- MS Dhoni hits winning runs after Virat Kohli scores century
- Shaun Marsh’s ton in vain for Australia at Adelaide Oval
Australia in Sydney, India in Adelaide. This was the result that we expected to see in the first match: a target under 300 on a good batting pitch against the best chasers in the world.
That first game, Australia took three wickets with four runs on the board to gain the advantage. But Virat Kohli averages 69 in ODI run chases, and 99 in winning run chases. Relying on getting him out in single figures isn’t a viable strategy.
Related: Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni fire India to series-levelling win over Australia
49.2 overs: India 299-4 (Dhoni 55, Karthik 25)
Dhoni goes all the way downtown for six! Behrendorff the bowler, but first ball of his over Dhoni gets under and pumps it over long-on to level the scores (and raise his fifty). The field comes in, but he just plays tip-and-run to mid-on and bets they’ll miss the stumps. Which is exactly what happens.
#AusvIndpic.twitter.com/EspIF8BsHk
49th over: India 292-4 (Dhoni 48, Karthik 25) Stoinis with the penultimate. Dhoni is happy to knock a single. Karthik manufactures two through cover. They’re very calm about making up the gap. The twos can do it without the need for a boundary.
Two more singles follow. The equation is 11 off 8.
There’s a break while Dhoni has a quiet vomit in front of several thousand people. He ended up flat on his back at the end of that over, then rolled over to retch. “He’s having a Chris Mew!” says Adam Collins next to me. What a rich turn of phrase. The physio comes out to give him some fizzy hydration. It must be very hot for the batsmen still. Criticise his strike rate now...
48th over: India 283-4 (Dhoni 45, Karthik 19) Behrendorff with the job ahead of him. Single from the first ball, single from the second, smacked straight at the leg-side sweepers. Third ball, Dhoni is trying to drop the ball in front of midwicket and run two, but gets too much of it. Karthik drives past cover for one more. All well and good for Behrendorff, but Dhoni gets the soft touch he wants on the fifth ball. More glove than bat, I think, so it rolled past the keeper, and some outstanding running means that India’s total profits by three. Then Karthik hits the midwicket gap flush enough to belt back for a second.
The gap closes: 16 needed off 12.
47th over: India 274-4 (Dhoni 40, Karthik 15) Oin and Gloin achieved an unlikely victory: can Stoin do the same? The dot ball that starts his over is gold. Dhoni gets a run from the next but bails out on the second run. The pair do bolt two as Karthik punches a bit wider of the sweeper. Karthik keeps strike. So why would you bowl him that? A short ball, just after he’s destroyed the last one he received, and he gets under this one to send it over backward square for four. Two more tugged wide of long on as Karthik does his part. Eight runs for him from the over, one for Dhoni.
India need 25 from 18.
46th over: India 265-4 (Dhoni 39, Karthik 7) Big pressure now on Wheels Richardson. Thumps Dhoni in the thigh and concedes an extra. DK gives the strike back immediately. Knows his job for now. But Dhoni ticks behind square for another single, so Karthik goes the same way for four! Short, pulled, and the gap was hit. Three sweepers on the leg side, so he dinks into all that space for another single.
Wheels goes flat. Trying to cramp Dhoni, he bowls a wide instead, before Dhoni keeps strike off the added delivery. They only need 34 in 24 now.
Always a sign that Dhoni thinks he's in business when he gets rid of the headgear and lets the intensity on his face hang out for the world to see @cricbuzz#AUSvIND
45th over: India 255-4 (Dhoni 37, Karthik 1) Nathan Lyon is handed the ball. MS Dhoni immediately has the runner come out and collect his helmet. Batting bareheaded under lights. He’s not lost any of his style. Is he finished as a finisher. Lyon bowls.
Bazinga!
44th over: India 244-4 (Dhoni 26, Karthik 1) Dinesh Karthik gets moving immediately with a single. Dhoni looks like he’s shaping for a helicopter but ends up glancing a ball that was straighter than anticipated.
Brian Withington is writing eloquently, movingly to my email. “Your description of the Rayudu innings has invoked painful memories of my worst ever knock. It was like a waking nightmare without end. Due to a logistical conundrum (student digs in Oxford, opposition in Cambridge, girlfriend in Colchester) I had to play in hastily borrowed kit including oversized clown trousers and scruffy trainers. Refused to go out for toss in said kit so sent out smirking colleague with instructions to win it or not come back. Opened batting and middled nothing for nearly two hours - skied, edged or spliced everything but just couldn’t get out. Bastard teammates applauded the gruesome 50 like I was Bradman. Truly horrible, soul gnawing stuff. Memory had lain dormant for forty years.”
Hello! Cat, meet pigeons. They’re playing the singles-doubles game, not in a tennis sense, but then Kohli goes for something bigger. A big whip off the pads, but I fancy he was aiming square and instead it’s been dragged well in front. Aerial but flat, and Maxwell has time to intercept the projectile.
Now things get difficult for India! And the gap that Kohli was going to make up has to be bridged by someone else. Does Dhoni have the capacity to get things moving? Can Dinesh Karthik do so quickly enough? They need 57 from 38.
This has nothing to do with anything, but I like this dog’s face. And its name is Mungo.
In case anyone needs it today, it's a mungo and other dogs thread, please reply if you need a photo of either mungo or other dogs pic.twitter.com/SZcdwmWcIV
43rd over: India 238-3 (Kohli 103, Dhoni 22)
That is ODI century number 39 for Virat Kohli. There’s a huge gap on the leg side, so it’s simple for him to fend a short ball into it, and belt back for a second run as deep midwicket runs in. The only human with more one-day hundreds is Sachin Tendulkar with 49. At recent rates, Kohli could catch him within a year.
