India beat Australia by 26 runs (DLS method)
21st over: Australia 137-9 Bumrah completes the formalities of the final over to confirm a comfortable win for India, who recovered brilliantly from the loss of five early wickets to post a challenging score of 281. After a long rain delay, Australia never really got going in their pursuit of 164 from 21 overs. Thanks for your company, night!
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20th over: Australia 130-9 (Faulkner 30, Zampa 1) The margin of India’s victory looks fairly small but in reality Australia have never been in this run-chase.
WICKET! Australia 127-9 (Coulter-Nile c Jadhav b Kumar 2)
Nearly done. Coulter-Nile blasts Kumar flat to deep midwicket, where Jadhav takes a neat low catch.
19th over: Australia 125-8 (Faulkner 27, Coulter-Nile 2) A terrific over from Bumrah keeps Australia at arms’ length. Just seven from it, and four of those came from the first delivery when Faulkner edged past Dhoni. Australia need 39 from 12 balls. With that, gentlemen, good luck.
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18th over: Australia 118-8 (Faulkner 21, Coulter-Nile 1) Despite an almost nonchalant straight six from Faulkner, Chahal ends a brilliant spell of bowling with figures of three for 30 from five overs. Australia need 46 from 18 balls, and James Faulkner needs to score at least 40 of them.
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WICKET! Australia 109-8 (Cummins c Bumrah b Chahal 9)
The impressive Chahal gets his third wicket, and he’s had three catches dropped as well. Cummins tries to pump a legspinner over midwicket and slices it straight to Bumrah at short third man.
17th over: Australia 109-7 (Faulkner 13, Cummins 9) Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose excellent two-over opening spell set the tone for this innings, returns to the attack. Cummins flogs a short ball to cow corner for four, an excellent shot in an over that yields 12 runs for Australia. They need 55 from 24 balls.
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16th over: Australia 97-7 (Faulkner 7, Cummins 3) Rahane drops Cummins at long-off, a pretty straightforward running chance for a modern fielder. It would be a great surprise if it affected the result of the match.
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WICKET! Australia 93-7 (Wade st Dhoni b Chahal 9)
That’s terrific bowling from Chahal. He saw Wade coming and speared an off-side wide that Wade couldn’t reach. Dhoni did the rest with the minimum of fuss.
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15th over: Australia 91-6 (Wade 9, Faulkner 5) Pandya returns to the attack and befuddles Wade with subtle changes of pace. Wade is through one shot so early that the ball hits his bicep and deflects into his face. Seven from the over; Australia need 73 from the last six.
14th over: Australia 84-6 (Wade 6, Faulkner 2) Chahal drops Wade off his own bowling, a difficult chance to his right. Wade heaves a boundary, his first, and now Australia need 80 from 42 balls.
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13th over: Australia 78-6 (Wade 1, Faulkner 1) Wade survives a biggish LBW appeal from Kuldeep. A number of the Australian batsmen haven’t a clue which way it is spinning.
WICKET! Australia 76-6 (Stoinis c sub (Jadeja) b Kuldeep 3)
Stoinis’s desperate little innings of three from 10 balls comes to an end with a top-edged hoick to cow corner. India are winning this at a canter.
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12th over: Australia 76-5 (Stoinis 2, Wade 0) That was the last ball of the over.
WICKET! Australia 76-5 (Maxwell c Pandey b Chahal 39)
It’s all over now. Maxwell falls trying to hit his fifth six, dragging the legspinner Chahaln to long on. It was a brilliant cameo from Maxwell, 39 from 18 balls, but this particular cause was beyond even him.
11th over: Australia 69-4 (Maxwell 11, Stoinis 2) No Australian cause is lost while Glenn Maxwell is at the crease. He belabours Kuldeep for three successive sixes - over midwicket, down the ground, over square leg - to move to 33 from 13 balls. Australia need 95 from the last 10 overs.
10th over: Australia 47-4 (Maxwell 11, Stoinis 2) Stoinis survives a stumping referral and an LBW appeal off the new bowler Chahal. Stoinis looks like he can’t read Chahal at all, anad there are just two from the over.
“How much,” begins Andrew Benton, “should we read into Australia’s performance in these one-dayers re their likely chances in the Ashes?”
Precisely 0.00 per cent.
9th over: Australia 45-4 (Maxwell 11, Stoinis 0) Maxwell opens his shoulders to hammer consecutive boundaries from Pandya.
8th over: Australia 35-4 (Maxwell 1, Stoinis 0) There have been only two boundaries in eight overs of what is effectively a T2o innings. India have bowled brilliantly.
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WICKET! Australia 35-4 (Warner c Dhoni b Kuldeep 25)
Game, set and ODI to India. Warner is caught behind off a skiddy delivery from Kuldeep, and Australia are four down.
7th over: Australia 31-3 (Warner 18, Maxwell 1) This isn’t really news, but... Hardik Pandya is going to be a superstar. Whatever it is, he’s got it in abundance.
WICKET! Australia 29-3 (Head c Dhoni b Pandya 5)
Another one for Pandya, whose charisma and all-round ability have surely settled this game. Head throws his hands at a wide delivery and snicks it straight through to Dhoni.
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6th over: Australia 25-2 (Warner 17, Head 4) That was some catch from Bumrah, not least because he was leaning back and the ball would have rearranged his face had he missed it. India are in control of this match now, and the left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav hurries through an over that costs just five.
5th over: Australia 20-2 (Warner 16, Head 0) Smith had survived an Indian review for LBW the previous delivery, but India won’t care about that now.
WICKET! Australia 20-2 (Smith c Bumrah b Pandya 1)
Smith has gone! He lifted Pandya miles in the air towards fine leg, where Bumrah took a very difficult catch with aplomb.
