Here’s Geoff Lemon’s day two report from the Adelaide Oval:
Close of day two: India 128-5 (trailing by 29 runs)
Well, that was quite the day. One that belonged to Travis Head, was seasoned by Mohammed Siraj, and ended with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland defenestrating the Indian top order.
This is now very much Australia’s Test to lose, but if Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy can bat for an hour or two tomorrow, India could at least make a game of it. And if that pair do bat for any length of time, it will be extremely entertaining.
I’m on deck for the first session of play tomorrow, so please feel free to join me for all the action.
23rd over: India 128-5 (Pant 28, Nitish 15) There’s a delay before the 24th over while Nitish receives some treatment to his right thumb. Textbook late-in-the-day time-wasting. The over is to be bowled by Boland, who replaces Starc, and Pant takes him on first ball – lofting a drive over mid-off for four. That wasn’t perfectly timed, but struck well enough. He then has the awareness to rotate the strike next ball and relax at the non-striker’s end.
From there he can see four slips, a gully, and a catching point waiting for Nitish, so Boland will be furious when he lands his delivery on middle and is worked easily into the leg-side for runs. Then Boland is too short and Nitish leaves.
Now Carey calls for a helmet so he can come up to the stumps. This is to help Boland commit to a fuller length and keep the batter in his crease. It almost pays immediate dividends with the keeper whipping off the bails in a flash but to no avail. With the pressure building Nitish stands his ground and hoicks a boundary off an inside edge through square leg.
23rd over: India 117-5 (Pant 23, Nitish 9) Pant and then Nitish both do well to rotate the strike and deny Cummins any consistency. The latter has settled quickly after his nervous start, and he confirms his growing confidence with a textbook cover drive, down on one knee, sending the ball skating to the boundary along the Adelaide Oval carpet.
“At the start of this blog I posed a question concerning my attendance tomorrow,” begins Eamonn Maloney. “Presumptuous of me to assume there’d be anything to see on the third day of a Test match.”
22nd over: India 110-5 (Pant 21, Nitish 4) Nitish is skittish, trying to apply the Pant approach, but without the execution. He almost offers a return catch to Starc, then he flails outside off and sends the ball scorching just out of reach of Labuschagne at third slip.
Gervase Greene is back. “While I appreciate the earlier sentiments that day-night Tests feature too great a contrast in batting conditions,” he emails, “the simple fact remains that the ‘victim’ in this instance is winning the toss and batting first.
I am not sure why the day-night difference is any greater a disparity than being sent in first on a green top, or having to bat last on a dustbowl. Without being overly provocative, I suggest the criticism comes from batter-centric critics, who surely have had enough say on the game’s rules for the last 500 years…?”
21st over: India 105-5 (Pant 20, Nitish 0) Perhaps a little overexcited, Cummins reviews a legside catch to Nitish’s first delivery. He was nowhere near it. Nonetheless, an excellent over from the Australian skipper.
India still trail by 51 runs.
WICKET! Rohit b Cummins 6 (India 105-5)
Pat Cummins brings himself back on and he castles his opposing skipper! Absolutely beautiful delivery, just kissing the top of off stump. Rohit never looked comfortable and he trudges off with his side deep in the mire.
20th over: India 104-4 (Pant 19, Rohit 6) While Pant is having the time of his life out in the middle, Rohit is happy just to survive. Starc beats him early but the Australian loses his line and length thereafter and the Indian skipper even manages to pounce on some length to punch a confidence-boosting four through extra cover.
19th over: India 100-4 (Pant 19, Rohit 2) Ha! Pant comes again! Two steps to leg then a massive swipe to the offside – middled – and through the covers for four. Then the diving hook shot – conventional this time – a mirror of the earlier shot and through fine-leg for four more! Extraordinary creativity and execution. This is TikTok cricket.
18th over: India 90-4 (Pant 11, Rohit 2) Not a great start for Rohit, the regular opener strolling out at 9:30pm at night at number six and top-edging his first delivery into his helmet. His second ball is even worse, with Starc finding that inswining once more to pin the Indian skipper LBW… but it’s a no-ball! The second in a row. However, there was also a thick inside edge that would surely have been picked up on review, which will make Starc feel a little better. Another inswinging yorker is just about repelled late in the over.
It’s hard to see this match lasting deep into day three, so if you have any emails you want to share, send them in now!
WICKET! Gill b Starc 28 (India 86-4)
Bosh! Mitchell Starc has not fired this evening… until now! Finally some swing for the big fast bowler, and he uses it to perfection, finding some late tail back into the stricken Gill who is beaten for pace and movement, and sees his middle stump exterminated. The trademark Starc wicket. Like a boxer punching through the guard and dislodging a tooth. India are four down and drowning.
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17th over: India 86-3 (Gill 28, Pant 11) Boland beats a Pant prod at the start of the fifth over of his spell. Pant remains circumspect, prodding uncertainty at another… then he unfurls the most unhinged shot I might have ever seen. Technically I think it was a reverse hook, leaning back, and middled for four over the slip cordon. What on earth was that!? And then he puts his want back in its case for the remainder of the over. Unbelievable batting.
16th over: India 82-3 (Gill 28, Pant 7) Pant is more respectful to Starc, dotting a couple then dashing a single. Gill then plays away from his body, gets a very thick edge, that Smith gets his fingertips to diving full length to his right at second slip. That wasn’t a chance, but Smith’s athleticism almost turned it into one. It would have been meat and drink to a third slip. Gill then works a couple to the on-side before standing tall and punching through the off-side for two more.
