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Day five Lunch Report India crept to lunch at 73 for one chasing an unlikely 349 for victory as Australia’s bowlers ramped up the pressure on a turning pitch on the fifth day of the fourth and final test on Saturday. The hosts declared their second innings closed at 251-6 before the start of play, leaving their bowlers the entire final day at the Sydney Cricket Ground to dismiss the tourists and take the series 3-0. Lokesh Rahul was the one batsman to fall for 16 and his fellow opener Murali Vijay, who had made 35, and Rohit Sharma (19) will resume after the break still 276 runs from their goal. India had promised to go for victory despite the highest successful fourth innings run chase in a test at the Sydney Cricket Ground being the 288-2 scored by South Africa in 2006. The first 56 minutes went reasonably well as Vijay and Rahul put on 48 runs before off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed the first of what Australia hopes will be a bagful of wickets on a humid day. Rahul, who grabbed his maiden test century in India’s first innings 475, was deceived by a bit of bounce and the ball clipped his glove and looped into the hands of David Warner at backward short leg. Rohit was centimetres away from a golden duck on the following delivery but the third umpire decided he had just got his foot back into the crease before wicketkeeper Brad Haddin broke the stumps with a ball that had drifted past his bat. There followed half an hour of scoreless siege as Lyon and paceman Josh Hazlewood, who was starting to get some reverse swing, bowled six straight maidens. Rohit finally broke the drought to get off the mark with a single off Lyon but the disciplined Hazlewood conceded just one run in his five-over spell. A four and a six on consecutive balls off Lyon was a reminder that Rohit can bat a bit when he throws off the shackles but there were few expansive shots as he and Vijay safely saw out the first session. Reuters Day four report kipper Steve Smith led the way with another torrent of runs as Australia raced to 251 for six and a lead of 348 over India before rain stopped play at the end of the fourth day of the fourth test on Friday. Looking to wrap up the four-match series 3-0, the hosts dismissed India for 475 shortly before tea to take a 97-run first innings lead and then embarked on a fierce assault on the Indian bowlers in a bid to force a result. [caption id=“attachment_2039355” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Virat Kohli could have a crucial role to play again. Getty sports Images[/caption] It started poorly when spinner Ravichandran Ashwin (4-104)had David Warner (4) caught in the slips after facing five balls and Shane Watson played on for 16. Opener Chris Rogers, though, hit a 77-ball 56 before he was caught at midwicket off Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Smith was soon back in his considerable stride. The Australian captain raced to his half century in 44 balls and had soon passed Donald Bradman as his country’s highest scorer in a series against India. Shaun Marsh came and went for a single run to give Ashwin his third victim before Smith’s 93-minute innings came to an end when Mohammed Shami trapped him plumb lbw. His 71 brought his series tally to 769 and a group of fans in the member’s stand bowed low to him as he walked back to the Sydney Cricket Ground dressing room to ponder his declaration. Joe Burns took up the mantle and hit three sixes and eight fours in his 39-ball 66, while Brad Haddin ably assisted with 31 not out. “It was lots of fun,” Burns told reporters. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to come out tomorrow and win a test match for Australia, so very exciting. “The wicket spun and I think it will only get harder to bat on as the game goes on. I’m sure we’re going to create 10 opportunities. It’s just a case of taking all 10.” DECENTLY POISED India captain Virat Kohli has been no slouch with the bat in this series but he was only able to add seven runs to his overnight score before clipping a Ryan Harris delivery to Rogers at midwicket some 20 minutes into play. The 147 helped bring his tally over the four tests to 646 runs, the second highest by an Indian batsman in an overseas series after the 774 Sunil Gavaskar accumulated in West Indies in 1971. Despite the Indian tail wagging for the first time in the series and good batting conditions, the Australians managed to winkle out four more batsman. They got some help from the third umpire to get rid of Kumar (30), who put on 65 with Ashwin (50) for the eighth wicket, after a referred decision that will do little to persuade India to embrace the Decision Review System. “It’s still pretty decently poised, although they definitely have an ace up,” said Ashwin, despite 288 being the highest successful fourth innings run chase in a test at the ground. “We’ll have to see how it goes.”