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4th over: Australia 15-1 (Warner 12, Smith 0) It’s been a superb start from Kumar and Bumrah. The required rate, sky-high at the start, is now stratospheric: Australia need 149 from 102 balls at almost nine an over.
WICKET! Australia 15-1 (Cartwright b Bumrah 1)
This is probably a blessing in disguise for Australia. Cartwright was really struggling and now he has gone, bowled heaving across the line at Bumrah. He made one from eight balls.
3rd over: Australia 13-0 (Warner 11, Cartwright 1) Cartwright is cut in half by a peach from Kumar and edges the next ball just short of slip, where Rohit can only push it for a single. Warner, who looks a lot more fluent, works Kumar round the corner for his second boundary. Australia need 151 from 108 balls.
2nd over: Australia 7-0 (Warner 6, Cartwright 0) Jasprit Bumrah’s first ball is punched whence it came for four by Warner. A single brings the debutant Hilton Cartwright on strike, and he is beaten by a lovely delivery that holds its line outside off stump. This is a good start from India.
“Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “I keep two petrol cans in my shed, one filled with petrol and the other with white wine. On completion of lawnmowing duties I wait for the neighbours and their young family to appear and then grandly sniff the can before proceeding to drink the contents. I’ve offered to babysit on numerous occasions but they decline every time.”
1st over: Australia 2-0 (Warner 1, Cartwright 0) Bhuvneshwar Kumar will bowl the first over of this Twentyone21 run-chase. David Warner is content to use the first over as a sighter, with just a wide and a quick single off the last delivery.
Hurrah! Play will restart at 4pm, with Australia needing 164 from 21 overs.
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The umpires are going to inspect in 10 minutes’ time with a view to restarting at 8.30pm local time. If the match does resume then, Australia will need 164 from 21 overs.
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The covers are off! We might just make the 8.30pm deadline to start play.
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“The lawn is done, the lines are a bit wobbly as I developed your wine holder idea with some duct tape and a two-litre Coke bottle cut in half,” says Damian Clarke. “I’m going to patent it so you’ll get a commission cheque sometime. Trouble is, what to do now. As you seem to be the turn-to guy for brilliant ideas, I thought I’d ask.”
Could you build a roof over the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai?
Non-breaking news It’s still raining. We have around 45 minutes to get started or it will be a washout.
The players on both sides are now going back to the dressing-room. This doesn’t look too good.
The moment the players come onto the field, rain starts falling again. Virat Kohli has kept his team out there and the Australian openers are waiting by the boundary edge, so hopefully this will only be a shower. Play needs to start by 8.30pm local time, which is just over an hour away, or the match will be abandoned.
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Hurrah Play will restart at 7.25pm local time, which is in around five minutes.
It’s still raining in Chennai. This is all pretty frustrating.
The drizzle seems to have intensified. There are more covers out there now #INDvAUS
— Arun Venugopal (@scarletrun) September 17, 2017
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Something to read if you’re bored... Twenty-four years ago this weekend, Duncan Spencer bowled at the speed of light to Viv Richards in a title decider in England. He looked like a future superstar; instead that was the highlight of his career.
“Australia should thank their lucky stars, as 280+ is plenty,” says Lisa Hooper. “It sucks that the rain possibly could save them.”
In fairness, they are still owed a few rain reprieves to make up for the Oval Test of 2005.
“’What you gonna do’,” says Scott Probst. “Watch Twin Peaks. Which is a documentary about how the Australian selection panel works.”
I’m glad somebody understands what the hell happened for the past 18 weeks.
The covers are back on. I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: ach!
Play will resume at 7pm local time. That’s in precisely 22 minutes. Australia’s revised target is 260 from 43 overs.
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“’What you gonna do’,” says Damian Clarke. “Personally, I may just have to mow the lawn after all. Shame, I was all comfy with crisps, chocolate, and wine. Hey ho.”
In this age of technology, it’s an egregious disgrace that nobody has invented a lawnmower with a wine-glass holder.
Whoop-whoop department The covers are coming off. No restart time yet.
Anyone out there? This is all a bit frustrating. If you want to follow some live action, we have a couple of other live blogs on the go.
The covers are still on in Chennai. What you gonna do?
Rain spots play
The Australian innings has been delayed because of some untimely precipitation. It doesn’t seem too bad at this stage, but we’ll start losing overs soon.
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Bob Holland 1946-2017 Some very sad news about Bob Holland, who has died after suffering from brain cancer. He was, by all accounts, an exceptional bloke, and a fine legspinner who’ll be remembered forever for one Test at Sydney in 1985, when he became the only man to land one on Goliath.
From January 1982 to April 1986 the West Indies, at their absolute peak, lost just one Test out of 37. That was when Holland, playing his third Test at the age of 38, spun them to defeat with help from Murray Bennett. RIP, Dutchy.
Former Australia legspinner Bob Holland has died at the age of 70 https://t.co/e8zwUtFAYo
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 17, 2017
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Thanks Sam, hello everyone. There’s a whiff of genius about Hardik Pandya, and it was particularly kind on the nostrils a couple of hours ago. He belted five sixes, most of them straight hits off Adam Zampa, in a majestic innings of 83 from 66 balls. And he’s the No7!
That depth of batting allowed India to recover from 87 for five to post a strong total on a slowish pitch. Pandya was helped by MS Dhoni, who ticked all the boxes of a Dhoni innings – slow start, no early boundaries, turning down singles, ferocious hitting at the death – to make a very good 79. Australia need 282 to win, and it should be quite a chase.
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India 281/7 (50 overs) - Australia require 282 to win
A tale of two half-innings, really, as Australia got a huge jump on India early before the hosts hit back from Pandya and Dhoni.
