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Peter Handscomb returned to his best form last night with a swashbuckling 70 for the Melbourne Stars at the SCG in their Big Bash clash with the Sydney Sixers.
Gone was his negative batting in the first two Tests against India with 34, 14, 7, and 13 that forced selectors to leave him out of the MCG Test in favour of Mitchell Marsh.
Last night Handscomb opened the batting to get off the mark with a well-struck six off paceman Ben Dwarshuis on his way to a 22-ball half century with six fours, and three maximums – his 70 taking just 35 deliveries of pure ball-striking.
Before the naysayers start whinging Bash runs don’t compete with Test runs, any runs in any format are currency with the selectors, especially given the way Handscomb has been batting compared to last night.
It was only last weekend Test skipper Tim Paine predicted Handscomb would probably return for the SCG Test next week that will take turn, and Handscomb is the best in the squad combating spin.
Last night Handscomb dished out severe punishment to speed and spin alike, putting acid on Mitchell Marsh to get out of his slump as the Australians chase India’s 7d/443 that took 1018 deliveries.
Australia will resume at 0-8 on a wicket that’s playing games with the odd low skidder, it’s a track that should be buried in the trash can of history.
So it won’t be easy for Marsh to reply, especially as his last 11 visits to the Test crease have been forgettable with 6, 4, 45, 5, 16, 4, 0, 12, 0, 13 and 5 to make a mere 110 off a labouring 384 deliveries.
To his credit Marsh gave away his usual half-track rubbish with the ball to turn in a career equally 26 overs in taking 0-51 with a team-high 1.96 economy rate.
He gave the three frontline quicks of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood a deserved rest in the 36-degree heat to more than play his part in making the Indian batsmen earn their runs the hard way.
That was an unexpected bonus from Marsh, but runs today will be the more meaningful for his immediate future.
A summary of the second day wouldn’t be complete with recognising Cummins’ sustained attack as the only one to get something out of this dreadful wicket to finish with 3-72 off 34 overs in that heat – he really is an outstanding Test cricketer.
The unluckiest was champion offie Nathan Lyon who toiled so manfully for 48 overs in taking 1-110, but had three catches dropped by Peter Siddle – fielding as a substitute – Travis Head, and Cummins of all people who has hands like a bucket.
So the scene is set for the Australians to bat for two days as well.
Failure to do so, and only India can win this Test to take a 2-1 series lead with the SCG to play.