Almanac Cricket: Australia v India 2024/25 – First Test Day 2 Perth

DAY 2 AT WICKED

 

Wicked is due to start in Perth in a couple of weeks.  Some how I think it has already started after yesterday’s performance by the two Wicket Witches Jasprit B and Mitchell S.

 

A glorious day here in the West and looking forward to another interesting day’s play.

 

Watching Rana opening the bowling this morning I am amazed that the umpires do not caution him for running down the wicket and making no attempt to diverge left.

 

The Wicket Witch number 2 Jasprit strikes first and has Carey caught behind.  He now has 5/17 and keen to pick up a couple more before the innings ends.

 

Always liked Mitchell Starc with the bat as he looks competent but has the occasional rush to the head with adrenalin.  Australia have to get close to the Indian score and he is the man to do it if he can play each ball on its merit. Lyon can hang around but they are trying to get him to hook by bowling short.

 

Rana’s short stuff pays dividends as Lyon on 5 holes out to Rahul in the slips.

 

So many captains in this Indian team. The annoitted one Jasprit then Kohli, Pant, and Rahul throwing their arms in every direction from the slips cordon.  Whoever is in control it is poor captaincy as Rana should have made way for Mo Siraj.  At least Siraj attacks the wickets and the more runs India have to play with the better for them.  Starc is playing sound cricket farming the strike from Hazlewood.

 

It had to happen. Rana hits Starc on the helmet from one of his short balls and play is interrupted for some time including drinks. The visitors don’t seem to be in any hurry to finish the Australian innings.  Siraj is now bowling short stuff as well.  No Jadeja or Ashwin eh?

 

Kumar Reddy comes on for the first time in the match to try and dislodge this last pair.  He is all action, typical of the medium fast  bowlers who are neither one thing or the other.

 

The bowlers are providing no trouble to the batsmen so augurs well for when the Indians commence their second innings some time today.

 

At last some spin with Washington Sundah introduced to try and break the highest partnership of the innings by Australia.  Doesn’t work and Bang ’em in is back into the attack and he finishes the innings as Starc on 26 hoiks him high for Pant to take.  Australia out for 104 with Starc top scoring.  Bumrah 5/30 Rana 3/48 and Siraj 2/20.

 

Now a magnificent day and the crowd looks very promising for the WACA commissars.  Test matches are safe for a few years here in the other Australia PB.The Oz bowlers are beating the bat occasionally but the openers for India are starting to play their shots with confidence and scurrying for short runs.

 

In Melbourne North Melbourne 11 – 5- 71 are annihilating Port Adelaide 0 – 4- 4. I wonder how the hierarchy at AFL feel about the women playing in such torrid conditions?  Not that it is worrying the Shinboners.

 

The batters have settled in well but not taking any risks against this great Australian attack who don’t give you much to play with at any time.

 

Rahul plays the shot of the match when he straight drives Cummins for four. how he was ever out of the Indian team earlier this summer is hard to understand.  Mind you they did have Sharma and Gill both showing pretty good form anyway.

 

Young tyro Jaiswal is moving into his work with a variety of strokes and showing why he is the wunderkind of Indian cricket. India consolidating with both batsmen playing some aggressive shots. With the partnership now worth 75 it has been a great start to the visitor’s second dig.

 

To the non-believers it has been a slow grind after tea with only 12 runs being scored in the first 45 minutes. The main reason has been the accuracy of the Aussie bowlers not allowing the batters to play their shots.  The relentless fast bowling has not allowed for rapid scoring and the game is moving along slowly and the crowd is starting to drift towards the exits to beat the traffic.

 

Jaiswal’s 50 comes up with 5 fours from 123 balls to show Australian supporters just how good he might become.  A patient knock against an accurate attack.  Well done young man.

 

With an hour still to play today it does not look like there will be to much action.  After all it is only day 2 and there are still three days left to play

 

India hold the upper hand and the longer they can bat in this innings the less chance of an Australian victory.  A chance when KL Rahul was dropped by Khawaja at first slip, perhaps it fell short.  A younger more agile player such as Marnus or McSweeney probably would have taken the chance. Starc has still been the best of the bowlers without any luck coming his way.

 

KL Rahul, who has the fastest century in all three formats of the game, has been very sedate throughout this innings and has played second fiddle to Jaiswal to consolidate their team.  Strangely his 50 comes up from 124 balls only one more than his partner. He has hit 4 fours in that total.

 

Jaiswal is showing his class later in the day with strokes all around the wicket topped of with a handsome drive for six of Nathan Lyon to take his score to 86 as the score mounts up.  It is looking pretty easy for the visitors as the shadows lengthen across the ground even though the lights are on.  It must be of some concern to the batsman when the bowler comes from light to shadow to roll his arm over.

 

 The young bloke looks to be in some distress and the medical staff are back on the ground AGAIN to give him some relief.  One might ask why doesn’t he retire hurt?  Well he hangs on to stumps and India are in a commanding position at 0/172 giving them a lead of 216 Jaiswal 90 and KL Rahul 62.

 

Well that is now 2 days in a row that India have won and it is hard to see Australia getting out of this game unless there is a herculean bowling performance on Sunday.

 

A wicked day for Australia but who knows what tomorrow will bring.

 

More stories from Citrus Bob Utber can be read Here.

 

 

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