 70, Haddin 21)
Okay - It’s Ishant the Long, right-arm over to Smith. That happens six times, which is the man’s allotment.
Spectators in the crowd, moving about 150 metres away, disturbing Smith.
Maiden.
88th over: Australia 255-5 (Smith 70, Haddin 21)
Haddin backs away from another short one and tries to whack it over slips. Dhoni moves a man to third man, hardly encouraging Haddin to repeat the crazy-shot. Haddin knows the short stuff is a-comin. It’s crazy stuff. They’ll feel tough for doing it. They’ll walk off at stumps with Haddin in red ink.
Haddin takes a single from a full one leg-stump.
Australia “The Old Country”? In Dubai if you’re an ex-pat Aussie:
Carton of Lashes about 60 bucks, as Yadav tries to scalp BJ Haddin, again. This will not work, at least if you want to get him out.
Updated
87th over: Australia 253-5 (Smith 69, Haddin 20)
Righto, the 87th over. Maybe something will happen.
As to Vikrant Patwardhan’s suggestion that Australian Test captains are getting softer as they go on ... yeah, I would say, yeah-nah. Wasn’t that long ago ME Clarke told James Anderson to expect a broken beeping arm. Maybe Mark Taylor was an outlier event: A Nice One. Though that’s probably just perception. In his book a kid wanted an autograph and followed him around a supermarket, but didn’t ask he was too shy, so Tubby brushed him, as a lesson to him and all Australian kids.
Not sure if that’s answered your, or any other question, Vikrant. But there it is.
Not sure there’s ever been a Test captain who’s been anything less than ornery. It’s the Aussie way, mate. Good people off the field. On it and against em, you wouldn’t feed ‘em.
Another maiden, this one from Ishant, his first one since 2006.
86th over: Australia 253-5 (Smith 69, Haddin 20)
Yadav, short and wide and fast, and Haddin slashes and misses.
Sarah Jane, meanwhile, says:
But still indeed. Dunno about the old country. Lotta beers though, so you’d think there’d be competition.
Yadav - he’s in a competition here with Brad Haddin. Bowling quickly. But BA Haddin, he loves this stuff. Eats it, thrives on it.
Warney and Bill saying how good Victorians and the MCG are for the 94 millionth time today.
Yadav around the wicket. Haddin knows the Plan - there’s two men out, a short leg and a leg-slip. Oh - and he wears one on the back. And over, a maiden.
85th over: Australia 253-5 (Smith 69, Haddin 20)
Vikrant Patwardhan asks: “I say, Matt, do you discern a decreasing “cave-man”ness trend in the line of Aussie captains starting with Steve Waugh, going through Ponting, Pup and now Spud?! Are you getting softer with passing time, like ye olde enemy? D’you reckon you can pull that trend all the way back to AB? Or does Tubby Taylor in the middle spoil the picture..?”
Important questions for another time, Vikrant, but perhaps The People can have a crack.
Robert Wilson, meanwhile, says: “Dear Matt, It was I who baulked at your Irish swing. At which query, you sweetly (and not at all patronisingly) explained the principles of reverse swing. No one in the universe says this apart from you. I think you’re making this stuff up as you go along. He’s bowling good seeds? What’s next? That’s a great coffee bean halfway down the parade ground that went a touch Welsh on off-column? Admit it. It’s a bet, isn’t it. I can admire that.”
Ha. Me too. But dinkum: “Irish” and “good seed” are both part of the cricket lexicon, at least where I come from, in Canberra, Australia’s capital city, another thing you could probably justifiably declare I’m making up.
Ishant’s bowling no-balls. They should be worth 20 runs each. Then there would be none. Give it a free hit, too. An over full of them. See how many no-balls there are.
Two off.
84th over: Australia 251-5 (Smith 68, Haddin 19)
Mohammed Shami can bowl at 5:05pm because he’s been off for a bit. But here comes the man-mountain of Maharashtra, Umesh Yadav. And Smith tucks him for two off his pads.
Yadav digs one in. Smith pulls to mid-on, a shot peculiar to him, and me when I played indoor cricket at Fyshwick many years ago.
BIG SHOUT! Yadav and the slips and Mahendra Singh are all up for LBW ... but not out, maybe just out side off .. or a bit of bat ... and Smith lives, and prospers. Would’ve just missed. Benefit of doubt. Good decision.
Haddin forces off the back foot through the covers, nice shot. 250 up for Australia. Good spell here from Yadav, at the stumps, it’s an important thing.
83rd over: Australia 246-5 (Smith 65, Haddin 17)
Oop - here it is, out of the umpire’s sky-rocket and into the hands of the big man, Ishant Sharma with his crazy eyes and long black hair, and goatee of Drama from Entourage. Here he comes, and Haddin leaves a short wide one, shoulders arms with a flourish.
“If they pitch up he’ll look to drive,” says Michael Clarke of Brad Haddin. Ha.
Ishant beats Haddin, he could’ve left that one too. But of course I’m on the couch in a pair of boardies I got for Xmas drinking a Pale Ale and Brad Haddin is in the middle of the mighty labrynth that is the MCG.
Ishant draws the edge. Gully dives. They fancy themselves against Haddin, do India. And Haddin fancies himself against India, standing and delivering with a whack outside off stump that clears the slips, four runs. It’s a good shot. No-one’s catching that, ever.
Four off.
82nd over: Australia 242-5 (Smith 65, Haddin 13)
Smith facing Ashwin. MS Dhoni doesn’t want to use the new ball. There’s ten overs until Stumps. What’s doing, Mahendra Singh?
Tidy over from The R-Man. A maiden.
But my. There’s a shiny new red rock in the umpire’s pocket.
81st over: Australia 242-5 (Smith 65, Haddin 13)
New ball is available. And ... is it in play? No it is not. Murali Vijay’s going to bowl some more of his nude throw-downs. Steve Smith on 63, about 20 shy of his average this calendar year. They’re gifting him singles down the ground. He’s on 64 now. Haddin on 10. They’d have taken the new ball except Shami’s got a sore leg, which isn’t handy.
Haddin backs away and whacks three through the covers. Smith clips one to mid-on, with a calypso flourish.
God I love cricket.
