Australia’s batsmen have had a rare positive day in their series against India, with debutant Will Pucovski and Marnus Labuschagne leading the way on a rain-shortened first day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
With a top score of 200 in the first four innings of the series, Australia’s top order finally turned up in the third Test, with Pucovski getting a half-century in his first outing, while Labuschagne rediscovered something resembling his form from last summer to lead Australia to 2-166 at stumps.
The 100-run partnership between Pucovski (62) and Labuschagne (67 not out) — Australia’s first for the summer — was a welcome sight for the hosts, after David Warner’s much-hyped return from injury underwhelmed.
The veteran opener was at the crease for less than four overs but that was long enough to see he was hobbled by the groin injury that kept him out of the first two Tests.
Shortly after his wild slash outside off sailed into the hands of Cheteshwar Pujara, rain settled in over the ground and hung around for hours, taking away more than a third of the day’s play.
When play finally did get back underway, Pucovski looked assured on debut, although he was gifted extra lives by two bad drops from wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Eventually he made his way past 50 and finally fell on 62 when fellow first-gamer Navdeep Saini trapped him LBW in the 35th over.
Not long after that Labuschagne reached his first half-century of the summer as he and Steve Smith counter-attacked with a level of confidence that will be concerning for India’s bowlers with two Tests remaining in the series.
They made their way through to stumps and will return to the crease half an hour early, at 10:00am AEDT, for the next three days due to the time lost to the weather on day one.
Look back at how the day’s play unfolded in our live blog.
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Australia v India: Third Test at the SCG
By Dean Bilton
THAT’S STUMPS! Australia 2-166 (Labuschagne 67, Smith 31)
Good first day for Australia, though the time lost due to rain makes it slightly harder to proclaim a definitive victory for the hosts. To get through the 55 overs bowled for the loss of only two wickets is a good result in anyone’s books though, and there were plenty of positive signs for the Aussies to take home.
Will Pucovski’s debut innings was very good, albeit somewhat fortunate. He was good value for his 62 and was right to be annoyed he didn’t go on with it further. The last stanza of the day was pretty ominous for India though, as Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith’s powers combined properly for the first time this series. They both looked… like themselves again. Which could be very bad news for India.
First hour tomorrow will be big. This pitch looks like it’ll be a goodun for the next few days at least, so some early Indian wickets on day two could be make or break. If Marnus and Smudge continue towards lunch though, look out.
ALSO! Be aware play will start at 10am AEDT tomorrow morning, half an hour earlier than originally programmed, to make up for time lost today. So make sure you get to the blog nice and early! Until then, from me and Jon, have a lovely night.
By Dean Bilton
55th over – Here we go, Navdeep Saini to take us home
Bizarre choice. Let’s see if he can prove me wrong.
He’s bowling around the wicket to Steve Smith. I guess they are trying to bounce him out in the last over of the day. Bold strategy, Cotton.
Smith ducks the first two with a minimum of fuss.
And then he takes a single into the off side to get off strike. This hasn’t been great. Three balls to come, Marnus on strike.
Same field and tactics fort Labuschagne, who defends the first ball to fine leg.
Marnus defends the fifth. One to come.
Defended into the leg side, and that will be stumps.
By Dean Bilton
54th over – Ashwin to bowl his last over of the day
Ooh, spin! Smith just got one that exploded with spin and bounce off a length. Spun too much to take the glove, but that came from nowhere.
Bit of whippage from Smith, he takes one out to deep square leg.
That’s all she wrote from the over. Just the one to come.
By Dean Bilton
53rd over – Jadeja to bowl, Marnus on strike
Not for long, he takes a cheeky single to square leg.
Smith is looking slightly – only slightly – uncomfortable when facing Jadeja.
He takes a single to end the over nonetheless. Two overs to bowl.
By Dean Bilton
52nd over – Ashwin still hunting his first wicket
A few fielders creeping back in around the bat with only a few overs to go.
Labuschagne still happy to play some shots, but is picking out fielders. A miscued sweep shanked down into the ground, somewhat fortuitously.
