India 272 & 4/158 (31.2 ov, Pujara 82*) def Australia 262 & 164 by 6 wkts: T4/4 D3/5 at Delhi. India win series 4-0 and regains Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Well done India!
Cheteshwar Pujara's 82*/92b saw India home after their bowlers had bowled the visitors .out for a feeble second innings 164.
Enough for now. More later.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
India take narrow lead in teeth of Australian fight back: T4D2
India 8/266 (66.1 ov, Vijay 57, Pujara 52, Jadeja 43, Lyon 5/94) lead Australia 262 (112.1 ov, Siddle 51, Smith 46, Hughes 45, Ashwin 5/57) by 4 runs with 2 1st inns wkts in hand: T4/4 D2/5 at Delhi.
A tightly contested day's Test cricket on a wearing pitch.
Murali Vijay 57/123b (8x4) and Cheteshwar Pujara 52/76b (5x4) kickstarted India's reply to Australia's Peter Siddle 51/136b (4x4) boosted 262 with a 108 run opening partnership in 25.1 overs.
Once Nathan Lyon was introduced, a tad belatedly, into the attack his improved accuracy coupled with the assistance he derived from the pitch put the brakes on India. Sachin Tendulkar benefited from an umpire's lbw howler to make 32/53b while Ravi Jadeja hit out for 43/49b to take India close to a first innings lead, which they duly achieved, leaving the Test up for grabs.
The result will depend on how the respective attacks perform from here. Nathan Lyon's 22.1-3-94-5 showed that he's learned from the onslaughts on him earlier in the series, though Ravi Ashwin ( 34-18-57-5 in Australia's innings) and his colleagues will deploy their considerable talents to contest Australia's hopes of salvaging a win from this Border- Gavaskar trophy losing series.
A tightly contested day's Test cricket on a wearing pitch.
Murali Vijay 57/123b (8x4) and Cheteshwar Pujara 52/76b (5x4) kickstarted India's reply to Australia's Peter Siddle 51/136b (4x4) boosted 262 with a 108 run opening partnership in 25.1 overs.
Once Nathan Lyon was introduced, a tad belatedly, into the attack his improved accuracy coupled with the assistance he derived from the pitch put the brakes on India. Sachin Tendulkar benefited from an umpire's lbw howler to make 32/53b while Ravi Jadeja hit out for 43/49b to take India close to a first innings lead, which they duly achieved, leaving the Test up for grabs.
The result will depend on how the respective attacks perform from here. Nathan Lyon's 22.1-3-94-5 showed that he's learned from the onslaughts on him earlier in the series, though Ravi Ashwin ( 34-18-57-5 in Australia's innings) and his colleagues will deploy their considerable talents to contest Australia's hopes of salvaging a win from this Border- Gavaskar trophy losing series.
Revamped Australia's frailties exposed once more by India's attack: T4D1
Australia 8/231 (98 ov, Siddle 47*, Smith 46, Hughes 45, Cowan 38, Ashwin 4/40, Jadeja 2/34, Sharma 2/35) v India: T4 D1 at Delhi.
The more things change ...Australia made five changes, bringing back three of the four miscreants suspended from selection (though not substitute duties) for T3, and appointing one of them, Shane Watson, captain in lieu of the injured Michael Clarke. (IMO the best replacement would have been Brad Haddin, though I can see when he wasn't chosen).
Australia recovered well from the early loss of David Warner to be 2/94 at lunch, but then the now customary middle order collapse set in as the Indian bowlers - Ravi Ashwin 30-17-40-4 outstanding - worked through the innings until some late resistance from Steve Smith 46/145 b (2x6, 3x4), Peter Siddle 47*/125b( 4x4) and James Pattinson took the team from the precipice of disaster (and embarrassment) at 7/136 to a better, if by no means dominant 8/231 at stumps on a day in which 98 overs were delivered.