15th over: India 73-3 (Gill 20, Pant 6) Pant comes in at five for India when Rohit might have walked out. And he comes out with intent! A couple of skips to leg and a mighty swipe over extra-cover for a one bounce four! Incredible scenes. He then almost runs himself out attempting a needless second but Webster (on as a sub) throws poorly from deep square leg and makes it hard for Carey to gather with Pant struggling to make his ground. Pant has clearly come out trying to replicate Head’s heroics, perhaps not the worst strategy.
WICKET! Kohli c Carey b Boland 11 (India 66-3)
Kohli presents the full face of the blade to earn three runs down the ground from a perfectly serviceable Boland delivery. Then the Victorian golden arm gets his man! Hardly anything has troubled India this evening, but everything that has seems to have taken a wicket! Line and length from Boland, angling in, Kohli attempts a forward defensive but can only find a healthy edge through to Australia’s gloveman.
Boland’s average dips back under 20.
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14th over: India 62-2 (Gill 19, Kohli 8) Starc returns to the attack in place of Cummins. He immediately finds a better line and length, but there’s no venom, and both right-handers are able to keep the scoreboard moving with patient accumulation.
Time for the final drinks break of the evening. 18 overs remaining in the day’s play.
13th over: India 58-2 (Gill 18, Kohli 5) Boland has been by far the pick of the home attack so far and he beats Gill’s outside edge at the start of his third over. Not a lot to report from the remainder of the set. A single brings India’s deficit down from three figures to two, still a long way behind in the match.
12th over: India 57-2 (Gill 17, Kohli 5) The sixth, and presumably final, over of Cummins’ opening spell passes with minimal incident. These are not the terrifying conditions we were promised.
11th over: India 56-2 (Gill 16, Kohli 5) Boland begins his second over by rapping Gill on the front pad and appealing with gusto. His entreaty is disregarded and no review is sought, presumably because of height. He then has Kohli either playing and missing a couple outside off, or deliberately playing inside the line. Either way, they were lovely seaming deliveries.
Nathan Lyon is back on the field following his elbow injury.
10th over: India 55-2 (Gill 15, Kohli 5) You can sense that Cummins is trying to urge himself into form, running in with purpose and hitting the crease harder than previously this series. The result is lift from a length that hits the splice of Gill’s bat. India do well to rotate the strike then Cummins overpitches, allowing Gill to lean into an effortless cover drive for four. There’s still very little happening off the deck or through the air. India will be shaking their heads at being two down.
9th over: India 46-2 (Gill 7, Kohli 4) Scott Boland must be on the shortlist of cricketers in history with a golden arm. Despite being on the fringes of this Australian team his CV is already packed full of incredible moments. He almost adds to it later in the over too, beating Kohli’s outside edge first ball, then inducing a thick edge that beats gully and runs away for four.
WICKET! Jaiswal c Carey b Boland 24 (India 42-2)
Scott Boland is invited to bowl, somewhat belatedly, and he strikes first ball. Classic Australian seamer line and length, right-arm over, angling across the left-hander, who nibbles behind. India have only played a couple of false shots but now they’re two down trailing by 115.
8th over: India 42-1 (Jaiswal 24, Gill 7) The pitch is doing very little, as you’d hope late on day two of a Test match in Adelaide, which puts all the onus on the bowler to make use of conditions through the air. So far, Australia have not extracted as much movement as might be expected. With both batters playing the ball late, there have been surprisingly few concerns.
7th over: India 38-1 (Jaiswal 21, Gill 6) As darkness begins to descend on Adelaide and the floodlights take full effect, Starc continues, hurling a couple of junk deliveries down the leg side. Then he overcorrects, offering width, that Jaiswal accepts gleefully with a Head-like swat that flies over the cordon for four. A fast inswinging yorker hints at a radar rediscovered, but Jaiswal is waiting for it and drills it straight for three more. Surely Boland gets the next over.
6th over: India 30-1 (Jaiswal 14, Gill 5) While Starc has looked unthreatening, Cummins appears to be bowling himself back into form, beating Jaiswal’s outside edge with a lovely slanting delivery. The youngster is unfazed though and to a similar delivery instead of coming forward, rocks back, and clips a cut straight into the ground in front of second slip that is too hot for Steve Smith’s parry and runs away for four.
5th over: India 24-1 (Jaiswal 9, Gill 4) Starc has lacked control so far, allowing Jaiswal to leave repeatedly outside off stump. After ignoring three deliveries the opener tries to uppercut the fourth, fails to connect, but the trampoline bounce still sees it fly over Carey and away for four byes. Starc then tries to place the ball on a spot, instead of hurling it there, and Jaiswal is waiting for it with the full face of his bat and the long off boundary is breached near instantly. Perhaps time for Scott Boland to make use of the new ball.
4th over: India 16-1 (Jaiswal 5, Gill 4) Gill is off the mark first ball with a handsome flick through midwicket with Cummins striving too hard for the full inswinging delivery.
WICKET! Rahul c Carey b Cummins 7 (India 12-1)
KL Rahul perishes! He looked composed at the crease but the first short ball of the night does for him. After four excellent deliveries either good or full, Cummins drops short, catches his foe unawares and Rahul is late onto a pull, managing only to edge an ungainly swipe that Carey takes down the legside.