It was Coulter-Nile and Cummins who found some early shape and bounce - so much so that they left India reeling at 11/3 early. Standing out among the early carnage was a scintillating catch from Glenn Maxwell to dismiss Virat Kohli from Coulter-Nile’s bowling. I said this before, but something about his supreme balance will somehow detract from the sheer spectacle of it, when really it just reinforces how good the catch was. He leapt high, with perfect timing, to get rid of India’s packing and hand the early advantage to Australia.
They kept it tight too, the visitors, as Stoinis and Zampa picked up where the opening pair left off; a combination of short bowling from Stoinis and the offering of zero width left 250 sounding positive for India. However Pandya and Dhoni started to build singles and two’s before the former unleashed furiously on Zampa’s otherwise serviceable bowling, taking him for 23 from one huge over and signalling the start of India’s vigorous march towards a productive final flurry. After the youngster departed, it was Dhoni who picked up the mantle in characteristic fashion, bludgeoning about 40 runs from 20 balls to complete the innings - in doing so leaving the contest reasonably even heading into its second half. Did you know David Warner has never played an ODI in India?
And with that, it’s my honour to hand over to Mr OBO himself, Rob Smyth. He’ll guide you through as Australia looks to take an early lead in the series, or take the gas and hand India early bragging rights.
From mine and my wife’s laptop (for a second screen), thanks for joining me. Enjoy the second innings.
50th over: India 281-7 (Bhuvneshwar 32, Yadav 0)
Faulkner v Dhoni. First ball: four. It’s short, it’s at Dhoni’s head, and Dhoni helps it on its way for four. It’s a no-ball! Faulkner’s overstepped there. Wow. Faulkner comes in again, and Dhoni whips it viciously through square! It looks like it’s going for four but an unbelievable bit of fielding from Coulter-Nile prevents any run. Dhoni didn’t run! But why would he, when he charges the next ball, it lands on a length and he swings in over mid off for six! Carnage now. Dhoni misses the next; he swung so hard he nearly swivelled 360 degrees. He then comes undone, caught at long-off by Warner. He gets rapturous applause as he departs. They crossed, and Bhuvneshwar laps Faulkner over fine leg, who’s inside the ring, before there’s a dot to finish. Was it wide? No, that will do.
Strong finish from India. I’ll have some thoughts to come.
MS Dhoni has wound back the clock this is a very special innings from a super player 👏
— Darren Berry (@ChuckBerry1969) September 17, 2017
WICKET! Dhoni c Warner b Faulkner 79 (88) - India 277/7
Excellent innings from the great MS Dhoni comes to an end. With three balls to go in the innings, he charges Faulkner and tries to hit the ball to the moon. It hits high on the bat and finds Warner at long off, who takes the catch fairly easily. A tremendous flurry from Dhoni has left India in a good position.
49th over: India 266-6 (Bhuvneshwar 28, Dhoni 69)
Two dot-balls to start from Cummins. Just yorkers. Dhoni will want the strike soon. Gets it after a Bhuvneshwar single to the square sweeper on the off side. A nice battle looms now. A slower ball from Cummins lends only a single to Dhoni. That’s a win to the Australian. Bhuvneshwar then runs Cummins to the third man boundary and immediately hares away for two. He gets it after diving extravagantly into his crease, losing his bat in the process. He nearly loses his wicket next ball as he’s jammed up by Cummins, squeezing the ball to cover, who just can’t get there in time for the catch. There’s no run so Dhoni’s on strike. Last over to come.
48th over: India 262-6 (Bhuvneshwar 25, Dhoni 68)
Faulkner keeps it tight into Dhoni’s body, so he can only find a single early down to the square boundary. We’re into crease shuffling mode now as the ball is manipulated around, before Dhoni finally counters Faulkner’s tight line by bottom-handing him behind square with one that lands just inside the rope. Four. Dhoni then tries to hit Faulkner out of the ground but the slower ball does him, but Dhoni hits back with charged drive over extra cover for six! Too much width from Faulkner, possibly adjusting from the ball earlier. What next? Smith slows it down, brings mid off up, fine leg back - where does he bowl? Doesn’t matter. Back of the hand slower ball gets paddled fine of fine leg and rolls away for four. Dhoni wins that contest.
Just the 66 ODI half-centuries....
— Jason Gillespie (@dizzy259) September 17, 2017
Not bad!#legend https://t.co/YlrK9DGAEr
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47th over: India 246-6 (Bhuvneshwar 24, Dhoni 53)
Dhoni gets on strike early as the crowd wait in desperate anticipation for his milestone. He dabs it for a single and they erupt in waves. That’s fifty for Dhoni from 75 balls - wonder if he can finish with a flourish. He deliberately turns down two to keep the strike, and then finds two himself into the vacant midwicket area. He gets a single to finish and keeps the strike. Cummins has an over left, and there a three left in total.
46th over: India 240-6 (Bhuvneshwar 22, Dhoni 49)
Coulter-Nile’s last, can he keep his figures clean? There’s a single to start, but then Bhuvneshwar slaps him through mid-on for four, front leg out so cleared it was out of the shot. Then, bizarrely, it looked like Coulter-Nile had bowled him but Bhuvneshwar instead had inside-edged it in the French cut mould for a boundary. A few more singles and the crowd builds to a roar in anticipation of Dhoni’s 50. It doesn’t come, this over anyway. Coulter-Nile 3-44 from his ten, easily Australia’s pick. A great return to national colours for him. Cummins on next.
45th over: India 228-6 (Bhuvneshwar 11, Dhoni 48)
Bhuvneshwar nearly chops on from the first ball of Stoinis’ over, before advancing down the track and swatting him just over mid-on for four. The next ball sees Stoinis hit the pad before Bhuvneshwar squirts the ball from the back foot through the offside. Or does he? Australia review. It looked simultaneous in normal-motion, but replays show it wasn’t simultaneous at all. Bat first, then pad. We carry on. The next one is short and pulled to the man on the square boundary for one. Stoinis then delivers a comically unreachable, slow bouncer. So out of reach the camera was forced to zoom in to follow the ball. No more boundaries, just singles. Stoinis finishes with 2-54 from his 10. A good spell, all told.