The pitch has played a few (but not many) tricks, which has perplexed the commentators, some of whom feel that 280 or so may be a competitive total (or maybe they're just trying to make what seems to me to be a one sided game look less so).
Disclosure: I began to lose faith in Australia when at 115 prodigal son Watson played a prodigal stroke and was stumped for 17 running down the wicket to Ravi Jadeja. After Glenn Maxwell's T20 hoick I gave up and switched the TV off.
The more things change ...Australia made five changes, bringing back three of the four miscreants suspended from selection (though not substitute duties) for T3, and appointing one of them, Shane Watson, captain in lieu of the injured Michael Clarke. (IMO the best replacement would have been Brad Haddin, though I can see when he wasn't chosen).
Australia recovered well from the early loss of David Warner to be 2/94 at lunch, but then the now customary middle order collapse set in as the Indian bowlers - Ravi Ashwin 30-17-40-4 outstanding - worked through the innings until some late resistance from Steve Smith 46/145 b (2x6, 3x4), Peter Siddle 47*/125b( 4x4) and James Pattinson took the team from the precipice of disaster (and embarrassment) at 7/136 to a better, if by no means dominant 8/231 at stumps on a day in which 98 overs were delivered.
The pitch has played a few (but not many) tricks, which has perplexed the commentators, some of whom feel that 280 or so may be a competitive total (or maybe they're just trying to make what seems to me to be a one sided game look less so).
Disclosure: I began to lose faith in Australia when at 115 prodigal son Watson played a prodigal stroke and was stumped for 17 running down the wicket to Ravi Jadeja. After Glenn Maxwell's T20 hoick I gave up and switched the TV off.
Monday, March 18, 2013
India win Test & series comfortably despite periods of Australian fightback: T3 D5
India 499 & 4/136 (33.3 ov, Kohli 34) def Australia 408 & 223 (89.2 ov, Hughes 69, Starc 35, Haddin 30, Kumar 3/31, Jadeja 3/35) by 6 wkts: T3/4 D5/5 at Mohali. India lead series 3-0 and thereby regain Border- Gavaskar trophy.
The Test kept me alert until the end, not because Australia ever looked like winning but because their collective resistance kept the possibility of a draw alive for so long. Not that this would have done anything for the series but there were a few positives to emerge from the wreckage, eg (in no partcular order) Mitchell Starc's allround accomplishments; the batting of Ed Cowan,Steve Smith and, at last,Phillip Hughes; and Peter Siddle's wholehearted bowling.
Enough for now. Congratulations to India, and some gratuitous advice for Australia: regroup and build on the strengths which emerged or reemerged during this match. This may make for some interesting discussion at the selection table (or form filling). My 5 cents' worth: is there a place in the T5 ueleven for Shane Watson?
The Test kept me alert until the end, not because Australia ever looked like winning but because their collective resistance kept the possibility of a draw alive for so long. Not that this would have done anything for the series but there were a few positives to emerge from the wreckage, eg (in no partcular order) Mitchell Starc's allround accomplishments; the batting of Ed Cowan,Steve Smith and, at last,Phillip Hughes; and Peter Siddle's wholehearted bowling.
Enough for now. Congratulations to India, and some gratuitous advice for Australia: regroup and build on the strengths which emerged or reemerged during this match. This may make for some interesting discussion at the selection table (or form filling). My 5 cents' worth: is there a place in the T5 ueleven for Shane Watson?
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Australia bowlers save face & turn rout into fighting retreat: T3D4
Australia 408 & 2/75 (25ov, Hughes 53*, Kumar 53*) trail India 499 (132.1 ov, Dhawan 187, Vijay 153,Kohli 67*, Tendulkar 37, Siddle 5/71) by 16 runs with 7 2nd inns wkts in hand: T3D4 at Mohali.