3rd over: India 12-0 (Jaiswal 5, Rahul 7) Lovely cricket. Starc with a bit of swing into the right-handed Rahul, but the opener bides his time and caresses a gentle push in front of midwicket for a gorgeous boundary. That was the shot of a man in excellent form. A trio of singles keep the strike rotating with both batters showing excellent composure. India have started this testing session solidly.
2nd over: India 5-0 (Jaiswal 4, Rahul 1) There’s still plenty of blue sky around as Pat Cummins bowls onto KL Rahul’s hip and the Indian opener dashes through to get off the mark. The line and length to Jaiswal is much more threatening and the left-hander is relieved to survive a delivery that almost clips the shoulder of the bat and the top of off stump. The new pink ball has yet to misbehave.
Nathan Lyon has not taken the field for Australia. It can be assumed that’s a consequence of the blow he took to his right elbow from Bumrah shortly after Tea.
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1st over: India 4-0 (Jaiswal 4, Rahul 0) There is no repeat of the first innings with Starc hurling a rank opening delivery down the leg side. The second delivery is on the left-hander’s pads but he can’t cash in. Jaiswal’s guard has changed noticeably from the first innings, with his toes on leg stump, rather than middle, allowing him more room to play through the line against Starc bowling over the wicket and appearing less susceptible to the swinging delivery. And that adaptation pays dividends when he caresses a square drive from under his nose away for four.
India survive the first of up to 31 overs this evening.
Mitchell Starc is at the top of his mark. Yashasvi Jaiswal is on a pair…
For India, Bumrah (4/61) was again the clear pick of the attack, despite being nowhere near his best and looking like he was struggling with a couple of niggling injuries. Siraj went wicketless for 21 overs but took the vital wicket of Head and then mopped up the tail for 4/98. Ashwin’s 1/53 included the phantom wicket of Marsh, and also demonstrated how uncomfortable Australia’s batters are against his box of tricks.
In other Australian cricket news, Sam Konstas is 80* for NSW against WA in the Sheffield Shield. He will surely make a Test squad before the end of the summer.
Australia 337 (lead by 157)
Australia have moved into the box seat today courtesy of Travis Head. His rapid 140 stands apart on a scorecard dominated by scratchy knocks and low numbers. Marnus Labuschagne hinted at a return to form, and Nathan McSweeney showed grit in tough conditions last night, but Head’s brilliance knocks everything else into a cocked hat.
Australia will not be upset at having to bowl 30 or so overs with a new pink ball under lights. As is becoming commonplace in these day-night affairs, the match is moving on apace.
WICKET! Boland b Siraj 0 (Australia 337)
Lyon digs out a full delivery that evades mid-on and runs away for three. Siraj then hits the top of off with a jaffa to end Australia’s Head-heavy innings.
87th over: Australia 334-9 (Lyon 1, Boland 0) Can Lyon keep out Bumrah? Ouch! Yes he can, but the first legal dot ball of the over crunches into the off-spinner’s right elbow. He refuses to flinch, but that looked painful. He escapes strike soon afterwards with a scampered single off a squirty inside edge. Boland then plays and misses twice outside off, but the line is too wide from Bumrah to a No.11. He tries to recalibrate but flings his final delivery of the over down the leg side.
86th over: Australia 332-9 (Lyon 0, Boland 0) Boland is beaten all ends up first ball but he doesn’t get a nick and survives. The same happens on the penultimate ball of the over. The innings change will be soon.
”I’m almost a bit surprised Cummins hasn’t declared,” emails Ross McGillivray. “Two hours with pink ball and this game could be almost over. Not sure half a day’s play tomorrow will thrill SA Cricket. No. I’m not a fan of night matches. The difference in conditions between day and night is too great.”
I think they’ll have two hours Ross, even if it’s not by their own choosing.
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WICKET! Starc c Rana b Siraj 17 (Australia 332-9)
Starc is so eager to bowl in these conditions he gifts his wicket away to the first delivery after the interval! Routine line and length from Siraj and the big Australian just dollies some catching practice to mid-off. Two in two balls either side of the Tea break for India.
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Out walk Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc to take guard for the final session of the day. Mohammed Siraj, public enemy number one, has a pink ball just five overs old. The lights are on, but there’s still plenty of daylight. What do we have in store?
“What are the odds for Virat Kohli back in the pavilion by stumps on day two?” ponders Krishnamoorthy.
I’d say there’s every chance. There are still 37 overs left in the day. Australia’s tail is unlikely to last long after tea, and we know how good Starc and co are with the pink ball.
Trust The Lovely Eggs to have a song for everything. I’ll be back shortly, but enjoy your tea break to the sound of Mohammed Siraj’s inner monologue.
TEA: Australia 332-8 (lead by 152)
The wicket heralds the tea interval with Australia now in a very strong position thanks to Travis Head’s blistering hitting. Everything from here is gravy for the home side. Tail end runs will be accepted, but the opportunity to bowl at India under lights a very handy alternative.
WICKET! Cummins b Bumrah 12 (Australia 332-8)
Cummins charges Bumrah and inside-edges for four just a whisker past his leg stump. Bumrah follows up by hitting the top of off. But the wicket-taking delivery is only just legal. India’s celebrations were put on hold for a couple of seconds as the third umpire confirmed some portion of the bowler’s foot was behind the crease.
As expected, the new ball has accelerated this contest.