44th over: India 221-6 (Bhuvneshwar 6, Dhoni 47)
An over memorable for Dhoni recording his first boundary, after 66 balls at the crease. He is the master of catch-up cricket though, so I’m expecting some of that in balls to come. A single, a dot, and a two against Coulter-Nile to finish off keeps him respectable-enough though.
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43rd over: India 213-6 (Bhuvneshwar 0, Dhoni 37)
Zampa will bowl his final over now, his figures not destroyed, but skewed, by Pandya’s flurry. He’s fairly tight again here aside from a full toss that Bhuvneshwar clobbers past mid wicket for a boundary. It’s singles otherwise and there’s seven from it. What can Dhoni do?
42nd over: India 206-6 (Bhuvneshwar 0, Dhoni 37)
Coulter-Nile perhaps benefitting from the recent wicket, and he’s able to burgle an over for Australia here. There’s only one from it as Bhuvneshwar takes five balls to have a look after Dhoni grabs an early single. Can Dhoni up his own ante? He’s been quiet so far.
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41st over: India 205-6 (Bhuvneshwar 0, Dhoni 37)
Just amazing how two or three big overs can alter the complexion of a match. You can remain tight for nearly 40 overs, but a couple of lusty blows and you’re in trouble. There’s sixty balls left as Zampa returns, and Dhoni gets a single straight away. Pandya v Zampa again. Tough, tough assignment for the spinner. Five out, four in. The first one is a dot. The second one, six - hit straight and hard wide of mid-on. Cleared the front leg, swung through it. What does Zampa do? Next one is quick and almost yorks Pandya. And then Zampa gets him. Gee, he needed that. Smith, that is - who courageously/unwisely reintroduced the spinner while Pandya was on fire, in NBA Jam terms. A victory for bold legspin, I say. Pandya departs. Honours even heading into the final few overs in my books.
WICKET! Pandya c Faulkner b Zampa 83 (66) - India 205/6
Pandya goes! Though not before taking Zampa for a few more. Here, Pandya clears the front leg and tries to slog sweep Zampa into the Chennai skyscrapers, but some spin and bounce means it catches the top edge, lobbing to Faulkner at backward point who runs around and takes an easy catch. A great innings from the youngster - he brought the crowd to life and swung the game back toward his side.
40th over: India 198-5 (Pandya 77, Dhoni 36)
Early victory to Pandya - he smashes Stoinis into the second tier off one leg to commence the over. Single next (‘good batting’). Takes the partnership over 100. 70+ of them Pandya’s. Dhoni off strike straight away. He doesn’t need to face balls at the moment. I’m sure his time will come. Singles becoming two’s now, as Dhoni find a gap straight of the off-side sweeper. Twelve off the over.
Australia’s decision to stop taking cheap wickets now looking like a big mistake. #INDvAUS
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) September 17, 2017
39th over: India 186-5 (Pandya 69, Dhoni 32)
Zampa, predictably, has been removed. Smith brings Faulkner back, whose second spell was better than his first. It raises a slight conundrum for Smith - does he bowl Zampa out or introduce someone else? He was just absolutely pogo’d as they say - it’s hard to see him return while Pandya’s still there. Meanwhile, Faulkner starts well until Pandya sees one too many back-of-hand slower balls and pulls him hard over midwicket for four. Eight from the over.
Hardik Pandya just described as "destiny's child" on the telly, I reckon? Sure, why not. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/HSjrL9nAyT
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) September 17, 2017
38th over: India 178-5 (Pandya 63, Dhoni 30)
The crowd comes alive now, as a few singles from Cummins are followed by a Pandya-delivered pull that beats fine leg for four. India will enter the final ten with momentum now after six from this over, and a score around 260+ might be achievable if these two can remain.
Still reeling from Zampa’s last over too. Legspin...it’s the most unforgiving art, seriously.
37th over: India 172-5 (Pandya 58, Dhoni 29)
Moving over. Pandya takes to Zampa big styles. First - a low full toss clears Faulkner standing directly behind the bowler on the circle. The next nearly goes out of the stadium, clearing the front leg and hitting straight. Six. The very next ball goes over mid on for six, right out of the middle. A long over for Zampa now. And Pandya goes straight again for six! Straight over Zampa’s head. A boundary then three sixes.
A single to finish. ‘Good batting!’
Amid the mayhem, Pandya brought up his fifty from 48 balls. The innings turns.
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36th over: India 148-5 (Pandya 35, Dhoni 28)
Cummins comes back into the attack and finds his spot straight away. Thinking about India’s strategy here - Smith’s only used five bowlers so far (Cummins, Coulter-Nile, Faulkner, Stoinis, Zampa), so perhaps they’re waiting to get after Faulkner again. If they can, that might mean another bowler deep into the innings (Head, Maxwell) that they can take too. We’ve seen teams take 100 from the final ten, so maybe that’s their aim? I’m unsure. It’s becoming increasingly clear that they view 240ish as defendable. The crowd are becoming a little restless, clapping the bowler in, possibly in the expectation of batting fireworks. They don’t come from this over: two from it.
Lots of runs below.
Love him or hate him but you can't deny that he is a Legend! #MSDhoni #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/8mJr95pdHu
— Krishna Chaturvedi🏏 (@imkrishna49) September 17, 2017
35th over: India 146-5 (Pandya 34, Dhoni 27)
On Zampa: have never seen a leggie so consistently able to deliver a yorker, of sorts. He varies his pace and length so well in this format too. This one only goes for three through a combination of the above: they’re flat, then they’re tossed up, then they slide on. It’s a singles event for Pandya and Dhoni.
