Australia win the series 4-1 but the tourists finally get a win down under!
Well, at least we got a grandstand finish. That was a superb knock from Manish Pandey to get his side home. He ended up 104 not out from 81 deliveries after Shikhar Dhawan (78 from 56) and Rohit Sharma (99 from 108) set the foundation. John Hastings was a trier for the Australians with 3-61 off his 10 overs but wasn’t always backed up by his teammates. With 1-77 from 9.4 including a nightmare final over, Mitchell Marsh will always remember his first international century fondly but perhaps with a tinge of regret that he couldn’t get his side home with the ball.
Man of the series: somewhat unsurprisingly, is Rohit Sharma. He was superb throughout.
That’s about it from us, but thanks for joining us for all the live action in this series. It was a veritable run-feast.
Pandey gets his ton and India win it!
50th over: India 331-4 (Pandey 104, Mann 0)
Pandey takes strike on 98 and calmly deflects a four down to third man when Marsh fires down another yorker-length ball outside the line of off stump. Brilliant from Pandey! It took him 80 deliveries and featured 8 fours and a six and he follows the milestone by cracking two over the top of the bowler’s head. India are home! Pandey is the hero! Marsh has gone from hero to zero! Finally the Indians get a win and with a ball remaining!
That is a great innings from Pandey.
— Peter Miller (@TheCricketGeek) January 23, 2016
Updated
WICKET! Dhoni c Warner b Marsh 34 (India 325-4) - 6 runs needed from 4
50th over: India 325-4 (Pandey 98, Dhoni 28)
After a harsh wide call against Marsh to start, MS Dhoni has blasted a low full toss over the head of Warner at long off. Oh my... What a shot! But then he goes again and Warner runs in to take the catch! The batsmen crossed so Pandey is on strike with India needing 6 from 4 now. This is VERY, VERY TENSE.
Updated
49th over: India 318-3 (Pandey 98, Dhoni 28)
“I reckon they’ll try and get 8 or 10 off this over,” says Brett Lee, who clearly missed his calling as a captain. Faulkner’s excellent to start with, restricting the Indian pair to 2 singles and a two in the first half of the over. Then there’s a leg bye. 17 needed off 8. With two to finish the over Pandey moves to 98 but he’s off strike and there’s bigger fish to fry: India need 13 off Mitchell Marsh’s final over.
48th over: India 309-3 (Pandey 93, Dhoni 25)
Okay, Marsh needs to go in this over. Simple. Dhoni might have to be the one to do it. He starts with a single but then it’s Pandey who gets things moving with a streaky edge to a wide and full one, which flies away to the third man boundary. Boy they needed that. But he misses out next up when a slower bouncer is in his crosshairs but he mis-hits for one. He does a power of work when off strike though, scurrying through for two when it didn’t look like it was there. Then DHONI HAMMERS FOUR! Marsh is copping it. All of a sudden the equation is 22 from 12. Very gettable.
47th over: India 296-3 (Pandey 88, Dhoni 17)
Faulkner is into his penultimate over now. There’s a leg bye and then a pair of twos to Pandey, who is close to both a milestone and also within reach of winning the game for his side, but he can’t get the final three deliveries of the over away for a single run. Faulkner was born for this stuff.
46th over: India 291-3 (Pandey 84, Dhoni 17)
Nobody has told Steve Smith that this is a dead rubber. Marsh is back now and gets driven out into the deep for what looks a boundary by the Aussie skipper dives wholeheartedly and with no small risk to his body to make sure it’s only two. Not quite as good is an effort from Faulkner running in for a catch from the deep. He gives up on it half way and backs off. Marsh was a little unlucky not to jag a wicket here. Needed: 40 from 24.
45th over: India 285-3 (Pandey 80, Dhoni 16)
Okay, so Faulkner will bowl the 45th, 47th and 49th overs, if it goes that far, and I think it will. I’m a little behind here but old OBO chum Phil Withall has written in. “India can get 74 from 54, that has been proven throughout the series,” he says. “The problem seems to be in the rather selective stages they manage to do it. It must be incredibly frustrating for their supporters and as an Englishman I can fully appreciate their suffering.”
It’s a very Faulknery over from Fulkner; three singles and then a throaty LBW shout against Dhoni. It looked decent enough but possibly pitched outside the line. Hawkeye says just in line... Hmm. There’s a near-miss for Pandey next delivery when he mis-hits one out towards extra cover, where a diving George Bailey just misses it. There’s one last chance for the over when Smith has a ping at a run-out but he misses and Dhoni survives again. Needed: 46 from 30.
44th over: India 279-3 (Pandey 77, Dhoni 14)
Boland appears again for his final over and it must be said that he’s recovered very well in this last spell to keep things tight. Five singles and a 2 for the over leave him with figures of 0-58 off 10. Needed: 52 from 36.
43rd over: India 272-3 (Pandey 72, Dhoni 12)
Dhoni has gone old school now, removing his helmet and not calling for a cap. He’s only got that luxurious barnet for protection against the spinner. It doesn’t exactly work wonders but there’s plenty of singles and the like to keep things ticking along. Boundaries are what’s needed from here. Needed: 59 off 42.
Lyon drops Dhoni!
42nd over: India 266-3 (Pandey 70, Dhoni 8)
Oh my word. The struggling Dhoni biffs Boland high out to Lyon at long on and it should have been the simplest of outfield catches for the spinner but he shells it. Boland keeps his head in the aftermath but with a bit of width to work with, Pandey drives four and then glides two to end a desperately unlucky over. 65 from 48 is the equation now.
Cunning move by Gaz there to keep Dhoni on the field
— Finn Bradshaw (@finn_bradshaw) January 23, 2016
41st over: India 257-3 (Pandey 62, Dhoni 7)
Lyon’s back now for some spin and he’s got two men on the deep on the leg side, so intends to bowl a straight line. So it proves and Dhoni is unwilling to take him on and not only that, can’t find the single he’s after either until the fifth ball of the over. With 7 off 21 he’s nearly batting his side out of it but as we know, he’s just as likely to unleash hell in the blink of an eye. It’s a wonderful over from Lyon. Can India get 74 from 54 deliveries?
40th over: India 254-3 (Pandey 61, Dhoni 6)
Boland has an LBW shout against Dhoni here but Umpire Wilson’s not taking it every seriously because the Indian skipper was a good three steps down the track when it struck his front pad. Still, this is decent from Boland. He starts with three dot balls to put pressure on for a big shot. Dhoni works a single. Pandey gets one too but that’s the only damage of the over, a minor triumph for young Boland.