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84th over: Australia 327-7 (Cummins 8, Starc 17) Starc long-handles the first delivery of Siraj’s new over and the ball flies off the edge for four through third. Then he straight drives for four more! Then lofts over cow for two! Superb lower-order smiting. The crowd absolutely loves it.
“The send off from Bumrah was ignored in the last test and I would be willing to bet that the Siraj one will also be unpunished,” bemoans Stephen Lewis. I have mixed feelings about it. I don’t mind a little passion, and in this age of everyone knowing each other well through franchise cricket, a lot of the rivalries now feel manufactured. But mouthing off to a guy who’s almost single-handedly matched your teams’s score, with the game very clearly against you, is just mealy mouthed and dumb. Pick your moments.
83rd over: Australia 316-7 (Cummins 8, Starc 6) The crowd continues to get stuck into Siraj, who is now on the boundary rope, refusing to take a backward step. Bumrah then celebrappeals for an LBW against Cummins which is correctly declined for a massive inside-edge. It didn’t stop Rana charging in to remonstrate. Bumrah sticks to his task and ends the over with an absolute beauty! From wide on the crease he angles the ball into and through Cummins with serious pace and movement. The keeper and cordon go up as one, but the bowler isn’t super interested. Rohit calls for a review… Snicko quickly reveals there was no inside edge for a catch behind. Then ball tracker indicates LBW is out of the question too.
It is simmering out there. India need some calm heads out there as we approach the evening break.
“Jonathan, you speak an uncommon amount of sense,” emails my burner account Gervase Greene. “Adelaide Oval is exactly a massive oval that seems to have retained pretty much all of the charm of one that is not. The MCG, for example, is the opposite. When a great crowd of 50,000 is there it feels half-empty. That’s the difference. (And I am a member of the MCC!)
82nd over: Australia 315-7 (Cummins 8, Starc 5) The crowd has just seen replays of the send off and are now booing everything Siraj does – and erupting when Starc smears his first delivery through the covers for a handsome boundary.
Nonetheless, the new ball does the trick, and Australia’s set batter will not be around for the most difficult spell of batting. But then again, there’s a risk India will rattle through the tail and bring forward their own pain by being forced to bat late in the day.
The end of a sensational innings! 🗣️#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/kEIlHmgNwT
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 7, 2024
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WICKET! Head b Siraj 140 (Australia 310-7)
Siraj shares the new ball, and he begins poorly, with the third delivery in five whipped off middle-and-leg by Head through midwicket for four. He doesn’t need gifts in this form, but the South Australian is getting them nonetheless. And with the bit between his teeth Head is able to pick a length delivery off middle over midwicket for six!
Then he’s castled! Out of nowhere, Head plays across a full straight one and the zing bails light up in the gloaming. The crowd stands to salute a magnificent innings, one that has transformed this Test match.
Siraj behaved like a massive wally in the aftermath of the dismissal, sending the batter on his way with some verbals and hand gestures. Read the room Mohammed.
The end of a sensational innings! 🗣️#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/kEIlHmgNwT
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 7, 2024
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81st over: Australia 300-6 (Head 130, Cummins 8) After receiving some attention to his groin region (can groin be pluralised? Is it a left groin and a right groin that becomes groins, or is it a general area of groinage?) Bumrah is back on his feet, much to the relief of Indian fans around the world. However, his comeback delivery is a tame half-volley on leg stump that Head whips dismissively for another four.
“Hello Jonathan,” hi Pratik Bhide. “Writing from New Delhi and I’m feeling chilly at work in the afternoon, although that might also just be Travis Head and his habit of filleting our bowlers every time he faces them. There is nothing that incites sheer panic in me as an Indian cricket fan than Travis Head past 20 runs. My mother and I are watching the Test in seperate cities, and both of us are surely thinking of the nickname we fondly have for him in our household — Travis Dread. An outstanding batter that we always wish would slip, just once.”
80.3 over: Australia 291-6 (Head 121, Cummins 8) Here comes Bumrah with the shiny pink Kookaburra, coming out of shadow, through sunlight, and back into shadow again. Second ball he has Head fending at fresh air, making the ball curve away from the centurion from around the wicket. Is the hometown hero bothered? Nope. Next delivery is crunched over long-on for a sweetly-timed four.
And now Bumrah is down. The physio is on. Looks like a right groin problem. He only bowled four overs in the first session, so maybe this is a niggle he brought into the match?
80th over: Australia 291-6 (Head 121, Cummins 8) Australia continue to nudge Ashwin away. Now, time for the new ball…
“Adelaide Oval! Massive? I don’t think so Jonathan,” declares Ray Murphy “A quaint bespoke oval perhaps. Massive?” A capacity of 53,500 is massive. Only a handful of cricket grounds in the world are bigger. That fact we still see it as a bespoke oval is part of its brilliance.
79th over: Australia 291-6 (Head 121, Cummins 8) Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Siraj, and he almost gets Cummins second ball! A length delivery induces the drive but the regulation edge only reaches Pant on the half-volley. Then Cummins thick-edges a cut that flies straight to where third slip would be… but there is only a second slip and a gully, so there’s no catch and four more to the scoreboard.
This game is moving quickly again, and is surely about to explode with the new ball in a few minutes.
Adelaide has a new king 👑#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/SeEaK9wRfe
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 7, 2024
78th over: Australia 284-6 (Head 121, Cummins 1) Australia have now ground out a lead of 103 runs, which is a mighty number in the context of the match and Mitchell Starc’s form with the pink ball. That advantage only grows by two in an over demonstrating once again Australia’s respect for Ashwin.
