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Day one report Opener David Warner continued to torment a hapless India by slamming a fluent century as Australia reached a resounding 348 for two on the opening day to take early control of the fourth and final cricket Test here today. Electing to bat on a hot and sunny day, the hosts rode on a 200-run opening stand between Warner (101), registering his third ton in the series, and Rogers (95) to once again expose a toothless Indian attack. After a strong opening show, Shane Watson (61 batting) and captain Steven Smith (82 batting) ensured that Australia stay on the saddle by stitching a 144-run unbeaten third wicket partnership on what turned out to be a frustrating day for the Indians at the SCG. [caption id=“attachment_2033427” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Australia captain Steven Smith has enjoyed batting against India. AP[/caption] Playing their first game at the SCG after the passing away of teammate Phillip Hughes six weeks back, an emotionally charged Australia reacted by scoring runs at a fast clip to demoralise the opposition attack. Rogers though got an early reprieve after Lokesh Rahul dropped the left-handed batsman at second slip off Mohammed Shami (1-58). The opener was on 19 and made full use of the ’life’. Warner, who was one of the players to witness the freak accident on November 25 at this venue, was in control from the very start and slammed his 12th Test century after lunch. Rogers, who always played match-up with his aggresssive partner at the other end, also batted with assurance only to be denied his century. He scored his fifth fifty of the series. India though struck back after the first session by sending back the openers in quick succession but Smith and Watson had other ideas. Smith notched up his 10th Test half-century while Watson recorded his 24th fifty in the longest format to deny India any more celebration in the day. Ravichandran Ashwin (1-88) got Warner back in the pavilion after inducing a leading edge to gully where Murali Vijay made no mistake. Shami finally got a wicket after Rogers followed his partner in the over after, inside edging a lenght ball on to his stumps. From then on it was a case of leather hunt for the Virat Kohli-led side, which stayed on the field for 43 overs without a wicket.
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India vs Australia, 4th Test, Day 2, as it happened: India battle after Aus makes 572
Live coverage of day two of the fourth Test between India and Australia at the SCG.
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Join us again tomorrow starting at 5 am IST for what should be an intriguing third day. The pitch is still very good for batting but a few deliveries haev caused puffs of dust to burst from the surface. That will happen more often as the pitch continues to bake in the sun and dry out. Lyon won the first Test for Australia. If they want to win the last Test, he will have to produce the goods again.
Until then, good bye.
Over 25: India 71/1 (Rahul 31, Rohit 40)
Starc gets the ball for a last hurrah today. After Rohit takes as single, Rahul gets nicely behind a bouncer and defends right in front of his eyes. The next one is a snorter at 143 kph that hurtles past his nose. Rahul does very well to get out of the way at the last moment, dropping his hands and arching his back. He kept his eyes on it too. Top technique.
Then he almost throws it away with a lazy pull to a ball wide down legside. The ball missed everything but Starc has a few words to say. The next ball is full but Rahul is waiting for it and eases it to long-off for a couple.
The last ball is defended safely into the offside. And that is stumps
Over 24: India 68/1 (Rahul 29, Rohit 39)
Just two more overs to go. Lyon plugs away with four men around the bat but can’t trick Rahul into a false shot. Rahul firm in defence and making sure to lead with bat, not pad. A maiden.
Over 23: India 68/1 (Rahul 29, Rohit 39)
Starc is back. He manages to keep his line outside off for five of his six deliveries. Unfortunately for him, the one time he strayed, it was legside and Rohit helped the ball past the keeper and to the boundary.
Over 22: India 63/1 (Rahul 298, Rohit 35)
Lyon switches to bowling around the wicket. Rohit goes to sweep and falls down. Yes, falls down. He loses his balance and tumbles forward on his back. The ball struck pad and Australia appeal vociferously as Rohit imitates an upside down turtle with his bat waving in the air.
Almost impossible for the umpire to give that out lbw though. That would have been a ridiculous way to get out.
A single gets Rohit off strike before Rahul strokes another drive to the covers to pick up three more runs.
Over 21: India 59/1 (Rahul 25, Rohit 34)
Rohit can’t resist a poke outside off stump and is lucky not to get an edge. Harris turns back to his mark with a grin. He is a wily customer, is Harris. But Rohit gets off strike when Harris bowls a shortish ball. The bowler is fuller with the next one but Rahul is waiting and he strokes it through the covers and to the boundary. That was elegant.
Over 20: India 54/1 (Rahul 21, Rohit 33)
Lyon continues to plug away. Rohit picks up a single to mid-on from the first ball. Rahul plays out the rest of the over without incident.
Over 19: India 53/1 (Rahul 21, Rohit 32)
Sharma drives Harris through extra-cover for three to bring up the 50 partnership and the 50 for India. Excellent effort from these two after the early blow of losing Vijay. A couple of singles follow.
Over 18: India 48/1 (Rahul 20, Rohit 28)
Lyon getting appreciable turn but Rahul is still able to go back and cut a turning ball from middle stump past point for three runs. Australia have bowled tighter than India but India’s batsmen looking relatively untroubled now.
Over 17: India 44/1 (Rahul 17, Rohit 27)
Harris comes back as Australia search for an opening. On this pitch, he should be the likiest to find it. He almost does with an peach of an outswinger that drew Rohit forward and beat the outside edge. Almost is not good enough though.
Over 16: India 43/1 (Rahul 16, Rohit 27)
Rohit again skips down the track to Lyon but this time doesn’t get to the pitch of the ball. He gets away with by chipping the ball wide of square leg for a single. Rahul adds a single of his own to round out the scoring.
Over 15: India 41/1 (Rahul 15, Rohit 26)
Hazlewood decides to test Rahul with a short ball. Rahul swivels and pulls to the square leg boundary. Test passed. He overpitches two balls later and Rahul collects another two runs through midwicket. He is looking more and more solid with each passing over.