39th over: India 252-3 (Pandey 60, Dhoni 5)
Okay, I’m off John Hastings now. He’s slamming down half-trackers and so Pandey thrashes him through point for four. He finishes with 3-63 from his 10 overs but some testing times await some of his teammates now, primarily Scott Boland and Mitchell Marsh. The required rate is over 7.2 for India.
Updated
38th over: India 246-3 (Pandey 55, Dhoni 4)
With no disrespect to Scott Boland, who is very effective in the early stages of this over and ends up conceding just the four singles, Michael Clarke is waxing lyrical on John Hastings. He reckons he is vastly underrated in every team he plays in, which would seem an odd path to international selection, no?
That face...
Rohit Sharma out on 99. He couldn't believe it! https://t.co/7eTS5l2ZZ0 #AUSvIND #cricingif pic.twitter.com/bDogrnUCdF
— Cricingif (@cricingif) January 23, 2016
Pandey reaches a well-compiled half-century!
37th over: India 242-3 (Pandey 53, Dhoni 2)
Hastings is a little less imposing in this over with Pandey clipping him for 3 twos in a row to move past 50 and it’s been an excellent innings from him so far, one that will go a long way to his side winning if they pull this off. There’s 8 from this over in the end.
36th over: India 234-3 (Pandey 46, Dhoni 1)
Dhoni’s off strike and Pandey looking increasingly comfortable, but I’ve gone almost 180 on my view of India winning this match, especially while The BIG DUKE TM bowling like this.
35th over: India 231-3 (Pandey 44, Dhoni 0)
Oof! Dhoni nearly perishes first ball when Hastings angles in a full one and it strikes the Indian skipper on the pad but replays soon reveal a thick inside edge. Umpire Paul ‘Blocka’ Wilson is having a very good over.
Rohit Sharma goes for 99!
WICKET! Rohit Sharma c Wade b Hastings 99 (India 231-3)
Oh my word! Rohit Sharma has gone for 99! As required by the laws of cricket, he followed his let-off by slapping Hastings through cover for a glorious boundary the next delivery and then scored two more to move to 99, but after ducking a bouncer he tries to flick the next to third man for the single and edges it through to Wade! Wow, he doesn’t want to go but replays reveal a thick edge. Heartbreaking for the man who has scored a mountain of runs in this series. Australia are still on for a series sweep!
Shaun Marsh drops Rohit Sharma!
34th over: India 225-2 (Sharma 93, Pandey 44)
Mitch Marsh is back now to replace Faulkner with the latter still holding three overs up his sleeve for the death. There’s plenty of drama to finish this over too when Shaun Marsh gallops in from the boundary and shells Sharma. It was a simple chance really but perhaps he was distracted by Aaron Finch running in towards him. He took a screamer before but Marsh has put down a sitter.
33rd over: India 220-2 (Sharma 89, Pandey 43)
Poor Nathan Lyon is being SPANKED about now. Pandey skips down the wicket and clubs him over long off for six, meaning there’s been 9 from the first 4 deliveries. By the end of the over the spinner has resorted to darts to limit the damage. I feel an Indian win coming on here.
Only a matter of time until we get a Marshes reality show. Marsh Ado About Nothing? Marsh Madness? My Favourite Marsh'uns?
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) January 23, 2016
Updated
32nd over: India 209-2 (Sharma 85, Pandey 36)
Sharma’s up to 425 runs at 141.67 in this series as this over starts, by the way. Now that is an Indian summer. Faulkner’s cutters, duckers and slower ones keep the damage to five for the over. Good stuff if not hugely exciting.
31st over: India 204-2 (Sharma 81, Pandey 35)
Dare I say that Steve Smith is getting what he deserves here when both batsmen flog him for boundaries on their way to a 12-run over? Back yer boys, Smudger. The Indians need 127 from 19 overs now, just over a run a ball. In T20 terms they could do it comfortably.
30th over: India 192-2 (Sharma 75, Pandey 29)
Even the front-liners are copping it now with Faulkner pasted through mid-off for four by Sharma on his way to conceding 9 for the over. He’s not happy about it, either.
29th over: India 183-2 (Sharma 70, Pandey 25)
Hmm, okay. Smith’s clearly worried about the Boland issue I mentioned earlier because he’s now brought himself on to soak up a few overs. This over isn’t a complete disaster but Pandey smacks a long hop to the boundary at deep square leg. A broader philosophical question: in a dead rubber, don’t you want to see what your young bowlers have got?
28th over: India 175-2 (Sharma 68, Pandey 19)
James Faulkner returns with an excellent over, which costs just a single to Pandey in the first instance before Sharma’s tied up with four dots and then a scampered single to a diving Finch at point. India can’t afford too many of those overs.
27th over: India 173-2 (Sharma 67, Pandey 18)
Lyon’s now in for some stick and there’s 10 from this over as Pandey gets down the wicket and clatters him through cover for a boundary. Zero respect given to the spinner there. We’re now past 3000 runs for the 5-game series, by the way. Ridiculous.
26th over: India 163-2 (Sharma 63, Pandey 12)
Couple of technical difficulties here, folks, but this Boland over is a lot more promising, even if he’s not yet closer to a wicket-taking delivery. Am I setting the bar too low for him? Frankstonites need to stick together, you see.
25th over: India 159-2 (Sharma 62, Pandey 9)
Pandey’s in on the act now, though in slightly more conentional style when he gets down on one knee to sweep an attractive four from Lyon. He’s working his way into it a little, Pandey.
24th over: India 152-2 (Sharma 61, Pandey 3)
Boland’s back for another bowl but it’s not going much better than the tail-end of his last spell and Rohit slams him for a colossal six over mid-on when the Victorian drops short. The rest of the over is okay but Boland is probably going to be the guy they continue to attack tonight.
Sharma is dropped by Steve Smith!
23rd over: India 145-2 (Sharma 55, Pandey 2)
Sharma is dropped! Oh no, it was a tough chance at first slip with Smith flying in the air for a football mark but it slipped through his hands and went away for four. A selfless act, really. He doesn’t want to take the gloss off Marsh’s screamer. Waddaguy.
22nd over: India 139-2 (Sharma 50, Pandey 1)
It’s all on Sharma now and perhaps Dhoni if Pandey can’t assert himself on the game. The local broadcaster is doing a split-screen of Marsh vs Dyson. It’s actually pretty brilliant, to be honest. They’re eerily similar.
Hastings has bowled beautifully tonight, showing this deck has something in it if you stand up the seam
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) January 23, 2016
21st over: India 134-2 (Sharma 46, Pandey 0)
That was more than handy from Hastings there. He got The Big Breathrough there, The Big Duke. Someone get him a Big Bottle of Gatorade.