Jamie Bannister is on board with The Lovely Eggs.
“Is this the first mention of Lancaster’s finest The Lovely Eggs on OBO? If so I am here for any Holly and David celebrating. For sports fans I recommend the catchy Baulk Cushion œuf course.”
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WICKET! Carey c Pant b Siraj (Australia 282-6)
Maybe it’s only Ashwin this pair are concerned about? The runs flow against Siraj, including four to Head from a massive swoosh that flies off a thick outside edge. But then India’s number two paceman bags his first wicket in his 21st over! Nondescript back of a length delivery and Carey gets stuck on the crease wafting outside his off stump. Very soft dismissal, and one that has come at a dreadful time for the batters below him in the order.
77th over: Australia 282-6 (Head 120)
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76th over: Australia 274-5 (Head 114, Carey 13) The new ball and floodlights are just around the corner, which may well have been a cautionary tale discussed over electrolytes. After throwing his bat at everything for an hour or so, Head decides to drop anchor against Ashwin. The calm before storm Bumrah.
I forgot to say hello to everybody at the handover, here’s a more formal introduction. I’ll be with you until the close of play, so please send me your emails and keep me company. The address is jonathan.howcroft.casual@guardian.co.uk.
Some things you might want to discuss:
Is there a better massive sports stadium in the world than Adelaide Oval?
With England finding form and major cracks emerging in Australia’s top order, could we finally be set for a competitive Ashes next summer?
Are you familiar with The Lovely Eggs?
75th over: Australia 273-5 (Head 114, Carey 12) Australia deal in singles against Siraj with half the Adelaide Oval outfield shrouded in bubble-shaped shadows cast by the silhouette of the beautiful stands. Time for this partnership to enjoy a well-earned drink and figure out how to navigate the next hour of this middle session.
Great thing about cricket in Australia is the sense of players having *proper* home Tests, that feel that bit more tangible and significant. Adelaide crowd appreciation for Travis Head's excellent century next level - love it
— Ben Jones (@benjonescricket) December 7, 2024
74th over: Australia 270-5 (Head 113, Carey 10) Thank you James, it’s a pleasure to share the tools with you.
Back in Adelaide, Travis Head is in party mode. This innings has taken the game away from India and they need something special to fight their way back into the contest.
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73rd over: Australia 267-5 (Head 112, Carey 8) Head in Excelsis! Three boundaries flayed off Rana, the ball crashing through and over the covers on repeat.
This is fantastic to watch… and that’s exactly what I am going to do now as I pass the OBO tools on to Jonathan Howcroft. Thanks for your company, goodbye.
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Century for Travis Head!
A nudge into the leg-side off Ashwin sees Travis Head go to his eighth Test century and his third at the Adelaide Oval! The crowd rise to him as he removes his helmet and plonks it on his bat handle, raising both arms to the skies in scenes that Ridley Scott would be proud to choreograph.
72nd over: Australia 255-5 (Head 100, Carey 8)
That's for baby Harrison!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 7, 2024
Another home-town ton for Travis Head! #AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/u4s6nV62RZ
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71st over: Australia 252-5 (Head 98, Carey 7) Rana is pummelled for consecutive boundaries by Head! He’s on the cusp of a remarkable Test century!
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70th over: Australia 243-5 (Head 89, Carey 7) Ashwin goes flat in the face of the flurry of runs. Try saying that after a tipple, or having been awake for 21 of the last 24 hours.
Damage limitation, four runs off the over.
69th over: Australia 239-5 (Head 86, Carey 6) Harshit Rana replaces Bumrah after a flat spell from the Indian talisman. Head EDGES and the ball flies away between slip and the keeper! Gah. Pant and Rohit glare at each other like two tightwads at the bar, neither flinching as the ball bisects them and races to the boundary. Four more! Rana strays onto the hip and Head doesn’t miss out, he’s careering to a century.
John Starbuck is feeling festive.
“Jim, there ought to be the equivalent of Advent Calendars specially for a five-test series. What would you want to see when you open each day? Jasprit Bumrah in full flight?”
Travis Head in full blitzkrieg mode is not bad for December 7th, John.
68th over: Australia 230-5 (Head 78, Carey 5) Travis Head is ticking! He smokes Ashwin down the ground for SIX! Next ball he tries a huge moose of a slog sweep that goes high in the air… Siraj circles underneath it but can’t cling on to the catch! How costly will that be? Head blocks out the last two balls after his rush of blood to the oh what word should I use here?
67th over: Australia 220-5 (Head 68, Carey 5) Bumrah goes short and Head takes him one, seeing it early and pulling in front of square for four. Head is winning the battle against Bumrah at the moment, Australia’s lead stretches to 40 runs.
66th over: Australia 210-5 (Head 62, Carey 2) Ashwin is looking dangerous now, spinning his web. Always at the batter. He traps Carey on the pad and there’s a loud appeal but it was sliding past leg stump. A probing maiden from the wily old spinner.
65th over: Australia 214-5 (Head 63, Carey 5) Bumrah nearly gets Head with a short ball that the batter decides to try and periscope away over the keeper at the final second. A smile rather than a stare from the bowler.
64th over: Australia 210-5 (Head 62, Carey 2) Replays show that Marsh may have even grazed his pad with his bat and not the ball. If he’d reviewed he may well have been reprieved… but he thought he hit it.
Alex Carey is the new batter, he plinks his second ball to Rana at mid off where a misfield sees him scamper two to get off the mark.