India are still well placed to win the Test but Australia have,contrary to my (and many more experienced commentators eg Ravi Shastri's) expectations come back to a likely much narrower margin of defeat or perhaps even a draw. A win, however, looks out of the question after Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the wayward man of the first innings,redeemed himself and his team's fortunes by cutting. through the Australian top order with 8-1-25-3. Phil Hughes 53*/68b (1x6, 9x4) - on his own one minute to midnight path to redemption -
and Michael Clarke, yet to bat but
possibly laid low with injury, are the main hopes if Australia is to bat India out of the Test or, just perhaps,set them a total which might cause them difficulty if they opt for the chase instead if safety.
Today Peter Siddle lifted his game a notch or three, moving from yesterday's honest trundler to today's sharp line and length bowler.After Nathan Lyon removed Shikar Dharwan for a masterly 187/174b (2x6, 33x4) Siddle, supported by tighter if not absolutely tight bowling from his colleagues, chipped away to the tune of 29.1-9-71-5 to leave India 499, a lead of 81. A day ago, at 0/283, a lead 5 times or more that didn't look too fanciful. Only Murali Vijay, who batted on to 153/317b (3x6, 19x4), Virat Kohli 67*/129b (1x6,7x4) and Sachin 37/81b (5x4) stayed long enough to secure even that lead.
Australia's position is still,like Hughes's batting, brittle. But to give Hughes credit he's chanced his arm, mostly against the quick bowlers, and kept the spinners at bay - not always assuredly but in his own way effectively.
Another long day (100 overs) tomorrow: a big ask for Australia to bat out at least say 75 or 80 of them.
India are still well placed to win the Test but Australia have,contrary to my (and many more experienced commentators eg Ravi Shastri's) expectations come back to a likely much narrower margin of defeat or perhaps even a draw. A win, however, looks out of the question after Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the wayward man of the first innings,redeemed himself and his team's fortunes by cutting. through the Australian top order with 8-1-25-3. Phil Hughes 53*/68b (1x6, 9x4) - on his own one minute to midnight path to redemption -
and Michael Clarke, yet to bat but
possibly laid low with injury, are the main hopes if Australia is to bat India out of the Test or, just perhaps,set them a total which might cause them difficulty if they opt for the chase instead if safety.
Today Peter Siddle lifted his game a notch or three, moving from yesterday's honest trundler to today's sharp line and length bowler.After Nathan Lyon removed Shikar Dharwan for a masterly 187/174b (2x6, 33x4) Siddle, supported by tighter if not absolutely tight bowling from his colleagues, chipped away to the tune of 29.1-9-71-5 to leave India 499, a lead of 81. A day ago, at 0/283, a lead 5 times or more that didn't look too fanciful. Only Murali Vijay, who batted on to 153/317b (3x6, 19x4), Virat Kohli 67*/129b (1x6,7x4) and Sachin 37/81b (5x4) stayed long enough to secure even that lead.
Australia's position is still,like Hughes's batting, brittle. But to give Hughes credit he's chanced his arm, mostly against the quick bowlers, and kept the spinners at bay - not always assuredly but in his own way effectively.
Another long day (100 overs) tomorrow: a big ask for Australia to bat out at least say 75 or 80 of them.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Dharwan's 185* on debut propels India towards a dig lead on Australia's respectable looking 408: T3 D3
India 0/283 (58ov, Dhawan 185*, Vijay 83*) trail Australia 408 (141.5 ov, Starc 99, Smith 92, Cowan 86, Warner 71, Sharma 3/72, Jadeja 3/77) by 125 runs with 10 1st inns wkts in hand: T3 D3 at Mohali.
I'd barely heard of Shikar Dhawan before today, now, after his incredibly quickfire 185*/ 168b ( 2x6, 33x4) I'll never forget him.
He has made a respectable looking Australian total look puny. Today's contributions by Mitchell Starc 99/144b (14x4) and Steve Smith 92/185b (1x6,10x4) put Australia into what looked at the time, just before lunch,to be a solid if not match winning position.