WICKET! Kohli c Wade b Hastings 8 (India 134-2)
Now Kohli goes! And Big John The Duke Hastings is really pumped. He fires one down a little fuller outside off stump and Kohli chases it with a drive, feathering an edge behind to Wade. Was it to early to be attacking? Who knows, but now he’s back in the pavilion and the Aussies think they’re a big chance of making further inroads into an inexperienced Indian line-up.
Updated
20th over: India 133-1 (Sharma 46, Kohli 8)
Okay, Kohli’s making up for lost runs now and cracks Marsh for a wonderful cover-driven four before going a little more cross-batted for two. Marsh was wonderful with the bat but the Indians are really tucking in when he’s bowling.
19th over: India 127-1 (Sharma 46, Kohli 1)
Now Kohli gets stuck into Hastings when he flicks one over the vacant gully region for a boundary but it’s hit Spidercam on the way through so the umpires need to conference before calling a dead ball. Geez that’s harsh on the batsman. He’s biffed one to the rope and could still, conceivably, be dismissed for a duck. Thankfully he gets off the mark with a single.
Wow, Kohli hits Spidey and that's a dead ball! https://t.co/6eauqKS6ec #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QCCTtq6d2Z
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 23, 2016
OUT. "There is some brilliance in the outfield!" - @mj_slats. Dhawan GOES for 78. IND 1/123 (18.2) #AUSvIND #WWOS pic.twitter.com/fP6EP3rWvO
— Wide World of Sports (@WWOS9) January 23, 2016
Updated
WICKET! Dhawan c Marsh b Hastings 78 (India 123-1)
My oh my! What a catch by Shaun Marsh! It’s John Dyson stuff in the outfield as Dhawan flogs the returning Hastings into the deep and Marsh leaps into the air like a salmon to take a brilliant outfield catch. Wow! That’s a huge wicket for the Australians too because Dhawan, who’d just turned Hastings for yet another boundary, was threatening to take the game away from them. It’s a big breakthrough.
John Dyson's catch, faithfully re-enacted by Shaun Marsh https://t.co/JYhF8FXNTA
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) January 23, 2016
Updated
18th over: India 119-0 (Sharma 45, Dhawan 74)
Ha, Dhawan is toying with the Australians tonight and beautifully dabs the returning Marsh through gully to pick up another wristy boundary. The Aussies rue it like a missed chance but it was all class from the opener. He knew exactly what he was doing.
17th over: India 112-0 (Sharma 43, Dhawan 69)
Rohit Sharma has certainly not been conspicuous so far. He’s been muted, even. But he’s already worked his way into the 40s at a shade under a run a ball while making his more fluent partner’s job a lot easier. He gets Dhawan on strike here again and the lefty cuts hard for four before AGAIN (yes, the third time so far) sending a top edge tantalisingly close to an Australian fieldsman. He survives again.
16th over: India 105-0 (Sharma 42, Dhawan 63)
The Indian pair are playing this perfectly against Faulkner now, pushing ones and twos with regularity to keep the scoreboard ticking along. By stealth they’ve gathered 8 in the over.
15th over: India 97-0 (Sharma 38, Dhawan 59)
Lyon’s got Warner out in the deep on the off side patrolling the boundary at deep cover to Dhawan and a pragmatic approach means that he only concedes four runs with flat, short ones in this over. Should he not be looking to take a wicket? It is, as they say, the best way of stemming the flow of runs.
14th over: India 93-0 (Sharma 36, Dhawan 57)
Faulkner’s been the only bowler to string together more than a couple of productive overs so far and he’s tight without looking particularly like getting a wicket. There’s a classic moment in the crowd when cameras pan to bloke sleeping on his partner’s shoulder as play continues. Less a PowerPlay than a PowerNap, that.
Reader Dean Kinsella has arrived with some culture and also some filth. “Hey Bob Wilson! On The Beach is also my favourite Neil Young album,” he says. “Its also the first place l ‘knew’ a lady (Margate, since you ask).” I didn’t, but, errr...thanks anyway.
Dhawan brings up his half-century in quick time
13th over: India 88-0 (Sharma 32, Dhawan 56)
Time for some spin now for the Aussies with Nathan Lyon handing his hat to the umpire and wheeling away. No problems there for Dhawan, who gets on one knee and slog sweeps him for a towering six over deep square leg to bring up his half-century from 42 deliveries. It’s featured 4 sixes and 4 fours so far and he’s putting his side in a wonderful position to chase down an imposing total.
12th over: India 78-0 (Sharma 29, Dhawan 49)
Sharma’s been playing second fiddle so far but re-asserts himself here by sweating on Faulkner and when the bowler overpitches he’s cracked for a wonderful cover drive and Sharma gets four for it.
Sad times...
Congratulations Shiv Chanderpaul on a fantastic career. 11,867 Test runs in 164 matches. Happy retirement Shiv! pic.twitter.com/puH5LD2Ajg
— Test Match Special (@bbctms) January 23, 2016
11th over: India 73-0 (Sharma 24, Dhawan 49)
There’s a nice twilight atmosphere in the crowd now and plenty of noise as Marsh produces a far tidier second over, which is full of singles in place of the scything boundaries Dhawan was clubbing a little earlier.
10th over: India 68-0 (Sharma 21, Dhawan 47)
Robert McLiam Wilson has arrived with our first email of the day. “Faintly knocking ‘On the Beach’ in that casual way is unacceptable,” he says. “As novel, film and then (scary-bad) mini-series, it’s an important and unique work. Nothing else that suffered quite such dips and surges in critical reputation. The first 20 years or so were all wow at the start, then weary familiarity, right up to total duffitude. Only to have it exactly reversed in the next 20. It nearly reminds me of the Marsh brothers that way.”
To be entirely fair, I was mainly talking about the film. Haven’t seen it in years. The book is obviously brilliant (Gideon Haigh wrote a beaut essay about it here). I must re-watch the film. There’s always been this theory that Ava Gardner disparagingly said that Frankston was the perfect place to make a film about the end of the world, but give that essay a read to see how it’s untrue. Complete fabrication by a newspaper editor. Who would have thought?
James (as opposed to William) Faulkner is on for a bowl now to replace the wayward Boland. He does okay. Three off it.
9th over: India 65-0 (Sharma 19, Dhawan 46)
Mitch Marsh was on fire with the bat earlier but he’s far from immune to punishment here when he comes on for a bowl, clobbered high over deep square leg for six and then driven straight for four by Dhawan. The latter struggled earlier in the series but he’s batting like a genius now. He’s making Rohit Sharma look pedestrian. Marsh’s first over has gone for 13.
