Australia v India – Second Test Day 4: India finishes the job

 

MCG DAY 4

 

Can’t help but notice the work ethic of the Indian contingent before each day’s play.  Have been watching them for seven days at the tests and their commitment to success is plain to see.  Compared to the Australians who seem content to just swan around kicking an AFL or NRL ball.

 

Never seen the Geelong boys with a cricket bat in their hand for a pre-game warm-up.

 

It is an uphill battle for the home side today and Green (17) and Cummins (15) will be sorely tested. If they can come through this it will throw a different light on the team for the Third Test wherever it is played.

 

Cameron Green looks assured this morning but it takes Patrick Cummins a while to get started. The wicket is playing true and it will be the mistakes of batsmen rather than fine bowling if a wicket is to fall early.

 

The 50 partnership is achieved, gritty work by these two batsmen. Is Cummins batting his way into the future captaincy of the Australian team? Perhaps the next two captains are out there PB?

 

India took the new ball after fifty minutes of play.

 

Bumrah strikes when Cummins (22) gets an awkward one that sits up on him and Agarwal takes a simple catch in the slips.  Australia 7/156.  Cummins had batted well but it was a brute ball that caused his demise.

 

Green continues to impress and is not afraid to use his feet to Ashwin who took the new ball with Bumrah.

 

Admire Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy.  He is not afraid to switch his bowlers around in an endeavour to confuse the batsmen. More so than Kaptain Kohli who favours his “best” at all times.

 

Siraj, who continues to impress me with his work ethics before and during a game, bowls one short to Green (45) who goes to pull him and Jadeja at mid-off takes the catch over his head. A fine fighting innings from the young man who was livid when he got out.  Australia now in real trouble at 8/177.

 

The Indians hierarchy has a mid-wicket conference with Australia now leading by 46 runs.  Perhaps the psyche of what happened in Adelaide is getting at them?

 

DRS good or bad? Starc (9) is hit low by one from Jadeja.  Umpire Reiffel gives him out, Starc goes upstairs and walks towards the gate.  He keeps walking as the review continues, he keeps walking and walking and then wins his appeal.  Ridiculous in the extreme how could a ball rise at 90 degrees and miss the stumps.

 

Did not matter as Lyon (3) hooks at Siraj for Pant to gobble it up. Why do tail enders think they can hook? Australia 9/185 and a lead of 54 runs.

 

Hazlewood gets a 5 first ball when Siraj tries to run Starc out and the ball goes to the boundary. Is this the first time a player has got of the mark first ball in a Test match with a 5?

 

Umpires decide to take extra time as nine wickets are down and lunch is due. Starc and Hazlewood will have none of this and continue to thwart the attack.

 

The visitors finally break through when Hazlewood (10) lets a ball from Ashwin go and is bowled. Australia all out for 200.  Starc 14 not out.

 

Very even bowling performance by the Indians with Siraj 3/37, Bumrah, Ashwin and Jadeja 2 wickets each and the injured Yadav 1/5.   Australian need to take 10/68 to win.

 

India is not letting the grass grow and are keen to attack but it comes unstuck when Agarwal (5) flashes at Starc for Paine to take.  1/16 and still 54 to get.

 

For two days now we have been talking about the “ins” and “outs” in the Australia team but the more we talk the more the consensus is that there will be no changes.

 

India lost another wicket when Pujara (3) flashes at Cummins for Green to snap him up at backward point.

 

At 2/19 there was still plenty of cricket in this match. India 51 to get.

 

Starc and Cummins were giving it their all and the standard of play was not dropping one iota.  India were going to have to fight for this game.

 

Skipper Rahane (having a great match) and new-comer Shubman Gill steady the ship. Very impressed with Gill whose fluent drives are picking the gaps beautifully.

 

Fittingly it is Rahane (27) who hits the winning run with Gill (35) giving great support. Starc and Cummins finish with 1 wicket each.

 

Rahane must be man-of-the-match.  A fine century and great captaincy.

 

An emphatic win to India who won 85% of the game despite having to make 2 serious changes before the game.  They had Australia on the back foot from Day 1 and though the Australians briefly recovered in the morning session of Day 3 it was India’s game throughout.

 

 

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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.

Comments

  1. Nice wrap-up, Citrus. Thanks.

    Changes desperately needed. Fair play to India for making wholesale changes after their Adelaide defeat. Will Australia be so bold???

  2. Daryl Schramm says

    A week is a long time in cricket. An 8 wicket win followed by an 8 wicket loss. Well done India for bouncing back as quickly as they did. The series is very much alive. I want two bona-fide openers, Wade at #6 and Green at #5. Better balanced that way.

  3. SMOKIE -no way will Australia be bold. they would go for S.MARSH and UZZIE before anything else.

    DS_ evenly poised? I have India slighlt ahead because of the variety in thier attack. The toss in SCG is vital.

  4. DRS good or bad, Citrus Bob.

    I wonder about the role of umpires adjudicating dismissals in modern cricket. With the advances of technology, the introduction of a third umpire with ready access to this technology, should the two umpires remain involved in giving these decisions. Would it not be easier if all appeals automatically went to the third umpire, whose ability to oversee the event allowed them to make the final decision? No need for DRS, less controversy.

    Thanks for the good article(s) Citrus Bob. Look forward to the next installment.

    Glen!

  5. citrus bob says

    GLEN – the new technical direction of the NRL,AFL and Cricket have nearly made umpires surplus. Goal umpires and linesmen are afraid to make decisions anymore and as for cricket umpires! How many times have we seen the umpires at square leg go to the 3rd Man when one can clearly see the batsman was run out by a mile.
    YES delete DRS and appeals straight to 3rd Umpire with no replay after replay.
    Do we have any characters amongst the umpires now? GONE, GONE, GONE like all Dickybirds and Sheps.
    Now looking forward to Sydney and Brisbane with anticipation

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