Over 14: India 35/1 (Rahul 9, Rohit 26)
Lyon has four men around the bat for Rahul. Two on each aside. On this pitch, wickets will come from pressure being put on the batsmen. Rahul defends four balls before taking a single.
This sort of trick doesn’t work on Rohit though. He is down the track again and this time clears the deep midwicket boundary.
Over 13: India 28/1 (Rahul 8, Rohit 20)
Steady from Hazlewood but that’s as much as can be said for him. Rohit and Rahul pick up a single a piece. There is really is nothing for the seamers in this pitch.
Over 9: India 17/1 (Rahul 6, Rohit 11)
Josh Hazlewood replaces Starc. Rahul profits to the tune of two runs courtesy a push through mid-off.
After the initial wobble, these two appear to be growing comfortable at the crease. There is nothing in in the pitch for the fast bowlers. Nathan Lyon might be a different propostion though.
Over 10: India 24/1 (Rahul 6, Rohit 18)
Here come Lyon. Right on cue. A slip and short leg in place.
Rohit uses the first delivery as a sighter and then skips down and hammers Lyon high and handsome over the sightscreen for SIX! Lyon’s next delivery is noticebly flatter and quicker and straighter. Rohit tucks it round the corner for a single. He does like batting against the spinners.
Over 11: India 24/1 (Rahul 6, Rohit 18)
Hazelwood troubles Rohit a touch with the ball that comes in. The ball ends up trapped in the flap of Rohit’s pad. The over is a maiden.
Over 12: India 26/1 (Rahul 7, Rohit 19)
Lyon gets a chance to bowl at Rahul, who comes forward in defence with authority. Not hiding behind his pads, is Rahul. He is able to close the face to one and guide it past short leg for a single. Rohit keeps strike by guiding the ball of the over past slip
Over 8: India 15/1 (Rahul 4, Rohit 11)
Harris probes away at Rohit on that nagging offstump line. Rohit resists. The combination produces a maiden. This is the big test for Rohit. If he can see out this passage of play, this pitch is still full of runs.
Over 7: India 15/1 (Rahul 4, Rohit 11)
Three slips and two gullies for Starc as well as a leg gully and a short leg. Rahul responds by ducking well under a short ball. The next bouncer is better directed – into the ribs – but Rahul does well to defend it behind short leg with a soft bottom hand. Two more bouncers follow, the first of which Rahul ducks under while the other is pushed to the offside as he gets right in line. A fifth bouncer in the over passes harmlessly down legside
Australia and Star seem to be bouncer happy at the moment. Not sure why. They are wasting the new ball here.
Over 6: India 15/1 (Rahul 4, Rohit 11)
Rahul gets nicely in line to defend and smartly gets off strike with a sharp single. Rohit then pushes aimlessly at Harris and is lucky the edge doesn’t carry to gully. That’s the bad Rohit India does not want to see. He carefully leaves the last two deliveries of the over.
Over 5: India 14/1 (Rahul 3, Rohit 11)
More short stuff from Starc and four more runs for Rohit. This time it was a short-arm pull off the backfoot. Gavaskar approves. “This is good batting,” he says. Also poor bowling.
Over 4: India 10/1 (Rahul 3, Rohit 7)
Rahul is very watchful against Harris. Manages to push an overpitched delivery through the covers for a couple. This is better from him.
Over 3: India 7/1 (Rahul 1, Rohit 6)
A nervy moment as Rohit takes off for a run, changes his mind and just about gets back in time. The pressure is telling on India.
“This is all about temperament”, Gavaskar says. He is not impressed by what he is seeing.
Starc then decides to test Rohit with a short ball. Mistake. He gets pulled powerfully off the front foot in front of square. That is much better from Rohit. Australia need to keep the ball up to him. He likes to have a swish outside off now and then.
Over 2: India 2/1 (Rahul 1, Rohit 1)
A single to mid-on gets Rahul and India off the mark. Rohit scrambles through for a quick single as well to get himself off the mark too. Big ask for these two now but the pitch is still a good one.
0.3 over: India 0/1 (Rahul 0)
OUT! Oh dear! Vijay, what have you done? Instead of leaving the ball, he fishes for one wide outside off and feathers one to the keeper. Australia erupt in glee and Starc has some words for Vijay as he walks off.
M Vijay c †Haddin b Starc 0 (3b 0x4 0x6)
Vijay has been so good at leaving the ball outside off. What a terrible time to have a brain fade. That’s what suffering in the field for two days can do to you. Rohit Sharma now exposed to the new ball. India need him to stand up.
Over 152.3 over: Australia 572/7 dec (Smith 117, Warner 101, Rodgers 95, Watson 81, Shami 5-112)
Shami’s turn to get the Rhino treatment. The ball is bowled full and straight and is sent back full and straight.
OUT! One slog too many. Harris hooks Shami straight to the man at square leg and Smith calls his men in. India finally get their turn to bat on this pitch. That is also five wickets for Mohammed Shami. Not a performance he will want to put on his resume though.
RJ Harris c Ashwin b Mohammed Shami 25 (9b 5×4 0x6)
Over 152: Australia 565/6 (Haddin 9, Harris 19)
Ryan Harris thumps Bhuvi over cover to bring up the 550 before making room and going inside-out through extra-cover. A third four is slashed over the offside and a fourth slogged to deep midwicket. Harris even steals a single off the last ball to keep strike. This is batting practice now.
Tariq Engineer is a sports tragic who willingly forgoes sleep for the pleasure of watching live events around the globe on television. His dream is to attend all four tennis Grand Slams and all four golf Grand Slams in the same year, though he is prepared to settle for Wimbledon and the Masters.