A single to Marnus and another over ends. It’s all pretty comfortable for the Aussies at the moment, with three overs to bowl.
By Dean Bilton
51st over – Jadeja again
Five overs left to bowl today.
Make that four. A rapid-fire maiden defended out by Smith.
By Dean Bilton
50th over – Spin continues at the other end in the form of Ashwin
SHOUT! Any bat in that from Smith before it rebounded up in the air? No says the umpire. Rahane thinks about a review…. but pulls out at the last minute! Not out.
And then a single to get off the mark. Replays confirm Smith was nowhere near the last one too.
Two runs and a wee bit of excitement off the over then, as Australia keeps chugging along.
By Dean Bilton
49th over – Here he is, Ravi Jadeja
Good move from Rahane, this could be an interesting battle late in the day. Smith on strike.
And it’s a maiden, bit of an anti-climax after the build up.
By Dean Bilton
By Dean Bilton
48th over – Ashwin to Labuschagne
SHOT! Marnus advances, plays a perfect straight drive and watches it take one bounce before crashing into the fence. Delightful batting. That’s the 50 partnership too.
So five dots and one glorious four. A good over for Marnus.
By Dean Bilton
47th over – Siraj charging in once more
Wonder if Ravi Jadeja will get a go tonight.
Siraj had been working Labuschagne over on a tight line, and it took four balls for Marnus to be able to work one square enough off his pads for a single.
One from it, runs slowing a little.
By Dean Bilton
46th over – Ashwin v Smith again
CLOSE! Smith charges inside edges onto his own pad, but the deflection falls well short of first slip. Well bowled from Ashwin, did him with flight.
But then a cheap single lets Smith get away.
Better over from Ashwin though, neither batsman really able to get away. Just two singles off it.
By Dean Bilton
45th over – Siraj to continue
DONE HIM! What a ball from Siraj. Chopped Labuschagne in half, absolutely no clue how he didn’t nick it/get bowled.
A good over from Siraj, and India needed a quiet one. That’s a maiden.
By Dean Bilton
44th over – Ashwin to bowl to Smith
Field already more spread for Smith than it was only a few overs ago.
And Smudge takes one to long on immediately. Very easy.
A single for Marnus too. And another for Smith. Field spread, runs much easier to rack up.
One more single means four from the over, during which Australia passed 150.
By Daniel Colasimone
Did Pant drop it? Did he know he’d dropped it?
Trent Copeland:
“One of the hardest things to explain if you’ve been a wicket keeper before, even if you’ve just watched a lot of cricket is, when you go down with your gloves and feel impact of ball in gloves, quite often you’re not sure whether the ball has bounced or whether it’s gone in cleanly.”
By Dean Bilton
Hope y’all are having a good time. Any idea when today’s play will finish?
-X
I think they are intending to bowl another 14 overs in the next hour.
By Jon Healy
43rd over – As expected, Saini is out and in comes Siraj
Another elite drive from Labuschagne. Not full blooded, just shoved between cover and mid-off for three runs.
Oh and he’s almost chopped on. Siraj was on a good length and it looked like the ball stayed a bit lower than he expected, chopping into his back pad.
FIFTY FOR MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE!
Fittingly he brings it up with a drive through cover for four. That’s Labuschagne’s first half-century of the series, after twice falling in the 40s, and just Australia’s fourth from five innings.
Boom! Four more for Marnus down the ground. Half-volleys are never a great idea, but especially to a batsman in good nick.
And a couple off the hip to fine leg to end the over. That’ll also end my time at the crease. Dean’s going to take us home.
By Jon Healy
42nd over – Ashwin to Smith. The battle resumes.
HAVE IT! Charge and smacked for four back past the bowler. Followed up with a Steph Curry-esque turn of the back. Money in the bank.
But no more runs from the over. Just a signal of intent and then sit back and defend.
By Jon Healy
So what is the score in this perfect dream of yours?
-Further Dreaming
Never less than 400. Ever.