8th over: India 52-0 (Sharma 17, Dhawan 35)
Hmm, it’s heading south for Boland in this over. Sharma leans into a pair of straight ones and flicks them effortlessly through mid-wicket for four. It gets worse when Dhawan flicks one off his hip, high towards Shaun Marsh at deep backward square but the Aussie is too far in from the boundary and it lands between him and the rope before bouncing away for four. What was Marsh doing there? India will knock this off in 35 overs at this rate.
7th over: India 39-0 (Sharma 8, Dhawan 31)
Dhawan’s in the mood tonight, you can feel it. Now it’s Hastings on the receiving end when the lefty wanders down the track and lifts him into the stands over cow corner. Again it’s followed by a streaky edge over gully but he even gets two for that, so fortune is favouring the brave. Things settle briefly but then Dhawan’s off again, skipping towards Hastings and flaying him over cover for another four. The Big Duke is wearing a Big Frown.
6th over: India 27-0 (Sharma 8, Dhawan 19)
Dhawan is on the attack now, advancing at Boland and lathering him through cover to pick up his first boundary. Less convincing is an attempted pull that he top edges high but safe down to third man.
5th over: India 20-0 (Sharma 7, Dhawan 13)
Crunch! Rohit Sharma gets moving now, stretching forward to Hastings and plastering a lovely square drive into the fence wide of deep point. That one rocketed off the face of the bat. Dhawan looks like he’s on as well.
Put your hand up if you want the Kiwis back asap...
#LovelyTrenty @TheACCnz 👍 pic.twitter.com/JwI0elTzCX
— Nick (@cricket_welly) January 23, 2016
4th over: India 12-0 (Sharma 2, Dhawan 10)
Phwoof. Dhawan has a huge waft at Boland here when he gets some width but it’s a fresh air shot from the Indian opener. He was trying to hit that one back to Frankston. Dhawan works a pair of twos but again the paceman is hitting a nagging line and length and never giving too much away.
3rd over: India 8-0 (Sharma 2, Dhawan 6)
I know you don’t want to know what the Nine commentary team are up to tonight in this VB series game, but Ian Healy’s just called Nathan Lyon one of the best fieldsmen in the world. I think he might be ploughing into the sponsor’s product. Anyway, it’s not the most penetrative over from Hastings but it costs only the five runs and there’s another half sniff of a run-out. Watch this space.
2nd over: India 3-0 (Sharma 1, Dhawan 2)
He’s rocking an ODI bowling average of 201 at present, but I like the cut of Scott Boland’s jib as he comes on now to partner his Victorian teammate. Disclaimer: Boland plays for my cricketing alma mater, Frankston-Peninsula CC. We don’t have much to crow about here in Franga; Madison Avenue and their late 1990s hit ‘Don’t call me baby’; late-50s Stanley Kramer film ‘On the Beach’; one of Hugh Jackman’s many houses; almost-famous Aussie nu metal proponents 28 days; the drummer from Something for Kate... Grim stuff, really.
Boland needs to be our guy. His first over is a tidy one and only costs a single to Dhawan.
1st over: India 2-0 (Sharma 1, Dhawan 1)
Okay, we’re off and away in the Indian chase with ‘Big Johnny Hastings’ TM, aka ‘The Big Duke’ TM, grabbing the new ball for Australia. Sharma strokes one towards cover, takes on George Bailey’s arm and wins to get off the mark with a single. The Aussies fancy having Dhawan caught biffing an uppish drive so they stick Finch in at short cover. Dhawan runs one down to third man to get going. The Big Duke is dripping with bead after bead of Big Sweat by the over’s conclusion.
You beauty! Well played brother @mitchmarsh235. Very well deserved 🙌🏻 #AUSvIND #Century #Proud pic.twitter.com/sVFgLn7pra
— Peter Siddle (@petersiddle403) January 23, 2016
Hello then
Thank you Geoffrey. Russell Jackson here, basking in the afterglow of Mitchell Marsh’s maiden international hundred, an event I’ll one day recount to my grandchildren with a single tear running down my cheek. Whaddawereckon? Is India up to this chase? I reckon it might be their day. Feel free to get in contact with your thoughts throughout throughout this pursuit. Details above.
I can’t take my eyes off Geoff Marsh’s bastardised GN Scoop below... What’s going on there?
Maiden ODI Hundred for Marsh Family Geoff - 125 v INDIA, 1986 Shaun - 112 v INDIA, 2009 Mitch - 102* v INDIA, TODAY pic.twitter.com/5x4IybohmA
— Cricketopia.com (@Cricketopia) January 23, 2016
India will chase 331 to win
Another massive total for Australia, another massive target for India. They made 323 chasing in Canberra, so it’s not beyond them. But there’s a bit of stop-start stuff in this pitch that will make it tricky to time shots.
Once again it will be all on India’s top order. Rohit, Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan have made five centuries between them in four games, and lost them all. But they’ll need to believe it’s not fruitless to make more hundreds tonight.
As for Australia, a fine performance from Warner and one to close the innings from Mitch Marsh, who delivered after a collapse gave him the responsibility of coming to the crease early. There were few other contributions with the bat besides a good fast 36 from Wade late in the piece.
For India, the debutant Jasprit Bumrah was the story of the day: 2-40 from his 10 overs in his first international match. Quite something.
Jadeja returned 0-46 from 10, but aside from that India’s bowlers were smashed. Ishant’s 2-60 was the best of the rest, with Rishi Dhawan 1-74, and Yadav 1-82 from 8, meaning he went at 10.25 an over. Ouch.
That’s the dinner break here at the SCG, where Brad Haddin and Michael Clarke are currently cutting laps of the oval in the back of a pair of utes. They didn’t get a farewell during the Sydney Test, given the days of rain, so it’s nice that Sydney’s wet summer finally gave them a chance today.
Time for me to retire, too. Geoff Lemon out, and Russell Jackson will take you through the chase.
50th over: Australia 330-7 (M. Marsh 102, Faulkner 2)
Hastings wants the Marsh hundred more than Marsh! The first ball hits Hastings on the thigh pad and he sprints a single.
There’s time for two, and Marsh turns back, but Hastings says no. Marsh couldn’t turn down the run, it wouldn’t have looked good, but his fellow bowler did it for him.
Ishant bowls, Marsh misses the pull completely! The crowd groans.
Ishant on the pads, Marsh flicks square and raises his maiden international century! He’s been deprived of batting opportunities this summer, he has struggled with the bat at times in his career, but there it is!
From 80 balls, nine fours, two sixes.
Then immediately, next ball, Ishant lands Marsh a crushing blow in the testicles, cannoning one ball straight into its fellows as Marsh went down to slog and missed.
The highs, the lows.
The same scenario almost repeats next ball, Marsh hit in the ribs, then the last ball of the innings is a yorker dragged for one, the batsmen deciding against a needless run-out in pursuit of one more run.