India vs Australia, SCG, as it happened: Rahane helps India earn gutsy draw
Live coverage of the final day of the fourth Test between India and Australia at the SCG.
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Over 89.5: India 252/7 (Rahane 38, Bhuvneshwar 20)
Bhuvi drives Lyon’s first ball crisply down the ground to the long-off boundary. The third ball of the over stays low but Bhuvi gets his bat on it. India are safe. Bhuvi celebrates by pulling Lyon over square leg for another four.
Smith decides there is no need to play the last ball. The teams shake hands.
Rahane and Bhuvi added 35 from 11.3 overs to prevent a repeat of Adelaide. Having Bhuvi batting at No. 9 made a huge difference to the tail.
Australia win the series 2-0 but India showed a lot of fight in this Test with the bat. The less said about the bowling the better.
Steven Smith: I thought India played very well to see out the draw today. bviously, a tough day and credit to India for the way they played today.
I’ve really enjoyed this series. We have had some pretty flat wickets. Felt good from the start. It is very satisfying for me. The important thing is we won the series.
I have really enjoyed captaining these guys. They try their hearts out every day of the week.
Virat Kohli: Thanks to all the Indian people who have supported us through thihs series and the Australian crowd that gave us a tough time adn brought out the best of us.
We wanted to be up for a gith and that is what the boys haev done. could have gone either way. We have played the kindd of cricket we wanted to play. I am sure Australia enjoyed the competitive cricket we have played.
At tea time, I was hundred percent sure if we should go for the target. When Vijay got out, I thought it was worth the risk knowing we weren’t coming here for a long time. The intent was important. the character the side has shown is very important.
These guys have stepped up and shown they have the character and determination and the game to succeed. Lot of positives coming out of the series for us.
Over 89: India 244/7 (Rahane 38, Bhuvneshwar 12)
Starc comes on. One last throw of the dice for Smith. Bhuvi gets a big outside edge to third man and India settle for the single so Rahane has the strike. Only one man on the boundary at deep backward square. Rahane has a waft at short ball outside off. A momentary loss of concentration for him. He redeems himself with a firm push through the covers for a couple.
Starc’s last delivery is wide down legside. Australia may have made a mistake by taking the new ball when they did.
Over 88: India 241/7 (Rahane 36, Bhuvneshwar 11)
Rahane is comfortable in defence. The demons in this pitch seem to fallen asleep once the new ball was taken. He picks up two through the covers. But he can’t take a single off the last ball, so Bhuvi will be on strike.
Over 87: India 239/7 (Rahane 34, Bhuvneshwar 11)
Harris returns as Australia push hard for those final three wickets. Rahane is solid though and safely plays out four deliveries before pulling a short ball past leg gully for a single. Bhuvi quietly plays out the one ball he had to face.
18 more to go.
Over 86: India 238/7 (Rahane 33, Bhuvneshwar 11)
Seven men surround Bhuvneshwar Kumar, plus one at short mid-on who is almost on the wicket. But Bhuvi stays calm as lotus flower and drives an overpitched delivery through the covers. With everyone around the bat, it is four runs.
24 more balls for India to survive.
Over 85: India 234/7 (Rahane 33, Bhuvneshwar 7)
Double change with Hazlewood coming on. Three slips and two gullies. Rahane turns down a single off the third. As the last recognised batsman, he knows he must protect the tail. Australia again allow the ball to run to the ropes to make sure Bhuvi faces Lyon in the last over.
Over 84: India 230/7 (Rahane 29, Bhuvneshwar 7)
Lyon has replaced Harris. Bhuvi plays the ball like it is a grenade. With five men and the keeper around the bat, it might as well be. A maiden ensues. India have to survive another 36 balls.
