Gabba Test, Australia v India – Day Two: Debutant’s Day Out

End Of Day Two: India – 408 (M Vijay 144, AM Rahane 81. JR Hazlewood 5/68). Australia 4/221 (CJL Rogers 55, SPD Smith 65*)

I had a really bad vision of what Day Two would look like late on day one – J Hazlewood, Mitchy Marsh, Starc and Johnson moaning in the dressing room as D Warner, Watson, Nate Lyon and the new skipper take up the bowling attack. Ravi Ashwin and Instant Karma (I. Sharma) make hundreds and then Shaun Marsh, bowling left arm slow pies, takes a hattie.

So today went better than I originally expected.

I was really hoping for a score from SE Marsh. I still remember the last time he played India at home. I reckon his top score was about 13 and his average floated around at about 4. I, probably cruelly, dubbed him ‘The Duckhunter’. It’s his first Test with little bro Mitch, so I just hoped he gave a reason for the newspapers to write about “dreams come true” and the sort.

Shaun managed to drop two catches on day one, and Mitch hurt his hammy, so the possibility of a fairytale didn’t have a great start.

The day started well for the Aussies as the hammy sniper was ejected from the Gabba. The damage was already done however, as MR Marsh (who had been accurately sniped in the back of his right leg) was already off the field with an issue. The other casualties caused by the sniper – Johnson, Starc and Hazlewood – received only glancing blows and were well enough to take to the field as the day’s play started.

The debutant Hazlewood has already got 2 wickets to his name, and adds to his total in the third over of the day, following up an overpitched ball that was sent crashing to the boundary by Rahane with a beautiful out-swinger. Rahane edges to Haddin, giving the veteran keeper his fifth catch of the innings.

AM Rahane c †Haddin b Hazlewood 81. India 5/321

The captain/keeper Mahrenda Singh Dhoni is at the crease and immediately looks unsettled. In NutForest’s next over (Hazlewood), he lets a bouncer career into his upper arm. Odder still, he deflects a ball off his back away to fine leg an over later, runs three, then has the runs taken off him as apparently he wasn’t playing a shot. I think he thinks he’s got the secret powers of a turtle shell or something.

The morning turns from shaky to bad for India as Watson’s second ball of his spell is a wicket-taker; Rohit edging to second slip where the debuting captain dives to take a stupendous catch. After a tough first day, the Aussies have recovered to take the ascendancy. They look a different team as Ravi Ashwin walks to the crease.

RG Sharma c Smith* b Watson 32. India 6/328

Into the tail, but Ashwin is no bunny. Dhoni is still at the crease, and proceeds to belt poor old Starc Raving Bonkers all over the shop. Hazlewood, coming on for the wicket-less Johnson, recieves the same treatment from the Indian spinner. At the end of NutForest’s over, Ashwin is 33 of 38 balls and has hit 6 boundaries. Dhoni is less aggresive at the moment. Hazlewood gets his revenge next over, forcing Ashwin into an attempted drive and swinging the ball away from him. Watson gleefully snares the catch and India are 7 down.

R Ashwin c Watson b Hazlewood 35. India 7/385

The young New South Welshman has now got four on debut – now he’s got five! He draws Dhoni into leaving way too late with an in-swinger. Haddin takes his sixth catch of the innings, equalling an Australian record. James Pattinson is the last player to take a five wicket haul on debut.

MS Dhoni c †Haddin b Hazlewood 33. India 8/394

Varun Aaron joins Umesh Yadav at the crease. He has a quick stay at the crease, first edging and being dropped by Haddin off Lyon before edging into his pad and being caught brilliantly at short leg by the sub fielder on for MR Marsh. The edge looks a little dubious on HotSpot, however. It looks like bat brushed pad but if the Indians refused to use DRS, they can’t complain about dodgy decisions.

VR Aaron c sub (M Labuschagne) b Lyon 4. India 9/407

Instant Karma is in at 11, and whacks away a run off Nate Lyon. The score ticks over to 408, the number of Phil Hughes’ baggy green. The little man must be watching from somewhere as Yadav attempts to whack a ball into the next state and is caught Rogers at deep mid wicket. All out for 408.

UT Yadav c Rogers b Lyon 9. India 408 All Out.

Australia have a significant total to reach as Rogers and Warner walk out to bat. Something must be up as Rogers hits the first four of the innings. Davey evidently sees that something is up and proceeds to absolutely wreck Ishant Sharma’s bowling figures. He hits him for five fours in two overs while Rogers keeps things afloat at the other end. Poor old Ishy comes off with the figures of three overs, no maidens, no wickets, 26 runs. Umesh Yadav replaces him, and has immediate effect. Warner goes for one pull shot too many, top edges and balloons the ball straight to Ashwin at first slip.

DA Warner c Ashwin b Yadav 29. Australia 1/47.

Shane Watson is the new man at three. I don’t like his batting of late as he seems to not be able to make runs in important games. The last two hundreds he made were both against England when the series was already over. I can only remember him scoring runs when his team desperately needed it against Pakistan in 2010. Today, he’s nearly out first ball, edging over a vacant fourth slip region for a boundary.

These two put on a good partnership, keeping the scoreboard moving and not letting the bowlers on top. At one point, Dhoni has just one fielder on the leg side to Watson. I remember this because as Dhoni made the change, poor Ishant bowled straight to Watson’s pads and gave him an easy boundary. The partnership is broken when Dhawan takes a cracker of a catch to remove Watson off Ashwin’s off spinners.

SR Watson c Dhawan b Ashwin 25. Australia 2/98

Smith is now in at five. The new captain starts slowly as Rogers takes over the scoring, crashing consecutive fours of Aaron’s eighth over. A cut shot off Ashwin brings him to a possibly career saving 50. Unfortunately, on the last ball before tea, he gloves down the leg side off Yadav, giving Dhoni a catch and India a boost going into the final session.

CJL Rogers c *†Dhoni b Yadav 55. Australia 3/121

Play resumes as great big storm clouds surround the Gabba. The floodlights are on as Shaun Marsh and Steve Smith poke the ball around, intent on keeping things together. Marsh looks settled at the crease and is batting well. The drinks break changes things very quickly as Ashwin’s next over is demolished by Smith. He belts two sixes and a four and drags Marsh along in his slipstream. Smith brings up yet another half-century and is yet to be dismissed in the series. There’s a bit of luck that goes the Aussies’ way too. Marsh is dropped by Rahane after he top edges a ball into orbit. The dropped catch isn’t a massive player though, as Marsh soon after edged to Ashwin off Yadav.

SE Marsh c Ashwin b Yadav 32. Australia 4/208

The light is gloomy at the Gabba as the earlier hamstrung Mitch Marsh comes to the crease. No fireworks to end the day, however, as bad light ends play at five minutes past 5 o’clock. Marsh is unbeaten on seven, Smith unbeaten on 65.

Today didn’t have any clear winners, as Australia didn’t get as many runs as they would’ve liked and lost time due to bad light. India would be feeling the same as they had the perfect platform to bat all day but lost wickets consistently throughout the first session. Josh Hazlewood and Umesh Yadav bowled exceptionally well on a day that was probably won by the bowlers.

Day two basically set up the rest of the Test match. I look forward to seeing Steve Smith bat the Indians out of the game while making 600 not out and Josh Hazlewood taking three hattricks in three overs.

Aussie Aussie Aussie!! Oi Oi Oi!!