Only four from the final over, a triumph for Ishant Sharma.
49th over: Australia 326-7 (M. Marsh 99, Faulkner 2)
Tense over! John Hastings coming out with Marsh on 98, and Hastings just wants to give him strike so Marsh can get his hundred. Marsh can only get a single. Hastings gets another one. Then two dot balls, each applauded beforehand, crowd waiting, but Marsh can’t get Bumrah past straight mid-on!
Dhoni’s field spot-on, for once.
WICKET! Faulkner b Bumrah 1 (3 balls)
Faulkner’s terrible first-innings record only gets worse. Lucky he averages 119 in the second. He’s bowled by the yorker. Good ball.
48th over: Australia 323-6 (M. Marsh 98, Faulkner 1)
Just before Wade got out, his six was a sight to behold. Across the line, but it wasn’t a slog. It was a kind of pick-up sweep, swooping with the bat, swivelling on his back heel as he knelt to lift Yadav high behind square.
Faulkner comes out, a single and a two result, 10 from the over and Yadav has now gone for 82 from 8.
WICKET! Wade c Dhoni b Yadav 36 (27 balls)
One ball after lashing Yadav for six, Wade drives and edges and walks. Dhoni doesn’t appeal, neither does Yadav much. So Wade stops, then sees the umpire’s finger go up. Wade has done his job.
47th over: Australia 313-5 (M. Marsh 95, Wade 30)
Ishant to finish. Marsh one, Wade pulls three, then Marsh slams four to raise his highest score in ODIs, past the 89 he scored against Zimbabwe very early in his career.
Marsh is trying to do Ishant a mischief. Belted that just past Ishant’s hand, but he would have lost a finger if he’d tried to catch it. Next ball, Marsh hits Ishant in the foot, clipping the bowler’s trailing heel in his follow-through.
That ball flicks up near the umpire, and for a minute Kettleborough looks horrified as he ducks for cover. Not again.
A couple more singles follow. Another big over.
46th over: Australia 302-5 (M. Marsh 88, Wade 26)
Lots of pressure on the new Indian players having to bowl the late overs. Rishi Dhawan continuing after a big over. Single, single. Two runs to Wade to cover. Turns over the strike again.
Four to Marsh - he could be on for a hundred here. Again on the front foot for a back-foot shot, this one a cut, out through cover. There was a sweeper but Marsh smashed that straighter, and gave him no chance at all.
There goes the 300.
45th over: Australia 292-5 (M. Marsh 82, Wade 22)
Bumrah opens with a good yorker that Marsh can only drive to long-on. Wade gets a single next, but the Marsh utterly pounds six runs over square leg!
Marsh is a big guy, six-foot-six or thereabouts. He got a massive stride down the pitch, and whether it was a response to the batsman’s movement or not, Bumrah dropped short.
Marsh pulled that off the front foot. In fact he’s played most of his pulls and cuts off the front foot today. He got absolutely all of that ball, and baseballed it away.
44th over: Australia 282-5 (M. Marsh 74, Wade 21)
Easier to score from Rishi Dhawan. His first two slow balls only produce singles, but then Wade gets the pace and bashes a pull shot for four, before ramping the next ball for three.
Marsh gets a single, Wade cuts a very wide full ball that he has to stretch for and gets two. A dozen from the over, this could get very ugly with 36 balls to go.
43rd over: Australia 270-5 (M. Marsh 72, Wade 11)
Jadeja finishes his 10 overs with 0-46. An excellent display of economical bowling, though he hasn’t been a wicket-taking threat. They couldn’t find a way to smash him, singles and twos only, six runs from his last.
42nd over: Australia 264-5 (M. Marsh 70, Wade 7)
Rishi Dhawan back. Starts with a wide that he thinks flicked the pad: appeals, but Blocker Wilson puts out the arms.
A bit of back and forth too between Dhawan and Wade, who is complaining about the non-striker running on the wicket. “I can stand where I want mate, I’m running on the grass,” snips the Aussie wicketkeeper through the stump mics.
A good over, with the wide and three singles, becomes a bad over when Wade edges Dhawan through fine third man for four.
Ah, domestic disputes.
41st over: Australia 256-5 (M. Marsh 68, Wade 2)
Jadeja starts well, having Wade play and miss, then seeing Wade kneel in a premeditated sweep that he misses utterly. Jadeja gets wided when that ball missed leg stump by an inch. Tough call.
Wade finally gets a run, then Marsh cuts four. They end up with seven from Jadeja’s over.
40th over: Australia 249-5 (M. Marsh 63, Wade 1)
It’s over to Mitch Marsh in the first instance, and he knows it. And it’s a risky strategy from Dhoni, bringing Yadav back on. Lord, he’s been expensive. 58 from his first 36 balls.
Marsh chips two over Yadav’s head, then welters four runs down the ground! Unsubtle, inelegant, undeniable shot. Got the leg out of the way and clubbed it straight, it almost left a groove in the air past the bowler.
Line of the summer? “Yadav was more waving it goodbye than trying to catch it,” intones Jim Maxwell on ABC radio with an audible half-smile.
Another boundary pulled as Yadav drops shot, then another two runs to a straight ball, driven. That’s 14 from the over. Yadav now SEVENTY-TWO runs from seven overs. Emphasis mine.
39th over: Australia 235-5 (M. Marsh 50, Wade 0)
It was a great tussle, that over. Ishant showed some smarts initially, following Warner with the full ball as the batsman backed away to make room. Warner got one, Marsh got a leg bye, then Warner was nearly caught at cover.
That was a low full toss from Ishant, Warner backed away and slapped it over cover, didn’t get all of it and Pandey so nearly got there. He’s been brilliant in the field today. Warner got four.
He was looking to go the same way again to the ball that dismissed him, but it was a bit shorter and got big on him, as they say. At least I think they do.
Matthew Wade faces one ball that he defends. He’s a fine striker late in the innings, played some great closing knocks during the 2015 ODIs in England.
WICKET! Warner c Jadeja b Ishant 122 (113 balls, 9 fours, 3 sixes)
A grand hand ends with a man banned to the grandstand. Pandey, unfortunately, had nothing to do with it. Warner tried to hit over cover, Ishant delivered an off-cutter that gripped a bit, sat up short, and took a big edge to backward point.
38th over: Australia 229-4 (Warner 117, M. Marsh 50)
A single for Marsh to raise his sixth ODI half-century from 47 balls. Warner gets a bottom edge to third man for two.
Then Warner gets spooked! Bumrah delivers a full toss at some speed. It crashes into the gloves, perhaps the bat handle, as Warner tried to pull it. He kind of freaked out as he was playing that shot, jerking away at the last second, falling over backwards and sending his bat flying out towards short fine leg.
Lucky, because either the bat or the batsman could have fallen onto the stumps. Warner gesticulates at umpire Kettleborough, who declined to call a no-ball for height. It wasn’t one, it reached Warner around waist high but he was already crouching to try to hit the ball.
Kettleborough, incidentally, has recovered from the injury he sustained in Canberra when Aaron Finch drove a ball into his shin. That might be why he gave Finch out lbw earlier. Self-preservation.
37th over: Australia 225-4 (Warner 114, M. Marsh 49)
Ishant returns to replace Jadeja, whose 8 overs have cost 33. Are they saving the spinner for the late overs?
Warner welcomes Ishant back with an incredible shot for four. It looked from here like that drive was struck off the back foot, on the up, the batsman hanging back, then throwing his hands through the line of the ball and twisting his wrists to direct it through cover.
A couple of singles, then Warner plays two through midwicket. The off-side is packed, four in the ring on that side: mid-off, cover, short cover and backward point. Gap from long-on to deep square. They want him to go leg-side while Ishant angles the ball across him.
So Warner whacks the ball straight for six! Massive shot again, it was just full enough and Warner whipped through the line of that one as well, this time lifting it into the sight screen.
What an over.
Vikrant has guilt-tripped Ravi Nair into action. “Sorry for not participating so far: been wriggling out of an office picnic. Aus to win, right?”
All depends on the last 10 overs. A few Aussies hole out, and the run chase will be manageable. If they go big...
CENTURY! Warner 100 (100 balls)
36th over: Australia 211-4 (Warner 101, M. Marsh 48)
A fine hand from Warner finally passes its statistical landmark, as he chops Bumrah fine of third man and hammers back for the second run as he has done all day.
It wasn’t without frustration: twice it was Pandey again stopping the ball at cover, he’s almost saved a century’s worth of runs today.
Warner gets off strike by smashing the stumps at the non-striker’s end, then Marsh gets a couple to move closer to a much-needed milestone of his own.
35th over: Australia 206-4 (Warner 98, M. Marsh 46)
Jadeja keeps the lid on: two runs to Marsh first ball, then four singles, but one ball even draws a respectful forward defence from Marsh.
34th over: Australia 200-4 (Warner 96, M. Marsh 42)
Bumrah is back after the drinks break, the debut bowler who looks like he’s trying to fist-bump the batsman in greeting from 20 metres away.
A couple of singles, then once again it’s Warner being tied down, able only to hit back to the bowler or the on-side infield. Bumrah bowling beautifully again. He’s raw, and they could find him out, but he looks a good prospect on this viewing.
Australia’s next milestone is passed, and they have 16 overs left. If their hittings come off, they’re looking at yet another 300+ total.
“Afternoon,” says Phil Withall, to let Vikrant know he’s not alone. “This is turning into a rather intriguing game, especially if the Indians can get Warner out before happy hour. Pity the Indian bowlers waited for the last match to make it happen.”
33rd over: Australia 198-4 (Warner 95, M. Marsh 41)
Great over by Jadeja. Great fielding from him and from Pandey. Between them they deny Warner a single for four balls in a row, frustrating him so close to his hundred. Finally he gets away from the leather-sphere interrogration.
Only one from the over. Bowl him from both ends.
Thanks to reader Vikrant Patwardhan, who is taking on my pastoral care. “Just thought I’d drop in a ‘hi’, seeing as it’s been a very dry day as far as readers’ participation goes. No one in Oz-land interested after 4-0, not enough Indians know about the excellent OBO, you don’t like what you’re being given, the tennis in Melbourne, the Big Bash, all of these, something else? Hope it’s not a lone furrow for much longer!”
I know you’re all out there in spirit.
32nd over: Australia 197-4 (Warner 94, M. Marsh 41)
Marsh a single from Yadav, then Warner flicks three through midwicket. Some messy, tumbling, but committed and ultimately successful outfielding from Rohit, who slid across to stop the ball, then found it trying to roll into his body while he lay on the rope. He managed to get up on all fours, evade the ball, then flip it off the rope with his fingers. All to save one run as they take three.
There’s no saving the next one: pulled for six by Marsh, as he thumps the short ball fine of long leg for a half dozen. Could have been a catch a different day.
Then four more as Marsh gets one wide outside off and smashes it to point. He doesn’t always hit the ball well, but he does hit it hard.
Another massive over. Yadav is not the answer. 16 runs.
31st over: Australia 181-4 (Warner 90, M. Marsh 29)
Jadeja still the only one who can keep the brakes on. Marsh gets a couple from his first balls, after which they get three singles. There is a sense of stability and calm when Jaddu bowls.
Warner is into the Steve Waughs.
30th over: Australia 176-4 (Warner 89, M. Marsh 25)
Yadav back. Edged! Genuine nick from Warner, but the bowler’s victory is the batsman’s reward in this form of the game. Four runs.
Four! Yadav pitches up and Marsh now drives through mid-off, splits the field and sends the ball away. Then again, this time cutting, as Yadav gives him a short one.
Marsh looks relieved to be facing more pace. 14 from the over.
29th over: Australia 162-4 (Warner 84, M. Marsh 16)
They continue to play Jadeja cautiously, only three singles from his over.
Warner continues to play within himself. He knows he left a century out there in Canberra, and he’ll be determined to get one now.
Once again, India is unable to finish Australia off. Had them in a vulnerable position but the recovery is well underway.
With Wade, Faulkner and Hastings to come, Australia can score heavily enough through the last 10 to 15 overs. If this pair can get their team that deep in the innings, they’re likely to land safe.
28th over: Australia 159-4 (Warner 82, M. Marsh 15)
Yadav is fielding brilliantly today. We noted him early on, then he produced the run-out, now he psychs Warner out of a second run that the batsman would normally take. Yadav’s throw back in is so violent that the thrower falls over and winds up flat on his face.
Before that, though, Warner had crashed the first ball of R. Dhawan’s over for four through point. A slog more than a cut, but it did the job.
Add a two and a few singles, and it’s a big over for the batting side.
27th over: Australia 150-4 (Warner 74, M. Marsh 14)
Only four singles from Jadeja’s over. Another team milestone up. The arm-wrestle continues.
Updated
26th over: Australia 146-4 (Warner 72, M. Marsh 12)
Three wides from Dhawan, as he’s so far down leg that Dhoni can’t clean up. Marsh is not timing his shots against Rishi D, going in the air to bounce in front of fine leg, then nearly chipping a slow cutter to mid-on.
Rishi is nominally a medium-pacer, but has bowled several balls below 100 kilometres per hour in that over.
Three singles to add to the wide. Warner’s from a violent swipe across the line. It’s reassuring to occasionally see him succumb.
