Almanac Cricket: Australia v India – First Test Day 4 Perth: Climax in Perth
DAY 4 PERTH
The day of reckoning has come and mainly for the Australian selectors.
The wolves are at the door and they are sick of knocking and I am not talking about the press. Also the natives are restless.
Oh what a feeling!
Well it doesn’t take long as Khawaja (4) goes to hook Siraj as if he is beyond 100 and is taken by Pant. As DGB once said, “never hook before you are one hundred as the ball is in the air”. Wise words for Uzzie who looked like a man who has had enough and this is the first test.
As I wrote on the first day ‘This is no place for old men’ and Uzzie looked the perfect example this day of reckoning. His past record will save him from the axe for the second Test but the Indians have worked him out.
Oh, Australia are 4/17 by the way but keep that to yourself.
Siraj charges down the wicket like Usain Bolt for an LBW and the umpire says ‘not out’ India review “NOT OUT”!
There is no changing Travis Head. He is going to survive or die by the sword. The Indians will, of course, continue to tempt him with short balls. He is looking comfortable and he is formidable when his shot selection comes off.
Washington Sundar comes into the attack replacing Bumrah who does not look 100% today. Rana does a ‘Bolt’ but the same result against SPD. Challenge over ruled, only one left but in the long run it will not make any difference.
Smith and Head consolidate until Smith edged to Pant and Australia 5/79. SPD did look a bit sluggish moving to the ball but I won’t condemn him at this stage. Next couple of tests will decide his future without me saying anything.
Many questions on anything the Aussies do at the moment from the paying public. It really is a need for them (public) keen to witness a changing of the guard. The old retainers have had a good and sometimes grand career but when it is time to go it is time to go. Don’t leave it to the selectors to make the decision for you. Think of David Warner he knew when it was time.
No urgency on behalf of the Indians as they certainly have time on their side.
Down on one knee Head plays a lovely cover-drive. You don’t often see that nowdays. He is on 81 and looking very composed. Being composed is not enough when you get a ripper from Jasprit. Only has time to tickle it through to Pant. A fine 89 that has helped retrieve some of the ignonimy that is floating around in the ether. Australia are now 6/161.
As a change Bumrah/Kohli bring N.K.Reddy into the attack and it works as Marsh looking confident chops one back into his stumps. Marsh’s 47 was full of hope but when he needed to go further that is what happened and it is not the first time for the big fella.
Carey is one player who does continually give his all for Australia although yesterday the bowlers in some instances made him look very ordinary behind the stumps. He is nearly the team’s most consistent batter and does hold the middle order and tail together on many occasions. His overall test batting average is around 32 so he is doing his job with the willow and is more than competent behind the stumps as well.
The player purported to be breathing down his neck is Westralian Josh Inglis. Inglis is definitely regarded as a batter/keeper rather than the reverse and there are suggestions he could be picked for his batting alone. We will wait and see on that one.
Rulebook you can breathe easily as Carey will hold his position in the team as long as he wishes and his form retained.
Starc, batting in his usual stubborn manner is brilliantly taken by Jurel at silly mid-on with a one hand clutch that could have gone anywhere. At 8/227 the game should end in the final session.
It certainly will end in the final session as Lyon is clean bowled by Washington Sundar second ball after scones of jam and cream. Why do they make the scones so thick at the cricket? 9/227 AND THE END IS NIGH.
Now we are going to see the painful extraction of the final wicket as Carey will play for the strike to add just a little bit of prestige to the total.
Hazlewood has been hit on the helmet and they spend an inordinate amount of time fixing something – his head or his helmet. Why don’t they just call the game off? We do some funny things in cricket.
Its all over as Carey (38) gets a great ball from Rana that beats him all ends up and the friendly visitors from the sub-continent go 1 zip after one Test. India winning by 295 runs.
Australia 2nd Inns 238 Head 89, Marsh 47, Head 36 India bowling: Bumrah 3/42 Siraj 3/51 Sundar 2/48 Reddy 1/21 Ranna 1/69.
Now of to Adelaide for the next Test early in December and will we see some Australian cricketer(s) get an early Christmas present? Somehow I think not.