WICKET! Marsh c Pant b Ashwin 9 (Australia 208-5)
Ashwin strikes! On with the arm and Marsh pokes away from his eyeline, a thin edge is snaffled by Pant. Marsh seems to walk before double checking with the umpire, who duly raises the digit of doom.
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63rd over: Australia 207-4 (Head 61, Marsh 9) Marsh stands tall and flashes a back foot drive off Bumrah to the point boundary. After my big upping intro it hasn’t quite happened yet for Bumrah in this spell.
62nd over: Australia 202-4 (Head 61, Marsh 5) Head cuts Ashwin for a single and Marsh drives down the ground for another. Ashwin tosses one up, as much as he ever does, Head’s eyes light up in response and he dances down to drive over cover. He doesn’t middle it though and picks up two runs rather than the intended boundary. 200 up for Australia.
61st over: Australia 198-4 (Head 58, Marsh 4) Travis Head has some eye, Bumrah bowls a length ball on a fourth stump line, Head moves inside it and cuts it late, right out of the screws, the ball tracing away across the Adelaide baize and thudding into the hoardings. Talk about timing and placement. Bumrah offers a shrug and a smile and pounds back to his mark. 1-0 to Head.
60th over: Australia 192-4 (Head 53, Marsh 3) Marsh tickles a single to get the scoring underway. Head clobbers a drive that the bowler does well to swoop and stop in his follow through. Righto, here comes a crucial passage in this match, maybe even this series. Am I over egging things? Perhaps. But not really.
Jasprit Bumrah is coming on to bowl, fresh after a rest. Maybe a five or six over stint? Can he get rid of Head and get his side back into this match? Let’s find out.
Here come the players for the second session of the day. Ashwin is going to start with the ball, Mitch Marsh on strike. Australia’s lead stands at eleven runs and counting.
ICYMI: Gus Atkinson takes the 50th hat-trick in Test cricket.
‘When the chance comes, don’t miss it’
When 2Becomes3
— James Wallace (@Jimbo_Cricket) August 14, 2024
Get it on
Get it on… the stumps https://t.co/wMSbkQlY6H
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Stumps in Wellington. Another quiet day at the Bazball office…
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Lunch/Dinner/Whatever: Australia 191-4 (lead by 11 runs)
Head cuts Siraj away for four to go to another blistering fifty. That caps off a decent session for Australia, they lost McSweeney, Smith and Labuschagne but have knocked off the deficit and moved into the lead. Head is set and looking dangerous, another hour or so from him after the break and Australia will have a commanding first innings lead.
Right0, dawn breaking here in London, time to get mainline some Kenco.
59th over: Australia 191-4 (Head 53, Marsh 2)
58th over: Australia 186-4 (Head 49, Marsh 1) There’s a long delay whilst India send a review for LBW to Marsh upstairs. The umpire said not out and the Big ol’ Bison was a heck of a long way down the wicket… it looks like he might have trapped it too? After many replays they decided to stick with the on field umpire and I think that is a fair decision. One more over before the interval.
57th over: Australia 185-4 (Head 49, Marsh 0) Siraj is called back into the attack but Head greets him with a Swiss clock timed clip off his pads for four through midwicket. The bowler does well to stem the flow with four dots on a length, Head makes room off the last, backing away and lashing to deep point for a couple more. We’ve got ten overs til the break, nigh on a hundred runs and three wickets in the session so far.
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56th over: Australia 179-4 (Head 43, Marsh 0) Warning signs for India despite the wicket as Travis Head is positively purring. He launches Ashwin for another big SIX down the ground and takes eleven runs off the over to see Australia into the lead. Every run from now will hurt that bit more for Rohit and his men.
55th over: Australia 168-3 (Head 32, Marsh 0) Mitchell Marsh is the new batter and he blocks out the rest of the over from breakthrough man Nitish Kumar Reddy.
WICKET! Labuschagne c Jaiswal b Nitish Kumar Reddy (Australia 168-4)
Gone! Marnus Labuschagne cuts powerfully… but in the air to gully where Jaiswal takes a sharp catch! India celebrate with abandon and Marnus has to drag himself from the field, no narrative exploding century for him but he showed signs of getting back to something of his old self with that gutsy knock.
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54th over: Australia 168-3 (Labuschagne 64, Head 32) Australia in the ascendancy now after losing McSweeney and Smith early on this afternoon. A couple collected off Ashwin with no alarms and no surprises.
53rd over: Australia 166-3 (Labuschagne 63, Head 31) Rana is hoicked from the attack by Rohit and Nitish Kumar Reddy is summoned. Head sits back and punches for two through the off side and follows up with a bludgeoning cut for three that is hauled in by the fielder on the fence.
52nd over: Australia 160-3 (Labuschagne 62, Head 26) And breathe. Calpol administered and Ashwin sends down a maiden.
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51st over: Australia 160-3 (Labuschagne 62, Head 26) Carnage! Four boundaries in the over as Head and Labuschagne take Rana to task!
Rana persists with short pitched bowling and is punished, pulled twice, cut once and glided for another. 17 runs off the over. Australia cut the deficit down to 20 runs and the partnership between this pair is 58 runs.
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50th over: Australia 143-3 (Labuschagne 50, Head 21) A single off Ashwin poked through cover by Head.
Meanwhile, the syringe search continues.
