Bowlers ruled the roost as Australia and India jostled for elbow room on the third day of the Boxing Day Test match. We’ll bring you live scores and commentary of the action throughout the fourth day of the first Test, with the action starting at 10.30 am AEDT.
First the Indian batsmen and later their Australian counterparts found the pitch too hot to handle, as 12 wickets fell for the addition of 247 runs on the day.
India went into the day hoping to bat Australia out of the game. Instead, they lost Rahul Dravid in the very first over to the vastly improved Ben Hilfenhaus’s out-swing.
The rest of the side crumbled like a termite-infested house when hit by a mild earthquake.
Hilfenhaus would go on to pick up three more Indian scalps, giving him the opportunity to hold the ball aloft to the cheering MCG crowd for his maiden five-wicket haul. In turn, none of the Indian batsmen, bar R Ashwin scored more than 11 in the day.
It spoke largely of the top-order’s ineptness that only Ishant Sharma (11 in 69 balls) and Ashwin (31) showed any resistance to the rampaging Australian bowlers.
VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni were all dismissed to catches behind the stumps and India were bowled out for 282. If Sachin Tendulkar’s overnight dismissal was included, the side had lost eight wickets for 68.
A score of more than 300 remained elusive for India in Test matches abroad this year. They have passed it only once in the last 12 Test match innings.
Tables turned, Australia – armed with a vital 51-run lead – could have batted four sessions and ended the Indian hopes in the game.
Instead, their horrendous batting collapses since the start of this season came back to haunt the home team.
After a slow start, Dave Warner chopped one from Umesh Yadav on to his stumps.
Ed Cowan, hailed in the first innings for his precision in leaving deliveries outside the off-stump, was declared out lbw for shouldering arms to the same bowler.
Shaun Marsh chased at a wide, over-pitched delivery from Yadav and dragged it on to his stumps.
And then Michael Clarke had his castle disturbed off an in-ducker from Ishant Sharma, to leave most Australian fans with a sense of déjà vu from their Cape Town disaster earlier this year.
Fortunately for them, Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey blunted the Indian pace attack and off-spinner Ashwin to a degree that captain MS Dhoni was forced into setting defensive fields.
Both got to half-centuries; Ponting made his second one of the game while Hussey overcome a shoddy first innings decision to end the day unbeaten on 79.
Ponting’s dismissal was reminiscent to Brad Haddin’s in the first innings – he was sucked into playing at a slightly deviating delivery from Zaheer Khan and only managed to get it as far as Virender Sehwag at gully.
Hussey remained unbeaten but not before he was floored in the slips by Rahul Dravid and three of his other lower-order teammates spent a combined total of just 47 balls at the crease before returning back to the pavilion.
By stumps, Australia had surged ahead by 230 runs with James Pattinson keeping Hussey’s company.
Given the manner in which the pitch has behaved, a target of 250 will be a tough cookie to crack despite Virender Sehwag’s assertion that 300 is a chaseable one.
It will be an exciting fourth day then to front up, for the quintessential Test match fan.
We will bring you the coverage throughout the fourth day from the Melbourne Cricket Ground at 10.30am AEDT, so if you’ve got an opinion, give us your thoughts on the action in the space below.
BennO
Guest
It sure read that way!
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Very good game of cricket :)
BennO
Guest
Thanks for your work. It was great following the blog each day as I have no tv coverage where I live.
Tom
Guest
Suneer, Thanks for the commentary. I have been stuck at work and this keeps me sane. Fascinating match and great to see a pitch that will yield 40 wickets. yes to DRS!
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's it from me, it will be Geoff Lemon taking you through the second Test match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Enjoyed bringing the match to you and hope for another riveting game at Sydney.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Australia have gone 1-0 up in the series with this MCG win and India have now lost five successive Test matches away from home. India will need to do some rethinking on two counts - their batting and their field placements. I don't know whether it is Dhoni alone who decides on the fielding or whether it is the coach who comes into the picture as well, but it was simply below par. India have an extra day now, a total of four of them to recover from the twin-collapses. Also for their bowlers to recover from the long spells in the two innings. Australia will be mighty impressed with their win given that it came with a clutch of their main players missing. No Cummins, no Watson, Harris, (no Katich?) and yet, it was a superbly stitched victory. India had them on the mat at the end of the second day but the turnaround was simply superb. They will now await the arrivals of a few of their players like Watson and Harris if they get fit in time for the second Test. If fit, Watson may still fit into the opener's role, but I am not sure the selectors will want to change this bowling attack. Word on Ponting and Hussey - both continue to fight and played no small role in this victory. They live to fight another day and another Test. Lastly, the pitch itself was an excellent one, good advert for this format of the game we so love. As I always say, whether pace bowling or spin, if the tracks support bowlers, it will make for an excellent contest and have a better chance of bringing back the crowds than any of the other exercises that ICC undertakes to protect Test match cricket.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
OUT!!! And he attempts it again but Warner plucks out a superb catch and India is bowled out for 169. Australia win by 122 runs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
SIX!!! Just over the fence but something in that drink probably. Umesh Yadav smashes Lyon over long-on for six more Test match runs.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
So a lunch and tea break can be extended by 15 minutes if the team is nine down. Not the drinks break. A meaningless break then, this one, as players take drinks.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Pattinson continues to aim at the body. Hits Umesh Yadav on his gloves. And follows it up by coming around the wicket and making life miserable at the crease for Yadav. As much sympathy as a number 11 can garner from the fans here, if you cannot handle the heat, you should stay out of the kitchen.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
It is nearly 190,000 spectators over the four days of the game. That is way more than what the Big Bash League managed in their first four games this season, if I am not wrong.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Lyon gets pelted by the number 11 for a four over his head. Not easy while batting against pace and the lower-order trying to get as many possible from the slow bowler.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Pattinson tries everything in that over but some stubborn resistance from Ishant Sharma. Six runs off the over. 9/155
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Nathan Lyon has been asked to come on. He hasn't picked up a wicket in this game so far and this could well be a confidence-building exercise. Or a bid to allow Pattinson to get to his five-wicket haul.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
As much as the Indian fans will complain about the continuing batting collapses, this defeat needs to be attributed to poor captaincy. In both the innings, there were some strange tactics employed by MS Dhoni that allowed the opposition to get away - that at a time when the foot should have been firmly on the throat.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Excellent bowling from Pattinson...Cummins and Pattinson together will be an exciting combination.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
OUT!!! Bowled 'em. And yes, it is another inside-edge and Pattinson now has his fourth wicket! 14 wickets against New Zealand in two Tests and now eight more against India. 9/142
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Ishant Sharma's the new man in. He batted well in the first innings as a night watchman before he lured into a false stroke on his 69th ball.
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Actually I think that Pattinson just conned Zaheer. Two "easy" short deliveries, give hime the runs, then pitch it up just outside leg. Good thinking by the young'un.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
and now OUT!!! Pattinson has his third wicket as Zaheer Khan's out. Zaheer went for another big shot but only managed to hit it on to his pads and it popped up to the short-leg fielder. India are eight down and the fat lady has cleared her throat.