80th over: Australia 237-5 (Smith 63, Haddin 10)
Ashwin, the R-Man, he lopes in, tosses down some bungers from on-high. Haddin goes him, and smashes him for six down the ground, almost straight, but just over long-off, boo-yah. Haddin is In.
79th over: Australia 230-5 (Smith 62, Haddin 4)
Murali Vijay. Bowling off-spinners more nude than the statue of David. One off. Perhaps the most forgettable over in the history of Test cricket.
78th over: Australia 229-5 (Smith 61, Haddin 4)
B-Mac? Finished with 195 off 134 balls, something like it. Fastest Kiwi Test ton. Fancy him getting it. And New Zealand finished the day - after being sent in - with 429-7.
Updated
77th over: Australia 227-5 (Smith 60, Haddin 3)
Murali Vijay? Why not? There’s a new ball due and you wouldn’t want anyone who’s fast getting tired. Plus bouncing Brad Haddin isn’t as fun with an old ball.
TV Man says Steve Smith’s just now scored a thousand runs in 2014, at an average of 83. Feels about right. He’s been killing ‘em.
Haddin looking better now, backing away and cutting the poor man’s Murali, and clipping him through mid-wicket.
He’s only got 3 runs though.
And the new red rock is a-comin’.
76th over: Australia 225-5 (Smith 59, Haddin 2)
Okay. Back from Drinks with a drink, mine a delicious “stubbie” bottle of James Squire’s “One Fifty Lashes” Pale Ale. So there you go. Cash for comment? No. But wouldn’t mind a few stubbies of the Lashes if you’re reading, marketeers for James Squire’s delicious hops-based brews.
Back into it and thanks to Vikrant Patwardhan who adds to the “stellar / interstellar” quandary with: “Thought I’d use the weak segue to give you a bit of entirely useless information about the R-Man. Poor Ravichandra, the first part of his name (Ravi) means the sun, and the latter (Chandra) moon. Leads to a confused identity perhaps. Or yin-’n-yang stuff. Who knows. Oh, and “Ravi” is also the name for the tall, stick-like thing used to churn out buttermilk. Hmmm... Maybe that’s it. Lot of time on my hands, this half hour.”
I hear you, brother.
And so the R-Man bowls another tidy one. It’s become his schtick, his Thing, his very ka.
75th over: Australia 224-5 (Smith 58, Haddin 2)
Nudge under 70,000 at the MCG on Boxing Day, about 25,000 less than an Ashes Test, but still a fair old whack of humanity.
Yadav - around the wicket to Haddin, they’re coming in short again. Reckon if Haddin survives this he will prosper. Whack - pull shot from Haddin, not exquisitely timed but not horribly. But he knows the short stuff’s coming - you can get in behind that. And Brad Haddin, y’know - he can bat. Need more than one Plan. Haddin ducks under the last one.
And there’s Drinks. I’m getting one.
74th over: Australia 221-5 (Smith 56, Haddin 1)
Ravi Ashwin, again, his literally 38 millionth over today. Literally? An over-used word in many a modern lexicon.
Chappelli telling stories from 1953. Literally.
Okay - R.Ashwin, The R-Man, he’s hurrying Haddin. New ball in six overs, potentially. Reckon Haddin would prefer it.
73rd over: Australia 220-5 (Smith 55, Haddin 1)
Yadav. To Smith. And then Haddin. Around the wicket. Two men back halfway to the wicket. A short leg and a leg-slip. That’s about The Plan to Haddin. And is. And over.
72nd over: Australia 219-5 (Smith 54, Haddin 1)
Haddin - off the mark! Poke through point. That will please him.
They’re gifting Smith singles through mid-on. That’s respect, and perhaps fear. Maybe not fear. Ashwin’s in his 22nd over. Tall man. Getting a little drift with his dip. Three singles off.
Updated
71st over: Australia 216-5 (Smith 52, Haddin 0)
New bowler, it’s the man, the enigma, the man-mountain of Maharashtra, Umesh Yadav, born Oct 25 a day after me, though some ... several years apart.
Okay - he comes in to Smith ... who gets his fifty with a square drive for three. Been a relatively circumspect innings. Oh - wicket. It’s Joe Burns.
Brad Haddin - in the middle, out of form. Yadav comes around the wicket and bounces one into his gloves. Cop that early, Queanbeyan keeper man.
Wicket! Joe Burns 13 c Dhoni b Yadav
Short ball, angled into his ribs a little, Burns makes to pull but gets a bottom edge and is easily caught by Mahendra Singh. No controversy. It sounded woody on the mike, and Umpy Bro fired him pretty quickly. And he’s out just 87 runs short of a hundred, there’s that number again. And Australia are in T-rouble.
Fifty for Steve Smith
Tidy little square drive through extra cover, and onwards the Steve Smith show rolls.
70th over: Australia 213-4 (Smith 49, Burns 13)
R. “The R” Ashwin, he’s coming in again. Burns plays him forcefully off the back foot. Doesn’t look super-smooth in his batsmanship, but they don’t pain pictures in the score column. Allan Border looked like a bashed up Jatz Cracker. Something.
Maiden from The R Man.
69th over: Australia 213-4 (Smith 49, Burns 13)
Ishant Sharma. Big man. Like the bass guitarist of a very bad death metal band. And Smith picks him off his pads beautifully, hitting the ball like ME Waugh for four through mid-wicket. Top shot.
Big Ishant responds with a bouncer. Ha! No he doesn’t! I wrote that before he bowled his next one that angled onto middle and off on a good length. I have a mate that can commentate rugby league games before they happen, there’s a sameness about rugby league.
Vikrant Patwardhan says: “That score [195-4] reminded me of Viru Sehwag’s whackathon about a decade ago, when he’d singlehandedly managed these many runs by about this time on day-1 at the same ground. Got out off Simon Katich, to a Waugh catch in the deep I think, trying to hit a six to 200. Good thing for ‘straya Warner didn’t do that.. India went on to lose the match after that.”
My but I love cricket.
68th over: Australia 209-4 (Smith 45, Burns 13)
Ashwin, again, and Steve Smith’s poked him through backward of point for four all run. He’s on 44, Smith. They can’t stop him. Big mock on Smith? Probably it is. I could mock The Don. But S.Smith? Stellar form. Inter-stellar, even. Why is it “stellar” form? What does it mean? What does it all mean? What can it all possibly mean? ANSWER ME PEOPLE!
Or do not, it is of no import.
Updated
67th over: Australia 204-4 (Smith 40, Burns 13)
And big Ishant comes in again, a good move from MS Dhoni, for mine, the big fast one against the new guy. And he beats him. And then does not, as Burns works him through gully for four. Crowd love this guy, it’s like they’ve thawed out Dean Jones.
Ishant honing in on his off-stump. You’d suggest that’s the place to get him because it’s the place to get everyone, from Garfield to The Don to Dean Mervyn Jones.
Julian Kennedy, meantime, says: “Matt, It’s worth a shoutout to captain Clarke today. There’s been a few nervous moments, but good to see him get through a tough day of commentary without pulling a hamstring.”
Kamahl, again, might empathise.
While Richie Benaud might say: “Pretty funny shtuff, that.”
66th over: Australia 200-4 (Smith 40, Burns 9)
Whack! Joe Burns advances and lofts Ashwin down the ground, over long on ... top shot, a pure cricket shot. Actually it’s gone closer to mid-wicket, in between the two, but a fine and middled boundary, top shot. Crowd loving it, they want the Bolter to bolt. Don’t go changin’, G-Crowd.
65th over: Australia 195-4 (Smith 40, Burns 4)
Bang. Rank half-track tripe from Mohammed Shami and Steve Smith, in the form of his 25 years, helps it away for four behind leg, and then gives the bowler some advice. My advice would be keep bowling it there, Shami old son.
Next few are straighter. Smith prods. Shami throws it back at him. Silly moo. Crowd goes ... ooh, or boo or something. There’s a little bit in this between these two men. Banter and that physical threat that is Test cricket. Good stuff.
64th over: Australia 191-4 (Smith 36, Burns 4)
Righto. R.Ashwin. Tidy one. Burns survives. Even prospers, by adding one run. Future Australian captain? Dare to dream.
Updated
63rd over: Australia 189-4 (Smith 34, Burns 3)
Shami, Mohammed Shami, he comes in and is picked off for a single by Smith.
And here’s Burnsy. He’s bounced by Shami. Ducks quite easily. Bit of a periscope, but nothing nickable. Three slips, a gully. Crucial little period here, one would suggest - four down, Debutant in, out-of-form wickie next in. Then the tail, albeit one that contains old captain Thrasher, Big Mitch. But India get one or two or three before stumps and oh yes, India will be cock-a-hoop, whatever that means.
AND JOE BURNS IS OFF THE MARK AND THE BIG MCG CROWD ARE ALL UP AS ONE HOW COME THIS GUY’S SO POPULAR HE’S A QUEENSLANDER BUT HE’S A BOLTER AND THE BIG MCG CROWD THEY LOVE A BOLTER. Tidy cover drive. Three runs. Well done, son.
Updated
62nd over: Australia 185-4 (Smith 34, Burns 0)
Smith takes a single and now, it’s time: Mr Burns Time, our Debutant. He faces R.Ashwin - and sees it out. Crowd applauds. He’s survived one.
61st over: Australia 184-4 (Smith 33, Burns 0)
Shami, again, and Smith drives him for three through cover. Here comes The Smith. Slow start, but he’s batting like a man averaging over 70 in a calendar year, which he is.
Gary Naylor, meanwhile, says:
Me too, probably. Tidy little grab though.
Marsh: circumspect for the rest over the over. Then gets out. And that’s the over.
And here cometh Joe Burns. Debutant. India on top.
Wicket! Shaun Marsh 32 c Dhoni b Shami
Well. Typical Shaun Marsh knock, really. Looked very good. Missed a few. Eventually knicked one trying to flay Mohammed Shami. And here’s the debutant, Mr Burns, with Australia 184-4.
Okay - we’re back.
60th over: Australia 181-3 (Smith 30, S.Marsh 32)
And ... boom! Steve Smith smashes R.Ashwin for a mighty six over long-off. A huge blow, as big a six as you’ll see in world cricket this being the biggest ground in the greater cricket world. Cop that, R.
Tea. Day One. Australia fight back to 174-3
And there’s Tea. Australia’s had a wobble, losing a couple of quick wickets. But Shaun Marsh (32) and Steve Smith (23) have righted the Good Ship Australia.
Sarah Bacon, meanwhile, our favourite production editor in Dubai, writes: “Boonie? Legend. I still have a green’n’gold tee-shirt – with the words ‘Boonie for PM’ on the front (and ’52 Cans’ on the back) – that I wore for an Oz Day extravaganza in the Edinburgh Walkabout Pub (don’t judge me) in 2005. Good times. Bless all those drunken backpacker types; I don’t think I paid for a single drink all day. Merry Christmas , Matt. Hope you had a good one.”
Top one, Sarah Bacon. Turkey, prawns, white wine and red, and an afternoon snooze. Good times. Different from free drink in the Edinburgh Walkabout. Good times indeed.
Time for a refreshment here at Fast Typing HQ, and to check on B-Mac in ChCh.
Back here in 20 minutes.
Updated
59th over: Australia 174-3 (Smith 23, S.Marsh 32)
Shami, here he is, the medium-fast bender, he’s bowling pretty good seeds to Shaun Marsh, they’re just going away from him, asking questions, asking: Wanna have a go, Marshy? Do ya?
Marsh answers: Oh yes, and cracks a cut backward of point, it slices away and bangs into the boundary fence. He’s going to miss a couple. S.Marsh, it’s his Way. The Way of The Marsh, if you will, and I do. But when he whacks em, well, you think: Batsman. And: wonder if he’ll get out next ball.
But he sees out the over. And that’s Tea.
Updated
58th over: Australia 170-3 (Smith 23, S.Marsh 28)
Ravi Ashwin’s on again, as William Speirs of Darwin votes for Catch C, old mate Labuschange diving on the pitch, in Naan’s cash-grab I mean Classic Catches competition. “Takes a lot of guts to field at back pad with the constant threat of a batsman’s slog, and at least at my grade, the potential of getting hit on the back by a possibly intentional wide delivery. The fact Labuschange took a diving catch off the deck instead of adopting the foetal position might not be glamorous, but i never saw a slip put a catch above his personnel well being.”
Internet? Your thoughts?
Marsh, meanwhile, misses one, hits the next beautifully through mid-wicket, a microcosm of his career.
Last over before Tea, comin up.
57th over: Australia 167-3 (Smith 23, S.Marsh 25)
In response to my query earlier about most consecutive runs of one score, Gary Naylor digs up poor old Agit Agarkar’s record. Top little bowler, Agit. Lot of hoop. But my - that’s a lot of ducks.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith glances for four off his hip, lovely shot. Gee he’s in hot form. He’s averaging over 70 for the year. Top number.
56th over: Australia 163-3 (Smith 19, S.Marsh 25)
Murali Vijay again, as the Kiwis want everyone to know B-Mac’s belting them.
Says Ryan Darby: “Afternoon Matt. Thought you and readers would be interested, B-mac is currently on 150 off 103 balls in Christchurch, with 8 sixes… So far in 2014 test cricket every time he has passed 50 he has gone on to post 200+. Looks like it’s on again! Wow.”
Wow indeed. One to watch on the highlights package later.
55th over: Australia 159-3 (Smith 16, S.Marsh 24)
“Something special happening in Christchurch right now,” says my mate Henry, New Zealand’s foremost couch-sports analyst, of Brendan McCullum who apparently is going gang-busters against the Lankans.
“152 off 100 balls,” adds Henry. A lot off not many for the B-Mac. How about him? What a top whacker. Seems to be getting better.
Henry again, via text: “On cue though I cursed him but dropped in the deep.”
So there you go.
Four off. This is meandering along a little bit. India looking for that vital fourth pole to get into the debutant, Mr Burns.
54th over: Australia 155-3 (Smith 13, S.Marsh 23)
Bowling change. Murali Vijay, purveyor of right-arm off-spinners. He’s coming around the wicket to Marsh who wafts a wide one that was too wide to even hit.
Couple off. Less danger than Swiss church. Yet Marsh misses twice. Confounding man.
53rd over: Australia 153-3 (Smith 12, S.Marsh 22)
“Exclusive match strategy sessions with former greats,” advertises Channel Naan of its Ashes Tour, which means getting on the ink with Rodney Hogg, Keith Stackpole and Murray Bennett.
Yadav’s in again. Getting a little in-dip. The ball’s 52 overs old now, so it’s doing the Irish thing. Someone asked me about that the other day, I think thought I was being facetious. Or even racist. We may never know.
And over.
Updated
52nd over: Australia 152-3 (Smith 12, S.Marsh 21)
Chris Rogers scored 55, 55 and 57, which gets a man thinking - what is the record for consecutive scores, that have been out? Anyone? Bueller?
R.Ashwin? He bowls a half-track wide pie to Smith who belts it out to the point boundary, and there is four all run.
51st over: Australia 148-3 (Smith 8, S.Marsh 21)
Yudav comes on, and Marsh drives him for four down the ground. It’s line and length, Yudav, old mucker, as old mate McGrath would tell you.
S.Marsh looking pretty comfortable here. Which means nothing. He’s one of those who even looks good getting out.
Wow - big in-swinger from Yudav that Smith leaves and it hits him on the thigh-pad. Malcolm Marshall took a thousand wickets like that, 998 of them off David Boon.
And good day to you, sir, if you’re reading. He was a ripper, David Boon.
And over.
50th over: Australia 142-3 (Smith 7, S.Marsh 16)
Smith breaks the shackles with a super, lofted off-drive for four. He’s in super form, the captain. Super form. Great footwork, some of the best in the game. If you ever saw Kim Hughes dancing about you’d say, yeah, not a bad comparison, comparison man.
49th over: Australia 137-3 (Smith 3, S.Marsh 15)
Ishant again. There’s more threat from lightning.
I was not aware, Gary. But thanks. Now I know that MS Dhoni is an honourary lieutenant in the Indian Air Force, and that the B-Mac is going gang-busters in Christchurch.
Meanwhile, Ishant bowls some more short ones that Marsh ducks under like he was throwing out a bag of prawn heads. The man plays at the WACA, Ishant, he could duck for Australia. He does.
Updated
48th over: Australia 136-3 (Smith 2, S.Marsh 15)
It’s The R, again. He gets Shaun Marsh prodding forward. You sense he fancies himself against Marsh ... I type just as Marsh dances down and lofts him over long-on, four runs. Top stuff, Nostradamus, mental man of mystery.
Marsh is on 15. Every ball he could get four or out, a confounding man for Marsh Lovers of whom there are a few, not a few of whom select Test teams for Australia.
47th over: Australia 131-3 (Smith 2, S.Marsh 10)
Ishant steams in, and changes his short-short-short length with a nice juicy half-volley outside off that Marsh flays beautifully to long off. Top shot.
Next one’s a bouncer, though. So ... yes.
MS Dhoni endorses 24 different products in India, according to the Television Men. Isn’t that a lot. He’s a bigger brand than Coke. Must have a quid. Wonder if he can go anywhere in the world, and hang out. Warney says he’s very relaxed, and Groovy Baby Nicholas says he’s got an honourary military rank of Lieutenant. SO HOW ABOUT THAT! I didn’t know that this morning and now I do.
Over.
46th over: Australia 126-3 (Smith 2, S.Marsh 5)
R.Ashwin, again. Tall man. Wicket looks like an ice rink. He bowls another maiden. Australia re-constituting this innings. Re-imagining it, perhaps. Your missives to: matt.cleary@theguardian.com. Talk to me, The People.
Updated
45th over: Australia 126-3 (Smith 2, S.Marsh 5)
Righto. Shami off, Ishant on. Leg-slip in. There’ll be more short stuff. Ishant’s in love with the bounce here. They don’t get a go on the WACA trampoline so Ishant’s thinking: This is my time. But ... y’know. Pitch it up, son. On or outside off-stump. And do a little off the wicket and in the air. And thus wickets will follow. Glenn McGrath did that for a career that went longer than the Cretaceous period.