49th over: Australia 142-3 (Labuschagne 50, Head 20) “Surely under such circumstances they should be called Wisden teeth?” Jake Kimber-Thomson isn’t the first to chime in with this zinger. Come one, come all.
FIFTY for Marnus Labuschagne, well batted. Takes some serious stones to come back from that Perth horror show.
The toddler is awake by the way. With a cough to boot. Tis the season. Excuse me whilst I dig out some Calpol and search for one of those syringes. I may be some time…
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48th over: Australia 138-3 (Labuschagne 47, Head 19) Ashwin is coming on for a bowl. He has a slip and short leg in place to Marnus. Slightly too full and allows Labuschagne to drive down the ground and get off strike. Head has one ball to take a look… and then launches his second down the ground for a towering SIX! Got the front dog outta the way and committed wholeheartedly to the stroke. Smeared for 93 metres. Ashwin nearly strikes back immediately with a flatter delivery into the pads, it was going down leg though.
The run rate's rising now that Head's at the crease! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/FLsZgADXPO
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 7, 2024
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47th over: Australia 131-3 (Labuschagne 46, Head 13) Rana is slightly too full and is picked off for a couple each by Head and Marnus.
Rowan Sweeney has some teeth tales of his own:
“Much solidarity with Thomas Bancroft. I have traumatic memories of having my wisdom teeth removed in 2009. Owing to my teeth having curly roots, two of them needed to be cut into quarters. To make it worse the dentist was heading to the Perth Test, hoping to make day 3 and South Africa had reduced Australia to 3-15 on day one. He was disgusted, thinking he would miss the action entire. Good times…”
Curly roots eh? Leo Sayer smile.
46th over: Australia 127-3 (Labuschagne 46, Head 9) Shot! Siraj serves up a half volley and Marnus drives away handsomely for four.
45th over: Australia 122-3 (Labuschagne 42, Head 8) Marnus drives Rana for three. It’s all going off in Wellington by the way.
44th over: Australia 117-3 (Labuschagne 39, Head 6) The ursine Travis Head punches off the back foot for a single. Labuschagne is then beaten by a beauty from Siraj that bounced more than he thought and angled past the splice of his blade. This is a great Test deck, something in it for both bat and ball if the requisite graft is applied.
Eamonn Maloney mentions that game at Adelaide in 2006 in his email and to be honest I zoned out after that. Something about deckchairs. Yadda Yadda. Excuse me whilst I do my deep breathing exercises for a minute or two.
“We used to take our folding chairs to the Adelaide test every year growing up, and sat under the Moreton bay figs on the hill. After spending most of my adult life overseas I’m attending on Sunday for the first time since THAT famous fifth day of the ashes test (YOU know which one). I bought a ticket for the hill imagining nothing in the undoubtedly wonderful renovation this stadium has undergone since that time would preclude the bringing of a folding chair - indeed why else preserve the hill? but I can’t see any chairs on the hill on TV. Looks like I’ll be on the bones of my arse for 8 hours. I’m sure the renovation of this stadium has served the public interest but Things Have Been Lost!”
43rd over: Australia 116-3 (Labuschagne 39, Head 5) Hear that? A sigh of relief reverberates around Australia as Harshit Rana replaces Bumrah at the Cathedral end. The pressure valve is immediately released as Marnus clips beautifully off his pads for four and follows up by flicking a leg stump half volley to the fence for another. Rana tightens up with three dots on a good length.
Labuschagne has been proactive this morning and taken every opportunity to score. His flame is growing stronger with each run and over spent out in the middle. Nick Cave would be happy. Maybe. Nick?
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42nd over: Australia 108-3 (Labuschagne 31, Head 5) Oh my cuss. Siraj gets his Lionel Richie on and beats Head three times in the over! The wobble seam is deployed and beats Head twice in succession before the batter then decides to throw the kitchen sink, toaster and fridge at a length ball but connects only with the Adelaide breeze. A maiden. Phew.
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41st over: Australia 108-3 (Labuschagne 31, Head 5) Travis Head arrives in the middle. This is Box Office stuff. Head leaves his first ball but is then beaten all ends up by his second, feet in quicksand as Bumrah spears one past his outside edge. That was so close, the pink ball passing the edge by a Mr Creosote wafffer thin distance. Bosh! Bumrah goes a shade too full and Head clobbers him through cover for four.
Sing it, Damien.
WICKET! Smith c Pant b Bumrah 2 (Australia 103-3)
Steve Smith is strangled down the leg side! What a sickener! An innocuous delivery and an attempted leg glance from Smith that Pant safely snaffles. Smith can’t believe he’s done that, he throws his head back and stomps off the pitch like a toddler denied a lollipop.
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40th over: Australia 103-2 (Labuschagne 31, Smith 2) Siraj gets another ball to jag and spit off the surface, Smith gets a thick outside edge off it that falls short of gully. After saying it looked a good day for batting this pitch has looked quite lively at the start of day two. Marnus drives down the ground and they run a lesser-spotted but always satisfying all run four, that’s the hundred up for Australia.
39th over: Australia 97-2 (Labuschagne 26, Smith 1) Australia approach the team three figures. Every run feels crucial at the moment. Bumrah oversteps this time to gift one more. Smith is on the front foot, willing himself to get forward and blunt the threat from Bumrah. He survives but can’t get away from the danger end.