42nd over: India 228-3 (Kohli 99, Dhoni 17) Kohli does often slow up or get twitchy as he approaches a hundred. And with Dhoni also battling, it’s derailed the momentum of this chase. If a wicket fell here, India would be struggling. The psychology of the game. Kohli needs to take control back. But he’s blocked up by Richardson, twice playing straight to Maxwell at backward point, once going over him with a leading edge from a stroke aimed at midwicket. Dhoni gives him strike back. Kohli pulls to long on for a single to close the over, moving to 99 and keeping the strike.
Target is 71 in 48.
41st over: India 224-3 (Kohli 97, Dhoni 16) He’s decided it’s time to go. Dhoni walks at Siddle and hoicks at a pull shot. High top edge, and it’s nearly held at deep backward as Behrendorff ran around from long leg. Couldn’t quite get there. Two runs result. They trade singles, and are helped when Siddle is twice pinged for bouncers ruled as wides. The second of those especially looked very harsh. I love the fact that even when he’s annoyed, Siddle just gives a beaming smile. “Wide?” he smiles at the umpire, teeth like high-beam headlights. He just loves life. The over costs eight, despite no batsman playing a dominant shot.
They need 75 in 54.
40th over: India 216-3 (Kohli 95, Dhoni 12) This byplay between Stoinis and Kohli is interesting. Again Kohli takes three balls to beat the field for a single. But then Dhoni blocks, ducks a short ball, and punches to the bowler. They need 83 off 60, and he’s 12 off 24. He’s a perplexing cricketer.
Not sure why we have to pretend he isn't a spent force in the ODI format. No shame in that at the age of 37, 15 years in the format (!) and countless milestones and accolades in his bag.
This stat is galling https://t.co/zXqwwtuglC#AusvInd
39th over: India 215-3 (Kohli 94, Dhoni 12) Richardson trying to skid something through, but they work him comfortably enough. Ones and twos, six from the over. Dhoni makes sure he belts back for two from the last ball to give Kohli the strike. Dhoni is 12 from 21 balls.
Our friend Ben Jones can’t help himself. He’s a Pant man.
It's that time again folks. Scoring rate (rpo) in last 12 months:
MS Dhoni in ODIS - 4.28rpo
Rishabh Pant in Tests - 4.42rpo#AUSvIND
38th over: India 209-3 (Kohli 91, Dhoni 9) Again Stoinis has some minor success: has Kohli strike twice straight to the field, then have to drag a pull to find a run. Once Kohli gets the strike back, Stoinis zips through him and hits his pad. But there’s one ball left in the over, and sometimes that’s all Kohli needs. It’s just a touch wide, and despite being close to the body, Kohli has the timing to cut it for four. He’s into the 90s.
37th over: India 203-3 (Kohli 86, Dhoni 8) Walks at Lyon and lofts him for six! Clean and clear, no apparent muscle in the shot, just timing as Kohli dings the sight screen. Then skips back and cuts hard to deep point, and only some excellent work from Handscomb again keeps him to two. No matter, he’ll take two to midwicket to top up. And one more to keep the strike. Kohli is getting some help from the dressing room at the end of that over; it’s still about 35 degrees out there. and hard work running up and down the pitch.
36th over: India 192-3 (Kohli 75, Dhoni 8) Marcus Stoinis tightens things up a tad, banging the ball in at Kohli’s hip and causing him to miss a couple. But Kohli escapes eventually, and Dhoni biffs two runs through cover. Added to a couple of leg byes, still a decent over.
35th over: India 187-3 (Kohli 74, Dhoni 6) Maxwell has done a job, 1 for 16 from his four overs, but now the stud off-spinner is back. Kohli advances smoothly to drive and move to 69. Nice. Dhoni gets a single immediately, which is what India need. Kohli sees width, and chases the ball with an open face and guides it for four, before turning another ball square for one.
This looks so easy. Getting 112 from 90 would have sounded fiendishly difficult once, but these two can stroll it in.
34th over: India 180-3 (Kohli 68, Dhoni 5) The former Indian captain gets off strike first ball of the Behrendorff over, however, jumping and stabbing a ball to square leg. Kohli wants to make the most of the strike, so he punches two runs through cover, then gets low and cuts a fuller ball through deep extra cover for four! That was glorious, just straight enough to beat the cover sweeper despite a sprawl. Behrendorff bowls fuller, and Kohli lifts him away over midwicket for six! There was no one out there, so Kohli went to the agricultural zone with craftsman’s exactitude. Hit the fence on the full.
Bring back your best bowler to force a wicket? How about we smash him for 14 runs instead?We can also announce that Kohli has now exceeded his ODI average.
33rd over: India 166-3 (Kohli 55, Dhoni 4) Smart from Maxwell: round the wicket with his off-breaks, not giving Dhoni space. Knows that Dhoni starts slowly. And that’s exactly what happens, with three blocks plus a pull straight to the field. The only run from the over is a single punched to cover from the last, denying Kohli the strike. That’s absolutely the perfect result for Australia.
32nd over: India 165-3 (Kohli 55, Dhoni 3) Behrendorff returns, with Finch determined to press the advantage while a chance to derail India presents itself. Wickets required. But Kohli hands Dhoni the strike, and Dhoni gets moving immediately with a cut for two. Then fends a single after blocking a couple.
31st over: India 161-3 (Kohli 54, Dhoni 0) Kohli’s 50 comes up from the first ball of the Maxwell over with a cut for two. He flicks two more, takes a single, then while Rayudu’s mis-hit hangs in the air above midwicket, Kohli crosses back to take the strike and then score another single. He’s made six busily from an over in which his partner got out.
MS Dhoni comes to the middle. This is significant, after his very slow batting the other night. Can’t afford to do the same here. They need 138 from 114.
Thank mercy. The vet has run out. Look away now, the kids don’t need to see this. Ambati Rayudu has gone to live on a farm where he has lots of room to run around.