34th over: India 143-5 (Pandya 32, Dhoni 26)
Might be worth considering what par score is here. Perhaps 300 was a little ambitious to begin with, especially considering the assistance via bounce that the bowlers had early. Still feels India are a little under par, and will need a sustained period of dominance to come back into the match. It’s still singles this over, after Pandya misses a slower delivery from Stoinis that hits him in his chest. So only four from it. Sensing India may try to launch soon.
33rd over: India 139-5 (Pandya 30, Dhoni 24)
Fifty partnership for Pandya and Dhoni; it’s come largely through singles. The crowd just starting to stir again as India re-build again. There’s six from this largely uneventful over, though at one point Pandya smashes Zampa down the ground, one bounce to Warner, who fires the ball in with as much venom as it came to him. Every time India threaten to unleash, Australia applies the handbrake.
32nd over: India 133-5 (Pandya 27, Dhoni 21)
Dhoni charges Stoinis’ first; Stoinis digs it in short and hits Dhoni under the armpit. They scamper through for one leg-bye. Looks rusty, does Mahendra. Later on, Wade concedes four byes as a ball bounces harshly in front of him and off breaks past his one-kneed pose for four. He tried to make himself big like a goalkeeper but it was in vain.
Just back to Pandya as ‘Destiny’s Child’. Is he a prodigy of some sort? Or is it a Beyonce reference? So far he’s been a Survivor in this innings, but it remains to be seen if he’ll turn the innings into Bills, Bills, Bills. Apologies.
31st over: India 125-5 (Pandya 25, Dhoni 20)
Faulkner keeps it tight again, and at one point Dhoni - who’s struggling to maneuverer Faulkner from his fourth stump line - tries to sweep the quick on one knee, pre-meditatively. It hits him in the stomach. He then finds one through the covers before Pandya sees out the over. Something might give soon.
30th over: India 121-5 (Pandya 22, Dhoni 19)
Coulter-Nile continues and causes more trouble. This time it’s Pandya, whose top edge is collected via a short one. Pandya pulls and it pops in the air, but the in-out field means no one is stationed on the mid wicket circle. There’s only three from the over.
At one point Sanjay Manjrekar says “Pandya is Destiny’s Child”. It leaves me reeling. I’m going to come back to this.
This is how I spent drinks.
Chennai outfield reviving memories of 90s MCG ODIs https://t.co/gRC36ZFL22 #INDvAUS
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) September 17, 2017
29th over: India 118-5 (Pandya 20, Dhoni 18)
More cramped bowling from Faulkner, so cramped in fact that he earns a maiden. Dhoni just retreating into his shell a little here; hard to see where his runs might come from. It’s uncharacteristic, but not the worst strategy to take it easy with relatively few wickets in hand.
They’re having another drink here.
Australia have bowled 75% of their balls on the line outside off. Disciplined bowling from Australia today. #INDvsAUS
— The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) September 17, 2017
28th over: India 118-5 (Pandya 20, Dhoni 18)
Action immediately for Coulter-Nile, who elicits Pandya’s edge from his second delivery. Did that carry to Smith? Either way the captain wasn’t down quickly enough and wasn’t across to it either. Just seemed slow on it. Perhaps harsh to jot that down as a dropped catch, but was that because he was slow? A confident drive from Pandya is well cut off at mid-off, and then he runs one to third man. He looks good. Dhoni returns to the run-scorers club with a pull-swivelled round the corner. Wade asks for a replay after the ball hit direct. Bat was always down. Waste of time.
27th over: India 110-5 (Pandya 13, Dhoni 17)
Faulkner not allowing any width early here. Dhoni chops the first from close to his body, it rolls to backward point. He eventually turns one around the corner, before Pandya gets off strike by running in to third man. Dhoni blocks the last. Just slowing down a fraction, Mahendra, while Pandya looks very comfortable. Looks like Coulter-Nile’s coming back on.
26th over: India 107-5 (Pandya 11, Dhoni 16)
We move into the second half of the innings, and it’s Stoinis to Dhoni. Pandya grabs two, then a single, before Stoinis gets four straight balls at Dhoni. He concedes zero from them. The Indian talisman misses out on a wide full-toss a few balls after walking at Stonis but punching him to cover. A few runs missed, I’m thinking. He’s still there though, and they need him.
India vs Australia 2017, 1st ODI: Glenn Maxwell's astonishing catch is SK Play of the Day https://t.co/tAbnKHQwvV pic.twitter.com/7jNQxhZqRh
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) September 17, 2017
25th over: India 104-5 (Pandya 8, Dhoni 16)
Faulkner returns as Brett Lee wows the commentary team with his knowledge of Biryani and other Indian culinary delights. It’s a nice start to Faulkner’s second spell, he only concedes two after an expensive first spell. Tighter lines and lengths and all that.
Raymond’s written in. “Hoss Cartwright at last catches on, after missing a run out,” he says. “Another Bonanza added to ‘What’s the difference between a table and an ottoman ? ‘........you take your feet off the table.”
Thanks Raymond.
24th over: India 102-5 (Pandya 7, Dhoni 15)
Beautiful shot down the ground from Dhoni earns him three; he just leant on it. Barely a backswing. Warner reels it in again; he’s probably saved 6 runs already this match. Stoinis then beats Pandya for swing and pace before Pandya plays an audacious upper-cut for four over first slip. He tucked his bat into his chest and just let the ball roll off it, almost as though he was offering slips practice and the thrower aimed one at his chest. Completely intentional shot - was great to see. Seven from the over.
