Almanac Cricket – The 2023 Border/Gavaskar Trophy Series, Third Test: Can the Kiwis show Australia the way?

 

 

The final Test between New Zealand and England finished about an hour before I wrote this preview of the Third Test in the 2023 India v Australia Border/Gavaskar Trophy series. The optimist in me hopes that the Australians might find inspiration in the Kiwis’ incredible fightback to win by 1 run after being forced to follow on. (Digression: Who said that Test cricket is dead after a game like that?) Perhaps ‘the size of the fight in the dog’ that is the irrepressible Neil Wagner might be but one example for the men in the baggy green to seek to emulate.

 

The realist in me says that India will start at about $1.15 to Australia’s $4.50. (Confession: I know bugger all about betting markets – those numbers simply sound about right to me.) India is in the clear ascendant and spoilt for choice with their squad. Their problem is who to leave out. Australia will have a minimum of two changes with Cummins (rightly at home for his ill mother) and Warner (bruised and battered in more ways than one) out with Starc and Green likely to come in. Fancy coming into the team at this point with the series already gone, in hostile conditions, without playing a match for the past several weeks, not fully fit and on a hiding to nothing to try to turn things around.

 

But in such moments are opportunities presented – again, reference the Kiwis: down and out after being belted by Bazball in the first Test and following on 226 behind in the second with Jimmy Anderson and co to bowl in conditions not unlike those at home. Look at the NZ second innings scorecard – talk about grit, guts and fight! And they might have scored even more but for a late collapse. The openers put on almost 150, Williamson rescued his series with a magnificent 132, and Blundell came in with the lead at about 70 to grind out 90 to give the bowlers something to defend. Which they did – just – after a final day of several shifts in momentum!

 

So where does Australia find its fightback troops? Head at the top of the order? Marnus or Smith, both of whom have looked good at times but haven’t cracked on to big hundreds? Handscomb, who hasn’t looked out of place but also hasn’t gone on? Maybe it’s the bowlers, but that might be asking for something more akin to a miracle given that Starc and Green are underprepared and two of the spinners total 3 Tests between them.

 

One thing’s for sure – surely the reverse sweep has to be used as a disruptive tactic now and then rather than Plan A. Has coach McDonald worked out a new Plan A as well as Plans B, C and D if things don’t go as hoped?

 

Today there are pictures on a strip with what looks like good grass coverage in some areas. Suddenly there’s talk of new possibilities. But if my eyesight (albeit red/green colourblind) is not mistaken, the green areas hardly correspond to those points on the pitch where too many bowlers will be aiming. Hey, it’s India! They do slow, low and dry there.

 

Play commences this afternoon in Indore. My tip is that it will be 3-0 come Sunday.

 

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