Geoff Lemon's Blog, page 62

Australia v India: fourth Test, day one – as it happened

Labuschagne century revives Australia’s first inningsAustralia 274-5 at stumps on day one at the Gabba

7.50am GMT

That’s all she wrote from day one, one that see-sawed in India’s favour through early wickets of Warner (1) and Harris (5). Smith appeared there to stay only to fall cheaply for 36, against the run of play, which doubled as a Test wicket on debut for Sundar.

Australia rallied via Labuschagne’s fifth Test ton and solid partnership with Wade, only to both be dispatched in quick succession and in a manner both will likely want to forget. Paine (38 not out) and Green (28 not out) have steadied the sip and resume on day two.

7.37am GMT

87th over: Australia 274-5 ( Green 28 Paine 38)

Siraj wants to finish with a bang and whips a bouncer from Siraj to Paine, who thinks quick to move his head. The last ball of the day is somewhat wasted, a short one Paine lets through to the keeper.

7.33am GMT

86th over: Australia 271-5 ( Green 20 Paine 38)

Wowee, that is a lovely four from Green. Natarajan overcooks his delivery and outside off is a sweet spot for the youngster, who throws his weight forward and dispatches a well-timed drive to covers.

7.29am GMT

85th over: Australia 259-5 ( Green 20 Paine 31)

Here’s a stat as Siraj bowls a maiden to Green. At the Gabba, Australia have lost only once when making 300 or more in the first innings. That was in 1933.

The average score when TPaine comes in to bat and makes a fifty is 5-203. Today he came in at 5-213.

7.26am GMT

84th over: Australia 259-5 ( Green 20 Paine 31)

Paine is flicking the wrist and casually making four, and then another, surpassing Green in a so-far cool-headed outing. Sandwiched in between those boundaries is a half-appeal for an edge. Rahane does not review despite Pant’s persistence.

7.20am GMT

83rd over: Australia 251-5 ( Green 20 Paine 23)

Maiden over for Siraj.

7.12am GMT

81nd over: Australia 251-5 ( Green 20 Paine 23)

India have taken the second new ball, and Natarajan gets the first crack. He’s making good use of it, too, in a short, razor-sharp delivery that asks a lot of questions of Green. The latter is scrounging for slim pickings but manages a single of the final ball with a brisk drive.

7.08am GMT

81st over: Australia 250-5 ( Green 19 Paine 23)

The Aussies will have to be thinking 400 would be an acceptable innings at this stage. These two could yet carve out another steady partnership. Green rode his luck just now but fortune favours the brave, as they say. Paine is blocking, smothering, nudging. Oh, and he wraps it up with a four, walloping Sundar through cover after the bowler opted for outside off. That’s the 250 mark for the hosts.

7.03am GMT

80th over: Australia 246-5 ( Green 19 Paine 19)

Drop! Thakur runs in hard and Green returns on the half-volley with a well-timed drive back at the bowler. He is still in his follow-through but he goes for it, in what would be a very, very handy wicket for his team. His hands, however, are not so handy, and that is a big opportunity missed and a bittersweet maiden over.

6.59am GMT

79th over: Australia 246-5 ( Green 19 Paine 19)

Paine is knocking out a few now, eking an easy couple out of a Sundar delivery down leg followed by another for four.

6.56am GMT

78th over: Australia 240-5 ( Green 19 Paine 13)

Clearly nothing serious for Thakur as he’s back on the field and bowling to Paine, who greets his delivery with a treble only prevents from being a quarter through a big of Shaw fielding magic.

Prithvi Shaw needs to calm a bit. pic.twitter.com/ikJM1FCCAc

6.52am GMT

77th over: Australia 237-5 ( Green 19 Paine 10)

Thukar is off the field now seeking medical assistance. The sock is off so I am guessing it’s his foot causing the trouble. Perhaps just a blister? While this is happening the pitch is getting a stamping.

6.47am GMT

76th over: Australia 236-5 ( Green 19 Paine 9)

And outswinger from Thakur has Paine in search of a boundary. It is hit flush but Siraj, at short extra cover, ambarks on an acrobatic dive to surely save three runs. He is some athlete, Siraj.

6.42am GMT

75th over: Australia 235-5 ( Green 19 Paine 8)

Bit more in this one, particularly for Green, who has a four. Sundar is getting some air, and some spin.

6.40am GMT

74th over: Australia 229-5 ( Green 14 Paine 7)

Maiden over for Thakur with some fuller-length balls.

6.39am GMT

73rd over: Australia 229-5 ( Green 14 Paine 7)

Australia, not long ago on the run, have slowed to a walk. Not a stroll, it should be clarified. This has not been a painless innings. Those early, early wickets of Warner and Harris hurt, as did Smith’s. Tortoise wins the race in this innings now.

6.36am GMT

72nd over: Australia 228-5 ( Green 14 Paine 6)

Lots of viewers on Twitter calling for Natarajan to become a Test regular. This is the 29-year-old left-armer who came to Australia as a net bowler and, as of today, is the first Indian cricketer to make his international debut across all three formats during the same tour.

6.28am GMT

71st over: Australia 224-5 ( Green 11 Paine 5)

Right on cue, Paine opens his account, redirecting Sundar to the fine-leg fence. He goes again for a single to mid-on to go with a Green single.

6.23am GMT

70th over: Australia 218-5 ( Green 10 Paine 0)

The previous over, a maiden for Siraj, is followed by a another for Natarajan. Caution is the order of the day after recent events; Green and Paine know they must bat on. Paine is still parked on 0 as we approach the second new ball.

6.19am GMT

69th over: Australia 215-5 ( Green 8 Paine 0)

Speaking of Saini, the paceman has gone for scans on that groin, with the very real possibility Rahane could be another bowler down for the rest of the deciding Test.

UPDATE - Navdeep Saini has now gone for scans.#AUSvIND https://t.co/pN01PVnFfx

6.17am GMT

68th over: Australia 215-5 ( Green 8 Paine 0)

The more extraordinary element of this India performance is the bare bones on which they are operating. This is a squad which has been gutted, compounded by Saini’s exit with a groin injury a few hours ago.

6.12am GMT

67th over: Australia 213-5 (Paine 0 Green 6)

The captain makes his entry as the closing stages of the day are open us. Natarajan is lively, and the door to the tail is ajar, waiting for somebody to push it right open. Cummins, Starc, Lyon and Hazlewood are still to occupy the crease but Justin Langer will hope none are called upon before tomorrow.

6.08am GMT

Just as we thought Australia were embarking on a period of domination, Labuschagne is scalped. He’s shaking his head, banging his bat into the turf. He should be too, because this is a bit Wade-esque. Full of confidence and undone by an inexplicable top-edge as he fails the pull shot of a short ball. Pant is there for the catch. Second wicket for Natarajan in a short space of time and he is putting India well and truly back in this.

5.59am GMT

65th over: Australia 198-4 (Labuschagne 101, Green 6)

Cameron Green is up. What can the golden boy of the summer do? The 21-year-old faces Siraj first and is on the board immediately, leaning in for two runs. Then, a four, as he exploits a delivery that both too wide and too full. Both shots take a trajectory to mid-off. Promising start.

Natarajan strikes for the first time in Tests - Wade caught by Shardul #AUSvIND https://t.co/px9yYL2LfC

Matthew Wade was dismissed by the shortest delivery he faced in his innings. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/opr7X0JkHT

5.52am GMT

Wade is gone! Just like Smith, incongruous with his overall display. He batted long and hard and has thrown it away in an instant, via a clumsy chip, no doubt! The top edge shoots up and requires only a regulation catch from Shardul, who scurries in from mid-on as teammates try their luck too. It is a maiden Test wicket for Natarajan. And this is the breakthrough that could open the door.

5.47am GMT

63rd over: Australia 198-3 (Labuschagne 101, Wade 43)

Wade whips away Siraj for four. It is an easy boundary after Siraj bowls full and down leg. There are gaps in India’s field and tourists give chase in vein as the ball trickles over the ropes.

5.38am GMT

62nd over: Australia 189-3 (Labuschagne 97, Wade 38)

Most Test runs at the Gabba after 3 innings
339 - MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE (and counting)
326 - Don Bradman
310 - Doug Walters
300 - Brian Booth
286 - Norm O'Neill

@cricketcomau #AUSvIND

5.35am GMT

61st over: Australia 185-3 (Labuschagne 93, Wade 38)

Gervase Greene is empathic mood in Clovelly.

5.31am GMT

60th over: Australia 178-3 (Labuschagne 90, Wade 34)

This is Labuschagne’s third half century on the bounce but does not have a century to his name this summer. That magic 100 against which every Test batsman is judged. In a positive omen, he surpasses the dreaded 87.

5.26am GMT

59th over: Australia 175-3 (Labuschagne 87, Wade 34)

That’s 21 runs from five overs since the tea break for Australia, who are travelling comfortably in the mid-afternoon sun. There is a sense these two at the crease are saving their runs for the inexperienced Thakur and exercising more caution against Sundar. Here, Sundar again bowls short, and again Labuschagne drives wide of cover. He is creeping towards a century.

5.21am GMT

58th over: Australia 169-3 (Labuschagne 83, Wade 32)

There is some booing coming from the Gabba crowd though it is not entirely clear at whom it is directed. But Labuschagne has his eighth four now, a cover drive wide of mid-off off Thakur.

5.17am GMT

57th over: Australia 163-3 (Labuschagne 78, Wade 31)

Wade has been undoing the straps on his gloves between some balls. Not every one, but some. Is it a comfort thing? Superstition? A trick of modern sports psychology? He takes no runs after facing Sundar for the final four balls of this over after Labuschagne makes three off the ball prior after bumping a short delivery through cover.

5.13am GMT

56th over: Australia 156-3 (Labuschagne 75, Wade 31)

Three runs taken in an over bowled Thakur. India need a circuit-breaker here. Usually, when a partnership is causing the tourists grief, they turn to Bumrah. That isn’t an option in Brisbane.

5.10am GMT

55th over: Australia 157-3 (Labuschagne 74, Wade 29)

This is a key session for Australia. The pitch has flattened out, the ball older and the bowling attack tiring. The current partnership are swinging now but will also need composure to sell back in after tea without any mishaps.

5.07am GMT

Finbar Anslow is rugged up in Italy and turning over the reigning issue of this Test series:

“Morning Emma, half five, half awake in freezing Piedmont. I was wondering where the boundaries should be re crowd sledging? Anything goes as long as it’s not racist? Tim Paine rightly criticised the perpetrators at the SCG but hardly holds the moral high ground. What if they’d been singing Ashwin’s a dickhead?”

4.52am GMT

Jerome has posed a question to ponder over your earl grey scones.

“Is it too early to suggest:

4.47am GMT

54th over: Australia 154-3 (Labuschagne 73, Wade 27)

A gentle single from Labuschagne off Thakur close out the second of the day and brings us to tea. India have managed to restrict Australia’s top order today but the hosts are establishing themselves throughout the afternoon, with 41 runs from the last 10 overs.

4.42am GMT

53rd over: Australia 151-3 (Labuschagne 70, Wade 27)

That’s the 50 partnership there and here is a big chance for Australia to build up a decent score by the end of the day’s play. Labuschagne is playing with authority now.

4.38am GMT

52nd over: Australia 146-3 (Labuschagne 65, Wade 27)

Poor Thakur has bowled gone for four fours in 12 balls. The first two were two overs back to Wade, this time he is schooled by Labuschagne. Both are short deliveries, both are pulled, one to the deep mid-wicket boundary and the other to backward square leg.

4.32am GMT

51st over: Australia 137-3 (Labuschagne 56, Wade 27)

Labuschagne brings up 50 #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/6VFvJSgh7n

4.29am GMT

50th over: Australia 136-3 (Labuschagne 55, Wade 27)

Wade is facing Thakur now and it’s defend, defend, FOUR, defend, defend, FOUR. The last one is a bit of an ‘oh dear’ moment as the Australian punishes a low, full delivery. He is enjoying the cover region today.

4.23am GMT

49th over: Australia 128-3 (Labuschagne 55, Wade 19)

Thank you very much, says Wade, who steals three runs square of the wicket off Sundar. The two Australians are laying a solid foundation for the afternoon.

4.19am GMT

48th over: Australia 125-3 (Labuschagne 55, Wade 16)

Labuschagne is looking hot, in the temperature sense. Only less than half an hour now until tea if he can endure. And endure he does, with a splendid cover drive that hits Natarajan for four.

4.14am GMT

47th over: Australia 121-3 (Labuschagne 51, Wade 16)

Pujara moves himself in a touch, just in time for Labuschagne to flick one short two midwicket, a single that will double as his 50th run. He rode his luck at times, did Labuschagne, the man who has been dropped 10 times in Test cricket since the 2019 Ashes series. But he has been patient this innings.

4.09am GMT

46th over: Australia 114-3 (Labuschagne 49, Wade 11)

Labuschagne dropped again! Natarajan catches the batsman’s outside edge and Pant and Pujara are both going for it, both diving and folding into each other but it has fallen short. Was Pujara standing too deep?

4.06am GMT

45th over: Australia 110-3 (Labuschagne 46, Wade 11)

Harking back to this morning’s session, when all appeared well in the world for Australia, to those quick wickets of Warner and Harris.

4.01am GMT

44th over: Australia 110-3 (Labuschagne 46, Wade 11)

Natarajan going in for the kill in first ball of this over and how about that ball. It’s on an angle, then straightens and squares up Labuschagne on the backfoot. Maiden over.

Marnus Labuschagne has been dropped nine times in Test cricket. Since the start of the 2019 Ashes, only Ben Stokes has been dropped more often in Test cricket. #AUSvIND

3.58am GMT

43rd over: Australia 110-3 (Labuschagne 46, Wade 11)

Good afternoon. Sundar is bowling along a similar line and Labuschagne tucks him away to mid-wicket for one. The debutant seems a little more comfortable facing Wade than he does his current batting partner. Still, tidy over.

3.52am GMT

42nd over: Australia 109-3 (Labuschagne 45, Wade 11) Natarajan back around the wicket to bowl to Wade, and as he twice did to start his day, he starts the over with a no ball. Wade drives it nicely but Gill dives really well at mid-on to field. Three slips and a gully for Wade, leaving cover open, and after a few balls Wade gets the fuller length to have a crack at it. Gets his drive squarely out of the middle for four.

Alright! We’re about halfway through the day, so that’s my cue to hop into the ice bath. I shall leave you in the charge of Emma Kemp, kindly direct your mail from now on to her. See you tomorrow!

3.47am GMT

41st over: Australia 104-3 (Labuschagne 45, Wade 7) Sundar bowling his off-breaks around the wicket to the left-handed Wade with two slips and a short cover in place. Backward point, cover, mid off, mid on, deep backward square for the sweep. Wade tries a big drive and is beaten handsomely, the ball hits Pant and nearly bounces back onto the stumps. So Wade leaves and then stretches forward to defend, being a good boy, before sweeping along the ground. Keep them on the ground, Matthew.

3.44am GMT

Also great to see Bumrah bring out the drinks at the Gabba and have a quick chat with the bowling group #AusvINd pic.twitter.com/n6EjRVLxYz

3.43am GMT

40th over: Australia 103-3 (Labuschagne 45, Wade 6) Last over before drinks, Wade dinks a single from Natarajan and then Labuschagne soaks up a few more deliveries. Very patient today, 45 from 126, almost in the Pujara league. That dropped catch though! India have given Marnus more lives than anybody in this series.

3.41am GMT

39th over: Australia 102-3 (Labuschagne 45, Wade 5) Sundar to Labuschagne, who is moving around the crease finding new ways to defend each ball, in between knocking a couple of runs away to point.

3.34am GMT

38th over: Australia 100-3 (Labuschagne 43, Wade 5) T Natarajan to bowl, left-arm around the wicket. He smashes Labuschagne in the middle of the front pad, and I would give that morally out for just how central the contact was, but the angle from a wide line would have been taking it down leg side. Umpire Paul Wilson says no, and Natarajan indicates to Rahane that it was going down. Labuschagne gets the next ball through midwicket and thanks to Wade’s speed they get back for a third run, raising Australia’s ton.

3.29am GMT

37th over: Australia 97-3 (Labuschagne 40, Wade 5) Washington Sundar is now conceding runs. A couple of singles on his previously single-free sheet.

“Mr Smith goes to Washington,” offers Ray Murphy.

3.27am GMT

36th over: Australia 94-3 (Labuschagne 38, Wade 4) Saini bowls to Labuschagne who is dropped in the gully! Goodness me, that’s the skipper as well. Big edge, it flies at shoulder height to Rahane’s right, and he’s startled and snatches at it with hard hands, making the ball bounce out. Saini needs a break for some treatment... and he’s coming off. He seems to be walking fine, maybe it’s just a bit of calf tightness or cramp. Rohit Sharma has to bowl the last ball of his over, some innocuous spin, worked through point for a run.

3.17am GMT

35th over: Australia 91-3 (Labuschagne 35, Wade 4) Into the middle comes Wade, who has done some jobs for Australia this summer but has yet to deliver in substantial terms. The left-hander defends a few dots, taking Sundar’s run to 23 scoreless deliveries, before getting a short ball and cutting it fiercely for four.

3.15am GMT

Smith is gone! The biggest wicket of all, against the run of play, and it goes to the man on debut. Washington Sundar has yet to concede a run in Test cricket but picks up his first wicket. A ball floated up at Smith’s pads, whipped away in the air, but Rohit Sharma wasn’t wearing camouflage at short midwicket. It’s hit hard but straight at him and he manages to hang on.

3.13am GMT

34th over: Australia 87-2 (Labuschagne 35, Smith 36) There goes Smith now! First plays a big pull shot that isn’t too far away from carrying to fine leg. Gets one. Gets the strike back. Then there’s decent pace and on a length from Saini outside off stump, but Smith steps across, backlift wafting, and punches off the back foot through cover point for three. That is one of his shots, but it never seems any less rude when he produces it against a very decent delivery.

3.11am GMT

33rd over: Australia 82-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 32) Another run for Smith, knocking Siraj off a length into the covers. Biding his time during a decent over.

3.06am GMT

32nd over: Australia 81-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 31) Labuschagne is charing up past Smith now, after a slow first session. Gets up and clunks Saini’s short ball for four, pulled very square, then wrists a length ball off his pads for two from on top of the bounce.

3.02am GMT

31st over: Australia 75-2 (Labuschagne 28, Smith 31) Siraj to Labuschagne, and again he’s too straight and is glanced away for two. Bowls fuller, the surprise ball at the toes, but Labuschagne defends it out to the off side and gets a run.

3.01am GMT

30th over: Australia 72-2 (Labuschagne 25, Smith 31) A maiden from Saini to Smith while I was typing that last response. The article that I posted further down the page has some more detail on that, as does the podcast link. The framing of the issue by Sehwag and company has made people accept the premise that something was happening and then debate whether it was wrong, when in fact the premise is false and that thing wasn’t happening. That’s about all I can usefully say on it.

2.59am GMT

29th over: Australia 72-2 (Labuschagne 25, Smith 31) Siraj to bowl in place of Sundar after lunch, pace for spin, and he starts a bit too straight, tucked away for a single and then a double.

Ben Merlin writes in. “I keep hearing the Steve Smith defence of he does it all the time. He’s played 76 tests. If he does it all the time where is the footage of it?
The telling thing about the Australian team is they are only ever apologising once they are caught. That’s not true contrition. Also. Would love to hear a stat on how often Australia wins the toss and how often they choose to bat first.”

2.48am GMT

28th over: Australia 69-2 (Labuschagne 23, Smith 30) Saini has the ball after the break, and nails Labuschagne on the pad but it’s going down leg. The batsman responds with a drive through wide long-on. Siraj puts in a valiant chase and dive and save, but the corner of the ground is so long that they come back for a fourth run when they see the throw going wide of the keeper. Smith dives in at the non-striker’s end and makes his ground ahead of Pant’s throw to Saini, which leaves the bowler wringing his hands.

2.43am GMT

“Has there ever been a drawn test at the Gabba in the modern era?” asks Tim Gilroy. The main one I remember was the one against New Zealand in... 2001, was it? It lost a lot of time to rain and Steve Waugh set a small target with a declaration on the last day and Chris Cairns nearly ran it down, then NZ shut up shop when they lost wickets.