Appeal! Marsh pulls, there’s a noise ... the ball goes through to Dhoni and all the slips and the wicket-keeper are up like they’re on a Toyota ad, but replays tell us what the umpire thought first go, the ball clipped the shirt. Good decision, Umpy-bro.
Umpy-bro? I’m going with it.
44th over: Australia 123-3 (Smith 1, S.Marsh 4)
R.Ashwin. First name: Ravichandran. Is that Ravi Shastri’s first name, too? The magic of Google says ... No. It’s actually Ravishankar. Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri. My but he could play cricket, old Ravi Shastri. Any footage of him hitting six sixes?
43rd over: Australia 122-3 (Smith 1, S.Marsh 3)
Ad for the Army Reserve on Channel Nine. Fair play to them, I’d sooner join the Mormons. No I wouldn’t. Followed up by dodgy Kiwi “scientist” selling pain relief. Then Rivers, the clothing mob that sold kit that was like Country Road in about 1985, now is now up from Lowe’s. Bing Lee ... Allianz ... before a giant bucket of KFC’s greasy wings advertises Classic Catches, that’s never been any good since they brushed the Top-7 Catch of The Summer format for the 1800-give-us-your-money one. Still, Steve Smith’s diving right-hander in Brissie, what a ripper.
Marsh faces Shami. Leaves one.
Catch B is R.Ashwin, taking a hot one off Shaun Marsh.
Catch C is old mate Marnus Labuschange, the 13th man in Brissie ... diving onto the pitch.
Your lesson? Dare to dream.
Shaun Marsh sees out another maiden. India on top, but Australia digging in on a good batting wicket.
The other day Nine had a catch on a no-ball. Discuss.
Two off, a wide, and a tidy pull shot by Marsh.
Updated
42nd over: Australia 120-3 (Smith 1, S.Marsh 2)
Ashwin, again. He gets Smith advancing. It’s tidy work from our man The R, nice shape, nice flight. A tall man. Few different paces. And Smith gets off the mark with a pure on-drive for one. Smith can look ungainly even when he’s flaying them. But that shot, that on-drive. Pure.
41st over: Australia 118-3 (Smith 0, S.Marsh 1)
Shami, slinging it in. Shaun Marsh leaving the ball go with a flourish. Australia must consolidate. Reconstitute. Word like that. Shami bowling good nuts going away outside off. The odd bouncer. Marsh must get in and get some runs here, one fancies. He blocks the last one, and sees out a maiden.
40th over: Australia 118-3 (Smith 0, S.Marsh 1)
Marsh off the mark with a single. Reckon the best way to face R.Ashwin is at the non-striker’s end. Smith blocks the rest of it out. He’s still on a duck-egg. India comes again. For a while one thought it could get ugly for the visitors on a very fine bit of rolled dead grass. But there you go. As Mr Burns would say: Cricket, eh?
39th over: Australia 117-3 (Smith 0, S.Marsh 0)
Shami again.
Doesn’t look like Watto got any benefit of any doubt, though it looked out first go. You know LBWs do? Hit the pad - big shout and you at home go, Oh yes, that is out. Well umpires think that, too. Umpires are people. We can forget that.
With Chris Rogers’ dismissal his average at the MCG is 78. Shane Watson’s is now 83.3. Good numbers.
Updated
38th over: Australia 115-3 (Smith 0, S.Marsh 0)
Well - double-change, double-wicket action. And a fine over from R.Ashwin, he’s bowled a wicket-maiden. And he’s got Shaun Marsh and Steve Smith to have a crack at, both men on duck eggs.
Wicket! Shane Watson 52 LBW R.Ashwin
That sound? The howling catcalls of the ten-thousand strong army known as Watto Haters, as the solidly-built chunk of Queensland plonks his big front pad down the wicket, sweeps, misses, and is struck below the knee-roll. It looked out on first look. And was.
37th over: Australia 115-2 (Watson 52, Smith 0)
The double-change works for Mahendra Singh as Mohammed Shami extracts the obdurate Chris Rogers. Important wicket for India. They’re all Important. Indeed all have equal numerical weight. But like the animals in Orwell’s Animal Farm, some wickets are more equal than others.
Shami to Smith. Leg-slip. Couple of short ones. Well bowled, Mohammed Shami.
Wicket! Chris Rogers 57 c Dhoni b Shami
Good nut by Shami, just outside off stump, he got Rogers driving on the up and there was a very healthy edge that travelled through to the Dhoni who pocketed a simple catch.
Ball before, Shami’s first ball, Rogers squirted a wide one to backward point. And there was ... a... MIX-UP! Rogers and Watson both ran to the strikers end. Where the ball went. And the men survived.
Next ball, one did not. He’ll be spewin’, to coin a phrase, C.Rogers - there was a Big Ton in the offing. But he got a pretty good one, and that’s cricket.
36th over: Australia 115-1 (Rogers 57, Watson 52)
Here’s some spin, it’s the man who goes by one initial, R.Ashwin.
He bowls a maiden over. I used to bowl maidens over. Not so much these days.
35th over: Australia 115-1 (Rogers 57, Watson 52)
Mark Taylor’s just used the term “Intense-omoter” to describe India’s intensity levels, truly signalling the End of Times.
Maybe not the End of Times.
Another misfield, this time by Virat Kohli, again, he was trying to cut it off and prevent a single. Ishant’s thundering in. Throwing down bouncers, perhaps thinking Shane Watson might still be shaken up from copping one in the nets the other day. Reminds one of the new movie coming out soon, Dumb and Dumber To. I won’t be seeing it. Did watch Master & Commander last night, Russell Crowe’s magnum opus, or word like that. Cracking film.
Two off.
AND SHANE WATSON’S AVERAGE AT THE MCG IS ... 100.0! ARISE, SIR WATTO.
34th over: Australia 113-1 (Rogers 56, Watson 51)
Two off. Yadav could be hurtling down tennis balls. Fast ones. But you’re not afraid of them.
33rd over: Australia 111-1 (Rogers 55, Watson 50)
Okay, Ishant again, old crazy eyes of Alice Cooper, he’s thundering in and letting rip. Bad hair. Dodgy goat-beard. Not sure I’m anyone to take a man to task given I’m in a pair of boardshorts and a big floppy hat. But y’know - I’m not on the telly.