But that didn't happen as Dharwan and and Murali Vijay 83*/181b (2x6, 10x4) exposed the weakness of the Australian attack in a manner which no other team,let alone pair, has probably ever done before.
A day lost to rain was made up today with an extra half hour and 418 runs and put a dispirited Australia in peril.
It's hard to imagine that tomorrow can be any worse for the bowlers....I hope it isn't.
I'd barely heard of Shikar Dhawan before today, now, after his incredibly quickfire 185*/ 168b ( 2x6, 33x4) I'll never forget him.
He has made a respectable looking Australian total look puny. Today's contributions by Mitchell Starc 99/144b (14x4) and Steve Smith 92/185b (1x6,10x4) put Australia into what looked at the time, just before lunch,to be a solid if not match winning position.
But that didn't happen as Dharwan and and Murali Vijay 83*/181b (2x6, 10x4) exposed the weakness of the Australian attack in a manner which no other team,let alone pair, has probably ever done before.
A day lost to rain was made up today with an extra half hour and 418 runs and put a dispirited Australia in peril.
It's hard to imagine that tomorrow can be any worse for the bowlers....I hope it isn't.
Australia blow it after good start:
Australia 7/273 (104 ov, Cowan 86, Warner 71, Smith 58*, Jadeja 3/56) v India T3/4 D2/5 at Mohali.
After a troubled week and the loss off a day to rain Australia took advantage of first use of the wicket and some good weather only to yield to India's tight bowling and end an extended first day in a poor position.
David Warner & Ed Cowan batted to lunch and beyond, Warner solid but occasionally cutting loose, Cowan toughing it out in survival mode. Well as the Indians, especially Ravi Ashwin, bowled they couldn't break through until at 139 Ravindra Jadeja, the third (or bots and pieces) spinner combined with MS Dhoni to dismiss David Warner caught for 71/147b (9x4) and, next ball,Michael Clarke - self promoted to no3 - stumped advancing down the wicket.
Thereafter things went India's way as the bowlers took advantage of the turn and bounce (or lack thereof) offered by the pitch. Of Phil Hughes's 2/31b no more need be said (though no doubt his many critics will).
Cowan seemed to retreat into his shell at a time when a few more strokes might have taken some of the pressure off the other batsmen. His labours of concentration and stroke play fatigued him and at 198 he fell toAshwin for 86/238b (8x6). No doubt his (also many) critics will berate him for failing to score a double (or triple) century.
Australia has Steven Smith 58*/137b(1x6, 7x4) to thank for a modest recovery to 7/273. But this, or even a few more, runs is hardly likely to be able to slow, led alone step, India's march to a series triumph.32
After a troubled week and the loss off a day to rain Australia took advantage of first use of the wicket and some good weather only to yield to India's tight bowling and end an extended first day in a poor position.
David Warner & Ed Cowan batted to lunch and beyond, Warner solid but occasionally cutting loose, Cowan toughing it out in survival mode. Well as the Indians, especially Ravi Ashwin, bowled they couldn't break through until at 139 Ravindra Jadeja, the third (or bots and pieces) spinner combined with MS Dhoni to dismiss David Warner caught for 71/147b (9x4) and, next ball,Michael Clarke - self promoted to no3 - stumped advancing down the wicket.
Thereafter things went India's way as the bowlers took advantage of the turn and bounce (or lack thereof) offered by the pitch. Of Phil Hughes's 2/31b no more need be said (though no doubt his many critics will).
Cowan seemed to retreat into his shell at a time when a few more strokes might have taken some of the pressure off the other batsmen. His labours of concentration and stroke play fatigued him and at 198 he fell toAshwin for 86/238b (8x6). No doubt his (also many) critics will berate him for failing to score a double (or triple) century.
Australia has Steven Smith 58*/137b(1x6, 7x4) to thank for a modest recovery to 7/273. But this, or even a few more, runs is hardly likely to be able to slow, led alone step, India's march to a series triumph.32
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