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The Roar‘s live commentary from the fourth Test saw a huge day for Australia at the Adelaide Oval, as Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke made twin double-centuries in a dominant performance. The pair put on 384 runs together, a record for Australia against India.
The former and current captain came together before lunch on Day 1, with Australia at a tricky 3/84. They were 3/335 at stumps, 3/469 at lunch, and 3/470 in the first over after lunch when Clarke was finally dismissed for 210. Ponting was dropped on 186 and 215, and eventually dismissed for 221.
In Sydney they had added 288 together. Their effort here dwarfed even that.
Scale aside, it was a stunning display of batsmanship in terms of quality. On one of the friendliest pitches around, Ponting and Clarke flew along at four an over for most of their stand. Their full range of shots was on display, Ponting with hefty pulls and back-foot square drives, Clarke going through the covers and advancing to loft the spinners down the ground. All in all, a treat to watch.
Ponting was out with the score on 530. Brad Haddin and Ryan Harris made some hard-swinging runs at the end, after Mike Hussey was bizarrely run out by a sensational reflex effort by Gambhir at short leg. It was the first piece of inspired fielding from India.
Australia eventually declared at 7/604, a huge and intimidating total. They then got two crucial wickets before the close – Sehwag out to an awful shot and a sensational catch, caught and bowled off a full toss from Peter Siddle, that Sehwag should have put away to the fence.
Then Rahul Dravid was unlucky to be bowled by a ball that deflected off his front pad, his elbow, and back onto his stumps. Ben Hilfenhaus was the beneficiary.
Those were the kind of lucky breaks that didn’t go India’s way when they were bowling. Tomorrow, India will need to hope the luck changes direction. They will need to bat an extremely long time to have any hope of avoiding defeat here.
But Australia’s bowling showed rare signs of raggedness in the final hour, with a lot of full tosses and leg-side deliveries. The pacemen will need to tighten up substantially given the tough conditions that will face them tomorrow.
With Gambhir in good touch, and such an easy pitch for Tendulkar, Laxman, and Kohli to come in on, plus the understudy keeper Saha with a lot to prove, India actually have a good opportunity to put together an imposing score of their own.
Whether they’re able to take that chance remains to be seen.
Join us to find out from the first ball tomorrow, and to join in the cricket conversation across Australia and overseas, as we take you through live from start till stumps here on The Roar.