But good luck to him.
Fifty for Shane Watson
Quick single, and there’s Watto’s first milestone of his innings. Can he reach three figures? It’s the eternal question our time.
32nd over: Australia 110-1 (Rogers 55, Watson 49)
Okay. Yadav. There’s no demons in this wicket. And Rogers and Watson score runs as if on a bet.
Updated
31st over: Australia 101-1 (Rogers 50, Watson 46)
More short stuff from Ishant. Hasn’t worked thus far. Not sure why he reckons it might any time soon.
Meanwhile Mac Millings, resident of South Carolina says: “It’ll still be Christmas Day for a couple of hours or so here in the Secessionary Nation of South Carolina, and Mrs. Millings and I are looking for some home comforts (she’s American, but that’s not entirely the same as South Carolinian). With our third bottle of Temporary Normaliser not doing the job, what a comfort to be able to follow the Guardian Boxing Day Test OBO, and with a Gary Naylor sighting to boot. Thanks Matt, and the entire Guardian team. Merry etc.”
Merry etc back atcha, Mac.
Updated
Fifty for Chris Rogers
With a force off the back foot and a quick single, there’s half-a-ton for the thinking-man’s rust-nut, Chris Rogers. Top little knock, and on the back of his pair of 55s in Brisbane, he looks like he’s cemented a spot for Sydney, after some conjecture. Good luck to him.
30th over: Australia 100-1 (Rogers 49, Watson 46)
Jervis Bay sands? The world’s whitest, according to sand experts.
Meanwhile, “Disco” from the internet says what many think of Shane Watson’s batsmanship today and any day, when he says: “Watto was well out and dropped on 37, if he gets dropped twice more we may see a place saving ton from him.”
Kamahl would empathise, Watto.
Meanwhile, Watson’s average at the MCG goes to 98 even.
Rogers, meanwhile, forces forefully off the back foot through the covers, top little shot. Sunny Gavaskar made a career of that shot, batting in a white floppy hat with funny little ears coming out under.
Watto? He thuds an off drive down the ground for four. Too full from UT Yadav. And Watto’s G-average goes to 98.8.
29th over: Australia 92-1 (Rogers 46, Watson 41)
Big Ishant starts off bowling a bouncer. Outfield looks a peach, a checkerboard. Rogers pulls away as a man’s heads pokes up through the big sheet of the sight-screen. What’s he doing in there, the funny little man. Looks a super wicket - good pace, good bounce. Whiter than a road made from Jervis Bay sand. If Watto and Rodgo don’t cash into day they will be, to coin a phrase, spewin’.
And big Ishy starts with a maiden.
Okay. Here they come for the middle session. Chris Rogers on 46 (averaging 111 at the MCG) and Shane Watson on 41 (averaging 97.8). Both men are in the mid-35s everywhere else. Clearly The G is a happy hunting ground. No reason it can’t be this afternoon. The pitch looks a cracker. Perfect vision.
And here comes Ishant.
And what Richie said...
Greetings, The People, Matt Cleary here, bringing you the afternoon and evening sessions of Day One of this crackerjack Test match at the MCG. We’re fifteen minutes or so from play re-starting after Lunch, Chris Rogers is on 46, Shane Watson is on 41, and these two feel like I did yesterday after Christmas Lunch.
Updated
Lunch - Australia recover to 92/1
It was India’s game early when David Warner fell before his side had scored. But India’s bowling got erratic thereafter, and their fielding has also let them down. Chris Rogers and Shane Watson have had a few good partnerships, and today they managed another with their stand worth 92.
MCG Average Watch: Watson 97.8, Rogers 111.5.
Geoff Lemon out - it’s been a pleasure bringing you the action from my home town of Melbourne, and I’ll look forward to a couple more sessions with you tomorrow. Matt Cleary will be in shortly to run you through the rest of today’s play.
28th over: Australia 92-1 (Rogers 46, Watson 41)
A couple of runs for Watson from a misfield of his on-drive. It beat the short catching mid on then was fumbled by the deeper and wider one. That’s all from Ashwin’s over, and Watson is into the 40s too.
27th over: Australia 90-1 (Rogers 46, Watson 39)
Mohammed Shami is just bowling short everywhere. Over the batsman, down leg side. Finally he puts one outside off, and Rogers declares that the go-slow does not extend to that kind of bowling. He smacks it through point for four.
26th over: Australia 86-1 (Rogers 42, Watson 39)
Rogers is really on the go-slow in the shadows of lunch, again watching many Ashwin deliveries before finally pushing a single through cover.
Channel Nine meanwhile winning fans with their award-winning impression of three drunk guys shouting at a telly.
"If you're the Indian fast bowling coach - I don't even know who that is, by the way... James Brayshaw, professional cricket commentator.
— Alt Cricket (@AltCricket) December 26, 2014
25th over: Australia 85-1 (Rogers 41, Watson 39)
Dropped! Watson got caught halfway between on that shot, pushed at Shami, it struck high on the outside edge, flew toward first slip but was going to fall short so Dhawan went for it diving across, low to his left. It was a tough chance but he got both hands to it, then as it popped out and Dhawan fell to ground he got his hands to the rebound as well, but just couldn’t quite hold on. Good attempt, not quite there. Watson’s MCG Average survives. Would have plummeted to 80 if that had been caught.
He gets two runs on the pull from the next ball.
24th over: Australia 83-1 (Rogers 41, Watson 37)
Another maiden from Ashwin to Rogers. He just doesn’t want to get out to the spinner.
MCG Average Watch: Watson 97, Rogers 109.
23rd over: Australia 83-1 (Rogers 41, Watson 37)
Yadav still loving this leg side line of attack. Either that or he’s just bowling trash, I can’t decide. Four leg byes as the ball comes off Rogers’ pad and beats Dhoni’s dive. A couple of singles here and there, then Watson gets one on middle stump and plays around his front pad, whipping it across the line through midwicket for two. Good think he hit that one.
The partnership is worth 83. Easy to calculate since Warner was out before Australia had scored. Play along at home!