30th over: India 155-2 (Kohli 48, Rayudu 24) Somebody please put up the green screen around Rayudu’s innings. This is painful. It’s ugly. It’s uncomfortable. It’s a pair of poorly chosen shoes. Rayudu slogs over cover, walking at Richardson and skewing his drive. Then charges again and skews over mid-off, the man running back but unable to make up the ground. Gets two runs from each shot but it’s desperate stuff. Compare that to the silky way that Kohli rides the bounce and steers a single to third man.
India need 144 from 120 balls.
29th over: India 149-2 (Kohli 47, Rayudu 19) That was close! Kohli pulls just past Finch at midwicket, who couldn’t snare it with a dive. Maxwell just laughs, nothing else he can do. Four singles from the over. Kohli has 47. He’s still 13 runs short of topping his average.
28th over: India 145-2 (Kohli 45, Rayudu 17) Smashed! Perfect straight drive from Kohli, but credit the save to S. Tumps. The batsman smashes the shot straight into the non-striker’s wicket. No run, so Kohli goes back to Richardson and late-cuts a single. Rayudu plays another loose shot, a big pull that nearly carries to deep backward square. Maybe he figures that it’s worked so far, so why change?
India need 154 more from 22 overs.
27th over: India 142-2 (Kohli 43, Rayudu 16) Glenn Maxwell gets a bowl. Gets cut by Kohli for a couple, and mistimed by Rayudu on another slog to deep midwicket. But he’s still there. A couple more singles make five from the over.
26th over: India 137-2 (Kohli 39, Rayudu 15) The batsmen trade glides to third man. Handscomb does some more good work at midwicket, diving to save a boundary from Siddle. Kohli has to settle for two, so goes back and cuts the next hard, but to the sweeper.
Stumps are called after a long day of cricket at the beach. Back to the family beach house and the kids (and one of the two adults) want to watch Australia play cricket. But it's not on free to air television. It doesn't seem right that is actually allowed to happen. #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/FTj8cRtDJD
25th over: India 132-2 (Kohli 35, Rayudu 14) Lyon bowls to Kohli, who drives one to cover. To Rayudu, who misses a sweep down leg and scrambles an extra thanks to Carey’s fumble. And to Kohli, who leans forward and turns a single in front of square. Emblematic of how these two are going, in contrasting fashion. A couple more singles takes the over total to six runs.
24th over: India 126-2 (Kohli 32, Rayudu 13) Gee, Rayudu is really on struggle street today. Trying to slog his way out of trouble. Tugs Stoinis away, high of the top edge and could easily have holed out but lands safely at midwicket for two. Then slashes two just past Maxwell behind point. Chill, Winston.
23rd over: India 121-2 (Kohli 31, Rayudu 9) Siddle back, and overpitches, and Kohli eases it through midwicket for two. Lovely shot. But as Rayudu comes on strike, he throws his hands at Siddle and edges him for four! There’s a catcher back there, too, but Shaun Marsh is more like a fifth slip or a Test gully. Rayudu would have been straight into the pouch at first slip.
22nd over: India 114-2 (Kohli 28, Rayudu 5) The crowd get rowdy as a Mexican wave goes around the ground, and as Rayudu plays a pull shot. Only a single, but the solid contact will help his confidence.
21st over: India 111-2 (Kohli 26, Rayudu 4) Lyon has rattled through six overs for 24 runs now, as Kohli takes a couple of singles and Rayudu gets a leg bye. Chetan Narula on ABC radio points out that Rayudu has retired from Indian first-class cricket, so before this series he hasn’t played a competitive match since an ODI against West Indies on November 1 last year.
20th over: India 108-2 (Kohli 24, Rayudu 4) Three more balls becalmed, then Rayudu finally gets off the mark in Australia. Opens the face to guide Stoinis past Alex Carey behind the stumps for four.
19th over: India 103-2 (Kohli 23, Rayudu 0) Just the Kohli single from Lyon’s over. Always nice to bowl just after a wicket.
See below: that far side of the ground is about where Handscomb was fielding.
That’s a real cricket ground pic.twitter.com/g1j5JE4wai
18th over: India 102-2 (Kohli 22, Rayudu 0) Both openers gone, and it’s over to Kohli. He’s joined by Ambati Rayudu, who made a blob in Sydney as well as burning India’s only DRS review.
What a catch from Handscomb! And isn’t he pumped up about it. That eastern side of the ground is still bathed in low late sunlight as the evening encroaches. There’s a slice of sunlight about 10 metres deep by the boundary line. Handscomb is right in it. So as Rohit tries to bomb the crowd with a pull shot, Handscomb is staring into the sun at the same time as running around under the swirling ball, trying to get to the drop, and eventually judging it right. He yells in a way that seems more anger than celebration, and Stoinis does the same mid-pitch. They’ve been on the protein shakes during the break. And just as he started to get his wheels turning, Rohit falls in the same area of the ground where he holed out during the recent Test match here.
17th over: India 97-1 (Rohit 40, Kohli 20) Single, single, single, then eventually Rohit has had enough. He hit half a dozen sixes the other night in Sydney, and notches his first tonight. Simply done, a good stride to the ball from Lyon, and a big clean ping over midwicket. A single raises the 50 partnership.
16th over: India 87-1 (Rohit 32, Kohli 18) Rohit strikes Siddle a little airily through midwicket, but gets away with it. A couple of runs from that stroke, plus three singles from the rest of the over, and that’s drinks. “Those are drinks!” comes the correction from pedants across the world.
15th over: India 82-1 (Rohit 29, Kohli 16) Rohit and Kohli have had a few run-outs between them during their partnerships. There was a stutter on a single in Siddle’s previous over, and now another from Lyon, when Rohit stutters down the wicket after playing Lyon to Glenn Maxwell on the leg side. Kohli said no, and Rohit had to dive back in as Maxwell whipped in the return.