23rd over: India 95-5 (Pandya 3, Dhoni 12)
Zampa has men ‘on the catch’ on both sides of the wicket, but Pandya and Dhoni are still happy to hit the ball hard and pierce the infield. There’s five from the over.
Meanwhile, I’ve been rightly picked up for my cynicism.
@sjjperry Still going with your "cynical preamble" 300 score? Or have Australia changed your mind?https://t.co/nmbimzxBtP
— (((Ravi Nair))) (@palfreyman1414) September 17, 2017
I’ll take that as rhetorical.
22nd over: India 90-5 (Pandya 2, Dhoni 8)
Early on and there’s a near run-out! Dhoni prods one into the off-side from Stoinis and takes off straight away. No way there’s one. He’s sent back by Jadhav but by then it’s too late. Cartwright picked it up and released quickly and must have just missed with his throw. Dhoni wasn’t in the picture. They grabbed one of the overthrow, bringing Jadhav on strike. He then hits it straight to midwicket, described below, bringing Pandya to the crease. He gets off the mark with two, then there’s a wide, and then some dots to finish. Four from the over and a wicket.
WICKET! Jadhav c Cartwright b Stoinis 40 (54) - India 87/5
Gone! Just after a near run-out, Stoinis bangs another into the wicket and Jadhav pulls it meekly, beaten by pace, from the splice of his bat, and it floats to Cartwright’s chest at midwicket. An easy catch. Another hush over the ground. “The boys in blue in a little bit of trouble,” says Brett Lee, euphemistically.
21st over: India 86-4 (Jadhav 40, Dhoni 7)
“We’ll see him come down here shortly,” says Wade, presumably, as Zampa commences his fourth over. Next ball, Jadhav hits him inside-out over cover, but it curves into the path of the sweeper at point. There’s only one. Zampa gets away with another full toss, and is just starting to put the squeeze on here. Perhaps sensing it, Jadhav tries to slog-sweep him from outside off - he misses it completely and there has to be a millimetre between the ball and the stumps as it clatters into Wade’s pad and rolls to safety. There’s only two from the over.
On a 'no brainer' batting first wicket IND reduced to 80-4 inside 20 overs, courtesy some good fast bowling! #INDvAUS
— Anish Telkikar (@telkikar_anish) September 17, 2017
20th over: India 84-4 (Jadhav 36, Dhoni 6)
To consolidate quickly: the story of this early phase of the match has been the Australian quicks’ areas. Coulter-Nile and Cummins have been very, very tight and have laid the platform for Australia’s early dominance. Cummins continues here and he’s still around 145km/hr, with only a few singles for India to show for their efforts.
19th over: India 80-4 (Jadhav 36, Dhoni 6)
Losing wickets and somehow increasing the run rate, it will be interesting to see how Dhoni plays this. He can essentially score from every ball, Dhoni, and so can Jhadav. Zampa gives one some air and Dhoni times an off drive beautifully before Cartwright dives superbly to cut off the boundary. He throws to the keepers end too, a move usually employed to amplify the sense of power accompanying your previous efforts. There’s three from the over.
Updated
18th over: India 77-4 (Jadhav 35, Dhoni 4)
Cummins returns and is right on it, but for a streakily edged four past 1st slip and singles to bookend the over. There’s six from it. Feels like India are living dangerously for a team four down, but then again I might look up in half an hour and find them back on top and recovered. I don’t know.
Virat Kohli has batted six times against Australia in 2017 for 46 runs at an average of 7.66. #INDvAUS
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) September 17, 2017
17th over: India 71-4 (Jadhav 30, Dhoni 3)
The decibel level has noticeably risen with Dhoni’s entrance to the wicket. It’s immediately eventful as Warner misfields Dhoni’s backcut, allowing him to grab two, then a single, to be away. Later, Jhadav muscles a pull shot that bounces millimetres from the rope from Zampa drag-down. It wasn’t half-tracker short, but short enough to nearly concede six. Good counter-punch by India to the recent wicket, I suppose, but they have more to do.
16th over: India 64-4 (Jadhav 25, Dhoni 0)
Stoinis hitting the wicket hard and conceding few until Sharma frees his arms, squirting a square drive in the air and just evading Maxwell’s outstretched dive. It goes for four. And then, the wicket! It’s described below, and brings Dhoni to the wicket.
Meanwhile...this will be doing well to beat EA Sports Cricket ‘96.
There's a big announcement coming soon... 👀 pic.twitter.com/dG21ghjHTy
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 17, 2017
WICKET! Sharma c Coulter-Nile b Stoinis 28 (44) - India 64/4
From nowhere, a wicket! Stoinis bangs one into the deck and Sharma obliges - he tries to swing him to the midwicket pickets but skies his pull shot instead. It flies high and long and straight into the waiting hands of Coulter-Nile, who has ample time under it before propping and taking it with fingers pointed to the sky.
The crowd immediately starts chanting ‘Dho-ni! Dho-ni!’
15th over: India 59-3 (Jadhav 25, Sharma 24)
Faulkner off, Zampa on. Beats Sharma with his second delivery; it spins sharply past the opener’s bat. The crowd seems to have increased post-drinks too, as the camera angle from Cartwright’s throw shows full stands. Zampa keeps things quiet; the ball just holding up with his speared-in deliveries. Two from it.
14th over: India 57-3 (Jadhav 24, Sharma 23)
Run rate up to four now for India, as both batsmen start to look more comfortable, Jhadav whips one from outside off stump from Stoinis’ bowling - he only gets one but it looks classy. Stoinis meanwhile continues to hit his area. He’s a not a ‘bag of tricks’ flinger like his compatriot Faulkner - he just varies his length. He goes for a single from every ball here. That’s drinks!