22nd over: Australia 75-1 (Rogers 40, Watson 34)
Rogers does not like off-spin much. A maiden from Ashwin, with some Crouching Tiger, Scurrying Crab footwork from the Aussie opener.
Michael Clarke apparently finding his feet in the TV comms box.
Disappointed Clarke's commentary wasn't chaperoned by three experienced female commentators who wouldn't let him get a word in. #AUSvIND
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) December 26, 2014
21st over: Australia 75-1 (Rogers 40, Watson 34)
It’s Yadav continuing the seam attack from the one end now operating. He’s trying a bit of short stuff again to Rogers, maybe overdoing it a touch. They go down leg side fairly often, trying to bring that leg slip back into play. It seems a low-percentage strategy, especially when Rogers glances a single regardless. He’s into the Nervous Forties.
20th over: Australia 74-1 (Rogers 39, Watson 34)
Wheel wheel wheel. MS Dhoni has apparently admitted defeat in the early stages: India’s fast bowlers have not surged through their early breach. I say this because Ravi Ashwin is on to bowl off-spin, meaning the pace bowlers are a bit worn out and need resting. Ishant has bowled eight overs, Yadav six, Shami five expensive ones.
Rogers is cautious against Ashwin early, defending away before working a single against the spin from the fifth ball. Watson blots the sixth.
19th over: Australia 73-1 (Rogers 38, Watson 34)
Starting to get the feeling that India’s chance has slipped. Yadav is back and striving manfully, a fierce bounder that Rogers scurries to get underneath. Dropping Aaron has left them a bit short of that real scary pace. Not sure if it would have been his pitch. Rogers is nearly out caught at leg slip from the fourth ball, just glanced it away for a single but that ball nearly went to hand. Dhoni fields the deflected ball back by the sight screen.
18th over: Australia 71-1 (Rogers 37, Watson 33)
Weirdness abounds as Rogers plays a pull shot. A rain of frogs will follow at the lunch interval. We have about 35 minutes to go. Watson had already taken a single that over, then gets another, both just nudged away to the leg side. Too easy, too easy.
17th over: Australia 68-1 (Rogers 36, Watson 31)
Mohammed Shami continuing, brisk pace but he’s really just banging this ball all over the place. Watson takes a single to fine leg. Rogers gets some short stuff that he ignores.
16th over: Australia 67-1 (Rogers 36, Watson 30)
Rogers tickles a single fine, then Watson whacks another pull shot from Ishant over midwicket. Gets a single into the covers. He’s in the 30s now and looking great: that’s the classic Watson Danger Zone. Pressure on both these batsmen coming into this game, whether or not it’s deserved.
You reach a certain age when, especially at this time of year, you need to know that Chris Rogers is accumulating runs @GeoffLemonSport
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) December 26, 2014
15th over: Australia 61-1 (Rogers 35, Watson 25)
Four! As Shami overpitches and Rogers drives through point. That one had the legs.
Four! As Watson is given the strike with a single, then clobbers a pull shot over midwicket. Not entirely controlled but he got enough steak on it.
Four! As Shami gets just a whisker wide, and Watson plays that distinctive cut of his, so close to the body but somehow getting the power by flipping his wrists through the line of the ball.
Shami is going at nearly six an over. The Australian 50 is well and truly up.
MCG Average Watch: Watson 94.6, Rogers 106.
14th over: Australia 48-1 (Rogers 30, Watson 17)
A touch of sunshine broaching the clouds at the MCG as Ishant continues. Watson turns a single to the leg side, he’s done that simply and easily all day, then Rogers gets a fuller ball and drives through cover. It holds up on the MCG outfield, there’s a very long boundary on the way out toward Punt Road that way, and the slowly rolling ball is just kept from the foam hoarding by a dive and flick. Swifter batsmen may have run four, but Watson took the first few steps and decided against it.
13th over: Australia 44-1 (Rogers 27, Watson 16)
That’s a nice over from Mohammed Shami. Beats Rogers a couple of times and has him leaving tentatively. He has a lot of heart, Shami. My thoughts about the appearance of these batsmen are mirrored by others.
@GeoffLemonSport though watto looked sketchy, tbh. Then again, that's SOP for him - expect anything.
— Fortinbras Unbound (@CategoryMistake) December 26, 2014
12th over: Australia 42-1 (Rogers 25, Watson 16)
Ishant now back to replace Yadav, having originally opened the bowling with him. The radio commentary noting that Rogers is batting very deep in his crease, is that to counter possible movement? Watson meanwhile is batting quite far forward. That must make it tricky for the bowlers to adjust. Rogers angles one past gully for a couple of runs. This is a great little wrestle going on here, you still get the feeling India are in the game after some slightly uncomfortable shots. Maybe the pace of this pitch is taking some getting used to. A single to finish the over.
11th over: Australia 39-1 (Rogers 22, Watson 16)
Shami bowls a maiden to Watson, who’s keen to bring that strike rate down.
Did You Know: Shane Watson now averages 92.80 here at the MCG in his eighth innings. Chris Rogers slightly more anomalously averages 99.5 in his third innings.
Watson has scored 13 per cent of his career runs at the MCG. Loves it.
10th over: Australia 39-1 (Rogers 22, Watson 16)
Umesh Yadav carries on, once again he’s giving Watson a single to fine leg. How many of his runs have come there today? Maybe I should know, I’ve been watching. But look, don’t expect me to have everything for you. You need to do some work for yourselves.
Rogers does. Nice drive there, dead straight again, and he profits by four more! Rogers is beginning to flow here in the absence of Warner. A single follows, then Watson opens the face to run three down to third man, deliberately this time. He’s ticking over as well. Strike rate in the 80s at the moment.
9th over: Australia 30-1 (Rogers 17, Watson 12)
Boundary Watch comes to an end. Mohammed Shami in for his first over of the day and his first ball is too full and caressed on the Rogers straight drive for four. Then his last is too wide and spanked on the cut shot, it was an ugly sort of whack but it did the job, and Rogers has doubled the boundary count.
8th over: Australia 22-1 (Rogers 9, Watson 12)
Another near boundary as Watson edges a beauty from Yadav, got a thick edge down to third man and they run three. Rogers hands him back strike with a single, then Watson clips two more through fine leg. The runs are coming now. These two had a huge partnership here last year against England when Rogers made a century and Watson 83 not out chasing about 220.