But there was also a rainy draw a couple of years later against India when Ganguly made a ton, and there were two very high-scoring draws to start the Ashes in 2010 and to start a South Africa series in 2012, when Ed Cowan made his Test century and when Rob Quiney made the famous Quiney Nine. The Ashes match had the Peter Siddle birthday hat-trick, then the England 1 for 500 or so.

2.12am GMT

“Re bowlers not getting runs scored off. I seem to remember back in 1971 (I was there) Tony Dell didn’t get a run scored off him in the first 50 balls he bowled in test cricket. Mind you, the batsmen couldn’t reach about 48 of them.”

Very good stuff from David Markham. Any advances on this?

2.10am GMT

Speaking of Lyon, he’s out on the field right now throwing a rugby ball around. Went out to have a look at the pitch I think, and chat to some ground staff. Also trailing to the middle of the ground is a line of someone’s cricket equipment, I’d guess it’s the wicketkeepers. Looks like an Indian helmet and then a trail of gloves and pads. We’ll see who collects them.

If you need to fill in the lunch break, that podcast episode I mentioned earlier covers all those Sydney issues: crowd abuse, Paine’s stroppy episode, and Smith marking guard while fielding. We usually aim for the sensible rather than the sensational view. An advisory that it contains... some language. It’s here.

2.05am GMT

Not what you’d call an action-packed session, but we saw enough from Smith to suggest that he’s in for another big day, and we saw enough from India’s new pace attack to suggest that they can be a handful if they get through the current pair. A lot resting on this partnership. Both openers fell pretty quickly this morning, and the scoreboard hasn’t moved much.

2.03am GMT

27th over: Australia 65-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 30) Sundar to Smith, who defends in the same manner that the Indians played Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon in Sydney: stepping back and working the off-spinner to the leg side. Last ball of the over comes off some combination of pad and keeper and flies to the fine leg boundary, but the umpire says dead ball as Smith wasn’t playing a shot. That makes three maidens in a row to start Sundar’s Test career. Lunch time.

1.58am GMT

26th over: Australia 65-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 30) Saini with the big arm bandages rolled down either limb, bustles in and pings down a good line at Labuschagne, back on strike after Smith glanced a single. Outside the off stump and angling in, while Saini is getting up into the 140s on the speed gun now. This is why India wanted him on this trip: he’s got place plus endurance. Two minutes till lunch, time for one more over.

1.55am GMT

25th over: Australia 64-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 29) Labuschagne is versatile this morning: he can face out maidens against pace, he can face out maidens against spin. Washington Sundar has got through 12 balls of his Test career without conceding a run. I’m not for a minute suggesting that this would be near a record, but I wonder what that record is?

“Welcome (back) to Brisbane,” writes Christopher Ash. “Speaking of the Brisbane River, and your mention of ferries on this week’s The Final Word, the ferry fleet has been partially upgraded recently. Most of the old ferries have been taken offline over safety concerns, and instead there are now new ‘KittyCats’ (smaller catamarans than the CityCats) that run some ferry routes. Just to mix the animal imagery, the free KittyCat route is still called the CityHopper. Hope you get time to ride one.”

1.51am GMT

24th over: Australia 64-2 (Labuschagne 19, Smith 29) Saini can offer width, and Labuschagne awakes from his long sleep and goes for it. Cuts hard but Ajinkya Rahane was awake to that risk and already has a deep point out for Saini. Something that many former captains on commentary won’t like but perhaps that’s Rahane trying to aid one of his bowlers in getting into the game. It saves India two runs on this occasion. Two slips and a gully are the catchers. Cover, mid off, mid on, square leg, long leg. One ball to come in the over and square leg drops deep. Saini bowls in at the ribs, and with that gap on the leg side Marnus can glove away a single.

1.47am GMT

23rd over: Australia 61-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 29) Double change! Here comes Washington Sundar on Test debut. An interesting bowler: off-breaks, fast bowling arm, very little front arm. He’s on the tall side and does a peacock strut to the crease, standing very upright, with his arms jutting front and back like crests. Draws a couple of false shots from Smith: a sweep that hits the arm guard, and a little outside edge into the ground at silly point. No run from his first over in Test cricket.

1.44am GMT

22nd over: Australia 61-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 29) First over of the day for Navdeep Saini, who had to wait hours in Sydney to get a bowl but is on earlier in Brisbane. He’s the only thing that changes though: the result is still a maiden faced by Labuschagne.

1.40am GMT

21st over: Australia 61-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 29) On the other hand, Smith is playing whatever shots he likes. Another expansive one to Thakur, this time a back-foot punch, played on the up, a little airy but square of the point fielder for another boundary. Smith is in some touch. Test century #9 against India coming today? Sure, I’ll go early.

1.38am GMT

20th over: Australia 57-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 25) Siraj to Labuschagne, who faces out another maiden. He seems very determined to play the long game today. Very rarely playing a shot, perhaps shots are for after lunch.

1.34am GMT

19th over: Australia 57-2 (Labuschagne 16, Smith 25) Shardul Thakur with half an hour until lunch, and he has Smith edging for four! Genuine nick, a thick one past gully. The bowler tries to repeat the dose but this time Smith is ready, and the line is a bit closer to him, so he drives it inside mid off four four more. Suddenly there are runs everywhere. Then from this over.

Here’s my count of the players India are missing, through injury or absence.

1.27am GMT

18th over: Australia 47-2 (Labuschagne 15, Smith 16) It’s been about four overs without a run, but finally one comes as Marnus is able to work Siraj to square leg. That opens the gates, with Smith glancing a single before Marnus drives a couple wide of mid-on, before finished the over with a fierce straight drive for four! Big stride, full flourish. Labuschagne isn’t what I would call an attractive player to watch, he’s a bit nondescript, but his straight drive is usually his best shot, and that was an impressive example.

1.24am GMT

17th over: Australia 39-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 15) Shardul Thakur continues the patience game with Spud Smith, and it remains a stalemate. (Who are you calling stale, mate?)

“Morning Geoff and all,” says Gervase Green. “That by my count is at least six ‘automatic picks’ from India’s starting line-up. (Not including Jadeja, who for some reason I can’t fathom seems in and out a lot). Plus the usual second drop bat, who can play a bit. This is the equivalent of playing Australia 1977-79 seems to me. A gutsy effort by India – I hope they go well.”

1.16am GMT

16th over: Australia 39-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 15) Siraj to Labuschagne, and the slightly manic start to this day has now settled into a bit of Test match rhythm. Labuschagne plays off his pads and there’s a flurry as leg slip scrambles across to stop that ball. India have bowled with that catcher in place to this batting pair through the series, and it’s got them both out before. Labuschagne with 8 from 47 balls after seeing off another scoreless over.

Here’s an email from Jane worth a smile. “Lovely, funny and informative OBO commentary thank you – Aberdonian in New Zealand cheering for India – thinking my old dad will be following same from Aberdeen in the snow. Nice to think you connect us!”

1.12am GMT

15th over: Australia 39-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 15) Shardul continues from the Vulture Street End, still getting a nice bit of shape in the air. Smith defends a couple, leaves a couple, Thakur working the channel outside off stump. No run from the over.

1.09am GMT

14th over: Australia 39-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 15) Down the leg side from Siraj after drinks, and swings away for four byes. That makes 10 extras out of 39. No, nobody went and marked Steve Smith’s guard during the drinks break.

If you want some more depth on that entirely overblown story, here’s one I prepared earlier.

Related: The Steve Smith scuffing story is little more than dust | Geoff Lemon

1.04am GMT

Tane Aikman emails from across the Tasman. “Cracking series this. As a New Zealand fan I’m utterly overjoyed and slightly weirded out by how good our team is (when not playing Australia), but these are the two best Test sides in the world. If only because we don’t have a spinner close to Ashwin and Lyon’s level. Still, on a typical English wicket we’d be in with a good shout against either. Does anyone with more mathematical skills than me (ie any) know what the implications of this game for the Test Championship are? Will a draw keep both teams ahead of New Zealand, or would they need to get a winning record in their next series to make the final?”

Great question. I think that Adam Collins and I worked this out on our podcast the other day. So, the WTC qualification this time around will done on a percentage of results out of the matches you’ve played. Because covid meant so many tours were postponed. Meaning that India’s upcoming four matches against England actually give them the chance to bomb out of the top two.

1.01am GMT

13th over: Australia 35-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 15) Hello, Steven Smith! He steps across his stumps so Thakur tries to do a Bumrah and kiss his leg stump. Smith does not want to be kissed. He smacks the attempt away through backward square for four. Thakur goes outside off next ball, pitched up and swinging away, and Smith reads the swing, steps to the line, and creams it through cover! The full stride and flourish. He looks very good, very quickly. Flicks a straight ball for two more to take the yield from the over to double figures. Drinks.

12.57am GMT

12th over: Australia 25-2 (Labuschagne 8, Smith 5) After a nervy first eight (attempted) deliveries, Natarajan is giving nothing away. The same can’t be said for his fielders though, who cost him a single and a brace in that over by fumbling ground balls.

12.54am GMT

11th over: Australia 22-2 (Labuschagne 6, Smith 4) Thakur is hitting a nice line to Labuschagne! Tempts him into a drive to a ball that swings and beats the edge. Gets the ball to keep swerving away from the bat, not a huge amount but visibly. A maiden over with some class.

“Good morning Geoff,” writes Ray Murphy. “Surely Jackson Bird is still good enough for the AUS 2nd XI?”

12.51am GMT

10th over: Australia 22-2 (Labuschagne 6, Smith 4) Natarajan keeps trying to tempt Smith with the line across, and Smith outlasts him: eventually the bowler gets too straight and the batsman can tap him away for a single. Labuschagne follows with another to mid-on.

12.45am GMT

9th over: Australia 20-2 (Labuschagne 5, Smith 3) The wicket first ball brings SPD Smith to the crease. Another early entrance for him after Warner and Harris failed. Ashes flashbacks, anyone? Maybe he’s having them too, because he forces a drive down the ground for three to get going quickly.

12.43am GMT

Shardul Thakur with his first ball of the match! Well, well, well. On his Test debut in 2018 he got through 1.4 overs and couldn’t continue with injury. He’s had a long wait for another chance and he gets that sweet reward at the earliest moment, taking his first Test wicket. He’s a swing bowler, and he swings the ball into Harris’ pads, leading Harris to try clipping through midwicket. He’s partially beaten by the movement and clips it squarer and airborne to Sundar at square leg.

12.41am GMT

8th over: Australia 17-1 (Harris 5, Labuschagne 5) A maiden from Natarajan to Labuschagne, the left-armer angling it across repeatedly and being left.

12.35am GMT

7th over: Australia 17-1 (Harris 5, Labuschagne 5) In a shock for us all, Marcus Harris plays a huge slash outside off stump and is beaten by bounce from Siraj. Then accidentally gets bat on a ball that he’s trying to leave and nearly plays it onto his stumps. Gets a single from that, as does Labuschagne from another glance. Siraj isn’t coping with the switch from left-hander to right.

So India won their last tour to Australia by having a squad of five fine quick bowlers. All of them are now injured: Bhuvi, Ishant, Shami, Umesh, Bumrah. Then they’ve lost their two best spinners in Ashwin and Jadeja. If Australia had suffered a similar toll they would have lost Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and Lyon, then James Pattinson and Michael Neser, plus Mitchell Swepson. The bowling attack would currently be something like Lloyd Pope, Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson and... comeback for Joe Mennie? Chadd Sayers? Chris Tremain? The contrast is interesting.

12.30am GMT

6th over: Australia 15-1 (Harris 4, Labuschagne 4) So India have used 19 players in this series, which Adam Collins is telling me is the most they’ve used in a series since the early 1960s. Presumably that was at home. Poor old Kuldeep, who took a bag of wickets against Australia two years ago but can’t get a gong this time around despite the injury toll. The rationale for playing Sundar, despite him being an IPL style fast spinner, is that he can bat, so he’s being backed at No7 to let India play four quicks. They could have added Prithvi Shaw to bolster the batting with Kuldeep at 8, and they may feel Kuldeep’s absence: SK Warne always says this was the best ground to bowl wrist spin.

Natarajan bowls another five dot balls to Labuschagne after Harris glances a single.

12.26am GMT

5th over: Australia 14-1 (Harris 4, Labuschagne 4) Siraj to Labuschagne, who defends, defends, defends, defends, but as soon as Siraj drops short Marnus bangs the pull shot away to the square leg fence to open his scoring. His home deck, he knows how it plays. That surface smells like runs from here in the grandstand. It’s shining brightly in the Queensland sunlight. Bright day here, on the hot side. It’ll be hard work out there.

12.22am GMT

4th over: Australia 10-1 (Harris 3, Labuschagne 0) Another Natarajan over that starts with a no-ball, but doesn’t yield any other runs. The left-armer is bowling to the left-handed Harris, mostly straight, and Harris tries the on-drive a couple of times but can’t get it past mid on. Strikes them crisply though. The total versus runs off the bat split is 10-4, good buddy.

12.14am GMT

3rd over: Australia 9-1 (Harris 3, Labuschagne 0) Siraj continues with the wind in his sails, and he’s achieved what so many touring teams have not at the Gabba: get rid of Warner early. More often than not Warner has still been there in the third session at the right end of a huge score. Siraj bowls down leg side to Labuschagne who gets some thigh pad on it for four leg byes. Four runs off the bat for Australia, five extras.

12.12am GMT

2nd over: Australia 5-1 (Harris 3, Labuschagne 0) “Come on Marnus!” shout a few Queenslanders as the first drop makes his way to the middle after six balls. Thangarasu Natarajan, the left-armer who bowled so well in the limited-overs games last November and December, has the ball. A T20 debut, an ODI debut, and now a Test debut on the same tour. He’s more nervous about this one than any other, I’ll wager, given he starts with a no-ball, then bowls way down leg side, and finishes with one very wide of off stump, curling away from Harris. No runs off the bat though, that’s something.

12.09am GMT

1st over: Australia 4-1 (Harris 3) Siraj does the job in his first over! Warner takes the first ball of the match and scores a single, Harris slants three runs away in front of point, but from the final ball of the over Siraj strikes. Right-arm across the left-hander, pitched up full and straight but swinging away, squares up Warner who skews a catch into the cordon and Rohit from second slip comes sprawling across to his right to snare the dying ball just above the turf. Quality grab!

12.07am GMT

A nice atmosphere walking up to the ground, lots of people milling around in their sun hats and summer shirts, so there is some festive feel to the Test match still. A few connection issues on arrival too, but we’re here and underway.

11.40pm GMT

Changes galore. Harris in for the injured Pucovski for Australia. India will miss Ashwin, Jadeja, Vihari and Bumrah from the Sydney draw with injury. No Kuldeep Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha, or Prithvi Shaw. Instead Natarajan and Thakur will both play as part of a four-pronged bowling attack, Pant will bat six and keep, with Washington Sundar at seven as the spinner. Agarwal is recalled but in the middle order with Gill staying up top.

Australia
David Warner
Marcus Harris
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Matthew Wade
Cameron Green
Tim Paine * +
Pat Cummins
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood

11.32pm GMT

Uh-oh for India! That toss is usually very important at the Gabba, a ground where big scores often come in the first innings. Tim Paine says “The pitch looks a lot drier than it normally does this early, and there’s already one big crack running down the middle.”

11.14pm GMT

If you’ve stumbled into the OBO for the first time, rocking its batwing doors open only to have the occupants of the saloon turn to stare at you blearily, we welcome your correspondence. Observations, insights, takes of the unexpected. I don’t mind. My Guardian email address and my non-Guardian Twitter address are in a sidebar that you’ll find on your page. Unlike some, I have not been banned from the platform for inciting insurrection, and will not need to make my cricket observations via political press releases.

11.11pm GMT

Welcome to Brisbane, or Mianjin, specifically to the famous cricket ground in Woolloongabba just south of the river that twists and writhes like a great snake out towards the coast. It’s time for the Guardian over-by-over once more, with the fourth and final Test between Australia and India upon us. The Gabba ground is usually host to the first match of the summer, but in a viral age that was all turned upside down.

The series sits at 1-1. Meaning, obviously enough, that whichever side wins here will win the series and the Border-Gavaskar trophy. If it’s a draw, India will retain the trophy as the current holders.

Continue reading...

The Steve Smith scuffing story is little more than dust | Geoff Lemon

Smith’s history of cheating will always invite scrutiny but accusations still need enough substance to stand up

As India saw out the final moments of a remarkable Test draw with Australia in Sydney on Monday, former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag posted a video on Twitter. Clipped from stump camera footage, it showed an Australian fielder walking to the empty batting crease and scraping his foot across the pitch, before an Indian batsman entered to resume play.

“Tried all tricks including Steve Smith trying to remove [Rishabh] Pant’s batting guard marks from the crease,” Sehwag wrote. His 20 million followers blew it up, and the disdain was reflected by media outlets and cricket people especially across India and England.

Related: Justin Langer, Tim Paine defend Steve Smith over crease-scuffing claim

Tried all tricks including Steve Smith trying to remove Pant's batting guard marks from the crease. Par kuch kaam na aaya. Khaaya peeya kuch nahi, glass toda barana.
But I am so so proud of the effort of the Indian team today. Seena chonda ho gaya yaar. pic.twitter.com/IfttxRXHeM

The detail is not captured in a 30-second internet clip with inflammatory framing

Related: India reportedly complain to Cricket Australia about Brisbane Test hotel

Continue reading...

Australia let themselves down in search of victory over India | Geoff Lemon

Tim Paine’s sniping as the third Test was heading for a draw is merely part of a long, sorry tradition

There is nothing like a Test on the line going deep into its fifth day. It’s a slow-growing excitement that spreads through you into grandly hidden proportions, like a citadel of underground fungus beneath a forest. Fifth days are special because they’re tough. After all the strain and heat and effort, four nights of easing sore bodies into bed, the game asks for its denouement.

Those batting find the pitch at its worst, chance at its most capricious. Those bowling have their weariness consume their skill. We too readily conflate sporting achievement with courage, but here it applies.

Related: Defiant India draw third Test to set up series decider against Australia

Related: Australia and India draw third Test – as it happened

Related: Indian captain says alleged racial abuse from Sydney cricket fans 'not acceptable at all'

Continue reading...

Australia v India: third Test, day four – live!

Australia are in command after a disastrous day for the tourists, who were allegedly subject to abuse at the SCG

Read our report from the action at the SCGIndia report alleged racist abuse from crowd during third Test

9.15am GMT

Related: Australia's Pat Cummins strikes late to stunt India's steep third-Test chase

with the news that overshadowed the action at the SCG

Related: Fans ejected from SCG after allegedly abusing Indian player during Sydney Test

7.41am GMT

This has been another belter for Australia, who are in charge entering the fifth and final day at the SCG. That first-innings lead helped immeasurably and Labuschagne and Smith made their half centuries this morning and Cummins in sparkling form this afternoon. Hazlewood was a whisker behind him and Lyon has given Pujara much to think about. Rohit, after a commendable 50, was left to rue another thrown-away potential ton.

The hosts need eight, likely only seven, wickets to win. But that does not mean they are a sure thing if Rahane and Pujara can rack up a score between them.

7.25am GMT

34th over: India 98-2 (Pujara 9, Rahane 4)

Lyon bowls the final over of the day and Rahane leaves the first that spins in from length. This is how it starts and finishes, Rahane puts up the barricades and that is stumps.

7.22am GMT

33rd over: India 98-2 ( Pujara 9, Rahane 4 )

As it stands, India will have to bat out of their skins on Monday to redeem this. Cummins is bowling to Rahane. A no ball is followed by good length and a shorter one that Rahane steers through the gap between the slips and gully.

7.19am GMT

32nd over: India 94-2 (Pujara 9, Rahane 1)

Pujara is labouring against Lyon, blocking and defending tentatively as Lyon lands his best wide of off and spinning in with venom. Unsuccessful appeal for lbw.

7.14am GMT

I may have jinxed that because the very next ball is Rohit’s last. Again he fails to convert another strong start. Facing Cummins, it is one of his favourite shots that seals his demise as he goes for a pull shot a little too energetically but cannot keep it down. Starc takes the catch on his knees.

