Only 184 balls were bowled on the second day of the Test match between Australia and India, but it didn’t stop the Aussies from piling on the misery on and they will now go into day three knowing there is probably only one team that can lose the game from here on.
Join The Roar for live scores of the third day of the first Test from the Adelaide Oval starting 10:30am (AEDT).
>>FOLLOW THE LIVE BLOG OF DAY FIVE
Just when one thought the Indian bowlers could bring them back into the game after toiling manfully for most part of yesterday, Michael Clarke and Steven Smith flattened them completely with their respective centuries.
Although the first day had almost fully belonged to Australia, those last few minutes before close had allowed India to make a comeback into the game. Three for 345 had become six for 354 and with Clarke’s back playing up and the chances of him batting again looking remote, they even had a chance to bowl them out for 400.
Alas, good times have seldom lasted for the Indian Test team outside Asia and it was no different on the second day.
Clarke did come out to bat and India played obedient guests by making some startling offerings. Ishant Sharma began without pace but more vitally he offered enough width to allow Smith to smack him for a four first ball. Clarke joined in the fun off the first full over that Mohammad Shami sent down and hit him for a four first up too.
And once the introductions were out of the way, things only went downhill for the Indian bowlers on what was arguably a very flat pitch.
What was interesting to see was that despite the numerous breaks for rains, the Australian batsmen’s concentration did not flag and they went from strength to strength – both got to their respective centuries and then Smith went on to get to his highest Test score before going past the 150-run mark.
India did find success late in the day – that was in the 30th over – when Clarke swept one straight down square-leg’s throat but by then more than 500 had been scored and it was a mentally shot bowling attack on the field. Four balls later, the day was called off because of bad light.
163 runs came from the 184 balls that were bowled and it wasn’t till very late in the day that the first real chance went down.
A declaration isn’t too far off now, to give Australia a chance with the new ball in a hope that the early morning moisture will help their bowlers with swing more than they did for India.
With a batting line-up that’s quite inexperienced, India is probably looking to overcome the issues they faced in the last three overseas Tests they played earlier this year. In those games, they survived the following number of overs in completed innings – 61.1, 29.2, 46.4, 43, 106.1, 66.4.
Against a bowling attack that has Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris and at least five others providing support, life will be tough for the Indians. What they will hope is that the pitch remains as placid as it was when the Aussies bat, but how they handle the extra bounce will make for an interesting watch.
Join me for the third day of this first Test between Australia and India on Thursday. You can follow the live score of this game from 10:30am (AEDT) and post your comments in the section below.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Where was Mitchell Starc... Siddle was dead weight.
Daws
Guest
Draw is most probable, but the way Lyon bowled today showed that he could be a handful come day 5.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The way I see it there is 97 certain (should be 98) overs a day (with the extra half an hour) which leaves a minimum of 194 overs in the game. If India bat for more than about 10 tomorrow Australia are in trouble. The lead is currently 148, so if Australia can bowl India out within about 40 runs or 10-15 overs that leaves about a 110 run lead with lets say 185 overs to go in the game. Australia will if they bat at 3.5rpo need at least 290 in their second inning and that may not be enough. That will be close to 90 overs which only leaves 95 (probably just day 5) to bowl India out. Draw is the most probable result no doubt about it.
Craig Watson
Guest
Sorry Sunneer..misread what you were saying. Let us wait and see what the pitch does tomorrow and what the state of the game is at, say lunch. Then we will have a far better idea of which way the game will go. As things stand, I am predicting a draw with an even chance of an Aussie win.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Thanks Craig. Which of my views do you not share? (never said India can win from here, that's like a once-in-a-100-match phenomenon). Draw is the most likely result but having watched India bat over the last couple of years away from home, I cannot be over-optimistic about it. So if India get bowled out for less than 70 more runs - and that's a distinct possibility - and Australia set a target of 300 in about 80 overs, you are looking at a result. More likely in favour of Australia. If you read the preview I had written above, there is a paragraph that goes like this: With a batting line-up that’s quite inexperienced, India is probably looking to overcome the issues they faced in the last three overseas Tests they played earlier this year. In those games, they survived the following number of overs in completed innings – 61.1, 29.2, 46.4, 43, 106.1, 66.4. These aren't great numbers as far as batting overs out is concerned - and it's not just restricted to these three Tests, the malaise has been around for some time. India have just about an outside chance of winning it - had they gone in at 4/360, I would have been slightly more optimistic about India's chances. There's one other bit - the suspense around how the pitch will turn out on the final day. An up and down pitch will make it a lot worse than a slow and low one - in fact a slow and low pitch will favour India. And given this is a drop-in wicket, it's sort of hard to make that call.
Craig Watson
Guest
Excellent call Suneer. You think India can win from here?. I do not share your view. A draw looks most likely unless the 'baggies" polish them off quickly tomorrow, then bat, pile on quick runs and leave at least a day to bowl India out. this, howver, will not be an easy task on this placid deck.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Really good effort by India today. Aussies bowled a fair bit better than the India attack I thought so to make 5-369 is a great performance. That's not to say the Aussies bowled well - they didn't, as a whole - but India were a real rabble with the ball apart from Ishant. Johnson was very wayward and lacked spark for most of the day, Harris was tidy but a bit rusty and like MJ was down on penetration and Siddle looked very innocuous, as he has for a long while in Tests now. Lyon was brilliant, and Marsh and Watson weren't threatening but did their role which was to build pressure while the quicks rested. If Australia can't bowl out India for less than 500 or so then it looks like a draw is the most likely result. Still hard to see how India can manufacture a win but you never know.
jamesb
Guest
"After the Ashes Australia have a run of 11-12 Tests against West Indies, Bangladesh and NZ which is the lowest profile run of Tests they’ve had in years." Well, we need to play against those sides as well. The last few years, Australian team has been on a diet of England, India and South Africa. My preference is to go with a young player like Burns. But for short term, I'd go Cowan.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
End of a long, hard-fought day. On its own, India had the better of it, to score 5/369, but when you look at it from the context of the game and Australia's 517 in the first innings, the hosts still hold a slight edge. Because India have to bat last in the game and if they can be bowled out by lunch tomorrow Australia can still give themselves the entire last day to try and bowl India out. Batting in second innings/fifth day isn't something India have done well in recent times and it won't be easy here. As I had spoken earlier, there isn't much batting after Saha. And even Saha is only two Tests old. Karn Sharma can hold the bat but batting at this level will be a different proposition altogether while the three quicks won't be providing too much relief with the bat. Kohli played a masterful innings, quite a matured one in his first knock as a Test captain but he should have remained there till the end. Probably a learning curve for him. I will be back on tomorrow, half hour earlier to make up for the lost time from the second day. Have good night!
jamesb
Guest
Match is delicately poised. Before Kohli got out, India were on top.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
It all depends on who they would be replacing and when that selection would be made. If Rogers struggles through this series then Aus could look for a short term partner for Warner with their eyes firmly on the Ashes in England. In that case Cowan's ability to consistently weather the new ball (something he did very well at Test level but consistently failed to capitalise on by wasting starts) could be very attractive to the selectors. Broad and Anderson caused huge problems with the new ball last time in England and with England lacking a frontline spinner then that first 25 overs when the Dukes is swinging will be all the more crucial. After the Ashes Australia have a run of 11-12 Tests against West Indies, Bangladesh and NZ which is the lowest profile run of Tests they've had in years. I think we'll see a big changeover of personnel during that period.
Nudge
Guest
Well certainly still game on. I think Australia need to be batting by lunch tomor with a lead of about 80 odd or more or it's going to be pretty tough to force a result
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
India trail by 149....big day tomorow
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Slightly wide outside the off stump at 137 km/hr and Saha lets it go. And then a bouncer angles into Saha who has to take his bottom hand off the bat. Back to over the stumps for the last ball of the day and Saha drives at a full-pitcher but not for runs... ...end of a maiden over, end of the day's play.
Red Kev
Guest
Cowan. Shaun Marsh is not the real deal.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
For the first time today, Johnson's coming round the stumps.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Starts off with a very full ball that Saha defends. And then a length ball is patted back with a straight, defensive bat. The inevitable bouncer follows but Saha sways away - that's what he did twice last over too - and does it well. Three balls to go.
Brains of a bimbo (Atgm)
Guest
Creamy soda
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Saha gets off the mark with a single but that's flicked in the air and was airborne for some time. What that also means is that he will be facing Johnson first up. This should be interesting.
jamesb
Guest
Really, wow! I just simply love that name. Not a bad commentator as well.