7th over: Australia 16-1 (Rogers 8, Watson 7)
The Indians are bowling very full looking for movement, but also straying a bit too straight. Rogers punches Ishant through mid on for three runs, then Watson takes a single to the leg side. That drive nearly made the rope but still no boundary. Boundary Watch?
“Just woke up,” says Dhananjai Singh. “Warner... quack quack... Couldn’t have been a better morning. Good morning Geoff!”
Glad to be spreading the Christmas cheer, my friend.
Updated
6th over: Australia 12-1 (Rogers 5, Watson 6)
Watson has started nicely. A couple more runs flicked to fine leg. He doesn’t mind this ground, does El Shane. A century and four 50s from five Tests here, and an average of 90.8. They dash a quick single to cover, then Rogers works one to square. No boundaries thus far this innings.
5th over: Australia 8-1 (Rogers 4, Watson 3)
Now it’s Watson’s turn for a brace, getting that Sharma ball to the leg side. He follows up with a single. Rogers bats out the rest.
4th over: Australia 5-1 (Rogers 4, Watson 0)
Comparatively, the runs come in a flurry after that start. A bye from Watson’s first ball as Dhoni doesn’t glove it. Then a pair of twos to Rogers as he works Yadav to the leg side and then to the off.
3rd over: Australia 0-1 (Rogers 0, Watson 0)
It’s all India thus far. Another Ishant maiden to a watchful Rogers. Third over, no runs, one Warner.
2nd over: Australia 0-1 (Rogers 0)
Normally you expect to see Rogers block an over and then Warner smash one around the park. Not today, junior. Umesh Yadav is the bowler, he was pretty good at the Gabba and pretty good on India’s last tour here. And he’s pretty good today. Cramped Warner, pinned him down for five dot balls with useful pace, then got him with the last delivery.
WICKET! Warner 0, c Dhawan b Yadav
There’s the early one they really wanted! David Warner falls in just the second over, from Yadav’s final ball. That ball reared sharply, Warner prodded, it got the edge high on the bat and Dhawan at third slip takes the catch.
1st over: Australia 0-0 (Rogers 0, Warner 0)
That’s a regulation Test match start from Chris Rogers and Ishant Sharma. The tall fast bowler comes right-arm over the wicket to the left-handed batsman and probes away on a line outside his off stump. Rogers leaves a couple, defends a couple, then crushes Rogers right in the box. Of course, for an old-fashioned batsman like Rogers, a missile in the Jatz is a badge of honour. He’ll be displaying the bruise around the dressing room at the end of the day with a wry grin. “I copped this for Straya, chaps,” will be the subtext. Sharma leaves him with the last ball, and has hopefully left him with his original two.
It’s the Boxing Day Test, people! Love this stuff. Love this atmosphere. The trains were packed on the way to the ground, the parklands around it were rich with various wonderful idiots and beautiful people, the cavernous interior of the Melbourne Cricket Ground will only grow more full of the swelling mass of humanity. It’s a beautiful thing. There are two other Test matches on today, but here is the real deal.
Warner and Rogers walk to the middle. Rogers, as ever, to face the first ball.
Love our header photo of Joe Burns, by the way, looking like he’s had a Christmas mishap and wound up with a massive green meringue on his head.
Australia win the toss and will bat
That’s two wins for Australia and one for India in the toss stakes so far. One for Clarke, one for Dhoni, none for Kohli, one for Smith. Too many captains spoil the commentary box. There’s sometimes a bit in the MCG pitch early, a bit sticky and slow and hard to time shots on. There’s a bit of humidity about today and some scattered cloud but it’s mostly clear, so I suspect the afternoon will be good for batting, and the pitch will only become more so as the day wears on. India will need to strike early and often.
As ever, I’m available for chatter, questions, banter, insults, jokes, marriage advice and/or proposals, jerk chicken recipes, installation art suggestions, and offers I can’t refuse: get me on Twitter at @GeoffLemonSport or email geoff.lemon@theguardian.com.
This KL Rahul is a real freshie. 22 years old, 27 first class games, 6 tons and an average just north of 50. Good figures for a new career. Bring on the cliched fearlessness of youth.
Here are the teams. Two changes for Australia, with Ryan Harris back for perennial one-Test wonder Mitchell Starc, and the new man Joe Burns slated to come in at No6 replacing the injured all-rounder Mitchell Marsh. The other Marsh, Shaun, keeps his place, Australia wanting to avoid too many Mitchll/Marsh changes to one side. For India, Mohammed Shami is back for Varun Aaron, while Rohit Sharma has been dropped after two uninspiring showings. A famous name of Indian cricket is back - Rahul. That’s sadly not Rahul Dravid, who’ll be watching on TV, but happily it may belong to the future of Indian cricket, the highly rated debutant KL Rahul. He’s also batting at No6. Six-off!
Australia
D Warner
C Rogers
S Watson
S Smith*
S Marsh
J Burns
B Haddin†
M Johnson
R Harris
J Hazlewood
N Lyon
India
S Dhawan
M Vijay
C Pujara
V Kohli
A Rahane
KL Rahul
MS Dhoni*†
R Ashwin
Mohammed Shami
I Sharma
U Yadav
Good morning all. Geoff Lemon taking the reins as we prepare for the third instalment in a series that has been full of surprises while going entirely to script. Confused? Well, Australia are taking a 2-0 lead into a third Test that they’re also favoured to win. But India have been sterner opposition with the bat than we might have expected, with much of the resistance coming from the unheralded source of opener Murali Vijay. A Gabba ton and an Adelaide 99 count among his offerings so far, while Virat Kohli has also threw in a pair of centuries in the City of Excellent Stadium Renovations.
For Australia, meanwhile, new captain Steve Smith started with a win in Brisbane, and is in the most exquisite batting form of his life. Previous captain Michael Clarke is injured and in the commentary box for this stint. Either we’ll complain about the lack of impartial commentary, or the minute he says anything mildly critical we’ll be all over it like vultures on a dead wildebeest. Damned if you do...