Rahane, clearly opting against a nightwatchman. strolls to the crease and opens his account with a single before Pujara is ALMOST caught. A Cummins corker has Pujara on the back foot and he pops it up but somehow gets away with it.

7.05am GMT

30th over: India 92-1 (Rohit 52, Pujara 8 )

Rohit’s weight is forward and he is working Lyon’s spin with nothing to show from the first three deliveries but the fourth is an easy-as-you-like flick over midwicket for a four. Only five from this over but this could yet be a big knock.

7.02am GMT

29th over: India 87-1 (Rohit 47, Pujara 8)

Cummins is back. Can the top-ranked Test bowler take a scalp to end day four? It would be a circuit-breaker. There’s a little swing as he forces Rohit to defend and settle for a lone single off his last.

6.57am GMT

28th over: India 86-1 (Rohit 46, Pujara 8 )

We are not too far away from stumps now as Pujara, who comes up with nothing in the first four balls against Lyon, takes a quick triple through mid-wicket.

6.52am GMT

27th over: India 82-1 (Rohit 45, Pujara 5)

Rohit is going great guns and will have 50 before the end of today’s play. A small hiccup here when he goes a little too early on a pull shot that is, luckily for him, too close for alls short of the forward-running Labuschagne at midwicket.

6.48am GMT

26th over: India 80-1 (Rohit 43, Pujara 5 )

Pujara gets off the mark with a boundary and there is a sense India should not be afraid of this pitch, even if they are off their opponents’ attack. He drives Lyon through extra cover and pops the next up for a single before Rohit adds another.

6.42am GMT

25th over: India 71-1 (Rohit 39, Pujara 0)

Another maiden as Pujara proceeds with caution, turning Hazlewood defensively on the leg- side, one towards mid-on, letting another go. That is the third straight maiden and second on the trot for Hazlewood.

6.38am GMT

24th over: India 71-1 (Rohit 39, Pujara 0 )

Lyon bowls a maiden to a defensive Rohit.

6.36am GMT

And there it is. It is a breakthrough the hosts had been after. Hazlewood is in the attack and nicks Gill off his first ball on its way through to Paine. There is a review but Hotspot confirms without doubt.

Pujara emerges and heads to the crease as Hazlewood goes about his business in an excellent over that saw Pujara given out lbw and overturned on review due to being high.

6.29am GMT

22nd over: India 71-0 (Rohit 39, Gill 31)

This, I am reading, is India’s first 50-plus fourth-innings opening partnership away from home since Wasim Jaffer and Virender Sehwag put together 109 against West Indies in Basseterre in 2006.

6.23am GMT

21th over: India 70-0 (Rohit 39, Gill 30)

Green is up again and so is Rohit, who keeps pulling brilliant shots and takes another six with aggression and ease.

6.21am GMT

20th over: India 64-0 (Rohit 33, Gill 30)

Rohit provides the shot of the innings thus far, an exquisite cover drive off a Starc half-volley. Rohit adds a boundary and another three for an 11-run over.

6.17am GMT

19th over: India 53-0 (Rohit 22, Gill 30)

Green takes up the ball. Will we witness greatness? He serves up a harmless short one and Gill calmly takes two, has no luck for the ensuing four balls and then bangs one for four as Australia veinly gives chase. That’s a 50 from that opening partnership.

6.10am GMT

18th over: India 47-0 (Rohit 22, Gill 24)

India’s top order are keeping their composure, Rohit defending forward and Gill stealing a single after finding himself lucky to get the slightest of an inside edge of his pad on an otherwise plumb delivery.

Four of the current team (Sharma, Pujara, Rahane, Jadeja) were playing when India were last set 407 to win a Test match, at Auckland 7 years ago. And a creditable effort they made too, getting to 366 before succumbing.

6.05am GMT

17th over: India 46-0 (Rohit 22, Gill 23)

Right on cue, Rohit bumps Cummins superbly through covers for four BUT not before he finds himself the subject of a near run-out. There is not much bounce on this Cummins delivery and gets hit on the pads as instead of hitting it with hit bat. As the ball skews to second slip. He briefly leaves his crease and an appeal goes upstairs but he sneaks back in in the nick of time.

Vigilance in the field by Steve Smith! A slow to retreat Rohit almost found himself heading back to the pavilion. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Hdzgc4iABj

5.54am GMT

16th over: India 42-0 (Rohit 18, Gill 23)

India are quite literally taking it ball by ball. If they can make it to the end of today’s play without losing a wicket there could yet be hope for the tourists. The backs-against-the-wall approach has worked before. Australia wouldn’t feeling even a hint pressure as yet, but this is a psychological game is cricket.

5.50am GMT

15th over: India 40-0 (Rohit 17, Gill 22)

Rohit was using his fancy feet against Lyon last over but he can do no such thing against Cummins, who bowls a maiden.

5.44am GMT

14th over: India 40-0 (Rohit 18, Gill 22)

Here is our latest on the alleged incident of abuse from Christopher Knaus:

Related: Fans ejected from SCG after allegedly abusing Indian player during Sydney Test

5.41am GMT

13th over: India 39-0 (Rohit 17, Gill 22)

Cummins is making his inquiries at off stump and is bouncing his way down to Gill, who is biding his time. And hey, it pays off as Gill channels one to the fine-leg boundary for a four.

5.34am GMT

12th over: India 31-0 (Rohit 17, Gill 14)

Gill takes one run off Lyon’s opening over, hanging back in his crease and then flicking it through square leg.

5.30am GMT

11th over: India 29-0 (Rohit 16, Gill 13)

India are in an unenviable position here. It seems so much of their tactical approach is built around a big top-order score in their first innings. Rahane took care of that in Melbourne through his century but in Sydney they have only had those half centuries from Gill and Pujara, which nowhere near offset Australia’s Smith-led first innings. Kohli, wherefore art though, Kohli? So here they are, hanging on, clinging to that hope of a draw.

5.17am GMT

9th over: India 26-0 (Rohit 14, Gill 12)

This time it's Australia who review, but fail to get a not out overturned and it's still none down #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/7qUx9kpr6E

5.14am GMT

8th over: India 25-0 (Rohit 14, Gill 11)

Drama! Rohit is given out lbw butball tracking has it sailing well high. He is adjudged not out and tries it on again with a pull shot for a single.

5.06am GMT

7th over: India 23-0 (Rohit 13, Gill 10)

The seas have parted and the all-powerful Pat Cummins is injected into the attack and he forces Gill to remain back in his crease. He keeps the Indian runless for four balls only to be hit for four in the fifth off Gill’s back foot.

5.01am GMT

6th over: India 19-0 (Rohit 13, Gill 6)

Hazlewood bowls a near-maiden as Gill makes a single run. A reminder that we won’t be seeing either Pant ot Jadeja this innings after the pair sustained an elbvow injury and dislocated left thumb respectively. Yesterday truly was a horrid day for the tourists.

4.57am GMT

5th over: India 18-0 (Rohit 13, Gill 5)

Rohit is opening his face of the bat and steers Starc off for four. The Australian quick tries his luck with a short delivery but it is wide. Green, meanwhile, is giving chase, versatile character that he is. Gill pulls it through square leg for a single to end the over.

4.49am GMT

3rd over: India 6-0 (Rohit 5, Gill 1)

Starc’s first over did not set the world on fire and he is lacking a little on the swing as Rohit drills it straight back, eliciting a little playful gesticulation from his Australia counterpart. The batsman takes the leading edge through short third man for a couple of runs. Hazlewood takes up the ball for the fourth over.

4.40am GMT

1st over: India 4-0 (Rohit 3, Gill 1)

Here we go.

4.33am GMT

You said it, GL.

Having to call a Test match to a halt because spectators are yelling racist abuse. At players who have given up months of their lives so we can have a season. This is a national shame.

4.27am GMT

The tourists need 407 runs to win.

4.23am GMT

Just in time for tea, Green has met his match and Bumrah finally has a wicket after some serious toil. The former clears his front leg and swings across the line, only a touch of an inside edge but Saha appealed immediately. He was the only one, and Green challenges, but Snicko shows the smallest of spikes and that will finish this tale of enchantment.

It followed yet another Green six and a four to complete a fine innings. He flicked that switch to turn it on for Australia and dazzled he did, needing only 16 runs for a maiden century. Due to that unfortunate off-field incident he simply ran out of time.

The first of Cameron Green's four sixes - down the track to the new ball if you don't mind! #OhWhatAFeeling@Toyota_Aus | #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/vHJBjOOBZG

4.10am GMT

The police officers appear to be speaking with some fans sitting in the area from which Siraj heard the complaint. Shortly afterwards, a small group of men are escorted from the ground.

In case you missed it, this is the second complaint of racism in as many days after Siraj and Bumrah reported racial taunts on Saturday. Let’s hope this is the last of this. It has certainly dampened the vibe in the middle.

4.02am GMT

86th over: Australia 301-5 (Green 74, Paine 38)

Play has stopped now amid what appears to be another allegation of racial abuse from a part of the SCG crowd. Bumrah was just about to bowl when Siraj approaches the umpire while gesturing towards the stand. The umpires are at the boundary and speaking with security officials, and police officers have turned up.

3.58am GMT

86th over: Australia 301-5 (Green 74, Paine 38)

Green is playing T20 now and wallops back-to-back sixes. The first is the real cracker, a sweet-spot shot over long on and into the sparsely populated stands. The second, if we are nit-picking, is not quite as impressive and Siraj again delivers good length, but even a slight mishit has cleared the fence. Can the young man make it 100 before tea?

3.52am GMT

85th over: Australia 284-5 (Green 59, Paine 36)

Courtesy of some of these big hits, Australia now lead by 378. Tall task for the Indians, this will be. No team has ever chased down 300 or more at the SCG, so surviving rather than thriving should be the order of the final day and a bit. This over is good for two singles - one apiece.

3.48am GMT

84th over: Australia 282-5 (Green 58, Paine 35)

Green is about to better that though, launching an almighty one for six. It was clean and it was brutal, and Siraj has the look of a man who did not know that was coming. The 21-year-old is playing without fear.

3.42am GMT

83rd over: Australia 274-5 (Green 51, Paine 34)

There appears to be a new ball in Bumrah’s hand now and the movement off the seam is apparent. Green can’t get one away but then he does and it’s flicked just wide of gully and rolls away for a four. That will be the first of many for the Western Australian and some fine reward for a diligent shift so far.

3.37am GMT

82nd over: Australia 270-5 (Green 45, Paine 33)

Curiously, India have not yet taken the new ball despite bringing on fast bowlers from both ends. And. abit of gamesmanship with one ball left in the over as the groundsman runs out to take his mallet the ground again. He departs, and a deep Siraj delivery bounces off Green’s thigh pad to fine leg.

3.24am GMT

80th over: Australia 264-5 (Green 45, Paine 33)

Why thank you sir. Well Tim Paine says Australia will bat for another 10-15 minutes or so and see where they land. They must surely declare at tea. The wicket should, he says, have deteriorated just enough for Nathan Lyon.

3.16am GMT

79th over: Australia 258-5 (Green 44, Paine 29) Navdeep Saini to replace Bumrah, who must be weary of body and of heart. Green picks up a pull shot from outside off stump, not that short but he plays it almost off the front foot like Mitchell Marsh and pounds it for four. Adds a couple more with a push off the hip behind square leg.

Australia lead by 352 runs so far.

3.11am GMT

78th over: Australia 252-5 (Green 38, Paine 29) Green backs away to Ashwin and tries to really pogo him, instead getting a bottom edge past leg stump for one. Ashwin gets one to keep very low to Paine, who keeps it out. Then tries a reverse sweep but straight to point. But after a couple of blocks he goes the reverse again, and nails this one for four through point.

3.07am GMT

77th over: Australia 247-5 (Green 37, Paine 25) Green drives a single, and Paine takes a different approach to Bumrah than to Ashwin, playing him cautiously and seeing him out.

3.03am GMT

76th over: Australia 246-5 (Green 36, Paine 25) The boundaries keep coming for Paine. Four of them in five balls, as he sweeps Ashwin fine before backing away and cutting him through point. In a hurry.

2.59am GMT

75th over: Australia 237-5 (Green 35, Paine 17) Bumrah bowls to Paine and another catch is dropped! Poor Jasprit Bumrah. He’s tired, he’s sore, he’s working hard for his team nonetheless, and he’s getting no support. This time Paine reaches and edges, low to about second slip where Rohit Sharma is standing wide of the keeper. The catch is low but it carries to his left, and he doesn’t get down in time. Through the hands for two runs. Paine rubs it in by driving through cover point for four, then even worse gets squared up by the sixth ball and edges four more. Along the ground past gully. Karma, sort this man out please.

2.53am GMT

74th over: Australia 227-5 (Green 35, Paine 7) Ashwin bowling and this batting pair are milking singles fairly well this over, then to finish it off Green skips down the track and whips over midwicket for four. He can bat with more freedom now with the lead at 321 and his captain probably not fussed if they get bowled out this session.

2.50am GMT

73rd over: Australia 220-5 (Green 30, Paine 5) There’s a new ball due in eight overs, but Jazzy Jasprit Bumrah is going to have a whirl now. Rahane must be hoping to break this partnership immediately and then really apply the squeeze. Naturally enough, Bumrah beats Green with his second ball, a good delivery seaming away. Then Bumrah goes shorter and Green splices just short of Vihari! He’s been brought in to short cover for exactly that sort of moment, and he dives forward well but it lands inches short. Bumrah and Vihari, it’s collectively not their day. A maiden over.

2.45am GMT

72nd over: Australia 220-5 (Green 30, Paine 5) Maybe a little edge into pad as Green pushes at Ashwin, the ball pops up towards short cover but there’s no one there. He follows up with a run to square leg, then Paine charges and aims to loft over long-on, but is beaten in flight and smears it squarer to deep midwicket on the bounce. One run. Green adds another just like his first, with less fuss.

2.43am GMT

71st over: Australia 217-5 (Green 28, Paine 4) A boundary for Green, not entirely deliberately, as he comes forward to block and gets a thick edge along the ground from Siraj through third man. He follows up with a single to point, then Paine forces the ball through cover to pick up his second brace.

Alex Greggery writes in. “Sorry to all the India doubters out there, but I have it on good authority that Pujara spent the lunch break watching Stokes at Headingley highlights, and is going to come out and obliterate some reverse-sweep sixes.”

2.41am GMT

70th over: Australia 210-5 (Green 23, Paine 2) Right then. Ashwin resets, focuses on a new right-hander, and proceeds. Pitching outside off, turning in. Starting his sequence of changes of flight, pace, turn. Paine watches and plays everything to leg, getting off the mark with two runs through square.

2.39am GMT

69th over: Australia 208-5 (Green 23, Paine 0) Siraj to Green, and the speed-up has slowed down again. Blocks out a maiden, playing at every ball.

2.32am GMT

68th over: Australia 208-5 (Green 23, Paine 0) Australia’s captain to the crease, so he’s in prime position to dictate how Australia approach this match tactically from here. His lead is 302. He blocks Ashwin’s last two balls.

2.29am GMT

Raucous appeal from Ashwin bowling to Smith, flighted outside off, turning past the inside edge and hitting the pad in front of off stump! Umpire Reiffel thought there was a nick, I’d fancy, it looked like there might be. He says not out. But Rahane goes upstairs and DRS shows no nick, hitting just in line, and collecting leg stump flush. Ashwin is a man in the desert falling on his knees at an oasis.

2.24am GMT

67th over: Australia 206-4 (Smith 80, Green 22) Suddenly the game has become easy for Smith. The bowlers haven’t showed up after lunch. Another help-yourself way down leg from Siraj and it’s glanced for four. A few singles as well, the score passes 200 and the lead passes 300 in that over.

2.22am GMT

66th over: Australia 199-4 (Smith 74, Green 21) Ashwin from the other end, and he’s bowled poorly today at times. Another over with too many balls outside leg stump, and Smith sweeps one hard for four, then plays the standing paddle for a single. Smith has obviously had a strategy talk at lunch and decided to get things moving. He’s on for twin tons here...

2.19am GMT

65th over: Australia 194-4 (Smith 69, Green 21) Siraj resumes after lunch. Green pushes a single to cover, bringing Smith on strike. And Smith’s first ball after the break he hooks for six! Whoosh. Has a big swing at a ball down the leg side, top edge, clears the fine leg rope. Next ball, glanced for four. Leg side again, no good. Big over to start, a dozen from it.

1.37am GMT

They’re in a commanding position, the Aussies. They can throw the bat after lunch or just grind on to a lead over 300. Either way, they’ll probably be declaring around tea time or a bit afterwards. India are missing two players with injury remember, with both Pant and Jadeja not fielding at the moment and an unknown quantity with the bat once the fourth innings comes.

Smith has been pretty cautious and gradual today, adding 29 runs to his score in the session. Green has looked very good thus far. We’ll carry on in half an hour.

1.32am GMT

64th over: Australia 181-4 (Smith 58, Green 20) Ashwin with the last over before lunch. Smith chops a run away to point. Green circles like a caged animal after each delivery, thinking and breathing and preparing. Short leg, leg slip, slip, short midwicket, but he shovels the last ball behind square for one more run. He’ll have the strike after lunch, and the lead is 276.

1.30am GMT

63rd over: Australia 180-4 (Smith 57, Green 19) Driven down the ground by Green for four. Siraj doesn’t overpitch by much, but Green sends a garbage truck back through the ball. A lot of power and a broad blade. Siraj hits back two balls later, so nearly having Green lbw again but for a tiny inside edge! Rahane doesn’t review because he’s confident he heard the nick, and he was right. So was Umpire Blocker Wilson.

1.24am GMT

62nd over: Australia 176-4 (Smith 57, Green 15) Ashwin losing his line outside leg stump again, Smith scrabbling a single behind square. Green flicks another. No rush. Six minutes till stumps.

1.23am GMT

61st over: Australia 174-4 (Smith 56, Green 14) Mohammed Siraj has a delay while he gets the ground staff to attend to the bowler’s footmarks. He bowls a maiden to Green, who’s content to play it out. I’m seeing some agitation online that Australia should be scoring faster to have more time to bowl, but the rule of thumb tends to be that if you have four bowlers, you’re not going to be effective bowling more than four sessions to win a Test. So, if you can’t do it in that time, you’re not going to get it done. So I reckon they’ll bat until tea unless they’re bowled out.

1.16am GMT

Ruth Purdue writes in about the article we linked earlier about racist abuse from the stands.

“Life bans please for those responsible for this behaviour. Surely with a reduced crowd it’s not hard to work out who it is. Cricket Australia should not be kind or sugar coat this in any regard with PR speak. If the team has changed in attitude (play hard but fair) then they too must show it.”

1.14am GMT

60th over: Australia 174-4 (Smith 56, Green 14) Ashwin flicks out the carrom like he’s rudely disposing of a cigarette, but he’s astray with his line and it goes down the leg side. Smith sweeps it away for one run. Green forces a run through point. Smith whips two runs through square leg – there’s a third umpire replay to see if Green got home with Ashwin whipping the bowler’s bails off, as Ashwin loves to do at any time, but Green is home despite not sliding the bat. Leg side again, and Smith plays the stand-up paddle sweep a la Sachin Tendulkar but can’t beat the fielder behind square.

1.10am GMT

59th over: Australia 170-4 (Smith 53, Green 13) Siraj bowling to Green, who is batting out of his crease this innings after being done lbw in his last couple of hits. Shifting forward, shuffling back, he’s using his feet a lot even to the fast bowler. Stands still to the fifth ball and clips two runs off his pads.

The Australian lead is 264, if you’re wondering, which in my humble is already well past what India can make batting fourth. After Headingley though I doubt you’ll see Tim Paine set any team less than 400 if he has the choice.

1.06am GMT

58th over: Australia 168-4 (Smith 53, Green 11) Ashwin to Smith, six shots in the over and every one goes leg side, Smith working with the spin to defend or to score. No run until the final ball, which Smith gets fine for two, but until that point he kept playing into the leg-side net.

1.02am GMT

57th over: Australia 166-4 (Smith 51, Green 11) Mohammed Siraj back into action, the top-knot flying in the breeze. To Green he’s bowling straight and sometimes short. Green misses a pull shot to a ball that wasn’t short enough. Half an hour until lunch, now. Green just wants to bat through.