13th over: India 51-3 (Jadhav 21, Sharma 20)
Just seems to lack the accuracy of his colleagues at this stage, Faulkner. He again goes for a boundary from the first delivery, putting the pressure back on himself in this micro-contest. He comes around the wicket now for a change of angle (drink), but his second ball is walloped over mid-on by Sharma from a good length. The opener stepped forward and crashed it with ease, and there’s ten from the over. Is Faulkner bowling badly, or is he being targeted?
Sam on the OBO. Click that. And if you're watching on @SkyCricket in the UK, you'll hear my (brief) thoughts at the innings break. #INDvAUS https://t.co/fi0Tpuabyg
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) September 17, 2017
12th over: India 41-3 (Jadhav 16, Sharma 16)
Stoinis is introduced now, bringing Coulter-Nile’s excellent spell to an end. I still think about him (Stoinis) in New Zealand. It wasn’t at home, so did it really happen? Speaking of which, he starts comfortably here, conceding a few singles and earning technical praise from commentator Brett Lee, who lauds his athleticism and his ‘strong legs’, which he refers to on three separate occasions. Wonder if Cartwright will get a bowl. Anyway, Stoinis concedes three - a little bit of a lull here as India rebuild after early wickets.
11th over: India 38-3 (Jadhav 15, Sharma 14)
Faulkner continues as the field relaxes. We should see the score tick over a little more now through singles and guides and dabs and flicks. Cartwright comes into the game after sweeping one from Sharma on the point boundary. They get one. Interestingly, Smith brings him in to Jadhav, perhaps in a bid to challenge him to hit over the top. Our first alpha challenge of the series. Does Jadhav take him up on it? Faulkner is putting it there. Jadhav walks down the wicket and tries to whip Faulkner over midwicket. He inside edges onto his pad but it’s a no ball and a free hit! Faulkner counters with his back-of-the-hand slower ball and Jadhav can only find one to the midwicket boundary.
10th over: India 34-3 (Jadhav 14, Sharma 12)
Coulter-Nile gets another one, and Jadhav too respects his bounce. Smith has crowded the square region of the off-side, and Coulter-Nile metronomically hits his spot. Feels as though India may have to do something different to break his length. They do just that, as Jadhav forehands a shorter, cross-seam delivery straight of mid-on. He gets two for it, then grabs another two with a copybook off-drive. He really should have had three for it, but Warner closed it down with sheer pace.
Updated
9th over: India 30-3 (Jadhav 12, Sharma 10)
Faulkner replaces Cummins and immediately concedes a boundary - a short and wide offering very much from the annals of ‘Looseners: A Story of Quick Bowlers Warming Up’. Sharma pounded on it, reaching and thumping it forward of point from the back foot. There’s a single through midwicket up next, and there’s another toward the end of the over. That’s all she wrote, as we look at replays of Maxwell’s catch. The timing of the jump was the thing. It would have looked far more dramatic had he not landed on two feet afterward. I’ll try and find a clip of it, if I’m allowed.
What a combination genuine pace & swing, will challenge any player. Coulter-Nile & Cummins running hot! #INDvAUS #qualitypace
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) September 17, 2017
8th over: India 24-3 (Jadhav 9, Sharma 7)
For a big guy, Coulter-Nile is admirably committed to the art of full outswing, and he’s still achieving decent shape into his fourth over. He’s bowling with two slips and a gully, and it’s another economical one - with only one from it. He’s got 3-8, Coulter-Nile, an incredible start. Does he get another over? I vote yes.
7th over: India 23-3 (Jadhav 9, Sharma 6)
“He bats like India’s 100 for 1,” says commentator Harsha Bogle, referring to the newcomer Jadhav, after he whips Cummins through the on-side for four. He flashes another uppishly down to third man, leaving Maxwell with hands on head. As the crowd starts to stir Sharma hooks Cummins and it falls just short of Zampa. It was coming at great pace but it didn’t stop Zampa charging at it, eventually taking it on the bounce around his thigh region. Living dangerously, the home side.
An absolute screamer from @Gmaxi_32 sends Kohli on his way for a duck! https://t.co/fowxA5bskI #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/2DhAXwvPRL
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 17, 2017
6th over: India 16-3 (Jadhav 4, Sharma 4)
Well, what an over. Two wickets, described below, and even further actions. From the last delivery Sharma changes his mind to leave at the last minute, but can’t get his bat out of the way. The ball takes the bat and jams down toward the stumps, bouncing perilously close to the timber. Coulter-Nile has hands on head. It speaks to the unusual bounce we’re seeing early on, but it’s not so crazy so as to render India in this position. Great over from Coulter-Nile; India have some rebuilding to do.
WICKET! Pandey c Wade b Coulter-Nile 0 (2) - India 11/3
Extraordinary! It looked a regulation shot from Pandey as he tried to run a full ball down to third man, but he nicked it instead. He might have been better served hitting straight - but of course I’d say that now. Done by a little bounce, but it’s definitely not a 3-fa-after-five-overs wicket. India in huge trouble right now, though there’s plenty of time.
Review!
Another? It’s Coulter-Nile to Pandey, who’s tried to squeeze a full one to third man. They’re checking for a bump ball. Doesn’t look it. Clarke (commentating) yelps ‘that’s out!’ They’re about to confirm...
WICKET! Kohli c Maxwell b Coulter-Nile 0 (4) - India 11/2
Kohli’s gone! A hush around the ground as Maxwell takes a beauty! Coulter-Nile is full and wide again and Kohli chases it as it shapes away. He slices his square drive airily and it’s always climbing as Maxwell jumps, one arm upstretched and clings to it! It looks less dramatic because he sticks the landing rather than hits the deck. Either way it’s a superb catch. Kohli gone. India reeling.
5th over: India 11-1 (Kohli 0, Sharma 4)
Oh dear. On the face of it another fantastic over for Australia - a maiden from Cummins leaving India with only 11 from five overs. But it’s not the full story, as Smith drops Sharma from the last ball of the over! It was a thick, easy-to-see edge, Smith fell to his right and just clean spilled it. He shakes his head ruefully.