Over 83: India 230/7 (Rahane 29, Bhuvneshwar 7)
Starc bowls one good bouncer that Rahane sways under rather comfortably. The rest of the over is wasted. Australia don’t chase the ball when Rahane cuts a short delivery and allow it to go for four because they want Bhuvi on strike in the next over. Starc ensures that is the case with a wide short ball.
Over 82: India 226/7 (Rahane 25, Bhuvneshwar 7)
Lyon is taken off. That must hurt, especially since Harris hasn’t taken a wicket in this innings. On this evidence, Lyon would have been a better bet. Both Rahane and Bhuvi play him with ease even thogh Smith has six men in a circle in the offside around the bat. Five from the over.
Over 81: India 221/7 (Rahane 24, Bhuvneshwar 3)
Starc wastes his first three deliveries with the new nut, two of them down legside. Doesn’t make Bhuvi play. When he does straighten out his line, Bhuvi flicks him past square leg and Rahane turns down the second run before taking a single off the last ball to keep strike.
Good cricket from Rahane.
Over 80: India 219/7 (Rahane 23, Bhuvneshwar 2)
Smith has five men around the bat plus the keeper for Lyon. Bhuvi still manages to get off strike by clipping one through Burn’s legs.
Ten overs remain. Australia need three wickets.
Over 78.2: India 217/7 (Rahane 23)
OUT! Ashwin tries to work a length ball across his pads but misses. Hazlewood appeals in earnest. Kettleborough thinks about it, thinks about it, then raises the finger. Ashwin had walked off to leg. He knew he was in trouble.
R Ashwin lbw b Hazlewood 1 (31m 22b 0x4 0x6)
That one seamed in a touch.
Over 78: India 217/6 (Rahane 23, Ashwin 1)
Lyon looking the most likely to get the next wicket. Ashwin does well to keep out an offbreak that stayed a touch low. He gets off the mark too by squeezing one past silly point for a single.
Over 77: India 216/6 (Rahane 23, Ashwin 0)
Hazlewood trundles through another maiden that hardly anyone notices because Australia’s shameful appeal was still the subject of discusison.
Over 76: India 216/6 (Rahane 23, Ashwin 0)
Lyon operating with plenty of men around the bat. Rahane goes back to play the turning ball. Steals a single past backward short leg when when Lyon spins one across his pads.
Ashwin plays a firm front foot defensive shot and silly point appeals for a catch. Replays clearly show the ball bouncing short of the fielder. Horrendous appeal. Deceitful really. There should be a fine for that.
To to be fair, Haddin waves his glove at the umpire to say it has not carried.
Over 75: India 215/6 (Rahane 22, Ashwin 0)
Short mid-off in place for Hazlewood. Rahane negotiates the first four balls before taking a single down to fine leg. Ashwin leaves the final ball well alone. 15 overs – 90 balls – still to go.
Over 74: India 214/6 (Rahane 21, Ashwin 0)
India get two byes when Lyon turns one down legside. Ashwin does well to come foward and defend the rest of the over. This is nerve-racking stuff now.
Over 73: India 212/6 (Rahane 21, Ashwin 0)
Ashiwn survives the rest of Lyon’s over. The pitch is playing tricks now and that always creates doubt in a batsman’s mind and makes it harder for feet to move freely.
Rahane plays out five dot balls from Starc, then gets one full and down legside and he is happy to clip it fine for four.
It is all about survival for India now. Winning is no longer an option.
Over 71.1: India 208/6 (Rahane 17)
OUT! Saha gets a grubber from Lyon. He was deep in his crease and was struck right in front of middle. He should have been coming forward to that.
WP Saha lbw b Lyon 0 (11m 6b 0x4 0x6)
India reeling now. This is Adelaide all over again.
Over 71: India 208/5 (Rahane 17, Saha 0)
Starc in the middle of a fantastic spell. But he serves up a low full toss to Rahane, who clips it confidently in front of square. There are another 19 overs left. India need 141 runs. Australia need five wickets.
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.