25th over: Australia 140-4 (Warner 71, M. Marsh 10)
Marsh has settled, and worked out how to score against Jadeja. One, one, two, one, dot, one. That’s what they need against Jadeja’s ability to suppress scoring.
24th over: Australia 134-4 (Warner 67, M. Marsh 8)
A boundary from Marsh, but that looked more desperation than domination. Mann is bowling off-spin, Marsh premeditates a sweep and gets it away.
But then it’s a massive six, after Warner gets strike, and lofts a huge slog-sweep that soared majestically into the second tier of the Bill O’Reilly stand where it was well held by a very happy gentleman.
Updated
23rd over: Australia 120-4 (Warner 59, M. Marsh 2)
Shades of Canberra once more for Mitch Marsh, who cannot get a ball off the square. He misses, he edges, he hits to the field. Pandey pulls off a brilliant stop at cover to keep him on strike. Finally Marsh gets a run from Jadeja’s last ball.
Updated
22nd over: Australia 119-4 (Warner 59, M. Marsh 1)
Three runs and one run out from Mann’s over. Mitch Marsh in early. More pressure on Warner.
Updated
WICKET! S. Marsh run out Yadav/Mann 7 (14 balls)
Well, Warner has been playing it dangerously all day, but mostly judging it well. In that case, Marsh was a bit too slow for Warner’s style.
I said that Warner was taking a lot of strike - this time he smacked Mann out to the deep on the off-side, wanted the second run to get back, and the throw from Yadav to the bowler was fierce. Mann didn’t take it cleanly but it bounced off his hands back onto the stumps and Marsh was a few inches short.
Updated
21st over: Australia 116-3 (Warner 57, S. Marsh 7)
Four! Jadeja comes on to bowl his left-arm darts, and Warner decides he has seen enough of this chap to preclude the need for a sighter.
He wallops the ball over straight midwicket, where Mann tracks back and dives spectacularly but can’t get fingers on the ball. It bounces just inside the rope, meaning that if Mann had been further back he would have caught it comfortably. But it can be hard to decide on a ground this big. If you hang right back, the batsmen are much more easily able to take two along the ground towards you.
Warner gets two runs square from the second ball, then a single from the last. He’s rather hogging up the strike here, Marsh can’t get a hit.
Updated
20th over: Australia 109-3 (Warner 50, S. Marsh 7)
Good bowling from Ishant, after bad bowling from Ishant. Having conceded a couple of singles, he then delivers a no-ball. Meaning a free hit. For David Warner.
But Ishant follows up with a perfect yorker outside off, and Warner can only dig it out to cover and can’t score.
He does get a single late in the over though, to raise a half-century from 50 balls. Brilliant innings in the circumstances.
Updated
19th over: Australia 105-3 (Warner 48, S. Marsh 6)
Dhawan double: Rishi bowls, Warner cuts, Shikhar pulls off a brilliant save at deep point. He dived and tumbled to reach it, then saw it was trickling towards the rope behind him, and somehow levitated from the ground in kung-fu style to stretch a hand out and keep it in.
So, Warner puts the next one out of Shikhar’s reach. Six, as he drives over cover. Didn’t hit all of it, the bat twisted in his hand but Warner got just enough to clear the rope.
Three singles, a wide, and suddenly we have a massive over and Australia hits three figures.
Updated
18th over: Australia 93-3 (Warner 38, S. Marsh 5)
Only three from Ishant’s over as the paceman returns. Is Warner getting ready to launch? You feel maybe the time is coming.
Updated
17th over: Australia 90-3 (Warner 37, S. Marsh 3)
Warner finding the singles easily here, another fro the first ball of the over. At this stage he has 34 from 36 balls, with only four boundaries. Not very David Warner, but as I said earlier, he’s taking responsibility with wickets falling.
He ends the over with 37 from 38, another single and a two added. Five from Dhawan’s over, that makes 1-17 from his four.
Updated
16th over: Australia 85-3 (Warner 33, S. Marsh 2)
Four byes to start Bumrah’s next over - the keeper couldn’t stop one that kept very low and burst through Warner to roll away to the rope.
Bumrah’s pace is looking good now, his short balls have been in the high 130 range.
Warner gets a single, then Marsh gets away with a couple through square.
Seven off the over, but only three from the bat. Bumrah 5 overs, 1-17. Tremendous.
Rishi Dhawan 3 overs, 1-12, also excellent. So far.
Updated
15th over: Australia 78-2 (Warner 32, S. Marsh 0)
An early start for Shaun Marsh then at No5, as another Australian top-order bat goes cheaply. Warner started the over by belting four over mid-off, but it ends with Indian celebrations.
Updated
WICKET! Bailey c Ishant b R. Dhawan 6 (14 balls)
Another goes cheaply, and this wicket is providing some difficulties. We’ve seen a few balls stop in the pitch, or pop up off the surface, and this was one.
Bailey tried to dink it to the leg-side, got a leading edge and was caught at mid-on.
14th over: Australia 73-2 (Warner 27, Bailey 6)
What a ball! Bumrah rips one through George Bailey, it jagged back viciously from outside off, and went between bat and pad to barely miss the stumps.
Bailey gets off strike, then Warner - who has been red-hot on the quick singles today - gets away himself with a leg bye from a ball that struck him and dropped near his feet.
Bailey whips the last ball behind square, and as Ishant dawdles in from the outfield the batsmen tear back for the second.
13th over: Australia 69-2 (Warner 27, Bailey 3)
Warner remains busy as Rishi continues, tapping a single to midwicket. Bailey takes guard for his second ball. It’s a wide down leg. Cheers.
Bailey gets away with a double out through square leg, and a single on the glide, but Rishi now has two overs for seven runs.
He bowled well last outing too: nine overs for 53 in a game where Australia made 348.
12th over: Australia 64-2 (Warner 26, Bailey 0)
Top over for Bumrah. Warner’s rushed single from the first ball was the only score.
Updated
WICKET! Smith c Rohit b Bumrah 28 (37 balls)
First international wicket for Bumrah! And what a moment, what a target, as he removes the Australian captain.
Smith had been struggling with Bumrah’s bounce and line for a little while there. The bowling locked him down three balls in a row, then Smith tried to pull the short one and timed it terribly, as the shot skewed to Rohit at short midwicket.
Great field placing, great result for India.
11th over: Australia 63-1 (Warner 25, Smith 28)
Rishi Dhawan bowled well with his medium pace, and does so again here. Smith gets off strike first ball, but Warner can’t time Dhawan away.
Four balls in a row go scoreless, some cramping Warner as he plays to the on-side field, some he misses. The last ball of the over is edged, but of course there are no slips, and it goes to third man for one.
10th over: Australia 61-1 (Warner 24, Smith 27)
Warner taps Bumrah to square, belts through for a leg bye that would have been interesting at the non-striker’s end had the ball hit.
Smith bails out of the next ball, then pushed the re-bowled delivery to the off-side field. Struggling to get Bumrah’s timing, as he drives into the ground to cover, then pulls clunkily for a lucky lofted three.
Warner isn’t struggling though, belting a boundary through square from a short slower ball.
Bumrah, at 22 years old, doesn’t have an extensive domestic record, but the numbers are good so far.
List A: 20 innings, 39 wickets, average 18.66, economy 4.02, strike rate 27.8.
First-class: 30 innings, 64 wickets, ave 25.01, economy 2.72, strike rate 55.
9th over: Australia 53-1 (Warner 20, Smith 24)
Warner glances one, the Smith on-drives for four. Yadav wasn’t even that full, and the ball was just outside off, yet Smith somehow drove it on the rise, and used the power in his wrists to send that ball through straight long-on.
Strange, compelling, effective.
Four more to Sniffer, as he gets one on his pads and quite deliberately lifts it over midwicket, through a vacant outfield.
In between those boundaries he took a brace to fine leg. The team fiddy is up. Get your motor running.
8th over: Australia 42-1 (Warner 19, Smith 14)
On for his first bowl comes Jasprit Bumrah. Medium height, right-armer but starts around the wicket to the left-handed Warner, who jabs a single to the on-side.
Really strange bowling action, Bumrah. He comes in with his front arm held rigidly out ahead of him, rather than bending it and raising it up to pull down and create leverage. Then his bowling arms comes almost around his right shoulder rather than over at, creating sling rather than rotation.
It’s incredibly awkward looking, but it must be effective if his record is anything to go by. It does generate some severe bounce, which defeats Smith on the cut shot. Not easy to do.
Just the single to Warner and a hard-run two for Smith from Bumrah’s first over.
7th over: Australia 39-1 (Warner 18, Smith 12)
Ishant, the long and loping one, spears a ball into Smith’s pads that he jams out to midwicket. Inside edge. Warner keeps the field swapping over by tapping a run to cover.
Very controlled, that kind of single. Effortless, low-risk, and frustrating for the bowler.
Especially when Smith flays a cut shot to the rope from the very next ball. Loves making runs against India. Easily done from the short and wide one.
A better ball for Ishant’s comeback, which has Smith pulling away from the line and shouldering arms.
6th over: Australia 33-1 (Warner 17, Smith 7)
He’s bowling some heat too, Yadav. Plenty of pace in that over, and mostly he was accurate. The infield was moving well. India look up for this match so far.
Two singles, a leg bye.
5th over: Australia 30-1 (Warner 16, Smith 6)
Smith glides a run, Warner drives one. The crowd is starting to fill out here in the lower reaches of the Brewongle stand. The Members Pavilion is typically full. Smith drives square and a triple-tag-team of Indian outfielders combines to keep the ball in.
Three runs there, then Warner has to really hustle back for another two after a good throw from Yadav at fine leg. He batted terribly the other day, Yadav, but he’s been very busy in the field so far.
4th over: Australia 23-1 (Warner 13, Smith 2)
Three runs to start, as Yadav gets too full again and Warner is able to cover-drive. Not full power in the shot. Smith is happy to wait a few balls and get his eye in, and eventually takes a single to point.
Warner lashes a square drive straight to the field. Dot. He follows up with a shot that looked like it took far less effort, was hit less hard, and yet is 100% more effective in scoring a boundary - just a simple tuck off the hip through square.
3rd over: Australia 14-1 (Warner 6, Smith 1)
Nice early work from Ishant. Keeps Smith quiet for three balls, then only concedes a single. Warner gets a leg bye from the last ball.
2nd over: Australia 12-1 (Warner 6, Smith 0)
Shot. Yadav gets a touch too full, and Warner laces him through the covers for four. That followed a short ball that surprised Warner with its bounce, didn’t come onto the bat properly, and was nearly cross-batted back to the bowler.
Otherwise, three defensive shots and a play-and-miss. D-Warne showing his full range.
WICKET! Finch lbw Ishant 6 (6 balls)
1st over: Australia 6-1 (Warner 0)
They’ve wasted no time! First Finch edged a couple of runs, then he pounded a straight drive down the ground that bounced just inside the rope, then he padded up to the last ball of the over.
On first glance that lbw decision looked like a stinker, as it hit him well outside the line and was probably missing. But Finch didn’t offer a shot, and as another cricket observer mumbled beside me, “Fired him on principle.”
India win the toss and will bowl
They’d like another go at chasing, where they were a lot closer to a win than when Australia effortlessly chased India’s totals of around 300 three games in a row.
India have inexplicably left out Ravi Ashwin, their excellent off-spinner, for the third game running. They played him in Perth and Brisbane, where the wickets were like glass and he was duly ineffective. But on stickier, grippier wickets in Melbourne and Canberra, he hasn’t been there, nor here in Sydney which is traditionally the most-spinningest (if I can adapt a Healy-ism) wicket in the land.
India continue their policy of blooding players on this tour. all-rounders Rishi Dhawan and Gurkeerat Singh Mann play their third games, batsman Manish Pandey his fourth, while the seamer Jasprit Bumrah is on debut. Ajinkya Rahane misses with the hand injury he sustained in Canberra.
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Kohli, Pandey, Dhoni, Mann, Jadeja, Rishi Dhawan, Bumrah, Yadav, Ishant Sharma.
Geoff Lemon here, fire me off an email or tweet me @GeoffLemonSport throughout the innings if you want to contribute to the chat. Bring that on.
The teams have been announced: two changes for Australia from Canberra. The lesson is, don’t take five wickets, because Kane Richardson did but has been left out for Scott Boland. There’s a high-rotation policy in this series.
Glenn Maxwell has not been rotated, but hurt his knee when he was struck on the inside half of it while batting. He has been replaced at No.5 by Shaun Marsh, who traditionally opens the batting in this format.
So: Finch, Warner, Smith, Bailey, Marsh, Marsh, Wade, Faulkner, Hastings, Boland, Lyon.
Good afternoon, evening, or morning to cricket friends around the world. Ah, cricket friends, the most particular of friends.
It has been a strange old series: some brilliant Indian batting, but then some better Australian batting, and despite an Indian century in each of the first four games, the side in gold has come out ahead.
This includes the embarrassing collapse last time around, in Canberra, when India were a shoo-in to chase 350 and somehow managed to muck it up at the end.
What does today bring? Some minor diminishment of that embarrassment with a win? Or a 5-0 whitewash for the hosts?
Geoff will be with you shortly.