Well done India after a faulty start you came back superbly with a wonderful display.
The one that bothers this old fart however is the number of times the ‘trainers’ run onto the groundfor very little assistance. Umpires obviously are instructed not to intervene or they would have stopped the Indian trainers many times during this game and I am not talking about the hot weather on Sunday.
More stories from Citrus Bob Utber can be read Here.
To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au home page click HERE
Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.
Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.
Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE
About Bob Utber
At 84 years of age Citrus Bob is doing what he has always done since growing up on a small farm at Lang Lang. Talking, watching and writing sport and in recent years writing books. He lives in Mildura with his very considerate wife (Jenny) and a groodle named 'Chloe on Flinders' and can be found at Deakin 27 every day.
Excellent coverage Bob. From your vantage point did you sense that the left handers found the pitch more friendly or the bowling less intimidating?
Well done Bob . Hope it’s a different story in adders. Hopefully see you there
Nank
Thankfully not 9 for at stumps and the ridiculous farce of opening up the ground tomorrow. Maybe cricket should include a concession (give up) call
India was way too good in all departments of the game. Surely Uzzie, Manus and Smudge are well and truly under the pump. Their saving grace is that there isn’t anyone knocking down the door demanding to be selected.
Thanks for the coverage CB. Might see you there. I’m confident it will be a different story after this wake-up call.
I’m old enough to recall the end of the 1983-84 season when R Marsh, D Lillee, & G Chappell all said good bye to Australian cricket. Our next ten tests were against the all conquering Windies, whose line up at the time was one of the greatest the cricketing world has ever seen.
In those ten tests we one once, that being the last of the ten. This was followed by a poor tour of England, with a English Ashes victory on Australian soil to follow up. Finally AB took us to a World Cup victory in 1987, so Australia began the journey back to the winners list.
In this period there was a resonance about not allowing a large exodus of senior players or else the team would struggle. However again in the summer of 2006-07 , following, a 5-0 Ashes triumph we saw S Warne, J Langer, also G McGrath bid goodbye to playing for Australia at an international level. A Gilchrist went a year later, and again Australia endured a few hard years.
However now it seems that if veterans are out of form, underperforming, Australia keeps them in the test side . So Citrus Bob, do we expect any major action from the selectors as the day of reckoning is here? Already Andrew McDonald, George Bailey, are talking about not making changes for Adelaide. It makes some sense as there’s no body knocking the doors down , but even less so are the incumbents making runs.
It seems a long summer is on the cards for Australia. Eventually changes will be made though by the time the series is out of Australia’ s reach it’ll be a bit like re-arranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Happy reading your match reviews Citrus Bob, they’re more together than the selection processes.
Glen!
Thanks for your interest gentlemen. The boffins who run ? Australian cricket have a lot of thinking to do as they analyse (?) what is wrong with our game. I would suggest from my discussions with anyone and everyone associated with cricket is that the system stinks. Watched the coach, who seems an affable sort of person, step onto the ground at the close of a session to have a deep and meaningful discussion with one of his tribe.
Put it mildly the “path road to glory” is full of pot holes. Why doesn’t the hierarchy take a trip out bush and over those pot-holed roads to discover and more importantly promote the next Doug Walters, Philip Hughes et al.
The “path road” is log and windy and you (the player) will have a long apprenticeship before you are ready for glory. Did I mention YASHASVI JAISWAL? I thought not!
Thanks for your interest gentlemen. The boffins who run ? Australian cricket have a lot of thinking to do as they analyse (?) what is wrong with our game. I would suggest from my discussions with anyone and everyone associated with cricket is that the system stinks. Watched the coach, who seems an affable sort of person, step onto the ground at the close of a session to have a deep and meaningful discussion with one of his tribe.
Put it mildly the “path road to glory” is full of pot holes. Why doesn’t the hierarchy take a trip out bush and over those pot-holed roads to discover and more importantly promote the next Doug Walters, Philip Hughes et al.
The “path road” is log and windy and you (the player) will have a long apprenticeship before you are ready for glory. Did I mention YASHASVI JAISWAL? I thought not! Left home at 10 to live on the streets.