12.55am GMT

56th over: Australia 166-4 (Smith 51, Green 11) Ashwin to bowl now, ending a three-over spell from Bumrah that does nothing to dispel the idea that he’s sore. Ashwin bowls a few balls over the wicket, then comes around the wicket. Catchers on the leg side to Green, trying to get him to pop something up. Green uses his feet to defend, and finds a run to square leg from the sixth ball.

12.53am GMT

55th over: Australia 165-4 (Smith 51, Green 10) Smith takes a moment to compose himself, facing out a maiden over from Saini.

12.46am GMT

54th over: Australia 165-4 (Smith 51, Green 10) Bumrah bowls short and Smith pulls a run past that leg gully down to the man in the deep. There’s his milestone, to follow his century in the first innings. That makes it the ninth time that he’s made a hundred and a fifty in the same match. They add a couple more singles to follow.

12.43am GMT

53rd over: Australia 162-4 (Smith 49, Green 9) Saini to continue and he nearly has Smith caught at leg gully. Again! So many times for Smith. Same shot, flicks it away, airborne, and it dips on Gill late and bounces in front, but he wasn’t very fast to try moving forward. Might have got under it if he’d been anticipating it, but perhaps that’s unrealistic given the time he had. Smith plays the same shot next ball for a single. Green faces out a few, then the last ball of the over he strides forward and drives through extra cover for four. That had authority.

12.38am GMT

52nd over: Australia 157-4 (Smith 48, Green 5) Bumrah to Green, beating him with a really testing delivery outside the off stump. Bowls fuller and straighter the next couple, Green getting his huge forward stride in to defend. Then drives at the fifth ball and edges it for four! Could have had a second slip for the new batsman against your premier bowler. Pujara is standing at about second slip, but he’s the only one in the cordon. That ball goes through third slip.

12.35am GMT

51st over: Australia 153-4 (Smith 48, Green 1) Another top over from Saini, cranking his pace up, hitting an uncomfortable length. Green manages to jab a single behind square to get off the mark and off strike. Smith gets an unpleasant ball that splices him, making him yank the bottom hand off the bat.

12.31am GMT

Now, here’s an extremely disheartening story. Really grim. I’m not sure why it’s being reported as “alleged” given that no one has been named.

Related: India report alleged racist abuse from SCG crowd during third Test

12.29am GMT

50th over: Australia 152-4 (Smith 48, Green 0) Smith starts to accelerate as the wickets fall, as he did at times in England in 2019. Bumrah comes back to try to prise this opening wider, but he overcooks one ball outside off stump and Smith destroys it through cover. In picturesque fashion, but destroys it nonetheless. The follow-up balls from Bumrah are more challenging, on the stumps and using that variable bounce, one a bit low and one a bit high. So it does look like Smith’s approach might be to attack anything wide, defend anything straight, given that erratic bounce.

12.25am GMT

49th over: Australia 148-4 (Smith 44) Drinks break, then Saini continues to Smith. Tapping, walking, watching, blocking. Tapping, walking, dispatched through cover point for four! Hurled his hands at that one outside his off stump, took it off a length with a square slash. That’s fierce. But from the fifth ball, Smith works a single, and from the sixth...

a perfect delivery from Saini! Around the wicket, very wide, angled in, seaming away, and Wade trying to defend can’t deal with the length. That was absolutely perfect to make him play but let it deck away. What a ball, caught behind!

12.17am GMT

48th over: Australia 143-3 (Smith 39, Wade 4) Smith takes a single first ball, and Ashwin immediately comes around the wicket to the left-handed Wade, giving the ball lots of loop outside his off stump. Pitching on a nice length, turning the ball away from the bat by a distance. This will be the challenge for Wade: which ball turns, which ball comes on straight to hit his pad.

12.15am GMT

47th over: Australia 142-3 (Smith 38, Wade 4) So one of the Twitch Twins is gone, and Matthew Wade comes to the middle. He gets off the mark beautifully, smoked through cover for four! That’s so good. He looked a million bucks in the first innings, playing through the off side and middling his sweep shots that kept hitting short leg, then he got out to one of the most daft shots of his life. So if he can avoid the latter, he can do damage with the former.

12.10am GMT

What a catch from Saha! Saini bowls at the hip of Labuschagne, who tries to glance it to fine leg. But the erratic bounce gets bigger on that occasion, and flicks the glove instead. It’s flying for runs but Saha comes in flying as well. Fully extended, diving to his left, launching off both feet and getting both gloves to the ball having turned sideways. He snares it miles down the leg side.

And he won’t be credited with that catch to his Test record, because he’s a fielding substitute.

12.08am GMT

46th over: Australia 138-2 (Labuschagne 73, Smith 38) Reverse-sweep from Labuschagne. That’s tactical, with nobody out there behind point for the spinner, and it picks him up a comfortable boundary against Ashwin. He tries another reverse but mistimes it for a single, then Smith flicks a couple of runs square.

12.06am GMT

45th over: Australia 131-2 (Labuschagne 68, Smith 36) Saini bowling to Labuschagne who drives on the up, nicely through covers, looks like four except that Mayank Agarwal who is substitute fielding out there chases it and puts in an Indian Jones roll to stay parallel to the rope, flicking it back just in time. Three runs.

11.58pm GMT

44th over: Australia 128-2 (Labuschagne 65, Smith 36) Against Ashwin, Labuschagne is happy to play the sweep shot and gets off strike. Smith is playing upright instead, stepping back onto his stumps and turning the ball to square leg. Basically playing it off the pitch. Looks comfortable enough despite the short leg fielder standing by.

11.57pm GMT

43rd over: Australia 127-2 (Labuschagne 64, Smith 36) Hmm, it appears that Bumrah is off the field. Getting some running repairs. That dropped catch from his second ball starts to look all the more important, if that was him pushing through some injury to create that chance. Saini comes on to bowl this over, and one keeps low. It beats the inside edge as Smith tries to force square. Tricks in the wicket if you hit just the right spot.

11.55pm GMT

42nd over: Australia 126-2 (Labuschagne 63, Smith 36) A maiden from Ashwin, though it’s not like Smith isn’t trying to score. Down the track, going back, turning to leg, but can’t beat the field.

11.48pm GMT

41st over: Australia 126-2 (Labuschagne 63, Smith 36) Siraj pitches up a few to Smith before going short, and Smith plays an ungainly pull shot, falling over to the off side as he shovels it down to fine leg for a run.

11.46pm GMT

40th over: Australia 125-2 (Labuschagne 63, Smith 35) Down the track comes Labuschagne and drives Ashwin for four. They’ve been very specific about going after Ashwin in this Test, and this wasn’t a convincing shot: he hit it flatter than intended, so that a straighter mid-off might have caught it. But that doesn’t happen.

11.44pm GMT

39th over: Australia 119-2 (Labuschagne 58, Smith 34) A couple of singles from Siraj, Australia’s lead is up to 213.

“Typing sleepily from Naples,” says Colum Fordham. “I thought Bumrah’s smile after Vihari dropped a straightforward catch from Labuschagne was the height of magnaminity. Had that been taken, it might have given the Indian team a vital lift. Both India’s quicks are bowling magnificently but, as the Aussie commentators are reiterating on my ever so slightly dodgy streaming site, catches win matches.Dropped catches invariably lead to lost matches. Not rocket science but true. Hope Ashwin can weave his magic but things looking ominous for India now.”

11.39pm GMT

38th over: Australia 117-2 (Labuschagne 57, Smith 33) Here’s Ashwin now, the off-spinner. Bowling just outside off stump, aiming at the pads of the right-handers. Smith tucks away a single first ball, but Marnus looks vulnerable as he goes down to sweep, misses, gets hit on the pad, and survives an appeal because he’s hit outside the line of off stump. This is why that part of the Laws should go, in my opinion: the ball-tracker shows that it’s smashing off stump straight on, but the impact is outside off stump so it can’t be given out. There’s no good argument for that. Rahane was confident about the impact point, so he doesn’t send that decision up to the third umpire. Last ball of the over, a true outside edge from Labuschagne that gets him two runs.

11.33pm GMT

37th over: Australia 114-2 (Labuschagne 55, Smith 32) There is some strike for Smith now, who pushes a single out to cover and runs sharply with the shot. There’s the difference between the teams: sharp decisive running, and a throw putting no pressure on the non-striker’s stumps. As opposed to what we saw yesterday, three run-outs thanks to poor judgement on one part and superb fielding technique on the other. India have not long lost a bowler in Jadeja but their best fielder by an absolute mile. No need for fielders as Siraj overpitches though, and Labuschagne drives straight for four. Lovely shot, big stride forward.

11.29pm GMT

36th over: Australia 109-2 (Labuschagne 51, Smith 31) Bumrah keeps working away at the off stump of Labuschagne. A slip and a gully waiting. All defence. Another maiden. Ashwin is going to have to do a lot of work today, with Jadeja out.

11.27pm GMT

35th over: Australia 109-2 (Labuschagne 51, Smith 31) Siraj follows up Bumrah with a beauty of his own, also searing past the outside edge of Labuschagne, poking the bat around off stump. After four balls he’s able to divert a single through the leg side. Smith has been facing little and scoring even less.

11.24pm GMT

34th over: Australia 108-2 (Labuschagne 50, Smith 31) It hasn’t been smooth as yet, but Marnus has gathered the two runs he needed to take his overnight score to 50. A little drive past the bowler to mid-on, saved by the fielder tumbling across. That came after the batsman had been beaten conclusively by Bumrah decking the ball away from his edge on a good length. Just didn’t get the nick.

11.20pm GMT

33rd over: Australia 107-2 (Labuschagne 49, Smith 31) Siraj starting well, shifting a ball into Labuschagne that bangs him on the pad, too high, and otherwise pinning him down until the final ball of the over is inside-edged away for a scruffy single. Tall and quick is Siraj, another of these bowlers with a very whippy bowling arm.

11.13pm GMT

32nd over: Australia 106-2 (Labuschagne 48, Smith 31) Bumrah continues, and maybe the next over is even more deflating than the one where the catch goes down, because Smith has to play at every ball but defends them all away with control. Any bowler in this position could be forgiven for now thinking just how long the day ahead of them might be. Can the Indians create more chances?

11.11pm GMT

31st over: Australia 106-2 (Labuschagne 48, Smith 31) Mohammed Siraj with the ball from the other end, an over with just a Smith single to the leg side. Reports coming in are that Jadeja’s thumb was dislocated, not broken. When he was hit he kind of had the thumb bent back rather than smashed, so that’s a different kind of painful.

11.09pm GMT

30th over: Australia 105-2 (Labuschagne 48, Smith 30) The day begins, with Bumrah gearing up to bowl again. He’s done a power of work, this wonderful bowler, and he’s tired. Only his 17th Test match but he’s carried so much work for this team on tours away from home. Still never played in India. His first ball is blocked away, his second... Labuschagne is dropped! Oh, goodness. That was a simple chance, it was the trap that India have had baited and set all tour, and Labuschagne is spared. The leg gully that has been in position especially for this pair of batsmen. Labuschagne turns the ball off his legs, gets done by some extra bounce and hits it in the air. It dips as it approaches Vihari, who only has to take one sidestep to his left and get low to receive it. But he’s not in the right spot, doesn’t watch the ball all the way in, and it hits his wrist rather than his hand and spills away. Bumrah cannot believe it. He doesn’t rage, but he just smiles and smiles and smiles to himself for the rest of the over, shaking his head each time as he walks back to his mark.

10.46pm GMT

If you’d like the detailed summary of the day, there’s always me with Adam Collins doing our own wrap-ups on video each evening after play. With bonus picturesque Melbourne background and creative camera work.

10.43pm GMT

Here is the wires summary from the third day, if that’s of use to you.

Related: Australia take command of third Test against India at SCG

10.38pm GMT

The usual style. Pop an envelope in the internet with my address on it. That’s in the sidebar, and when I’m replaced by someone else then it will change to someone else’s address. That’s how we roll. Emma Kemp is taking the second half of the day.

10.31pm GMT

Hello again, it’s day four from Sydney, and from a Test series that looks very much changed by yesterday. It was a bruising day from Australia’s fast bowlers. They roughed up India on a pitch that was a bit hard to score and had some inconsistent bounce, but wasn’t hugely difficult to bat on, in theory. On a day when India were in a position to score more and match Australia’s 338, they were bowled out for 244, and it was hostility that did it as well as alertness in the field. Three run-outs and two Indian batsmen injured by the short ball, it was like a return to the way Australian teams of the past used to make tours to Australia impossible for shellshocked tourists from the subcontinent.

We resume today with Australia 197 runs ahead, at 103 for 2 in the second innings, with Smith and Labuschagne to resume. Could be a hard day for India from here. Having Rishabh Pant off the field isn’t the biggest loss, as the substitute keeper Wriddiman Saha is generally better with the gloves, but fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah looks a bit sore too, and Ravindra Jadeja was the other casualty of the short ball yesterday and can’t bowl with a fractured left thumb. Can the others rally?

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Australia v India: third Test, day one – as it happened

Pucovski half century lays platform for AustraliaHave your say via email or tweet @scott_heinrich

8.06am GMT

A day limited to 55 overs by rain but one dominated by Australia. It started well for the hosts when they won the toss, hit a speed hump when David Warner fell cheaply after looking anything but fit running between the wickets, and then ended with no shortage of reasons to think Australia can go on to regain the lead in this series.

The Warner miss aside, Australia’s top order looked assured on a tepid pitch that is conducive to batting for now, but will likely take to spin as the game progresses. Will Pucovski’s debut was much anticipated and worth the wait. The Victorian was dropped twice by Rishabh Pant, on 26 and 32, but otherwise was impressive in crafting a composed 62 before falling to a fellow debutant in Navdeep Saini.

Very impressed with Will Pucovski's innings today. To look the part at Test level on debut is a promising sign and rapt for him to break through after the setbacks he's had along the way. #AUSvIND

7.48am GMT

Smith and Labuschagne see out the remainder of the session to steer Australia into a dominant position. Their partnership is now worth 60, with plenty more likely to come on a second day that will start early owing to the time lost to rain today.

7.45am GMT

55th over: Australia 166-2 (Labuschagne 67, Smith 31) Rahane turns to Saini for the last over of the day. What has Jadeja done wrong? Bumrah, anyone? Interesting road to go down but we shall see. Around the wicket to Smith, the debutant starts with two bouncers down the leg side - with leg-side catchers in place - and then angles one in across the body. Smith scampers through for a single, leaving Labuschagne to face the final three balls of the day. No problems for Marnus and that is stumps.

7.41am GMT

54th over: Australia 165-2 (Labuschagne 67, Smith 30) Wow. Plenty of turn and bite all of a sudden for Ashwin. It takes Smith completely by surprise and he aborts any attempt at a shot. Lucky, could easily have taken the glove. A single from the over, the penultimate of the day.

7.38am GMT

53rd over: Australia 164-2 (Labuschagne 67, Smith 29) Labuschagne turns Jadeja square for one, the first run the left-armer has conceded into his third over. He then gets a bit of bounce to catch Smith between two minds before dropping one in a tad too short and leaking a single through midwicket.

7.35am GMT

52nd over: Australia 162-2 (Labuschagne 66, Smith 28) Australia, or more specifically the incumbent pair, have gone after Ashwin today and Labuschagne has the chance to supplement gains but fails to score with an off-drive and an attempted sweep. He does manage a single forward of square, the only score in the over.

7.32am GMT

51st over: Australia 161-2 (Labuschagne 65, Smith 28) Jadeja again, short-leg in place for Smith. Jadeja is as Jadeja does, fairly well racing through his over. Smith barely has time to blink and he even misses out on a short one outside off-stump as another maiden results.

7.30am GMT

50th over: Australia 161-2 (Labuschagne 65, Smith 28) Ashwin continues with India, perhaps, set to see out the day with spin from both ends. Smith fends one - nay, pads one - into the hands of short-leg and India appeal. The decision is not out, and comfortably so. The ball was nowhere near the bat and India think better of going for a review. They would’ve burned it. Two singles from the over.

7.26am GMT

49th over: Australia 159-2 (Labuschagne 64, Smith 27) Jadeja does finally get a go with the ball. And it’s like he’s been released from a strait-jacket as he prances and speeds through his first over of the match, a maiden to Smith.

7.24am GMT

48th over: Australia 159-2 (Labuschagne 64, Smith 27) Labuschagne does his best Steve Smith impression, dancing down the pitch to Ashwin and driving high down the ground for four. A metre or two farther and it would’ve been six. The shot brings up the fifty partnership for Australia’s third wicket, scored from just 81 balls. In the context of the series, the match even, that’s lightning quick.

7.21am GMT

47th over: Australia 155-2 (Labuschagne 60, Smith 27) Siraj continues and it’s hard work on a pitch that’s slowing by the minute. A Labuschagne single is as eventful as the over gets. Eight overs remaining today. What will Rahane do? Bumrah, surely. Jadeja, maybe?

7.16am GMT

46th over: Australia 154-2 (Labuschagne 59, Smith 27) Smith continues to use his feet to the turning ball, but this time Ashwin beats him for flight and drift as Smith tries to hit through midwicket but misses as the ball clatters onto his pads and to safety. Two singles from the over, including one from a misfield on the last ball, in a very good offering from Ashwin.

7.12am GMT

45th over: Australia 152-2 (Labuschagne 58, Smith 26) Peach of a delivery from Siraj as Labuschagne is late on the shot, the ball sneaking past the inside edge and just missing off-stump. Really, really nice bowling on a pitch that isn’t doing much to help the seamers. Maiden over.

7.09am GMT

44th over: Australia 152-2 (Labuschagne 58, Smith 26) Ashwin continues with these two now scoring almost at will. The field is now back a bit, though with catchers still in place on the leg side, and singles flow easily as the over goes for four runs.

7.03am GMT

43rd over: Australia 148-2 (Labuschagne 56, Smith 24) Siraj returns to the attack and almost makes an immediate impact as Labuschagne plants his feet and inside-edges onto his pads. Entirely unconvincing from Marnus but he soon reverts to type, cover-driving for four to register his ninth Test half-century and then celebrating with another boundary, this time driven past mid-on. Twelve runs from Siraj’s 12th over. His first 11 went for just 33 combined. Time for drinks.

Ball beats the fielders...and Marnus Labuschagne records his first Test 50 against India #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/K8iHjYj7gO

6.56am GMT

42nd over: Australia 136-2 (Labuschagne 44, Smith 24) Very few batsmen in the world use their feet better to the turning ball than Steve Smith and this boundary is pure Smith as he waltzes down the pitch and carts Ashwin flat over mid-on. Shot of the day? Perhaps not, but stunning all the same. Twenty-four off 30 balls, Smith is going at near ODI speed.

6.53am GMT

41st over: Australia 132-2 (Labuschagne 44, Smith 20) Saini, over the wicket, continues bowling to his leg-side field but Smith maintains his composure and discipline. Just two from the over but Australia’s run-rate is now three-and-a-bit, as good as it’s been this series. As it should be - this looks a better batting deck than both Adelaide and Melbourne.

6.49am GMT

40th over: Australia 130-2 (Labuschagne 43, Smith 19) Rahane turns to the spin of Ashwin as Bumrah’s probing spell comes to an end. And it’s a very good over until Smith moves forward, catches the ball on the half-volley and flicks the ball through midwicket for four. Very good shot. Smith looks on.

6.46am GMT

39th over: Australia 125-2 (Labuschagne 42, Smith 15) Saini does away with the full stuff and his control is better, conceding just two runs in the over. Sixteen overs left in the day. It’s only day one, but a crucial period awaits.

6.40am GMT

38th over: Australia 123-2 (Labuschagne 41, Smith 14) Bumrah continues to keep things tight, with a couple of singles the only scores in the over.

6.37am GMT

37th over: Australia 121-2 (Labuschagne 40, Smith 13) Glorious, glorious shot from Smith, who gets in line with the pitch of a decent enough, if slightly full, delivery, and driving Saini right out of the screws for four down the ground. Another boundary soon follows but it was a half-chance for India as Smith turns Saini uppishly backward of square and just evades the diving fielder at leg gully.