14th over: India 79-1 (Rohit 28, Kohli 14) Rohit Sharma leans back and six! He loves the pull shot, and plays the short ball well. Siddle suffers the full punishment for that. Then, not content with the back-foot drive from earlier, Kohli shuffles onto the front shoe and plays a perfect on-drive down the ground for four. The overhead camera was actually some use there, it was interesting to see just how much Kohli moved around his crease, in tiny incremental degrees, to get in just the right position to play that stroke. 13 from the over.
13th over: India 66-1 (Rohit 21, Kohli 8) Lyon with another four-run effort, they’re happy to bide their time against him for now.
12th over: India 62-1 (Rohit 18, Kohli 7) Oh, that’s just unfair. Kohli looks to come forward to Richardson, then sees the in-between length and hits reverse. But he aims at cover anyway, with a back-foot punch that reaches the rope. Unreasonable.
11th over: India 57-1 (Rohit 17, Kohli 3) Lyon is on as soon as the fielding restrictions cease, and Rohit and Kohli milk four singles from his over. A little aerial with the push to long-on, at one stage.
10th over: India 53-1 (Rohit 15, Kohli 1) A couple of runs through the covers first ball, but then Behrendorff settles into that tight line on the pads, just back of a length, and Rohit can’t do anything with it. Still happy to wait out a bowler who creates some danger.
These analysts are very good: it’s interesting when the data backs up something a conception you’ve drawn from watching.
Shikhar Dhawan falls, but that's the way this partnership is set up; Shikhar attacks the top, whilst Rohit sits. In the last six months, Dhawan scores at 5.56rpo in P1, compared to Rohit's 4.36rpo, but the former is dismissed every 48 balls, compared to Rohit's 77. #AUSvIND
9th over: India 51-1 (Rohit 13, Kohli 1) Siddle to Kohli once Rohit finally relents. Kohli walks across his stumps and plays a one-handed leg glance to avert the risk of an lbw and to score a single. As you do.
8th over: India 48-1 (Rohit 11, Kohli 0) You can tell from the crowd noise: King Kohli comes to the crease. India fans flock to the fence to get as close as they can. Hands in the air. Rohit farms the strike to make sure Kohli has to wait a while to face his first ball. The best composers always make you wait before the beat drops.
The show is over. One ball after lacing a lovely orthodox cover drive, Dhawan tries a lofted drive over long-off but gets far more elevation than lateral distance. It hangs in the air a long, long time, and Usman Khawaja beneath it has time to get nervous and nearly lets the ball squirm out from between his fingers. But he hangs on.
7th over: India 41-0 (Rohit 9, Dhawan 27) Hello! Peter Siddle, disparaged by a fair proportion of cricket followers for being past his prime, is sending them down at 138 kilometres an hour. Then 139. That’s almost as brisk as he’s ever been. It doesn’t help when he strays down leg side and Dhawan deflects him fine for four.
6th over: India 34-0 (Rohit 9, Dhawan 20) Dhawan keeps going. Slashes away at Richardson, and the ball flies past Maxwell at point for another boundary. Nice for Rohit to be able to chill down the other end and have someone else push the early runs. A couple of singles and a wide as Richardson loses his line. He’s getting movement though.
Jhye Richardson is finding about 40% more swing that he was at the same point in the opening ODI, albeit with slightly less seam movement. His radar has been slightly off, but he's getting some lateral movement to trouble the batsmen. #AUSvIND
5th over: India 27-0 (Rohit 8, Dhawan 15) Shikhar Dhawan is one of those batsmen who can look so sloppy, and then so good. Does what he wants, or at least tries to. After deflecting four leg byes off his thigh pad, he walks at Behrendorff and slogs, no other word for it. Unless you’re Jason Gillespie, who describes it as “he mungs it into the leg side for two” on ABC radio. Ugly shot. Then Behrendorff bowls full and wide, and Dhawan drops to one knee with consummate style and flays it through cover for four. You miss one hundred percent of the outrageous slogs you don’t play.
4th over: India 15-0 (Rohit 8, Dhawan 7) Jhye Richardson picked up Virat Kohli’s wicket in Sydney with a catch straight to square leg. Nearly gets Dhawan the same way. Flicks it away just past the man in the circle for four.
3rd over: India 10-0 (Rohit 8, Dhawan 2) Richardson, having just bowled his over, does a better job in the field. A big sprint and dive at third man saves a boundary from Dhawan’s slashing shot, and in the end the batsmen only get one. Rohit sees out the rest of Behrendorff’s over.
2nd over: India 9-0 (Rohit 8, Dhawan 1) Jhye Richardson, another West Australian, will open from the River End. Shorter than your usual Australian fast bowler, he told us the other night he likes to see himself as “Not better or worse, just different.” It’s a good way to look at the world. He’s got an easy casual lope to the crease, then whangs down the ball at usually over 140 kilometres per hour. Took 4-26 the other night.
Doesn’t start so well tonight. Dhawan is quickly off strike, then Rohit clunks a pull shot for four as Richardson drops short, then another short ball is guided for four behind point.
1st over: India 0-0 (Rohit 0, Dhawan 0) It’s Big German Disco time. Jason Behrendorff takes the ball, left-arm brisk from the Cathedral End, with the hill and the trees and the old scoreboard behind him. And let me tell you, he is right in the money from the get-go. Left-arm over, swinging the ball into the pads of Rohit, and nailing that line so consistently that Rohit just blocks the over out. The batsman knows that his team has the firepower to chase 299 on a very nice batting track, as long as those early wickets don’t tumble again.
Thanks Adam. Let’s see if India can live up to their chasing credentials this time, after botching the start in Sydney the other night.
50th over: Australia 298-9 (Lyon 12, Behrendorff 1) Clever from Lyon, getting across his stumps to lift Bhuvi over short-fine for four! He goes BIIIIIG from the final ball of the innings popping the Indian trump a long way back into the eastern stand! What a fantastic way to finish, the veteran keeping his head, taking responsibility and sticking the landing. He walks off unbeaten with 12 from five.
All told, a fine total from the hosts after such a poor start. When Shaun Marsh walked in as Carey departed, the score was 26-2 in the 8th, and there he was until almost the very end, making a flawless 131 from 123 in the extreme heat.
Make that 4/3! Siddle didn’t make adequate contact to the wider Bhuvi offering, slicing into the deep, Kohli making plenty of ground before completing the catch.
Australia have lost 3/3, Richardson taken at deep point by Dhawan from Shami’s change of pace. Fantastic bowling from India at the death, the penultimate over going for just two.
49th over: Australia 284-7 (Richardson 1, Lyon 0) “I don’t understand,” says Ben Jones, setting up for something positively droll. “Australia laid such a great platform, Maxwell played well, and they still aren’t going to make 300? Almost like the strategy ain’t working.”
Two in three balls! Another slower one, the knuckle ball this time. This is almost identical to Maxwell’s downfall, Marsh unable to lift Bhuvi over long-off.
48th over: Australia 284-7 (Richardson 1, Lyon 0) That’s a clutch bit of cricket from Bhuvi, picking up both set men just as they were about to push the hosts well beyond 300.
The slower one got him, Maxwell trying to flat-bat him over the long-off rope but not quite making the journey, taken safely by the sweeper Karthik.
47th over: Australia 281-5 (Marsh 130, Maxwell 47) Rohit nearly pulls down a brilliant, Peter Taylor-esque catch! He went up with one hand on the extra cover circle and dragged it out of the sky but it didn’t stick in there after he landed. Maxwell uses the life, clipping Siraj’s full toss into almost non-existent midwicket gap for four. Fantastic batting from these two. Siraj, on debut, finishes with 0/76. He’ll be back, on far easier afternoons than this.
Maxwell and Marsh have added 75, of which 3 runs have been scored to long on and long off. Maxwell rarely hits over mid-off, poor field placements. #AUSvIND
46th over: Australia 272-5 (Marsh 129, Maxwell 39) Bhuvi is back and is harder for Maxwell to get away, unable to find the rope despite his best efforts. The Indian number one knows the deal to Maxwell, sending down all his variations. That doesn’t work for Marsh though, the left-hander walloping another six! That might the biggest, nearly into the viewing room for the players in the Bradman Stand. They run hard for a couple down the ground to finish, making 12 from it.
45th over: Australia 260-5 (Marsh 121, Maxwell 36) It is the control with Maxwell not the power, pinpointing precisely where he wants the Shami full toss to go over cover and nailing it. He’s unlucky not to beat short-fine but it gives the strike back to Marsh, who takes full advantage with a stand-and-deliver nearly landing in the second deck of the Football Stand! That’s his second big one in the last ten minutes or so, struck as clean as Geoff Lemon’s dinner plate. 300?
Speaking of Geoff, if you’re at a loose end Thursday, come along to our live show.
Still some tickets left for The Final Word live podcast with me and Adam Collins on Thursday in Melbourne. Damien Fleming joining us for the second half. Come along.https://t.co/XFKdrBcOZp
44th over: Australia 247-5 (Marsh 114, Maxwell 30) 13 all up from the eventful Siraj over, Maxwell hammering a pulled boundary before his reprieve then, rather brilliantly, slicing a wide yorker over point with one hand on the bat afterwards. With complete control, too. Forearms like Ricky Ponting.
NOT OUT! Missing! Down the legside!
IS MAXWELL LBW? He almost certainly is, but he has to send it upstairs at this stage of the innings. Stand by.
43rd over: Australia 234-5 (Marsh 110, Maxwell 22) “The speed!” says Harsha Bhogle on TV, as Maxwell picks up Kuldeep and pops him into the Bradman Stand “the speed of his hands!” Marsh follows suit later in the over for a second six for the over, using his feet before lofting the wrist spinner over the extra cover rope. Wonderful batting from a man who must be absolutely spent. It makes 16 from the over, by far the biggest of the innings for the Australians. With seven overs to go, they take their third drinks break, an extra one popped in due to the weather.
“You can tell it must be a tad warm when a batsman celebrates a fine century in such subdued fashion as Shaun Marsh,” notes Brian Withington. “Product idea: are they allowed to insert a small fan into the helmet peak, and/or run some sort of battery assisted coolant?” Do it, mate. Make your millions.
42nd over: Australia 218-5 (Marsh 102, Maxwell 14) Big over this for Siraj and he’s done it superbly, landing his yorker three times and, in turn, kept the pair to just the three singles.
41st over: Australia 214-5 (Marsh 100, Maxwell 12) Kuldeep Yadav returns with two overs still to bowl and both batsmen get into him, Maxwell pulling three then Marsh cutting four into the gap, moving him to one short of 100. He gets the century with a push to extra cover, 108 balls required to collect his seventh ODI ton; four in his most recent eight innings in the 50-over canary yellow.
40th over: Australia 205-5 (Marsh 95, Maxwell 8) Super bowling from Jadeja, pinning Marsh to the crease with four accurate darts. A single down the ground gets him off strike, Maxwell keeping the strike with one to point.
39th over: Australia 203-5 (Marsh 94, Maxwell 7) Maxwell top edge, over the ‘keeper and four! They are definitely going after him with the short stuff. He gives the strike back to Marsh with a single to point, who returns the favour to square leg. Shami nails his yorker to finish, Maxwell down to it just in time. Nice contest.
“By the way,” adds Brian Withington, “recent scoring rates in this series make me wonder whether this Australian team is some sort of 70s tribute act, bit like the Australian Pink Floyd outfit? Wish You Were Here, anyone?”
38th over: Australia 195-5 (Marsh 92, Maxwell 1) Marsh is into the 90s with a powerful lofted stroke over midwicket off Jadeja, into the gap and the boundary boards. Earlier in the over, Maxwell was off the mark with one through point.
“Just woken and quickly reviewed OBO to be plagued by your ‘useless fact’ (18th over) about Greg Matthews’s lowest standard deviation. Who has the highest?” asks Brian Withington. “What should a captain/selectors prefer - steady grouping around the 40s or the occasional (match-winning) exceptional high score amongst a collection of ducks? What about reverse correlation with the team’s overall batting performance? (I have sometimes reflected that average boosting hundreds in a big team score might be over-valued.) We are not even scratching the surface here - there are no useless cricket facts.”
37th over: Australia 189-5 (Marsh 87, Maxwell 0) Two accurate bumpers from Shami to Maxwell, the Victorian electing to get out of the way both times.
WICKET: Stoinis goes for 29.
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Stoinis gets a tiny little bottom edge trying to pull, just making it through to the gloves of Dhoni. That’ll sting even more given he had just smashed boundaries from the previous two Shami deliveries.
36th over: Australia 180-4 (Marsh 86, Stoinis 21) Shot, Shaun! Jadeja is back and Marsh is ever so confident, steering the spinner to the boundary with a lovely little cut. Four singles down the ground and to midwicket makes eight from the set.
35th over: Australia 172-4 (Marsh 80, Stoinis 19) Oooh, close for Bhuvi there, winning Marsh’s inside edge, the ball just missing his leg stump on the deflection. Stonis keeps the strike to finish with a quick single to point. Australia’s run rate is now 4.91, having never cracked five at any stage in the innings.
34th over: Australia 167-4 (Marsh 77, Stoinis 17) The pitch is giving a bit to the spinners so Marsh responds by jumping down the track, smashing Kuldeep back over his head for four. That the shot of the day so far, Marsh well on his way to a ton. He tries to replicate the stroke to finish, albeit along the ground for two. Earlier on, Stonis was looking to go as well, creaming a drive out to the sweeper at cover. I asked Alex Carey if they waited too long to pull the trigger in Sydney. With six wickets in hand, Marsh surely exhausted in this heat and Maxwell still to come, I wonder how long before they try and really give it big.
Kuldeep is not 100%. He clutched at his hamstring after his first spell. It is clearly bothering him and he isn't not quite finishing his action #AUSvIND
33rd over: Australia 158-4 (Marsh 71, Stoinis 14) Bhuvi has half of his overs to come, which is good news for Kohli. I’m surprised that he hasn’t let Siraj get through another after a half-decent couple. Sure enough, he’s right back onto his full length at the stumps, only four singles taken when enough room can be made.
32nd over: Australia 154-4 (Marsh 69, Stoinis 12) Kuldeep is back: a nice, aggressive move while Stonis is still finding his groove. Neither batsmen take the bait though, scoring off each delivery but all in ones and twos; Stonis’ glance to finish especially deft. There’s a lot to like about him, not least his new haircut.
This weather's crazy. 39 at 11am. 33 at 12.30pm. Now up to 41. The sea breeze was an impostor apparently. #AusvInd
31st over: Australia 147-4 (Marsh 66, Stoinis 8) Six off Siraj’s over, punctuated by another ropey half-tracker, which enables Stoinis to register his boundary of the day. But on balance, Kohli would probably take six an over from Siraj with three overs left to come from his least effective bowler so far today.
30th over: Australia 141-4 (Marsh 65, Stoinis 3) Jadeja pushes through an over of darts, five coming from it to the sweepers. Marsh was battling against the spin of Kuldeep early but he’s been in completely control against the left-arm ortho.
29th over: Australia 136-4 (Marsh 62, Stoinis 1) So much better from Siraj. Good captaincy from Kohli to give him a go immediately after a wicket, the man on debut nearly making it two in a hurry when he beat the bat of Stonis with a beauty. Just two from it, which will do him the world of good with four overs still for him to send down. Between overs, they run a cold towel out for Marsh, who is battling in the stinging heat. He should go for the Dean Jones ice necklace, which is also a topic of conversation on Fox Cricket. Never was I more gutted when he was bowled for 98 at the Gabba wearing one in 1994. If I had my way, he would still be batting number three for this Australian ODI side.
28th over: Australia 134-4 (Marsh 61, Stoinis 0) Wicket maiden! Stonis tries to sweep the final Jadeja delivery, but unlike Handscomb, his foot was back in his ground when Dhoni took the bails.
DHONI! He may be 37 years old but his gloves remain the smartest in the business! Handscomb got down for the sweep and missed, the legendary wicketkeeper waiting until the back foot was dragged to complete the stumping. Brilliant.
27th over: Australia 134-3 (Marsh 61, Handscomb 20) Siraj is having a shocker on debut, four of his five overs going for more than once boundary. Back from the northern end, Handscomb tucked a short ball off the hip for four before Marsh did much the same from the final ball, helping another on its way.
26th over: Australia 125-3 (Marsh 57, Handscomb 15) Another five runs milked to the sweepers, which will probably suit both sides at this stage of the innings.
Rayudu can bowl in this fixture and the next the TV commentary says - he won’t be tested until after the series. I wonder whether they still get sent down to the University of Western Australia for that? For a time in 1990s/2000s, testing for chucking was what that fine institution was surely best known for.
25th over: Australia 120-3 (Marsh 54, Handscomb 13) Shami was on the money to Marsh, keeping him down the business end for four dots, but when he slipped onto the West Austalians pads he did not miss out.
24th over: Australia 116-3 (Marsh 50, Handscomb 13) From 62 deliveries, he brings up the milestone with one down the ground the ball after smashing Jadeja’s shorter offering away for four. Seven off it, Australia nearly up at five an over now.
The Cricket Ground DJ plays Just Like Heaven between overs, living out my dream life they are. I came pretty close to getting my debut at The Oval a couple of seasons ago for a Surrey T20 Blast game, submitting a playlist and everything. This year will be mine on the 1s and 2s at a cricket ground somewhere.
23rd over: Australia 109-3 (Marsh 44, Handscomb 12) Shami is back, this time from the northern or Cathedral End. They’re in decent shape these two, Marsh driving down the ground, Handscomb pulling a couple then steering another. The quick nearly slips the final ball through, Marsh just getting his bat down in time.
The Khawaja run out, in case you missed it.
WICKET: Khawaja goes for 21.
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22nd over: Australia 104-3 (Marsh 42, Handscomb 9) Jadeja drops short to Marsh first up, the left-hander leaping back and smashing him through the gap at midwicket for four. Back to back boundaries for Australia, the 100 raised with the shot too. Three singles to the boundary riders down the ground makes seven from the over, this partnership already 22 from 21 balls.
21st over: Australia 97-3 (Marsh 36, Handscomb 8) Handscomb has started really well here, latching onto a misdirected wrong’un and creaming it past point to finish a productive over worth nine between the pair.
“Marsh ran his partner out,” says Peter Brook, right to the point. “How do those brothers get selected after a decade of failure?”
20th over: Australia 88-3 (Marsh 32, Handscomb 3) Shaun Marsh reaches his 30 KPI, so the coaching staff will be happy with that. “Locking up his spot for 2027,” sniffs Geoff Lemon next to me. Jadeja prompts a false stroke from Marsh, who nearly edges a cut to backward point, before pushing with one down the ground. Earlier, Handscomb picked up his first runs, driving twice to long-off.
Jadeja! What a fielder! Racing around from backward point, he collects and throws in one movement while going at full speed, nailing the stumps at the non-strikers’ end. They go upstairs but there is little doubt about Khawaja’s fate. He has one of the most accurate throws in world cricket, if not the very best come to think of it.
19th over: Australia 83-3 (Marsh 30, Handscomb 0)
18th over: Australia 81-2 (Khawaja 21, Marsh 28) Jadeja is on for his first turn today, zipping through his oiver in his usual way, giving up three singles.
“Is Glenn Maxwell the new Greg Matthews?” asks Patrick O’Keefe. “Both perceived as mavericks, as not quite fitting within the short-back-and-sides approach of the national team. Both denied opportunities when it would seem their form and talent warranted a little more support.”
17th over: Australia 77-2 (Khawaja 21, Marsh 25) The 50 partnership between this pair comes with a Marsh cut of Kuldeep close to the body but is directed well enough for a couple. As Harsha Bhogle notes, the vast majority of those runs are off the bowling off Siraj. Half a chance to finish, Khawaja cutting from deep in the crease, the ball hitting Dhoni on the end of his gloves rather than the webbing.
16th over: Australia 74-2 (Khawaja 21, Marsh 22) Isa Guha makes a good point on Fox Cricket that Rayudu is unlikely to bowl today with his action reported on Saturday, so Siraj will need to find a way to get through his full set of ten. He’s into his fourth now, spraying a wide early on. It doesn’t get any better, a short ball well outside the off-stump jumped on by Marsh, finding the gap at deep point with a cut shot that bounces once before crossing the rope. Another half-tracker follows later in the over, Khawaja raising his front leg before pulling hard into the gap at square leg for four more. That makes 13 runs from the over, Siraj giving up 34 across his four so far. He alone has let Australia off the hook.
The two wickets so far, Finch then Carey.
WICKET: Finch goes for 6.
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WICKET: Carey goes for 18.
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15th over: Australia 61-2 (Khawaja 15, Marsh 16) Better from Marsh here against Kuldeep, coming down and making solid contact to the midwicket boundary rider. Three further singles follow with Khawaja using the depth of the crease to play the turn late through extra cover. Drinks are on the field.
14th over: Australia 57-2 (Khawaja 13, Marsh 14) That’s the way, Marsh taking full advantage of a short ball that holds up, slamming it to the midwicket rope. To finish, Khawaja helps four more behind square leg off his hip, another delivery that doesn’t get up. “Siraj really has to address his length,” Kerry O’Keefe says at the end of the over. This is not the track for banging it in half way down.
13th over: Australia 46-2 (Khawaja 8, Marsh 9) Kuldeep gets his wrong’un out early here, Khawaja handling it well and pushing to long-on for one. Marsh looks far more exposed, done by a hard-spun leg break, only just getting his foot back before Dhoni takes the bails.
Usman Khawaja has batted in the middle overs (11-40) of ODIs on 10 occasions.
Only twice has he managed to do so whilst scoring at quicker than a run a ball; once was against Ireland in September 2016, and once was when he made 6 (5) against New Zealand in Hamilton.#AUSvIND
12th over: Australia 42-2 (Khawaja 6, Marsh 7) Siraj has a much better time of it with this his second over, bending his back at Marsh who after defending half the over takes one to midwicket. Khawaja is also in defence. This is when Australia got bogged down on Australia, it is worth remembering.
11th over: Australia 41-2 (Khawaja 6, Marsh 6) Kuldeep was superb on Saturday through this period and he’s straight on the moment the fielding restrictions are relaxed. Marsh faces the entirety of this over, finding the sweeper twice at deep cover, for two then one. Kerry O’Keefe on Fox loves the loopy speed that the left-arm wrist spinner bowls at, all of his deliveries south of 80kph.
10th over: Australia 38-2 (Khawaja 6, Marsh 3) Siraj to bowl the final over with the field in, the right arm quick on debut. It’s not a first over he’ll recall fondly, allowing the locals to get off the hook somewhat, Khawaja clipping two then four with a legside wide in between, the boundary reinforcing how fast this outfield is. Marsh is also off the mark from the final ball of the over, pushing three through midwicket. And out goes the field.
9th over: Australia 27-2 (Khawaja 1, Marsh 0) With India’s bowlers moving the ball around so much, Khawaja and Marsh will have to get themselves in before rebuilding the scoreboard. The former would have been off the mark early in the over if not for a diving stop from Kohli in the gully but he does get that first run to mid-on later in the set, Marsh then carefully dealing with the last couple.
Bit of a yarn here, via Daniel Dekok on the email. “Afternoon Adam.” And to you. “I know the upcoming Sri Lanka series feels like an afterthought, especially during a high summer one day series, but I saw the following tweet this morning and it was a little bit surprised. It’s a risky ploy by Seven betting on the First Test Aus v Sri Lanka to finish in four and a half days or less. I’m not used to seeing something scheduled when a test should be playing? Also haven’t seen much other conversation about it.”
8th over: Australia 26-2 (Khawaja 0, Marsh 0) Whoosh, a fast bumper from Shami to Marsh first up, just missing his helmet. Australia have lost 2/6 in five balls with two men in the middle who are yet to score. Going well, then.
Before Aaron Finch made his Test debut, he averaged 16.30 against balls that would have hit his stumps, striking at 97.80.
Since making his Test debut, he's averaging 2.5 and striking at 33. #AUSvIND
That’s no good at all, Carey walking before he was caught after top edging a delivery from a pull that he was trying to get out of at the last minute, Dhawan doing the rest at midwicket. This is grim for the home side.
A carbon copy of his Test dismissal at the same ground last month! Finch tried to hit Bhuvi into the River Torrens but instead Bhuvi made a mess of his stumps via a small inside edge. Having all-but blown the power play, Australia are in strife.
7th over: Australia 20-1 (Carey 12)
6th over: Australia 18-0 (Carey 11, Finch 5) Fantastic stop in the covers by Karthik, diving to his left and saving three runs. “Carey would have thought that was four off the bat,” says Mike Hussey, the pressure building again through the Shami over. Finch punches hard off the back foot to finish but it doesn’t quite make it to the rope, retaining the strike with three instead. “That’s the first shot of authority from Finch,” notes Hussey again.
Glenn Maxwell batting at 7 in an ODI is cultural vandalism #AUSvIND
5th over: Australia 14-0 (Carey 10, Finch 2) A tad more control from the Australian pair in this over, Carey pushing Bhuvi to square leg, Finch tucking him behind umpire, the South Aussie then doing the same. Now they have their eye in, time for one of these two to take advantage while the field is up.
4th over: Australia 11-0 (Carey 8, Finch 1) Shami nearly slips past Finch’s inside edge again to begin the over, Mike Hussey on Fox noting that his bat is coming down on a slight angle rather than with the line of the delivery. But he’s off the mark from the next ball, with a compact push to mid-off. I doubt there are many white-ball games that the opener has played for Australia where he hasn’t been off the mark this deep into an innings. Carey cops the best ball of the day so far, Shami forcing him to play with a ball that shaped away beautifully after pitching. He also scores to mid-off before Finch defends the rest.
3rd over: Australia 9-0 (Carey 7, Finch 0) Bhuvi misses down the legside to begin at Carey before beating him with a ball that’s well outside of the off-stump; the second swing and miss we’ve seen to deliveries out there so far. The local lad is happy enough leaving then defending the rest, both sides getting a feel for each other early in this contest.
Early signs are the strip's FLAT. Oz will be looking to post 300-plus. #AUSvsIND
2nd over: Australia 8-0 (Carey 7, Finch 0) Shami is starting off from the southern, city or river end, depending on your preference. Second up he drifts into Carey’s pads who flicks in front of square for the first boundary of the day, the ball screaming across the outfield and into the boundary just in front of the Bradman Stand. Nice shot. A single to third man gives the strike to Finch, who is beaten on the inside edge then outside of the blade, taking a swing at a wide delivery but without a lot of footwork. Michael Vaughan on the telly observes that the Victorian’s weight transfer doesn’t look quite right to him early in this innings.
1st over: Australia 3-0 (Carey 2, Finch 0) Carey is away first ball, glancing a misdirected delivery down to fine leg for one.Another on the pads gets Finch off strike, albeit via a leg bye. Bhuvi then finds his channel, Carey defending then inside edging to finish, not far away from deflecting back onto his woodwork.
An omenof sorts as the players walk out to the middle. Finch and Carey are on their way for the home side, followed by Kohli’s XI. Bhuvi has the ball, starting off from the Cathedral End, bowling with some strong wind assistance. PLAY!
The last time that Australia won consecutive ODIs was in January 2017, when they beat Pakistan - first at Sydney, then at Adelaide. #AUSvIND
If you want to know why I’m hugely into Siraj, this video gives a flavour of what you can expect. He has the most energetic run up and and a lovely delivery stride. He’s rapid and doesn’t bother hiding his emotions for even a moment.
A slightly daunting factoid from Andrew Donnison. “The last time Australia won an ODI series,” he reveals, “90% of the runs were scored by Warner, Head, Smith, Wade and Maxwell.”
Cripes. That was the series where Australia made 360 here against Pakistan on the 26 January fixture, with, from memory, Travis Head tallying his maiden international ton.
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (wk), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Lyon, Peter Siddle, Jhye Richardson, Jason Behrendorff
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (wk), Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami
Great news for home fans. The XIs as named are coming in just a moment.
The pitch. Looks like it’ll be worth a million runs. But it is worth noting that the average first innings score at Adelaide over the last ten ODIs has been 243. And Australia won here against South Africa in November defending 231.
Pitch for 2nd Gillette Series ODI at a very warm Adelaide Oval #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/98gnK8vJks
Could it be? Could Australia win their first ODI series for two years? In straight sets, no less? That is the opportunity for the hosts today on a scorching day in the city of churches. Coming as it would at the start of a World Cup year, a triumph over a team as strong as India would do an enormous amount for the confidence of a group that has copped a battering in all forms of the game since the suspensions of you-know-who in 2018.
I can report that it is an absolutely filthy day here, the expected top temperature of 41 surely not far away, with an equally brutal northerly gale howling down from the Cathedral End. In turn, so much of what happens will be dictated by the side that gets the luxury of batting first. For fast bowlers, it will be especially rugged.
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