38th over: Australia 96-2 (Labuschagne 26, Smith 1) Siraj joins the dots but oversteps to add one to the total. Marnus is solid in defence and gets his hands out of the way to leave well alone a ball outside off that darts back a bit off the pitch. The pink ball glinting under the afternoon sun, looks like plenty of lacquer still on it. Lacquer is a good word, isn’t it? Lacquer. Mmmm.
37th over: Australia 95-2 (Labuschagne 26, Smith 1) Here comes Steve Smith, is the gimlet eye fading? He’ll need both peepers laser focused to repel Bumrah with his dander up.
A forward poke sees Smith off the mark with an inside edge into the leg side. Marnus then leans on a full ball and works it wide of mid-on for his second three of the morning. Three slips in place, both sides going toe-to-toe. Absorbing stuff.
WICKET! McSweeney c Pant b Bumrah 39 (Australia 91-2)
Bumrah Strikes! Nothing McSweeney could do about that really, angled in from wide of the crease and then rearing up and shaping away at the last moment, the ball taking the outside edge and flying to Pant behind the stumps. India are in amongst them.
Speaking of painful extractions, solidarity to Thomas Bancroft (presumably no relation) who is following both Test matches whilst overcoming a Wisdom tooth removal procedure. Whisky and cricket is it Thomas? Sounds like a good treatment plan.
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36th over: Australia 91-1 (McSweeney 39, Labuschagne 23) Siraj wheels off in celebratory raptures a la Stuart Broad after scudding one into Marnus’ front pad but then the bowler looks a smidge silly as the umpire says no and Rohit doesn’t call for a review, correctly indicating there was a meaty inside edge onto pad to save Marnus.
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35th over: Australia 90-1 (McSweeney 39, Labuschagne 23) Jasprit Bumrah starts with a maiden, angled in at pace, pink ball darting off the surface like a cobra’s tongue. Good luck, lads.
34th over: Australia 90-1 (McSweeney 39, Labuschagne 23) Mohammed Siraj bustles in to Marnus. A couple of slips and a gully in place. Runs straight away! Marnus whips a ball from outside off through the leg side, doesn’t gave the legs for a boundary but three runs to start the day. Positive intent from the beleaguered batter. McSweeney defends the next four balls as Siraj lands it on a good length, a single off the final balls sees four runs PLUNDERED off the first over.
Here come the players, let’s do this. The sun is beating down in Adelaide, mocking my double sock and thermals get up here in London. It looks a day for batting, can India winkle a few early and get back into this match. Only one way to find out! PLAY
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“More power to your typing fingers, and may the goddess of sleeping toddlers smile kindly on your household!” Brendon Murley gets the none existent prize for first email of the day! (Get in touch, for the love of all that is holy, details on the left flank of this page)
Ah, the Goddess of sleeping toddlers! Smiling? She’s been gurning and blowing raspberries for the past three years Brendon, as my capacious eye bags will testify. Who needs sleep though? Especially when there is a Smörgåsbord of Antipodean Test matches to tuck into.
Run (s) Run (s) Rudolph Marnus!
“All I want for Christmas is a rock n roll ‘lectric guitar career saving 12th Test century.”
Catchy.
Marnus and McSweeney grafted away under lights last evening, can they make it count this morning and both go on to make a chatter halting score? It’ll be a fascinating first hour, it always is, isn’t it?
Both men would love to be able to crack on and will be harbouring desires of half centuries at the least. I’m harbouring desires for a 3.34am UK time cup of coffee but daren’t pad down the hallway past a snoring three year old in case of a floorboard creak and an early hours wake up that could really put the cat amongst the pigeons toddlers ‘mongst the OBOs.
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This Test is ticking along at a fair old lick but pales in comparison to the warp speed happenings over the ditch. England have fired up the afterburners in Wellington. I’ll forgive you for joining Rob Smyth for a few overs on t’other OBO, make sure you come back, mind.
The Rory Burns play of the day:
FIRST BALL OF THE TEST!
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 6, 2024
Mitchell Starc sends Adelaide into delirium.#AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/pIPwqlX3dJ
Geoff was indeed in fine fettle yesterday, as was another cloud busting bloke with a wavy barnet – Mitchell Starc.
Sporting songs from the outer are usually dross, partly because they’re most often sung tunelessly by annoying drunks, and partly because they usually consist of one cringey couplet jammed with no consideration of cadence or metre into the scarcely heeded melodic line of a mid-tier radio hit. The few that are slightly more artful stand out, appearing far better by virtue of their company than they might objectively deserve. One such of recent years that provides occasional enjoyment is: “Hark, the herald angels sing – Mitchell Starc, the new-ball king.”
The phrasing fits, the use of a Christmas hymn is seasonally apt for Australia in December or January, and the sentiment reflects a cricketing truth. Starc with a lacquered Kookaburra (while that sounds a strange object to possess without context) is a menace. But swap out the lyrics of “new-ball” for “pink-ball” and it would be even more apt. In the day-night Test format, nobody has done it better.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to what promises to be a intriguing second say with the pink ball at the Adelaide Oval. Australia got themselves back into the Border Gavaskar series yesterday by landing a few punches on India’s well groomed chops, bloodying their opponents nose under lights and finishing day one just 86 runs behind with nine first innings wickets in hand.
James Wallace here in a stormy London town, I’ve got the honour of being on the tools for the first half of the day before m’esteemed colleague Jonathan Howcroft tags in to hoop the OBO about under darkening skies later on.
Play will be underway in just over 40 minutes time, here’s Geoff Lemon’s report of a dominant Aussie display on day one to whet your whistle:
