Josh Hazlewood grabbed a five-wicket haul before Steven Smith continued his batting form to pull Australia level with India at the end of the second day of the Brisbane Test. You can follow the live blog of the third day’s play starting 11:00am (AEDT).
When India resumed from their overnight 4/311, a score of 500 loomed large for Australia. They hadn’t bowled well on the first day and suffered a few injuries to their pace bowlers, which meant they had to get their lines and lengths correct or face the risk of being batted out of the contest.
AUSTRALIA VS INDIA: DAY FOUR LIVE SCORES
It was Hazlewood who took ownership of the situation.
He got rid of Ajinkya Rahane with a peach of a delivery and then came back to grab the wickets of skipper MS Dhoni and R Ashwin when they were going rather well.
Rahane had no chance of surviving a length ball that shaped to angle into the batsman but left him last moment. He nicked it to the keeper.
Ashwin played hard at one on a good length and was caught in the slips. Dhoni wanted a delivery outside the off-stump but its proximity to the off-stump meant that decision had to be taken quite late, taking the under-edge of the bat.
Nathan Lyon wrapped up the innings with a couple of wickets after Shane Watson had earlier chipped in with enticing Rohit Sharma into driving at a wide, swinging ball that got the edge of his bat.
Australia got off to the kind of start they are used to thanks to David Warner. Except, unlike previous occasions, he was hurried by Umesh Yadav’s pace and managed to top-edge an attempted forced-flick to offer first slip an easy catch.
Shane Watson’s flattery to deceive was no different from earlier, while Chris Rogers exhibited batting form that he hasn’t since his century at Port Elizabeth before he gave it away just before tea.
Another quick wicket would have allowed India to take control of the game but Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh thwarted the visitors. They were mindful of the Indian bowling attack at the start of their partnership but as they grew in confidence they began to take on more of the attack.
Smith was suddenly severe on R Ashwin, who had previously bowled his first 11 overs at less than two an over and went on to notch up his fourth successive score of more than fifty in Tests. He was still there unbeaten at close, as in both innings of the Adelaide Test.
Marsh left after he had been given a life and while he did not convert his start into something more meaningful, in the context of the game, it was a vital innings.
Going into the third day of the game, the match is quite evenly poised. Australia are 187 short of the Indian score and on paper, they have the batting to even things up.
With Smith still around and Mitchell Marsh having shown good promise with the bat in his short career, a lot will rest on their shoulders. Brad Haddin hasn’t had the best of times recently but the Australian lower-order, unlike the Indian one, can more than hold their bats.
It promises to be excellent third day of cricket and given the pace at which both teams have batted, a result looks very likely in this Test. That being the case, the third day could well decide which way this game is headed.
Join me for the third day of this second Test between Australia and India. Follow the live score from 11:00am (AEDT) and post your comments below.
Abdul Sattar
Guest
Wow
Bobbo7
Guest
India will bat all day and make a ton of runs. Game will be a draw
Daws
Guest
Funny how b the mindset of being so confident in rugby doens't translate to crickete here...
Pom in Oz
Roar Guru
You Aussies make me laugh. Such doom and gloom merchants! Of course you're going to win...
jamesb
Guest
Weather may intervene on day 5.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Strangely enough, India's best chance of winning is probably being bowled out late tomorrow with a lead of 250-plus, rather than batting really well and being in a position to declare. If they bat through the day they will only have a lead of 300 by day's end, even if they score quickly and make 326 for the day. No chance Dhoni would set Australia 300 to win from a full day. More likely he'd bat for another 15 overs on day 5, get the lead to 360-plus and then Australia would only need to survive 70 overs to draw which wouldn't be hard at the Gabba which still plays pretty well on day 5. Whereas if India get bowled out late tomorrow with a lead of 280 they'd be strong favourites to win, with the draw not even a possibility.
ajay
Guest
yeah ! but indian collapse is much better then pitch ! yesterday 6 wickets for 97 run and vijay already in dugout
Craig Watson
Guest
I left the room ..must have missed the last wicket. so when they left for the break I assumed we were still 9 down. Then I will ask this question instead. Do we have enough runs to win from here?
Craig Watson
Guest
Applaud your confidence Ajay. This will still be a good batting deck tomorrow. There is nothing in the pitch to help the bowlers. If India bat out the day they could set us a difficult target on a tough last day pitch.
jamesb
Guest
Smith didn't declare. We got bowled out.
Craig Watson
Guest
Could Watto become a bowling all rounder and save his career? At the moment his bowling is more useful than his batting. Bowled beautifully in this match..unlucky not to get a couple more wickets. Good to see Starc bounce back. Showed plenty of fight ...but needs a 3/4 wicket haul to play another test.
ajay
Guest
no ! still aus.mate ! ind don't have any tail anymore , virat and rahane and then collapse for sure !
Craig Watson
Guest
What are your thoughts. Did Smith declare too early. We have to bat last on a pitch some former players say will crack and offer variable bounce on the last day. Feel safer if we had another 60/70 runs to play with.
Tom from Perth
Roar Rookie
Remember India has no tail and we've got out their in form batsman. Aus are in front.
ajay
Guest
yeah ! but virat , rahane &skipper are the only players they have after pujara .....and then tailllllllll ! dhawan will be in dugout following a rubbish shot for sure !
Matth
Guest
He's certainly bowling very well at the moment
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
That's a day that belonged to Australia on the whole. They were 187 behind India when play started and went on to go 97 in front thanks to some excellent rear-guard action by Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood. Of course, Smith was there at the crease and went on to get to his century before getting out. That is a substantial lead, especially when it's considered that it could well have been India's lead of 70-80 runs when Brad Haddin had got out. Poor tactics cost India dear after that. Still, India is not totally out of this; they have chiselled off 71 runs from the lead for the loss of Murali Vijay. Their task is to bat the day tomorrow. Even then, with just four bowlers at their disposal, it won't be enough but anything less than that may not be enough. I am out of here for now but will be back tomorrow. Glad to have your company throughout the day and hope to see you tomorrow. Also hope to see a lot more people in the stands at the Gabba. Ciao!
Matth
Guest
Yep, it could be very interesting if India bat well tomorrow. If they do, how aggressive will they be with their declaration?
jamesb
Guest
I know India are still behind, but I reckon they are in front in the game. Australia will have to bat last and it may not be easy.
Suneer Chowdhary
Roar Guru
Two slips, two gullies, a short-leg and a leg-gully for Johnson bowling to Pujara. A tap into the covers, followed by one that's left behind. And then he defends off the front foot back to the bowler. Leaves alone the fourth ball before Johnson decides to go round the stumps. Makes Pujara play at it but he defends it back to the bowler. And he does that off the last ball of the day to end it with a maiden. India 1/71 in 23 at stumps, 26 behind.