Feels like India haven’t woken up. Nor has Smith, possibly.
Updated
4th over: India 11-1 (Kohli 0, Sharma 4)
It saw a wicket, this one, and Kohli to the crease. There was a slight delay before Coulter-Nile started as Sharma called for some tape for his bat. His bottom-edge was the issue after he toed a pull shot from a 140km/hr thunderbolt from Cummins last over. That will happen. Coulter-Nile then overstepped to rapturous applause from the crowd. He threw his head back in agony, possibly exacerbated by the slow motion replay I watched of it. He responded with a bouncer that Rahane missed out on, before edging through to Wade the ball following. Was it a bottom-edge? Will need to re-check. It brings in Kohli to wild applause.
WICKET! Rahane c Wade b Coulter-Nile 5 (15) - India 11/1
After a no-ball and a missed free hit Rahane succumbs to the three-card trick, caught behind by Wade after slashing at a fullish, wide one. A ball earlier he’d missed a free-hit bouncer, which may have rooted his feet in the crease as he wafted, flirted with Coulter-Nile’s width, earning only a healthy nick through to Wade.
3rd over: India 10-0 (Rahane 5, Sharma 4)
Unerring line, length and I suppose, pace, earns Cummins a few more dots before Rahane leans on a defensive stroke that splits cover-point and mid-off for two. It was one of those well-timed shots that leaves the fielder sprinting next to it for fifteen metres before they’re sure they can get down to it with any confidence. Cummins follows with a wide down leg side. The crowd cheers. Another run down to third man and a mistimed pull for two means a better over for India - six from it to be precise.
2nd over: India 4-0 (Rahane 2, Sharma 2)
Coulter-Nile starts from the other end. He’s more powerfully built than Cummins and muscles the ball in - you can almost feel the heaviness of his deliveries hitting the bat. He looks for the same length as Cummins - shaping away around the fourth stump line, and has four dot balls to start things off. Sharma guides one uppishly but safely to third man - even with a checked shot it flew off the bat. It gives Sharma his first look at Coulter-Nile and he leaves it. Economic start for both teams.
So it begins #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/hmElctOISq
— Ganesh Athreyaa (@athreyaa) September 17, 2017
1st over: India 3-0 (Rahane 1, Sharma 2)
The temperature nears 30 degrees as Cummins starts things off to Rahane. There’s a false start with a bit of movement behind the bowler’s arm. Cummins finds some shape away early, as the crowd roars with approval at Rahane steering the first down to third man. Wade takes the next one above his shoulder; he really is quick. The next three are bang on the money as Sharma has a close look. There’s a little bit of bounce in this wicket, it seems. For how long? Cummins is a little straight in the concluding delivery and Sharma turns it off his hip for two.
Players are out there
Kohli described the decision to bat as “a no brainer”. Smith was a little more cagey about what he’d want to do. Not admit disadvantage, I’m guessing.
Meanwhile, the players have emerged for the national anthems. They’re accompanied by stirring music, though I’m not sure if that’s superimposed by the TV coverage or not. The smooth electric guitar sounds suggests it’s the TV. Smith is giggling with Warner as the national anthem starts - as the camera pans they all seem to be on the verge of giggling...probably giddy at this point with the amount of cricket they play.
The crowd seems about half full - some stands well populated, others not at all. The camera hits Dhoni during the national anthem and they erupt.
As is standard, the players move straight from the anthems to the field of play, so we’ll be underway in around 60 seconds.
To get in touch
Normally write this in the opening preamble but was so distracted by my own crippling cynicism to mention that this gig is two-way. To get in touch, email me at sam.perry.freelance@guardian.co.uk - or level with me on Twitter: @sjjperry
An early topic for discussion: reasons not to be cynical about this series. Will this just be a barely memorable blur of blue and gold jerseys and James Faulkner slogs over cow? Or should we expect something more?
Cartwright to debut
Doesn’t give it the ‘thumbs up’, but rather the ‘ridgey didge’.
Presenting Australian ODI cricketer No.221 - Hilton Cartwright 🤙#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/9KAamIxD3h
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 17, 2017
Toss News
India has won the toss, and they will bat.
No surprises there.
India have won the toss and will bat first #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/yx9iOtMjXL
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) September 17, 2017
Welcome
Hello all, and welcome to our coverage of the ODI between India v Australia – the first of a five match series – from the M Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.
Like most, I’m not really sure what the cricketing purpose of this series is. But there will be cricket, and the quality is bound to be good.
With the series announced about two weeks ago, both outfits will take to Chennai in half an hour and likely post something in excess of 300, whereupon it will go very close to being chased down. Does that sound cynical? It probably is. Though the 300 call seems to be on the money. Reports from the ground are that the wicket is hard and dry – very much in the mould of an Asian ODI deck. There’s a bit of cloud but it’s a win-toss-and-bat scenario.
Even these eminently forgettable games can throw forward a few sub-plots worthy of keeping an eye on. For Australia, Hilton Cartwright stands to make his debut, and may even open the batting. It amplifies a growing sense of arrival for the West Australian, who recently consolidated his spot in the Test side.
It seems a good time to list the teams for today. They line up as follows:
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli(c), Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni(w), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah
Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Hilton Cartwright, Steven Smith(c), Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade(w), James Faulkner, Pat Cummins, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Adam Zampa
Today kicks off a lengthy home season for India, who are increasingly impregnable at home. The usual suspects of Kohli, Dhoni and Sharma will lead the way with the blade, and watch out for Kuldeep Yadav, who fairly spun webs around Australia in the recent-ish Test series.
Toss news next.
Sam will be here shortly.
