As I watched the third day of the Brisbane Test, I wondered whether I was watching a Test match or a Big Bash League hit-out.
The second session was most entertaining when skipper Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson and the tail comprising Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon and debutant Josh Hazlewood went ballistic.
Australia were struggling at 6/247, trailing India by 61 runs, when Smith was joined by Johnson. They added 148 runs for the seventh wicket in 26 overs at 5.7 runs per over and the match tilted Australia’s way.
I expected the tail to fold up after Johnson and Smith departed. But it wagged vigorously as Starc and Lyon added 56 runs for the ninth wicket, and Lyon and Hazlewood put on 51 for the last wicket at a fast tempo.
From 6/247 Australia’s last four wickets added 258 runs to lead a deflated India by 97 runs.
Here is how the Aussie tail frustrated bumper-happy Indian bowlers:
Johnson scored 88 runs (13 fours, one six) at strike rate (SR) of 94.62, Starc 52 (6 fours) at SR of 88.13, Lyon 23 (3 fours) at SR of 100, and Hazlewood (7 fours) at SR of 64.
The first three days of the Brisbane Test have witnessed a total of 124 fours and 4 sixes. Will it exceed the number of fours and sixes hit in the Adelaide Test last week? Between the two teams, 179 fours and 12 sixes were smacked. This works out at 36 fours and 2.4 sixes a day. It may be common in T20, but awesome for a Test match.
The Brisbane Test, like Adelaide, is on a knife edge as India trails by 26 runs with nine wickets in hand. Although Australia was ahead at stumps on Day 3, any result is possible.
If the overnight not out batsmen Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara, followed by the in-form Virat Kohli get going, Australia has a fight on their hands.
Capable batsmen Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, captain MS Dhoni, and Ravichandran Ashwin are all to follow.
Starc, Hazlewood and Shane Watson bowled line and length yesterday. If Johnson regains his mojo early tomorrow anything can happen. Disappointingly, Johnson has gone wicket-less in this Test so far.
If India sets Australia a win target of 300 runs on the fifth and final day, it could be the repeat of the Adelaide Test, with the result in doubt until the last hour.
Whoever wins, it promises to be an engrossing series as we move on to Melbourne and Sydney for the subsequent Tests.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy, currently held by India, is in the balance.
More heartening is the fact that Test cricket is alive and well, with the rival teams batting with flourish. My one criticism is that there is too much time wasting and atrocious over-rates.
up in the north
Guest
Almost prophetic.
Kersi Meher-homji
Guest
My typo almost came true. I had by mistake typed that India will set Australia a win target of 30 instead of a win target of 300. But when India was 6/117 in the morning session, India was only ahead by 20 runs with just four wickets in hand. Typo power! Terrific bowling by Australia or spineless batting by India?
Kersi Meher-homji
Guest
Thank you, Jacob.
Jacob
Guest
It was actually Starc and Hazelwood who put on the last partnership not Lyon and Hazelwood -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Roarfan
Guest
Tell me, why can't Queensland get the Big Bash live like other states If this is the best that channel 10 can do then give it to Fox Sports. If you were a betting person it would affect you, plus if you have children they should be in bed when it finishes in Qld. Perhaps they should give it a MA rating
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
The message says: 'The video you are trying to watch is not compatible with this device.' My 'device' is just a plain old iPad, so why the imcompatibility?
Adam Smith
Guest
Sick of people bashing T20 when it's the only format that most of us have the time for, to sit down and watch.
up in the north
Guest
I understood what you meant mate. What I'd like to see is the top order batsmen doing their jobs for a change. These solid starts we keep seeing, which then get squandered away cheaply is very frustrating from a fans perspective. Where does their concentration go? Is it due to the nintendo generation, where 30 odd minutes is considered a lifetime of application?
Kersi Meher-Homji
Expert
Correction: At the end of the story, there is a typo. It should be 300 runs and not 30 runs. If India sets Australia a win target of 300 runs on the fifth and final day, it could be the repeat of the Adelaide Test which concluded last Saturday with the result in doubt till the last hour.