Wowwwwwwww

Live #AUSvIND: https://t.co/xdDaedY10F pic.twitter.com/DbAzRW2DMF

6.31am GMT

36th over: Australia 112-2 (Labuschagne 39, Smith 5) Bumrah to Smith. The former skipper is all over the crease with his manic footwork. Bumrah zeroes in on Smith’s off-stump before dropping in a short one and then overpitching, fairly well pleading with Smith to smack him down the ground for four. A man under some pressure to score runs, Smith will enjoy that.

6.26am GMT

35th over: Australia 108-2 (Labuschagne 39, Smith 1)

A single brings up the century partnership but next ball Pucovski is gone, shuffling across his crease to a full inswinger and being trapped plumb in front by Saini. No need to review that one. A great response by the India debutant to get rid of the Australia debutant, having been taken for 15 runs in his first two overs. Pucovski has shown a tendency to get across his crease and that is indeed how he perishes. A fine debut knock, nevertheless. Dropped twice, yes, but 62 first go is a success no matter which way you slice it.

A disappointing end for Pucovski but a huge moment in Saini's career #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/zXpMWQjdja

6.20am GMT

34th over: Australia 105-1 (Pucovski 62, Labuschagne 38) Three more for Labuschagne, who pushes hard at Bumrah and beats Ashwin at mid-on. Pucovski is then suckered into a big hook shot and he picks up two as the ball lands safely at deep backward square. Frankly, that could’ve gone anywhere.

6.16am GMT

33rd over: Australia 100-1 (Pucovski 60, Labuschagne 35) Saini again, having had plenty of time at tea to ponder his debut over that went for nine runs. His first ball is a bit too short and a bit too wide, inviting Pucovski to punch through the covers for two. Saini then corrects his length, in fact overcorrects, and it’s full enough for Pucovski to drive down the ground for three. Nothing flash or fancy about it; just a good, uncomplicated cricket shot. We might have one here. A single then takes Australia into triple figures.

Fifteen runs from Saini’s first two overs in Test cricket. Nobody said it was easy. No one ever said it would be this hard.

6.10am GMT

32nd over: Australia 94-1 (Pucovski 55, Labuschagne 34) Bumrah returns to the attack, unimpeded by his brush with the greasy outfield in the middle session. Pucovski resumes the scoring with a single through the covers. Labuschagne then lets a couple go through to the keeper, extravagantly of course.

Update: young Will, having started the day in equal 448th position on Australia's run scoring list, has now moved up to equal 324th, alongside SLaw and DBollinger among others.. https://t.co/HYzAs1LDdv

6.05am GMT

Players now returning to the field. Twenty-four overs left in the day.

50 on debut if you don’t mind!!! @scg crowd loving @willpucovski10 ! @7Cricket #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/4EMndT2lkA

6.03am GMT

It has been raining. A little bit. The covers were on. Now they’re off. Slight delay.

6.02am GMT

No pressure.

The future of Australian Test cricket ✨#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/zCCla7OjuL

5.45am GMT

An excellent session for Australia but not one without drama. Pucovski was dropped twice, both times by Pant, before going on to register a half-century on debut in the last over before the game’s second interval. After a rain-interrupted first session that cost Warner his wicket and saw just 7.1 overs bowled, Pucovski and Labuschagne go to tea having put on 87 unbroken runs for the second wicket.

Of the drama, there will be more to be written and said about Pucovski’s second life.

BIG MOMENT ALERT

Rishabh Pant sells the catch until video review reveals ball hit the ground and Will Pucovski stays. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/eT8B7QPcwr

5.40am GMT

31st over: Australia 93-1 (Pucovski 54, Labuschagne 34) Pucovski, on debut, faces Saini, on debut. The batsman punches Saini’s first ball through the covers for four before pulling through midwicket for four more, bringing up his half-century at the very first time of asking. It hasn’t been chanceless but it’s still a debut fifty. Well done, Will. Saini’s first over in Test cricket goes for nine runs. And that is tea.

Is there a bit of Ponting in this Pucovski pull?

The shot that brought up 50 for the Victorian! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/mykOyBtSPr

5.36am GMT

30th over: Australia 84-1 (Pucovski 45, Labuschagne 34) Ashwin continues but around the wicket now. Pucovski picks up three through the point region before Labuschagne sees his partner and raises him with a boundary past the same part of the ground. The flow of runs sees Ashwin revert to over the wicket, the leg-slip fielder vacates to strengthen the off-side ... and Labuschagne sweeps for two.

5.32am GMT

29th over: Australia 75-1 (Pucovski 42, Labuschagne 28) Confusion reigns as Bumrah stumbles and slips in the damp outfield, compelling Pucovski to chance another run. But Labuschagne doesn’t want any part of it and sends his partner back to the striker’s end. India might well have been on for a run-out but Pucovski scrambles over his crease just in time. But a direct hit would have made it interesting. Bumrah looks to be fine after his tumble.

Here’s Pant’s second, far more controversial, dropped catch to hand Pucovski another reprieve.

"The third umpire is looking for conclusive evidence to say the ball has bounced ... and in this particular case the fingers weren't underneath the ball from the keeper." - Simon Taufel #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/zhroJTRu53

5.26am GMT

28th over: Australia 68-1 (Pucovski 35, Labuschagne 28) Far too short from Ashwin and Labuschagne, who’s been stuck in a rut these past few overs, breaks the shackles with a boundary through the covers. And just like London buses, another four follows next ball backward of square that sees the batsmen scamper through for an all-run four before the ball trickles to a halt.

5.23am GMT

27th over: Australia 59-1 (Pucovski 34, Labuschagne 20) Excellent again from Siraj, who looks to be growing into this series, and Test cricket, nicely. Good pace to Labuschagne and that leg-side line is going nowhere. Back to the second Pucovski drop, I wonder if Pant had any idea the ball was grounded before he gained possession of it. The answer, I guess, would have to be: no.

5.19am GMT

26th over: Australia 58-1 (Pucovski 33, Labuschagne 20) Two singles from Ashwin’s over, both of which I saw very little of. I was a little distracted by that latest dropped catch.

The ball is in there somewhere...

Discuss....

@FoxCricket #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/xd5iM2Rm29

5.16am GMT

25th over: Australia 56-1 (Pucovski 32, Labuschagne 19) Siraj continues his lively spell. A single brings up the fifty partnership between these two, at a run-rate of a tick over two per over. That might be uneventful on face value but there’s no shortage of drama as Pucovski survives another DROPPED CATCH!

Pucovski tries to hook a short ball but does no more than spoon the ball into the air off his glove. The pace on the ball takes the ball over the keeper’s head and Pant does a good job to get his gloves the ball as it initially bobbles out before seemingly returning to the keeper’s keeping. The initial decision is OUT but on review the ball clearly kisses the turf before Pant regains control. Decision overturned. Pucovski survives. Again. Drama indeed.

5.08am GMT

24th over: Australia 55-1 (Pucovski 32, Labuschagne 18) This has been a good little period for India with the runs drying up and Pucovski surviving a catching chance, but Pucovski releases the pressure with a delightfully struck cut shot that whistles past point for four. Nice shot from the man who almost wasn’t there.

5.05am GMT

23rd over: Australia 49-1 (Pucovski 26, Labuschagne 18) Labuschagne chases Siraj down the leg-side and India look interested as Pant takes cleanly, but there doesn’t seem to be any bat involved. Another maiden to Labuschagne.

Here’s the dropped catch.

A close call for debutant Will Pucovski - dropped by Pant behind the stumps #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/00frohZN38

5.02am GMT

22nd over: Australia 49-1 (Pucovski 26, Labuschagne 18) Ashwin again to Pucovski and he’s determined to bowl full to a man who’s determined to play back. Leg slip in place, the debutant prefers to use pad only to one that angles across his body before punching one through the covers for four.

Pucovski finally gets on the front foot and India should have their man but it’s a DROPPED CATCH as Ashwin collects the outside edge only for Pant to spill the regulation chance off his left glove. It was a very good ball, too good for batsman and keeper. A life for Pucovski. What will he do with it.

4.56am GMT

21st over: Australia 47-1 (Pucovski 24, Labuschagne 18) Bumrah is indeed given a well-earned breather as Rahane goes back to Siraj to preserve pace from one end. The leg gully is there for a couple of reasons and the over ends with Jadeja stopping Labuschagne’s neat turn to save certain runs. Time for drinks.

4.51am GMT

20th over: Australia 46-1 (Pucovski 23, Labuschagne 18) Labuschagne finally stays in his crease to Ashwin, looking to cut, but the ball seems marginally quicker and the batsman is beaten. It’s a good delivery that keeps Marnus watchful for the remainder of another maiden over.

Here’s that Labuschagne boundary.

Classy shot! #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/VhZQk8loYF

4.47am GMT

19th over: Australia 46-1 (Pucovski 23, Labuschagne 18) Bumrah continues his now lengthy spell. He looks to tempt Pucovski with an effort ball but the right-hander ducks safely beneath before keeping out a full, straight one to finish the over. Another maiden. Is that Bumrah done for now?

Pucovski goes so far across that even the middle stump is exposed. India should continue to bowl in the stumps to him with leg side field just need one to Jag back and hit the pad. Also a Leg stump Yorker won't be a bad option. #AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/ZMdj0FpM0n

4.42am GMT

18th over: Australia 46-1 (Pucovski 23, Labuschagne 18) Ashwin mixes things up, altering his line, length and speed to try to get something out of this pitch. When he overpitches, Labuschagne catches him on the half-volley and drives through the covers for two. Marnus remains committed to getting forward to the spinner and he’s untroubled for the rest of the over.

4.40am GMT

17th over: Australia 44-1 (Pucovski 23, Labuschagne 16) Labuschagne defends a straight one to Bumrah, following through as if his blade suddenly morphed into a light sabre. A single follows before Pucovski plays a rare false shot, hanging his bat out to one outside off-stump and (luckily for him) missing. That shot was an outside edge waiting to happen. Excellent over from the mighty Bumrah.

cricket's not dying, I just watched a slo mo of a leaf blower for 30 mins straight; this sport sold its rights for $1.1b last round. rude health.

4.35am GMT

16th over: Australia 43-1 (Pucovski 23, Labuschagne 15) Pucovski uses his feet to the turning ball, cutting Ashwin for two. He plays back again, and then again, to balls of good and fullish length. No more scoring in the over.

4.33am GMT

15th over: Australia 41-1 (Pucovski 21, Labuschagne 15) Bumrah continues. One keeps a little low and that’s probably what saves Labuschagne as his genuine edge lands safely in front of first slip. Bumrah follows up with a real beauty, drawing Marnus forward and beating the bat with just a touch of away swing. He’s a great bowler but Labuschagne is pretty good too, and he finishes the over with a neat on-drive that he punches to the fence.

4.28am GMT

14th over: Australia 37-1 (Pucovski 21, Labuschagne 11) Time for a change of bowler and a change of pace as Siraj makes way for Ashwin. Labuschagne shows the spinner all three stumps but keeps out a straight one. Not a great deal of turn and not a great deal of help from the pitch after the rain delay. One Labuschagne single from the over.

4.23am GMT

13th over: Australia 36-1 (Pucovski 21, Labuschagne 10) Bumrah again. The Indian overpitches down leg to Pucovski and is lucky to be taken for only a single. That was a rare four-ball from Bumrah. Another single follows as Labuschagne drops one on the crease with soft hands and catches the infielders napping.

4.20am GMT

12th over: Australia 34-1 (Pucovski 20, Labuschagne 9) Another assured shot from Pucovski, who rolls his wrists and almost plays across the line to a decent delivery from Siraj, collecting three through midwicket. Some might have looked to punch that ball through the covers or down the ground. Interesting batsman who is so far impressing on his Test bow.

4.16am GMT

11th over: Australia 31-1 (Pucovski 17, Labuschagne 9) Labuschagne leaves a Bumrah off-cutter entirely on length and it’s a very nice leave seeing as, on line at least, the ball was destined for the off-stump. There’s no leaving later in the over, however, as a shortish ball that’s a bit too straight is pulled confidently to the fence by Marnus. Not one of Bumrah’s finest deliveries and that is precisely what you have to do to those: put them away. You don’t get many of them.

“Good to see play resuming,” writes David Markham. “Can I tell a little tale from my grade cricket umpiring career? We got the players back out in a similar situation. On about the second ball, the bowler’s foot smashed down and kept going as he slid down the pitch gouging a great hole in the ‘danger area’. We agreed we may have gone back a bit early.”

4.11am GMT

10th over: Australia 27-1 (Pucovski 17, Labuschagne 5) Better from Siraj, not quite as full as the previous over, but he’s clearly viewing lbw as a likely mode of dismissal for Pucovski, who is possessed of a slight shuffle across his crease. Just to keep the batsman guessing, Siraj drops a couple in short and the result is another maiden. This is a gripping battle between bat and ball, between two young men.

4.07am GMT

9th over: Australia 27-1 (Pucovski 17, Labuschagne 5) Bumrah at the other end, over the wicket to Labuschagne. The fast bowler is trying to entice Marnus outside off-stump but he’s not falling for that one. Maiden over.

We’re onto something here with the pronunciation of names.

4.04am GMT

8th over: Australia 27-1 (Pucovski 17, Labuschagne 5) Siraj continues his interrupted over, over the wicket to Pucovski. Two slips in place. Forward defensive first-up from Will. Middle of the bat. Labuschagne wants a single but nothing happening. Siraj then gets one to swing in to the tight-hander, collecting the pad. Not out but it is a shot across the bow of the debutant. Speaking of shots, Pucovski follows up with a measured off-drive that he punches down the ground for three. Upright, compact, patient: this is Pucovski on debut. Labuschagne then replicates the shot and the outcome as five balls go for six runs. Live cricket. It’s good to have you back.

3.58am GMT

Players are back on the field. Get ready.

3.52am GMT

Very good. Hopefully there are no more false dawns.

Restart: 3pm
Tea: 4.40-5pm
Stumps: 6.30pm

Can I suggest the nickname "Robin" for Will "Puck" Pucovski @scott_heinrich? This seems apposite, as his opening partner is something of a Bad Fellow for many.

3.48am GMT

Back to the topic du jour.

You can't win with pronunciation of foreign names, in part because people from different linguistic traditions don't only pronounce words differently they pronounce some letters differently. It's my understanding that the Indian wicketkeeper's name, which seems simple enough, would sound to an Australian like Bunt if pronounced in the original. But if you called him that as an Aussie, you'd sound like a wanker. So as I said, you can't win.

3.40am GMT

And now the blowers are out, drying the area a metre or two behind the stumps. It does look damp. But it hasn’t rained for nigh on half an hour, so why have they waited until now to do it? The two gents with tools in hand can come and do my driveway once they’re done.

“I am delighted that its raining,” writes Sankaran Krishna. “This is what separates the true cricket connoisseurs from the rest. While everyone else is baffled by the illogic of lunch and tea breaks amid such delays, the often farcical “inspections”, the whole ballyhoo about light meters etc., the fact is that it’s the sheer unpredictability of it all that makes cricket.

3.35am GMT

The umpires are having a good look at the pitch, the area just behind the pitch where the bowlers run, while motors with ropes attached are doing their level best to clear the outfield of surface water.

Watching it all unfold, Mark Waugh is only a shade short of apoplectic. He wants cricket. And let’s face it, we all want cricket.

3.28am GMT

Three interesting takeouts from the telly interview with Tim Paine:

1. David Warner is the most annoying member of the team;

3.23am GMT

Thanks Geoff. Well done on keeping things up vibe and interesting during the rain break. Nothing beats live cricket but ruminations over pronunciation and phonetics might well come second, albeit a distant one. The matters we discuss during weather delays in Test cricket is a discipline in its own right, one that requires application and sincere thought. Nothing trifling about it. That said, let’s hope the remainder of day one in Sydney is filled with action on the field. We’ve waited long enough to see Pucovski in a baggy green.

Before the break, we got this gem of a shot from Pucovski #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/bzizAUZllr

3.18am GMT

I’ve done my 7.1 overs for the day, and it’s time to hand over to Scott Heinrich. It’s been an interesting shift though, thanks to everyone for the conversation. It would have been a very dull few hours without you.

Tim Paine is walking out with a football to have a kick and feel the grass, so the rain has fully stopped. For now. Good luck.

3.16am GMT

Linguistics and OH&S, our topics for today. Alex Kupa writes in.

“I have a few family members with ‘ethnic’ names that are perpetually mangled, and my own middle name, which is from Indonesian, is never pronounced quite right (Guntur, the Indonesian for thunder, is pronounced as if it is of German origin). I would never want to change my name’s pronunciation just for others.”

“The name Labuschagne is originally French. Presumably it was pronounced in the French way, like champagne, before being shifted on migration to South Africa in the 18th century. If one is opposed to the Australian tongue causing a change in the pronunciation I see no reason to be more comfortable with the Afrikaans tongue doing the same. To me, the Aussie pronunciation recalls the original French, and may be more true to the name’s origins than the Afrikaans pronunciation.”

3.07am GMT

The machines are out in the middle trying to soak up water, looks like the rain might have stopped again. Around we go.

3.06am GMT

A couple of responses to Scott Lowe earlier. One from David Markham.

“While there are some lunatic fast bowlers out there in the world, fast bowlers who bowl short are generally not trying to hit the batsman in the head – that would clearly be unethical. They are basically trying to mess up batsmen’s footwork so they play back to balls they should be playing forward to. As a Test opening batsman, you can hardly expect the other side to go easy on you.”

2.58am GMT

Gavin Robertson (not that Gavin Robertson, he hastens to add) is at the Test. I think the other Gavin Robertson is there doing radio commentary, perhaps they can Gavout together afterwards.

“Sitting at a social distance in the SCG right now. Isn’t this rain/sun/rain thing frustrating? I’m wondering why Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins is batting for Australia today? Has he ever been seen in a room with Pucovski, or are they actually the same person?”

Seriously though. pic.twitter.com/BixahyH63R

2.45am GMT

“In the absence of any cricket, let me ask a question to what everyone else seems to know the answer. I’ve been asleep for a few years. What is the correct and incorrect way of pronouncing Labuschagne?”

Gavin Twedily with the thirst for knowledge. It’s a South African name via Dutch, presumably, so the G is the glottal sound in the back of the throat that you hear in Afrikaans. Think Lah-boo-skagh-nay.

2.37am GMT

“So who are the favourites here?” asks Richard Liddle. “India with the momentum but Australia looking so much better on the injury front. And would the Black Caps beat both sides comfortably?”

I doubt they’d beat Australia. New Zealand have been playing beautifully, but they have a remarkable ability to choke against the trans-Tasman rival, no matter the respective situations. The Kiwis were flying in 2015 but came over and got steamrolled. Similarly when Australia visited in 2016, and the same story when NZ toured Australia a year ago.

2.32am GMT

And now it’s started raining again. Covers coming back on.

2.30am GMT

The umpires are out there for an inspection, and some of the Indian players are warming up again. Plenty of ground staff still out in the middle.

2.28am GMT

“On the topic of pronunciations, what about debut?” writes Angus Crouch. “The ever contentious issue alongside wickets before runs or runs before wickets – the latter for me.”

This one’s interesting. Australians of a certain type tend to be sniffed at for saying “day-boo” but that is also how the French original is pronounced. With a bit less sinus, perhaps. The usage that is supposedly more proper in English is “day-bue” in sync with things like “music”, but that version has been changed. Do we blame the Normans? I say why not. But maybe Australians are right.

2.11am GMT

Some movement at the SCG, with the ground staff emerging from their burrows like groundhogs squinting for the sun. Might be easing off. The inspecting umpires still have their brollies up though.

2.09am GMT

David Griffiths is whiling away the hours. “The Pucovski conundrum reminds me of travel writer Paul Theroux’s bewilderment at being called ‘Mr Thorax’ by Australian locals while researching his Happy Isles of Oceania book in the 1990s. As a rule, you can opt for the pronunciation the name-bearer uses. It doesn’t always work, however, as I soon discovered on my own travels back in 1999 when I said Sydney (‘Seedney’) to a taxi driver who threw me out on the spot: “You’re taking the piss, mate. Geddout.” Travelling down under as a Brit is a real linguistic tightrope: err one way and you’re an arrogant colonist; err the other and you’re a condescending piss-taker.”

Mr Thorax sounds like a truly horrifying inhabitant of nightmares.

2.01am GMT

An email in from Scott Ahpee on phonetics. “In regards to Jervis Dean’s (quite valid) observation of the pronunciation of Pucovski, it’s worth mentioning the highest mountain in the land of Mt Ko-zee-os-ko... or Ko-shoo-shko, as my Polish friend Arek has informed me. I am doing my best to follow your lead on the proper Labuschagne pronunciation, but often feel like a dick while I’m doing so... All the best.”

Haha. Me too, and I’m still not sure what the right answer is on that one: do you decide that someone accepting the wrong pronunciation is personal preference, or do you resist it when that personal preference is made under some broader social pressure? Maybe it can’t be untangled.

1.55am GMT

You won’t believe this, but it’s still raining in Sydney.

If you’re curious, it’s currently not raining in Brisbane, though it’s forecast.

1.23am GMT

Well, we were looking forward to a big first session, but we got 7.1 overs. Even by today’s rates, that is slow. The rain has forced an early lunch, so the second session will in theory start in 40 minutes, at 1pm local time. (Hint: it won’t actually.)

Do you want something to fill the time? We can’t have one SCG, so we’ll have another.

1.15am GMT

Still raining...

1.13am GMT

Another Pucovski question, this time from Scott Lowe.

“Throwing this out there for your comment and others – if a batsman hypothetically has had issues with concussions in the past, is it unethical to deliberately bounce them? I suspect many will say no, but I know that even if it’s completely within the laws of the game, it just doesn’t sit right with me.”

1.04am GMT

An email from Jervis Dean, as the wait continues. Not much the OBO audience likes more than pedantry, after all.

“Some pedantry for you. While it is rare for Australian commentators to put much effort into pronouncing the more challenging surnames of our cricketers, it is still somewhat grating to hear on air commentators say Puck-ov-ski. In Czech the C is a soft Z sound like the Z sound in ‘pizza’. So his surname would be pronounced Puts-ov-ski or something to that effect. Not sure how the kid himself pronounces his name but it doesn’t seem like it should be much of a stretch for commentators to be attentive, especially if Will observes the correct pronunciation of his name.”

12.49am GMT

“Morning, Geoff, from Kent. There’s something so reassuring about hearing the warmth of far-off cricket in the darkness. While my friend says things are getting serious in Sydney, they’ve closed the nightclubs...”

Hello James, I hope you also enjoy the warmth of far-off rain delays. They closed the nightclubs years ago, when Mike Baird tanked the city’s nightlife while moonlighting as NSW Premier. Now he’s a new Cricket Australia board member.

12.42am GMT

Or not! The hessian is going back on. What’s better than rain? Interminable, light rain that teases everyone.

12.36am GMT

Looks like we’ll be back underway shortly. The Indian players coming out to warm up, while the rope buggy cuts some sick laps.

12.26am GMT

Paul Reiffel and Blocker Wilson are umpiring this Test match, a tall pair who could have opened the bowling together 20 years ago. Today they walked out to look at the pitch, then walked back in again as it got covered up. Now they’re just hanging about on the outfield waiting for some drizzle to stop.

12.24am GMT

“What’s Pucovski like as a personality? I love Marnus’ hyper type personality and wonder how they’d get along.”

Hello, Ruth Purdue. He’s much more chilled out than Marnus. Not that it would be hard to be that, but mostly Pucovski seems pretty contained, aside from being a bit satirical about the senior players at training. But very quiet and focused when he’s batting. So he’s not at all shy, but not manic.

12.14am GMT

“How do you see the 4th test proceeding, if at all? The Brisbane test seems less likely day by day, and the briefings / leaks from the Indian set up seem to be gathering steam. Assuming it’s not at the Gabba, how long would it take to prepare a stand by pitch at an alternative venue? Would Victoria have them back? Maybe Manuka Oval is an option?”

Hello to David Marshall. I think we’re fine for Brisbane now. The Indian reaction was to reports that they would be confined to their rooms, but because they’ll have hotel floors to themselves they’ll actually be able to hang out in common areas with the travelling party. That all looks like it’s going ahead as planned.

12.08am GMT

Who would have thought? At the Sydney Test, of all places. A squall blows in from nowhere and the covers are pulled out. It doesn’t look like this will last long, though.

12.07am GMT

7th over: Australia 21-1 (Pucovski 14, Labuschagne 2) Pucovski keeps harvesting runs, while Labuschagne has barely had strike. Another couple of runs squeezed off the pads from Bumrah, then a neat single tucked square of mid-on after the previous ball went straight to that fielder.

12.03am GMT

6th over: Australia 18-1 (Pucovski 11, Labuschagne 2) Siraj tries the bouncer, and Pucovski gets his first Test boundary in streaky style. A fine top edge that goes high but lands safely. More convincing is his on-drive the next ball to a fuller one, picking up three. He’s into double figures on debut.

Captain John Starbuck is on the emails. “You can’t help thinking that how the Aussies perform in their first innings will be the crunch point. It isn’t always the case, especially since 2nd-innings debacles are already assumed as a distinct possibility in this series.”

11.56pm GMT

5th over: Australia 11-1 (Pucovski 4, Labuschagne 2) Bumrah to Pucovski again, defending on the off stump, but playing through midwicket when Bumrah bowls straighter. The bowler thinks for a second that he’s going to nail the front pad in front of middle stump, but Pucovski gets bat on it.

11.55pm GMT

4th over: Australia 8-1 (Pucovski 1, Labuschagne 2) A big moment for Siraj, breaking the opening partnership and forcing the player on debut to adjust to a new partner and the loss of a senior presence. Here comes Marnus Labuschagne, and he’s off the mark quickly by leg-glancing two.

11.50pm GMT

All that talk, and Warner falls! Siraj moves the field to indicate that he’s bowling straight, then accidentally I fancy bowls very wide. That ball starts outside off stump but keeps tailing further away. Warner has already committed to the big drive but doesn’t account for the movement, and only gets a thick edge to third slip. Gone!

11.48pm GMT

3rd over: Australia 6-0 (Pucovski 1, Warner 5) Again Pucovski faces most of the over, not troubled as yet against Bumrah after Warner drops a single to cover in his usual style.

11.48pm GMT

2nd over: Australia 5-0 (Pucovski 1, Warner 4) Mohammed Siraj with the new ball to partner Bumrah, and Warner gets on with things straight away! Punches off the back foot out through the covers for two runs. That makes Siraj err onto the pads and Warner glances another run. Comfortable start for him. Siraj is getting swing as well. Pucovski gets his first run in Test cricket with a nudge off his legs.

11.38pm GMT

1st over: Australia 0-0 (Pucovski 0, Warner 0) Will Pucovski gets to face the first delivery and get his work underway right from the start. Bumrah has a false start with his run-up, then a rusty start with a very wide ball swinging away. He gets back on target from then on, letting Pucovski get bat on ball in defence for the first time. There is outswing for Bumrah, noticeably. Pucovski defends a few with soft hands, then receives his first short ball and shapes to play but doesn’t get it.

11.13pm GMT

“Is this where the openers win the Test?” asks John. You could almost sum it up that way. Warner’s return feels hugely important for Australia – indeed, I wrote about that yesterday. Surely Steve Smith will find some runs very soon though? India too have had a shortage of runs, and it was Rahane’s outstanding innings in Melbourne that set them up to claim that Test.

Related: Australia need David Warner's risk-free Test minimalism against India more than ever | Geoff Lemon

11.08pm GMT

We already had India’s team last night, and Australia goes as expected: dropping Travis Head to move Matthew Wade down the order and bring in a new opening partnership. “He hasn’t done a whole lot wrong, Heady, we’ve just changed the balance of our side with an all-rounder so he’s unlucky,” says Paine.

Australia
David Warner
Will Pucovski (debut)
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Matthew Wade
Cameron Green
Tim Paine * +
Patrick Cummins
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Josh Hazlewood

11.02pm GMT

The coin lands for Tim Paine again. It did so in Melbourne and that didn’t help, with India rolling the home team for 195, but Australia get another chance here.

10.57pm GMT

In the grand tradition of the OBO, you can drop us a line. Send your spicy John Barilaro memes, your amateur epidemiology assessments, your outraged invective about state rivalries... no, wait, don’t send any of those things. Just write me a nice email about something interesting or fun if you feel like it. Some will wind their way into the thread of the day’s conversation. My address(es) can be found in the sidebar.

10.50pm GMT

A new day dawns, and a new Test match approaches. This being one that is attracting more attention than most, and not just for cricket’s sake. Plenty of political argument about whether it should be going ahead in Sydney, and whether an audience should be allowed to attend. The Australian Medical Association thinks not, the New South Wales government says yes, for those keeping score. The issue is the recent spread of coronavirus in Sydney. For those in places like the UK or USA, the numbers in Australia will look tiny, but as we often see more optimistically in sport, humble beginnings can lead to things of greater magnitude.

The deal in practical terms is that the SCG is capped at a quarter capacity, which I think means 10,000 people maximum. Whether 10,000 people will still show up is another question. The MCG had a 30,000 max on Boxing Day and didn’t quite reach it.

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Australia need David Warner's risk-free Test minimalism against India more than ever | Geoff Lemon

For some of the cricket public he might be an outcast, but for those in the team nobody could matter more

A couple of years ago, the idea that Australia’s Test team would be waiting for salvation at the hands of David Warner would have been humorous. During his exile from the national team there was no assurance that he would be accepted back at all. Winning over the dressing room was a prerequisite.

Once he did return in England in 2019, a prolific but workmanlike World Cup was forgotten by public sentiment after Warner endured the Ashes version of the Book of Job. He almost literally couldn’t make a run, while his fellow exile Steve Smith got to play the prodigal son, returning from the wilderness to acclaim. (The sacrificial calf was provided by Jimmy Anderson after four overs at Edgbaston.)

Related: Crowd capacity for SCG Test between Australia and India reduced to 25%

Australia have had no sense of solidity to start an innings, Warner is the one who so routinely brings that

Related: England nervously await Covid test results after Moeen Ali positive

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Reshaped India fight back from brink to shake up series with Australia | Geoff Lemon

The tourists should have been on the way to 4-0 down, but at the MCG they produced one of the most marked inversions

Turnarounds do not come much more drastic than this. As Ajinkya Rahane led India to a series-levelling win against Australia in Melbourne, making it 1-1 with two Tests to play, the factors counting against it needed counting on at least the fingers of both hands.

It was not just the usual difficulty for any team of winning Test matches away from home. Start with the fact that it was 10 days since India had been bowled out for 36 in Adelaide, an entire Test innings done with inside 23 overs. Through long-past tours when far weaker Indian teams were completely outmatched in alien conditions, even against combinations like Lillee and Thomson or McGrath and Warne, none had suffered such an indignity.

Related: India level Test series after completing comprehensive win over Australia

Related: Australia’s supposed summer of improvement stutters against India | Geoff Lemon

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Australia’s supposed summer of improvement stutters against India | Geoff Lemon

It is hard to compute that a team can bowl out their opposition for 36 in a Test series and still be the one under the pump

In 1887 an England team sailed south to bowl out Australia for 119 and 97 in one Test match, then 84 and 150 in another. A few years later, starting in December 1901, England kept Australia to 168, 172, and 112.

Those were the only years when an Australian team started a home summer without being able to get past 200 in their first three all-out innings. Two occasions, over a century ago. But this season, Australia have sealed a third.

Related: India level Test series after completing comprehensive win over Australia

Related:

Related: Ex-England cricketer and commentator Robin Jackman dies aged 75

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India beat Australia by eight wickets on day four of second Test – as it happened

India level series after completing comprehensive winGeoff Lemon on Australia’s supposed summer of improvement

4.19am GMT

That’s about all you need to hear from me for today.

Congratulations India, and Ajinkya Rahane in particular. The series is better for being 1-1 with two to play.

Related: India level Test series after completing comprehensive win over Australia

4.14am GMT

How evenly matched are these sides?

The ledger after two Tests:
Aus 32 wickets for 679 runs, average 21.22
Ind 32 wickets for 676 runs, average 21.13

4.13am GMT

One positive was the performance of Cameron Green, who looked assured at the crease, top-scoring in the second-innings. “He started his career really well,” said Paine. “We knew the talent he has got and he has a good temperament and he will blossom into an outstanding player which is exciting for us as a team and for the public to watch.”

4.12am GMT

Paine was asked to reflect on his side’s inability to score runs against the Indian attack, with Australia registering a top score of just 200 this series so far. “I think you have to give the Indian attack credit. They bowled beautifully to us, no doubt about that. We haven’t adapted as well as we would have liked and as a batting group, no doubt we are very disappointed with what we have put up in the first two Test matches, but there is still two to go. We will work hard and try and rectify it in the next match.”

4.10am GMT

Australian skipper Tim Paine was understandably downbeat. “Obviously we are very disappointed. We played pretty poor cricket and sloppy cricket for much of the Test match. That’s to take nothing away from India, they played well and forced us into a number of mistakes with the bat and in the field and when you do that against good sides, you make it very hard to win.”

4.10am GMT

Rahane’s accomplishment was made all the more incredible after stepping in as interim-captain after his side was rolled for 36 in Adelaide. “The talk was all about showing that I could do it on the field, showing intent on the field and character,” Rahane said. “That matters a lot. I learnt as I said that character and attitude was very important going into the Test match, but for a lot of us as a team. I thought the Australians in the end lost fire because our batters applied themselves very well. It was hard for us because they have good bowlers, but it is good for every individual to show character and win this test match.”

4.07am GMT

Rahane was pleased with the selection of the XI, allowing him an extra bowler to cover for Umesh Yadav’s injury. “That worked out really well for us. We were thinking of one all-rounder, and Jadeja, he is batting really well, bowled well as well, and his contribution to the team is really magnificent.”

4.05am GMT

To the surprise of nobody, Rahane is awarded player of the match. His reward on this occasion is the newly minted Johnny Mullagh Medal.

“I’m very proud of all the players,” Rahane said. “They played really well. I want to pay tribute to the debutants, Gill and Siraj, the way they showed character was really important going into this Test match - and unfortunately we lost Umesh in the second innings.

4.03am GMT

Perth ‘08, Headingley ‘02, Melbourne ‘81: away wins that India pulled off when few gave them a chance. Now they have won in Melbourne without 4 of their first-choice players against one of the best Australian attacks. A victory that will be spoken of for a long long time

4.01am GMT

Om comms, Shane Warne likened Shubman Gill to VVS Laxman, but that doesn't work at all @JPHowcroft - he's much more like Jos Buttler. That's a sword with two edges for sure.

There’s been no shortage of tweets this series that have begun with those four words, followed by some degree of consternation.

3.56am GMT

The player of the match has not yet been announced, but I am happy to call it from my couch. Ajinkya Rahane’s runs in both innings were instrumental, but he also captained magnificently. This will absolutely go down as the Rahane match.

Rahane’s the best captaincy performance I’ve seen in my time watching Test cricket at the MCG. Superb on every day of the match. #AUSvIND https://t.co/tAkJ7s4H63

3.53am GMT

Here’s your on-the-siren match report.

Related: India level Test series after completing comprehensive win over Australia

3.52am GMT

India’s bold changes paid dividends. On debut Gill batted purposefully and Siraj bowled with great skill, especially with the old ball, looking to the manor born. Pant’s intent changed the dynamic of India’s first innings and Jadeja excelled with bat, ball, and in the field.

Now Australia are posed with similar questions of their own. For what it’s worth, I’m with Rudi.

My team for the next Test:
Warner
Pucovski
Labuschagne
Smith
Wade
Green
Paine
Cummins
Starc
Lyon
Hazlewood

I doubt they’ll drop Head, but that’s the team I’d be picking.

3.48am GMT

15.4 over: India 70-2 (Gill 35, Rahane 27) Chasing 70 - Fittingly, Ajinkya Rahane scores the winning run to conclude a Test that he has dominated with his batting and captaincy. A comprehensive performance from the tourists to bring this series level at 1-1 with two matches remaining. A heck of a comeback following calamity in Adelaide.

3.45am GMT

15th over: India 69-2 (Gill 35, Rahane 26) Chasing 70 - Declaration bowling from Australia with Marnus Labuschagne invited on for some centre-wicket practise. Gill helps himself to a boundary from the buffet, then Rahane spanks a full toss for three through extra cover to bring the scores level.

3.43am GMT

14th over: India 60-2 (Gill 30, Rahane 22) Chasing 70 - Rahane, eager to reach the finishing line, tries to chip Lyon wide of long on but he gets too much on it and hits it too straight for good measure, bringing Starc into play, but the big fast bowler can’t hang on to a diving chance on the run. That should have been taken. Australia’s fielding has been poor all Test. What a peculiar Freaky Friday turnaround from Adelaide to Melbourne.

3.40am GMT

13th over: India 57-2 (Gill 30, Rahane 19) Chasing 70 - Hazlewood is line and length for four deliveries but then he drops short to Gill who is onto the pull shot in a flash, smashing four miles in front of square. This partnership has gone from settling Indian nerves to laying down a marker for the remainder of the series.

3.35am GMT

12th over: India 53-2 (Gill 26, Rahane 19) Chasing 70 - Gill negotiates the potential history ball by advancing down the pitch and smothering any turn. He plays watchfully thereafter, looking to defend with Lyon’s spin from off to leg. Eventually one of those defensive strokes finds a small gap behind square on the legside and the target inches one run nearer.

3.33am GMT

Now on comes Nathan Lyon - on a hat-trick after taking the final two wickets of Australia’s first innings.

3.33am GMT

11th over: India 52-2 (Gill 25, Rahane 19) Chasing 70 - Rahane’s turn now to throw his hands at the ball outside his off stump and earn four with a square drive right on the borderline of controlled. A few shots have flown through the broader gully area in the air this innings, including the dismissal of Pujara. There are no such doubts over Rahane’s second boundary of the over, standing tall and smashing Hazlewood on the up through mid-off with a glorious swing of the bat. That was a real statement stroke, full of confidence and authority.

3.28am GMT

10th over: India 42-2 (Gill 25, Rahane 9) Chasing 70 - Gill and Rahane exchange singles into the on-side as Cummins continues his straight line to the right-handers. The bowler adjusts to a more conventional fourth stump approach, drawing Gill into a couple of strokes with his hands away from his body, the latter of the pair earning India four runs from a square drive that was just about controlled. This has been the perfect brisk opening from Gill, not taking any unnecessary risks but quickly turning the run-chase into a sprint.

3.23am GMT

9th over: India 36-2 (Gill 20, Rahane 8) Chasing 70 - Josh Hazlewood replaces Starc and he’s immediately on a perfect line and length, forcing Rahane to play consistently from the crease. The Indian skipper does so with a perfect technique, using soft hands, playing the ball under his nose, and keeping his bat and pad together.

3.20am GMT

8th over: India 36-2 (Gill 20, Rahane 8) Chasing 70 - Cummins appeals for LBW against Rahane but there was a hot spot the size of a full moon on the inside-edge. It’s an example of how Cummins is trying to set up the Indian skipper, pushing him back with short balls then hurling down off-cutters to trap him on the crease. Rahane is patient and holds his form until there’s a chance to lean forward and ease three runs through the offside. India now more than halfway towards their victory target.

“My Ampleforth chum Dallers has offered me a chair in the Long Room for the 4th day of the ICC final in mid-2021,” emails David Griffiths. “NZ wouldn’t make it to a 4th day, I’m pretty sure - they just don’t have the batting moxie to compete; but India do and I am praying for an Indian win today, as seems assured. Please call it in Jon, so that I may take my seat at Lord’s, to watch the planet’s two premier sides.”

3.14am GMT

7th over: India 33-2 (Gill 20, Rahane 5) Chasing 70 - Gill racks up another boundary, his third, with a back cut that spent a worrying amount time in the air. That was a length delivery from Starc but the debutant plays with great intent. Boundary four arrives soon after to a similar part of the boundary, but this was a thick outside edge, played with soft hands, that runs through the gap between gully and second slip.

3.09am GMT

6th over: India 23-2 (Gill 10, Rahane 4) Chasing 70 - India couldn’t throw it away from here, surely? Australia are cock-a-hoop and doubtless making all sorts of references to the Adelaide 36ers. It needs a cool head out in the middle, and there are none cooler than Ajinkya Rahane who gets back and across early to a Cummins bumper and pulls with ease through square-leg for four. The bowler responds by thudding another shortish delivery into the Indian skipper’s solar plexus.

3.06am GMT

Oh boy. Is it on? It might be on, you know. Perfect fourth stump line and length from Cummins and Pujara’s soft hands suddenly turn to stone as he pushes a thick edge to Green in the gully. I bloody love Test cricket.

3.04am GMT

5th over: India 19-1 (Gill 11, Pujara 3) Chasing 70 - Starc gets the early breakthrough, as he so often does. Will it send a tremor through the India dressing room?

2.59am GMT

Length from Starc angling across Agarwal and he drives with his hands miles away from his body and chases a routine edge through to Paine. That might be the last we see of the out-of-form opener this series. That extravagant backlift just does not look appropriate against this attack.

2.56am GMT

4th over: India 15-0 (Agarwal 5, Gill 10) Chasing 70 - Cummins keeps Agarwal circumspect for most of a probing over but he still manages to push a couple through the covers.

@JPHowcroft The Gabba is possibly the most uncomfortable place to watch cricket. No legroom, no shade, antiquated facilities and XXXX gold..

2.55am GMT

3rd over: India 13-0 (Agarwal 3, Gill 10) Chasing 70 - Now Gill presents the full face of the bat and sends the new ball skipping past the non-striker’s stumps and into the sightscreen for another boundary. The kid is a serious player.

“Andy Zaltzman’s stats were mildly diverting,” emails Ben Mimmack, “until I realised Alex Tudor made his debut 22 years ago and now I just feel very very old.” I know, Tudor is one of the players immortalised in amber as an up-and-comer, such was his impressive start and subsequent injury-ravaged career. The disappointment was made worse because of how nice a guy he was/is and how he represented just about the last in an important line of black British fast bowlers.

2.50am GMT

2nd over: India 9-0 (Agarwal 3, Gill 6) Chasing 70 - What can Pat Cummins do? Not much to begin with. His first ball is a wide half-volley that is caressed through the covers for four by Gill with all the effortless timing of Michael Vaughan or Damien Martyn in their pomp. Cummins eases into his work and gets some movement off the seam to appeal half-heartedly for LBW against Agarwal, then sends one fizzing past his outside edge with the Indian opener groping around his crease a la Joe Burns.

“What’s the recommendation for the best Australian Test venue for an England fan to immerse themselves in the Ashes experience?” emails Mick Collins. For me, Adelaide then daylight. It’s a superb ground, a great city for a short break, and set up perfectly for a touring experience. Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, are all on a level in my opinion, with Brisbane a long way last. Sorry Queenslanders, I just don’t enjoy the Gabba.

2.44am GMT

1st over: India 2-0 (Agarwal 1, Gill 1) Chasing 70 - Wonderful start from Starc, smashing Agarwal in his box first ball then cutting him in half two deliveries later with one that nips back off a length at searing pace. The Indian opener then avoids a pair with a streaky inside-edge. Gill’s first ball is a half-volley on leg stump that is middled fiercely - but straight to Wade under the lid at short-leg. The fielder saves four, and receives a meaty bruise on his left pec for his troubles, while Brian Close mutters from the heavens how a simple chance has been put down.

2.40am GMT

The players are back out in the middle for what should be the final session of this Test match. Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill will begin the chase of the meagre victory target of 70, Mitchell Starc will be the first Australian to interrupt India’s progress.

2.36am GMT

I haven't the stats to back it up, but is it time to put the "off spinners can't succeed in Aus" to bed @JPHowcroft?

It's partly a throwback to days before neutral umpires when winning a decision could be er.. tricky and especially to pre-DRS days when the front pad was immune.

Hi Gary. According to the magnificent Jarrod Kimber (who has ALL the stats to back up everything) it is not yet time to put that particular truism to bed. It appears more that Ashwin is enjoying a standout series so far - a development the also magnificent Ben Jones discusses here.

2.30am GMT

This list is a good example of how long it can take for a narrative to shift. The widespread assumption that Australia are not just the better team, but a formidable outfit - especially in home conditions - is proving increasingly threadbare. It also goes to show how much Steve Smith’s extraordinary run has glued this unit together.

Highest scores in the last 2 AUS v IND Test series (6 Tests)
193 - Pujara
159* - Pant
123 - Kohli
123 - Pujara
112 - Rahane
106 - Pujara
82 - Kohli
81 - Jadeja
79 - Harris
77 - Agarwal
76 - Agarwal
74 - Kohli

@cricketcomau @BCCI #AUSvIND

2.22am GMT

As it happens, Collum Fordham has done just that, emailing: “Watching the match in Naples in the early hours with my son Alex. Fascinated by Ashwin’s bowling. He should’ve got a wicket in his last over. His variations seem to include both a leggie with a complete change of action or the subtler carrom ball which moved in like a leggie but bowled out of the front of the hand, completely deceiving the batsman but umpire’s call. In the end, he gets Hazelwood with a classic offspinner’s delivery which only just turned. What a bowler.”

Indeed he is, and enjoying a superb series, the likes of which touring offies are not supposed to have. I’ve been especially impressed with the patience and resilience of India’s attack as a whole in these opening couple of Tests, including debutant Mohammed Siraj, who looks a fine player.

Visiting bowlers with 5 wickets on Test debut in Australia in the last 50 years:
Phil DeFreitas (5-94 in match, 1986-87)
Alex Tudor (5-108, 1998-99)
Lasith Malinga (6-92, 2004)
Mohammad Siraj (currently 5-76). https://t.co/cmSnTf2eoY#AUSvIND https://t.co/o1zbzFFN3f

2.19am GMT

Hello everyone, I’ll be with you until the close of play, which should be around a couple of hours from now, right? Unless India crack like a cartoon frozen lake and drag this excellent Test match into the final session of play.

That means last orders for emails: jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com and Tweets: @JPHowcroft if you want to get anything off your chest.

2.16am GMT

Thanks G. Love, go enjoy some sauce on a lukewarm press box gristle party pie.

2.04am GMT

Australia’s lead ends up at 69 runs. Not so nice. India have turned this series around, and now only need to finish off their work. Australia could still create some nerves with two or three early wickets, but given the tailenders looked relatively comfortable batting out there, it should be fine. The roller is on the wicket, the lunch break is taken, and India’s batsmen will emerge in 40 minutes to try to level this series 1-1.

That’s the end of my time with you for this Test match. I’ll see you for the third, be it in Melbourne or Sydney or the Whitsunday Islands. For the fourth and final innings, and whatever twists it may bring, I will leave you with the lovely Jonathan Parfait Howcroft.

2.01am GMT

103.1 overs: Australia 200 (Starc 14)

That’s the end of it! Lovely bowling from Ashwin in the last over before the delayed break. He flights it up, loops it, turns it from about leg stump across the batsman. Hazlewood wants to reach the break and leaves the ball. But it doesn’t quite turn enough, and it clips the top of off stump on its way through.

1.59am GMT

103rd over: Australia 200-9 (Starc 14, Hazlewood 10) Australia’s 200 comes up! That didn’t look likely earlier. Hazlewood squeezes a single through the cordon. Bumrah the bowler. Two minutes until lunch.

1.58am GMT

102nd over: Australia 199-9 (Starc 14, Hazlewood 9) Starc finally opens the shoulders a bit, but sensibly, pulling through square leg along the ground for two. The last ball of the over is another DRS debacle. Not the fault of the technology, but the regulations. Ashwin bowls a carrom ball, hitting Starc in front of leg stump. The umpire says not out for height. India’s review shows it clattering into the off bail. But according to the ICC rules, the bails don’t count as part of the stumps. Nor do the tops of the stumps. There’s a line across the stumps from the bottom of the grooves, and half the ball has to be below that to overturn a decision. So you can smash the top of the stumps and it’s still not out.

1.51am GMT

101st over: Australia 197-9 (Starc 12, Hazlewood 9) This last-wicket pair just coasting along calmly. No massive swipes, no gallops. Starc glances Siraj for another single. Hazlewood defends. They’re doing well.

1.45am GMT

100th over: Australia 196-9 (Starc 11, Hazlewood 9) I neglected to mention that we’ve had the session extended because Australia are nine wickets down. Lunch was due 10 minutes ago but we’ll get an extra half hour. Bumrah continues to Starc, who glances a single, then to Hazlewood, who drives nicely through cover for two. Bumrah doesn’t like that, immediately forcing him back with a short ball. Hazlewood is catching up to Starc here which is unexpected.

The lead is 65.

1.40am GMT

99th over: Australia 193-9 (Starc 10, Hazlewood 7) Goodness me, lovely bowling. The control of line from Siraj has been excellent, a right-armer bowling across a left-hander, but always close enough to make him play. Hazlewood has fresh-air pokes at a couple of shorter balls, then a fuller one that so nearly takes his edge. Still, he survives. Another maiden.

1.35am GMT

98th over: Australia 193-9 (Starc 10, Hazlewood 7) Bumrah has changed ends and is now approaching with the Southern Stand at his back. Hazlewood has first ball and does well, deflecting a bouncer behind square for a run. Knew what was coming. Starc gets no opportunity for a big shot, instead getting a good yorker that he does well to keep out, squirting a single to fine leg. There’s also a third man who is placed so fine that he’s basically behind second slip. India anticipating top edges. One regulation slip, one floating slip, and one gully. Hazlewood comes forward to defend and gets a run to a vacant square leg.

The lead is 62.

1.31am GMT

97th over: Australia 190-9 (Starc 9, Hazlewood 5) Time for Starc to pull out the big shots in a minute. Josh Hazlewood has strike with two balls left in the over. And he gets off the mark with a five! How often would that happen in anyone’s career, let alone Hazlewood’s? Siraj bowls short, there’s no short leg, Hazlewood fends the ball there, leg slip runs in and fires at the non-striker’s end as he goes through, and the overthrows reach the long-on fence.

The lead is 59.

1.27am GMT

Never mind, India. There’s a wicket. Not inspiring cricket: Siraj down the leg side, Lyon tries to pull around the corner from about hip high, and gloves it through to Pant. The lead is 54 with one wicket remaining.

1.24am GMT

96th over: Australia 185-8 (Starc 9, Lyon 3) Jadeja to bowl, as the bowlers keep changing. It’s like a T20 here, making sure the tailenders don’t feel settled. Jadeja bowls left-arm over to the left-hander, a line outside off that has Starc sparring. When Jadeja goes straighter Starc whips off his pads in the air, low, but it bounces before reaching midwicket. He plays to that position again and this time Pujara misfields and they get two runs.

Then from the last ball of the over we’re upstairs for another long DRS. Jadeja spears in at the pads and Starc tries to play across it to midwicket. It squeezes between bat onto pad and lobs up to slip. Umpire Reiffel gives it out immediately. Starc reviews with a shrug. The replay shows his bat hit his boot, while just missing the ball. He’s still at risk of lbw though, except the projection shows it missing leg stump! Starc survives double jeopardy.

1.17am GMT

95th over: Australia 183-8 (Starc 7, Lyon 3) The field keeps changing: a leg slip in now for Lyon facing Siraj, with cover left open. Short midwicket, three in the cordon, two out for the hook. A couple of bumpers to start the over have Lyon getting out of the way, and I think asking the umpire how many short balls they’re allowed to bowl. Maybe he was just wiping sweep from his forehead. Siraj comes around the wicket for some reason, and pitches full, and predictably it hits Lyon’s pad and goes for a leg bye. Siraj was spinning to appeal just by muscle memory before remembering that there was no way he could get an lbw when bowling from outside the line of the player’s leg stump. Starc hasn’t score a run in a while, but flicks a single nicely to fine leg. We still haven’t seen a single big shot from Starc today, which is uncharacteristic.

The lead is 52.

1.13am GMT

94th over: Australia 181-8 (Starc 6, Lyon 3) Ashwin to Lyon, and now we’ve got three catchers around the bat: slip, leg slip, short leg. The off-spinner drives cleanly straight back at the off-spinner. Then opens the face and drives behind point, taking a run. For Starc, three deep on the leg side, plus a midwicket 20 yards away. Ashwin turns one past the outside edge of a groping defensive shot, that was close. Starc kicks away a ball outside leg stump, then Ashwin tries his leg-break, a ball he sometimes throws in for variation, and lands it nicely on off stump, Starc also defending it well off the back foot.

1.10am GMT

93rd over: Australia 180-8 (Starc 6, Lyon 2) Always an entertainer with the bat, Nathan ‘Nathan’ Lyon faces up to Siraj in his bendy-kneed, bobbing kind of way. Loves to open up the off side and hit to cover, but gets stopped when he goes that way. Just two slips and a gully. Short midwicket in. Now Rahane pulls out cover and pops in a leg gully as well. Short ball coming? There’s a deep square leg, just in front of square, and a long leg behind. Lyon doesn’t mind the short ball too much though, loves a pull shot. And plays one, down to long leg for a single. For Starc there’s a third man very deep, and a deep square leg, with mid-on halfway back as well. No one within 40 metres of the batsman on the leg side. But Siraj bowls off side, from around the wicket, and draws a poking shot that nearly edges.

The lead is 49.

1.05am GMT

92nd over: Australia 179-8 (Starc 6, Lyon 1) The lead is 46 as Ashwin comes on for the next over, Starc and Lyon the partnership. They add a couple of singles promptly. Nothing extravagant.

1.02am GMT

91st over: Australia 177-8 (Starc 5) The over starts with Siraj to Starc, right-armer to left-hander over the wicket, wheeling around in an appeal but that was likely pitching outside leg and maybe even hitting him outside leg. Some swing on show. Starc drives hard at the next ball but mid-on is deep enough to dive across and keep the scoring to one. Green gets enough width to leave, but comes forward to the next to on-drive for four! What a beautiful shot. Simple, elegant, that was the fine linen bedsheet of cricket.

But the bed gets unmade from the last ball of the over. Short, about rib height, he pulls instinctively. It’s there for the shot. He gets a good piece of it, but hits it up rather than down, and Jadeja at midwicket gets off the ground to claim the catch above his head. Green throws back his own head in frustration. He can’t believe he didn’t nail that contact better. He’s played a gem, but needed it to shine for longer.

12.55am GMT

90th over: Australia 172-7 (Green 42, Starc 4) Jadeja on for Ashwin, left-arm orthodox for off-spin. He’s giving the ball air against Starc, outside off. Just watch for the faster one darted in at the stumps. Three flighted deliveries in a row. From the fourth, Starc swishes across the line and gets a run to deep backward square. Jadeja comes around the wicket to the right-handed Green, who stretches forward to defend and then goes back to defend. Between those two extremes he seems to be able to cover about eight metres of pitch.

12.53am GMT

89th over: Australia 171-7 (Green 41, Starc 3) Siraj comes on for Bumrah already. Rahane has been quick with the changes. It almost brings India a stroke of luck as Green drives into the non-striker’s stumps via Siraj’s fingers, but Starc backing up has just got his bat down in time. Maiden.

12.52am GMT

this would be the perfect situation for a witch to offer Cameron Green 50 runs in exchange for 10cm of his height. Let's see how short he's willing to go for his country

12.47am GMT

88th over: Australia 171-7 (Green 41, Starc 3) Still the sensible play from Starc. He has a short midwicket, a midwicket halfway back, and a deep backward square, all for the big shots from the spinner. He blocks away until the sixth ball, which he wrists behind square along the ground, and darts back for two runs.

12.46am GMT

87th over: Australia 169-7 (Green 41, Starc 1) Green to Bumrah, just wanting to soak him up. He’s helped when Bumrah strays down the leg side, smashing the thigh pad en route to four leg byes. Last ball of the over, no strike-farming, but it’s the shot of his life from Green! A slashing cut shot, down on one knee, through backward point for four! He sees the width but has to get down to it, and I’ve never quite seen a batsman drop like that for that style of shot. That deserves a phwoar. Suddenly the lead is 38, more than India made in Adelaide.

12.42am GMT

86th over: Australia 161-7 (Green 37, Starc 1) The previous three runs leaves Green to face Ashwin, and the tall batsman uses his feet so well to the spinner. Not charging, just very active around the crease, small adjustments, setting himself to address each ball appropriately. And he drives a single from the final delivery to make sure he has strike to Bumrah. He’s doing this really well.

The lead is 30.

12.39am GMT

85th over: Australia 160-7 (Green 36, Starc 1) So there’s more onus on Green to score now, but he’s also facing Bumrah with a new ball. So he sets out to quell that threat first, facing out the entire over watchfully, and whipping the sixth ball nicely out behind square. Only the expanses of the MCG keep that to three runs, with long leg coming around to field.

12.35am GMT

84th over: Australia 157-7 (Green 33, Starc 1) Now then, Starc against spinners. Always an interesting thing. He does hold the record for the most sixes in a Test innings at the MCG, when he cleared the fence seven times against Pakistan in that remarkable Test of 2016, setting up a run chase and then bowling them out. His finest all-round performance. So the long boundaries don’t worry him, given he hits most of his sixes over midwicket, which is a very long strike. But he starts differently today, defending out a maiden against Ashwin.

“If the Australians are finding it hard to increase their scoring rate against the Indians, I think there might be a player who could help. Has a Test century against India, can bowl some handy off spin, and is in pretty decent nick in the BBL...”

12.32am GMT

83rd over: Australia 157-7 (Green 33, Starc 1) Mitchell Starc to the crease then, with Australia leading by 25. He could probably make that 75 in quick time, but he’s less likely to stick around and make it 150. Which would probably make for a very interesting chase, later on the fourth day with the pitch likely to get less consistent. Bumrah comes around the wicket immediately and goes short at him, and it costs India a single as Starc flinches the ball around to fine leg.

12.28am GMT

Bumrah does it again! Always, always Bumrah. Always at them. He bowls four sober, sensible length balls, getting Cummins comfortable in defence. Then he pings in a wicked short ball, and Cummins is one third protecting himself, one third evading, one third hooking. He gets glove to it, and it lobs away to the off side, into the cordon for Mayank Agarwal to complete the dismissal. There’s the breakthrough, and it really is a breakthrough for India.

12.22am GMT

82nd over: Australia 155-6 (Green 32, Cummins 22) The Cowan Ton arrives for Pat Cummins, 100 balls faced, and a very appropriate 21 runs scored. He celebrates with a single from 101st ball, cutting Ashwin to cover. That gets Green on strike, and he plays a late cut to a ball that was only fractionally short, and times it for four! A boundary, we haven’t seen one this morning. Look out India, the build is building. Pushes a single from the last ball, and the lead is 24.

12.19am GMT

81st over: Australia 149-6 (Green 27, Cummins 21) Bumrah returns after his short burst this morning to take the new ball. Immediately he’s getting seam movement, cutting one in to hit Green’s pad but going down the leg side. Green leaves confidently when it’s outside off stump. Three slips and a gully, with cover in place. Standard field. Green defends, defends again.

12.15am GMT

80th over: Australia 149-6 (Green 27, Cummins 21) Green brings up the 50 partnership with a little pushed single from Ashwin, and Cummins soaks up the rest. He’s faced 99 deliveries now, and the second new ball is due.

12.14am GMT

79th over: Australia 148-6 (Green 26, Cummins 21) Jadeja continues to Cummins, racing through another maiden over.

A tray of individually partioned covid-safe cake has just arrived in the press box from the MCG to mark Gideon Haigh’s birthday. His response? “Don’t forget it’s also David Boon’s birthday, and Syed Kirmani’s.”

12.10am GMT

78th over: Australia 148-6 (Green 26, Cummins 21) Ashwin getting some serious turn, in at the middle stump of Green, so the batsman responds by coming down the wicket and driving a single. That was after he’d already driven two through cover. Cummins works a run behind square. The partnership is worth 48!

12.08am GMT

77th over: Australia 144-6 (Green 23, Cummins 20) Jadeja on to bowl now, and it’ll be double spin. Not a bad shout, with Cummins looking a bit more suspect against the slower ball than the pace. Jadeja rattles through his set at Sundaresan speed, including an lbw shout on leg stump that looked closer to me than the one they reviewed. Not out, and a maiden.

12.06am GMT

76th over: Australia 144-6 (Green 23, Cummins 20) Ashwin convinces Rahane to go up for a marginal lbw review against Cummins, but it’s clearing the stumps on the projection. Pitched relatively short so it was likely to struggle. Cummins gets a run from the next ball.

An email from Tane Aikman. “What’re your thoughts on the Test Championship? I like it. As a New Zealand fan it’s increased my already high interest in this series and New Zealand’s against Pakistan and the Windies. Though I’m not sure what outcome I want from the India-Australia duel. Probably an Aussie whitewash, but that feels... icky.”

12.01am GMT

75th over: Australia 143-6 (Green 23, Cummins 19) Siraj to Green, with that short midwicket in place so that Siraj can target his pads. A bouncer in there as well. A maiden.

11.58pm GMT

74th over: Australia 143-6 (Green 23, Cummins 19) Another edge from Cummins facing Ashwin, who is not changing ends, and it picks him up two runs this time. Then he pads up to a ball that hits him, but would have been angling way down the leg side. No chance to con an umpire there, but it was either dicey or very well judged by Cummins.

Matt Winter is back on the keyboard. “Swore I’d get an early night and yet here I am with cheese and biscuits. And port. Fevered dreams of David Boon gently caressing Gower’s forehead will surely follow. Then gout.”

11.54pm GMT

73rd over: Australia 141-6 (Green 23, Cummins 17) A change already – maybe Bumrah fancies a change of ends, or Ashwin does? Mohammed Siraj comes on, right-arm brisk, swings the ball, has Cummins steering to gully for none, then driving into the cover gap for a single. Overpitched. Two slips, gully, cover, mid-off, mid-on, short midwicket, square leg, long leg for Green, who leaves. Siraj is the one who got him in the first innings, hanging a few outside off and then angling one in to hit the pad. Perhaps Rahane thinks that facing the same bowler might unsettle Green. Siraj bowls and Green leaves, perilously close to the off stump! Hands on head for Siraj.

11.50pm GMT

72nd over: Australia 140-6 (Green 23, Cummins 16) This time Green finds his single driving down the ground to long-on. This is good accumulation. Cummins edges Ashwin, but softly along the ground to slip. Then gets a ball on his legs and jabs it away, airborne through an empty leg slip, for his first run of the day.

The lead is 9 runs.

11.49pm GMT

71st over: Australia 138-6 (Green 22, Cummins 15) Bumrah to Green, who glances a single. He’s finding runs easily enough so far this morning. Cummins gets a bouncer and pops down the elevator shaft to avoid it.

11.45pm GMT

70th over: Australia 137-6 (Green 21, Cummins 15) Green drives a single from Ashwin first ball, and Ashwin burns through the over to Cummins, who blocks solidly. “I don’t think I’ve seen Ashwin bowl his overs faster in a Test innings,” says my colleague Bharat Sundaresan next to me. “He’s going through them like Jadeja, pap pap pap.”

11.43pm GMT

69th over: Australia 136-6 (Green 20, Cummins 15) Bumrah to Cummins, who edges just short of slip! Rahane takes it on the bounce, tumbling across, but that landed a few centimetres in front of his fingers. We’ve seen a lot of catches not carry in this match, and then when the slips have crept forward they’ve dropped the fast ones, like those that Labuschagne and Smith put down. A maiden for Bumrah to the tailender.

11.37pm GMT

68th over: Australia 136-6 (Green 20, Cummins 15) Equally unsurprising is that Ashwin will start the day’s bowling from the Southern Stand End. Rahane employing his two best bowlers from the get-go. Green gives a taste of what may be to come, taking a huge stride forward to just about every ball and defending it stoutly away.

11.36pm GMT

67th over: Australia 136-6 (Green 20, Cummins 15) No surprise, it’s Jasprit Bumrah to start off. The ace who spends very littel time up the sleeve. Green starts the day positively, pushing through cover for two. Blocks out the next few, then farms the strike with a nudge. Up to 20, his first time to these heights in Test cricket.

11.33pm GMT

Martin Gillam writes in. “To lob you a half volley to start things off, is the Australian top six as currently configured the worst of its breed since the Packer split days when Australia was forced to field its Third XI? Hard to think of one that can match the entrancing current lack of form and technique.”

Morning, Martin. I don’t think you can look at quality in terms of form. Every player has bad runs of results, which don’t mean they’re limited players. And no team with Steve Smith in it could be described as overall a bad batting team. Which doesn’t mean that the same team can’t bad badly. So no: Labuschagne has an outstanding Test record, Smith is in the all-time pantheon, Green hasn’t had time to prove himself one way or another, and each of Head, Wade, and Burns has multiple Test hundreds. In really weak teams, the best form of the available players doesn’t have a high ceiling. In this team, it does.

11.17pm GMT

Which brings us to the question of Green. Technically excellent, calm, balanced at the crease. He was unlucky to get out to a blinder of a catch in Adelaide, didn’t bat in the second innings, and got worked out by a very good spell of bowling from Mohammed Siraj in the first dig of this Test. There’s no reason why he couldn’t put something substantial together today.

11.13pm GMT

What chance Australia? Well, no situation suits Patrick Cummins better with the bat than when he needs only to stick around. He can play attacking cricket but it usually ends quickly. We’ve seen him play a number of very stubborn long innings though when he has a batsman to support, or when the need of the team is to last rather than to score fast. He did it two years ago against India on this ground, and didn’t stave off a loss but was impressive. He helped win the Ashes Test in Brisbane in 2017 in partnership with Smith. And he’s got Green to support today.

11.07pm GMT

Lastly, if you want some more detail on day three, on who did what and when and where and what stood out, and you’d like to see the environs of the MCG, here’s the Final Word roundup from me and Adam Collins.

11.07pm GMT

Next up, what is going on with Australia’s batting? From the first Test to here, it has been way off-colour throughout, and it goes well beyond just some trouble around one opener’s spot. I wrote this for you, just for you, by way of examination.

Related: Australia’s supposed summer of improvement stutters against India | Geoff Lemon

10.52pm GMT

What do you need to be up to date? Let’s start with the nuts and bolts of the match report from yesterday’s play.

Related: India close in on second Test as fragile Australia collapse at the MCG

10.36pm GMT

Get in touch. You know the drill. Email and Twitter addresses are in the sidebar, send me an impressionistic verbal decoration at any time through the day.

10.24pm GMT

The time has come: it is Day Four. El Día Quatro, como se dice en español. On the third day will come a frost, but on the fourth day it will be cool but quite pleasant. Sunny and a high of 22. We have seen many great fourth days in Test cricket. This could be one of them. The increasingly embattled home Australian team has a lead of 2 runs with four wickets in hand, with a giant kid batsman in his second match due to resume with the first of his team’s bowlers. The depleted Indian bowling has done a fine job thus far. So we have three possible scenarios.

Continue reading...

Shoppers stay away from Sydney CBD sales – as it happened

Eight of the new cases are directly linked to the northern beaches cluster as the NSW premier urges shoppers to steer clear of the city centre for Boxing Day sales. This blog is now closed

NSW Covid hotspots – list of venues and case locationsNSW premier calls on shoppers to avoid Sydney’s Boxing Day sales

6.58am GMT

That is where I will leave you for the day. Thanks as always for following along. We’ll be back tomorrow.

Here’s what we learned today:

6.45am GMT

Coronavirus infections in Tokyo hit a record daily high of 949 cases on Saturday, Reuters reports, as Japan heads into the New Year holiday period, which in normal years sees citizens of the capital stream into the provinces.

Local media reported subdued scenes at Tokyo transport hubs a day after prime minister Yoshihide Suga, under pressure as daily cases continue to climb, urged the nation to stay home and avoid social mixing.

6.39am GMT

The Australian Retailers Association has reported “record low” turnout for Boxing Day sales in Sydney after the premier, Gladys Berejiklian, urged people to stay away from the CBD.

Related: Shoppers desert central Sydney after premier's Boxing Day Covid call, but throng to some suburbs

6.36am GMT

Still on Waverley mayor Paula Masselos, this afternoon has also issued a statement about that Christmas Day party in Bronte.

She’s again blamed “visitors” to the area. The NSW health minister Brad Hazzard on Saturday also blamed “backpackers” for the party.

This kind of behaviour threatens to undo the good work of council and the entire community.

Please do not visit our public places if you refuse to observe public health orders and current health advice – you pose too great a health risk. If you are feeling unwell, please, stay at home and get tested and remain at home until you receive a negative result.

6.16am GMT

Waverley mayor Paula Masselos has joined the New South Wales health minister Brad Hazzard in condemning a beach party held in Bronte on Christmas Day.

Interestingly, Masselos, whose area covers Sydney’s east, blamed “visitors” for what she called an “appalling, disrespectful and unacceptable” gathering.

Our community has worked hard to keep us COVID free for many weeks. Thank you for your diligence and sacrifice. This visitor behaviour is appalling, disrespectful and unacceptable, putting us all at risk. Thanks to the riot squad for breaking up this gathering. One person charged https://t.co/cCEyZOF6kg

5.47am GMT

Bit of weather around, including in Lithgow in the New South Wales Blue Mountains. The Bureau of Meteorology posted this on social media not too long ago. The storm is expected to make its way further east into parts of Sydney.

⚡Decent hail out Lithgow way.⚡
Please check the BOM website for the latest warnings:https://t.co/0g6hURSRUf pic.twitter.com/PsY76Yntb5

5.45am GMT

Good afternoon.

I was going to start with a joke about wishing I was on the Boxing Day Test liveblog instead of this one, but given how things are unfolding in Melbourne I don’t really want to talk about the cricket.

5.17am GMT

Thanks so much for joining us as we follow the day in Australian news – much of it happening in New South Wales. Here is a summary of the developments so far:

4.39am GMT

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING for DAMAGING WINDS and LARGE HAILSTONES is current for parts of the East Gippsland Forecast District. Locations which may be affected include Mallacoota, Cann River, Chandlers Creek, Combienbar and Bonang. Stay informed: https://t.co/PPjxmUKfMl pic.twitter.com/RkR1I62umd

4.32am GMT

If you are looking for an afternoon read, this is a life-affirming story by Ellie Mae O’Hagan from the Guardian’s What I Learned in 2020 series – about her cross-hemisphere whirlwind romance.

Being with my husband has taught me that love is careful. It is a form of investment in the other person. It is building something meaningful together. It is solidarity.

Good things happened in 2020. People had babies and fell in love. Life will always have new beginnings and surprises. There is room for the good.

Related: This year, I took a leap of faith and married someone I’d only met three times | Ellie Mae O’Hagan

4.16am GMT

Traffic delays are expected on major highways up and down the NSW coast today, with Sydneysiders seeking to escape the city urged to allow extra travel time.

NSW residents are predicted to converge on regional destinations in record numbers this holiday period due to the ban on overseas and interstate travel, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

We’re asking people to be particularly Covid-safe for this period of time: limit their interactions, limit large gatherings – particularly indoor gatherings. Enjoy the beautiful weather we are having ... outdoor environments are much safer from the transmission risk of Covid.”

3.59am GMT

While NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has said she is pleased with reduced foot traffic in Sydney CBD, this video apparently taken at Parramatta Westfield today suggests the Boxing Day sales might be booming at shopping centres.

Paramatta Westfield today during Boxing day sales

Corona who?@9NewsSyd @NSWHealth @7NewsSydney @abcnews @abcsydney @smh @parracity #covidnsw #parramatta #nsw #Sydney pic.twitter.com/p1UdZvlDSX

If you are in the suburbs, please make sure you are wearing a mask when shopping indoors. If it is too crowded, turn around and go home.

3.24am GMT

If you’re just joining us, my colleague Michael McGowan has summarised the key points from Gladys Berejiklian’s announement on restrictions in New South Wales from earlier today.

“Our strategy is to nip this in the bud,” she said.

Related: Greater Sydney to revert to pre-Christmas restrictions with New Year’s Eve celebrations in doubt

3.16am GMT

Here’s the latest from the MCG:

Related: Ravindra Jadeja's incredible catch gives India early edge over Australia in second Test

3.09am GMT

As my colleague Mike Ticher mentioned earlier, I am currently in hotel quarantine in Auckland, and having recently returned to the Antipodes, I’m enjoying Calla Wahlquist’s roundup of some of Australia’s weirdest place names.

Related: Spanker Knob, Bullshit Hill and Guys Dirty Hole are all real places in Australia

I'll never forget calling out the Licking Hole (NSW, near Oberon) RFS Brigade and their call sign: "Licking Hole 1". Australia is full of place names like this.

3.06am GMT

Severe winds are forecast in Victoria towards the end of the Boxing Day weekend, AAP reports.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe wind warning for parts of the state including Melbourne, with strong and gusty winds of up to 100 km/hr in elevated areas.

Meteorologist Callum Stuart said the damaging winds would hit far western parts of Victoria from late Sunday morning before reaching Melbourne around 4pm or 5pm.

2.47am GMT

No new cases in South Australia today. In fact one of the two new overseas-acquired cases recorded yesterday was found to have been previously diagnosed overseas and so was removed from the state’s total, now 569 notified cases. Only four are active presently, all overseas acquired; and nearly 810,000 tests have been carried out.

2.29am GMT

Western Australia’s Department of Health has just reported six new cases of Covid-19, bringing the state’s total to 854.

The confirmed cases are all in hotel quarantine. Four cases are female, two male; all are related to overseas travel.

2.24am GMT

Council of Small Business Organisations Australia chief executive Peter Strong is calling for employers to be granted the right to stand down workers without pay if they refuse to take the coronavirus vaccine, the Australian reports.

We have got to have black-and-white law here so if someone declines the vaccine we can stand them down. That’s good because that ­protects the rest of the workforce and the business can continue on.

Otherwise it’s going to create too many dilemmas that we can’t ­resolve.

Related: Australia secures Covid vaccine transport contracts, with distribution to start in March

2.11am GMT

South Korea has reported another new 1,132 cases of the coronavirus as its resurgence worsened over Christmas week – putting greater pressure on the government to enforce stricter physical distancing controls.

The figures released by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency on Saturday brought the country’s caseload to 55,902, AAP reports. The country had added 1,241 cases on Christmas Day – its largest daily increase since the emergence of the pandemic.

2.00am GMT

Gladys Berejiklian heaped praise on those individuals implicated in the northern beaches cluster for having cooperated so fully with authorities, noting that the first interview with a contact tracer could take as long as two hours.

“I think many of us know how hard it is recalling where you have been in the 14 days you are infectious and I’d really appreciate the cooperation of those individuals,” she said.

Related: Second person from 'uncooperative' superyacht moored in Cairns tests positive for coronavirus

1.37am GMT

As mentioned, Australian golfing great Greg Norman tested positive for Covid-19 on Christmas Day. Here’s our story:

Related: Australian golf great Greg Norman tests positive for Covid-19

1.20am GMT

“Patient zero” of the northern beaches cluster remains unclear, though genomic sequencing is under way.

A case announced on 23 December – a man who worked at the Belrose Hotel on the northern beaches – has not yet been linked to the local cluster. He had mild symptoms on 10 December, the earliest date of concern for the cluster.

We may still be able to detect some virus in you, even though you are not infectious, and that is why we we’re also calling out for residents in that community more broadly, in case they were missing [links in the] chains established. Given that we didn’t know where that young man had acquired his infection, as a precaution, we need to do a big ring-fence around the community.

1.16am GMT

India allrounder Ravindra Jadeja has taken an unbelievable catch in the Boxing Day Test against Australia, and it might be the best catch I’ve ever seen. It doesn’t involve a huge dive over the boundary or anything, but in terms of performing under pressure ...

Matthew Wade slices it high towards deep wide mid-on at the MCG. Two players are running back for it: Jadeja and Shubman Gill. Both have to keep tracking back and running a curve. It is clearly Jadeja’s catch, but Gill is green and excited and keeps running ...

1.07am GMT

Of the nine locally-transmitted cases recorded in NSW today, all but one are directly linked to the northern beaches cluster. (And most were household contacts of an infected person.)

The ninth “mystery” case – a person in Bondi – has no known connection to the northern beaches infection but may yet prove to be a false positive or old infection, as a second test returned a negative result.

12.56am GMT

Those NSW figures at a glance. Nearly 40,000 people were tested on Christmas Day.

NSW recorded nine locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, with an additional six cases in returned travellers in hotel quarantine. pic.twitter.com/khOj4aQkjN

12.54am GMT

On the subject of holidays, chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant says the rules “could not be clearer” for residents of the northern beaches: “Going on holidays is not one of the four essential reasons for leaving.”

For the rest of Sydney, Chant says, “where your travel is not essential, where you didn’t have specific plans, please consider” staying put.

12.49am GMT

Gladys Berejiklian says she is “so pleased” with the response to her calls for Sydneysiders to dodge the Boxing Day sales, and thanks businesses for their understanding.

“We understand online sales have gone through the roof today, but I also appreciate and understand some suburban shopping centres are quite busy – busier than what they anticipated.

“If you are in the suburbs, please make sure you are wearing a mask when shopping indoors. If it is too crowded, turn around and go home. Thank you to everybody who ordinarily would have gone to the CBD, the response has been really positive and overwhelming ...

12.38am GMT

The following conditions will be in place from midnight tonight until 11.59pm December 30:

For the northern beaches peninsula zone (north of Narrabeen Bridge and east of the Baha’i temple):

Related: Sydney Christmas restrictions: how many guests are allowed under Covid rules?

12.33am GMT

Provisions for New Year’s Eve are to be confirmed in the coming days – but premier Gladys Berejiklian is managing expectations in response to a reporter’s question.

“Everybody should assume they’re watching the fireworks from home this year. In relation to hospitality venues, everybody should assume the 4 sq metre rule as opposed to the 2 sq metre rule, and in relation to other outdoor events ... that will be obviously reviewed in the next few days, and the health experts will give us the best advice on how to proceed.”

12.29am GMT

Hazzard – a northern beaches resident himself – praises the community’s “incredible response” to the government’s requests. He urges residents to stay in their zones, and not leave the area “unless it is absolutely critical”:

“Just because you have an excuse to leave, doesn’t mean you should. Basically, stay there – stay in the southern zone, in the northern zone. If you are out necessarily, it is critical ... to wear a mask and maintain 1.5m social distancing. Stick with hand hygiene, and if you have any symptoms ... get tested. ...

“Obviously with the increased risk at the present time, we need to really focus on those tried-and-true measures.”

12.24am GMT

Health minister Brad Hazzard has come out against rule breakers in the wake of the Christmas Day backpacker party on Bronte Beach.

“People in the northern beaches have been doing their part, big time, to keep not only themselves but the rest of Sydney safe. It is absolutely appalling to see a large gathering of people who didn’t give a damn about the rest of Sydney. Let me tell you, I am hoping that will not become a super-spreader event – but there is every chance that it could be.

Obviously in the earlier stages of the pandemic, we had some challenges with backpackers who clearly wanted to party in the eastern suburbs. It cannot go on. There is still a major risk for us with Covid, and my message to those people – and people who know any of those people – is tell them to stop it. Cut it out, or you may well end up with the virus itself, or you may end up being part of a super-spreader event. It is absolutely appalling.”

12.19am GMT

A person who flew on flight REX ZL 6469 from Sydney to Griffith on Monday 21 December has been confirmed as positive.

The person flew before they knew they had been in contact with a confirmed case “and did nothing wrong,” says chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant. But she reiterates that the 28 passengers and one flight attendant on the flight are considered close contacts and must self-isolate for 14 days.

PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT

NSW Health has been notified of new venues and transport routes, including a flight, attended by a confirmed case of #COVID19, and wishes to advise of a revision to the advice for a previously announced venue on a particular date and time. pic.twitter.com/o9ZV0OF75G

12.12am GMT

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced the state will return to pre-Christmas restrictions until midnight on 30 December, with tougher restrictions for the northern beaches.

Our strategy is to make sure we nip this in the bud as soon as we can ... A big thanks to everybody, we are making inroads but we want to make sure we get on top of this in as short a time as possible.

12.04am GMT

Premier Gladys Berejiklian is giving her presser now. Nearly 40,000 people were tested yesterday.

She reports nine locally transmitted cases, among them eight directly linked to the northern beaches cluster. Six of those are from the same household as a confirmed case; the other two are believed to have transmitted the virus from a venue.

11.58pm GMT

A concerning reader contribution to the ABC’s live blog:

I’m at Westfield Parramatta and I reckon maybe 25% of people are wearing masks. It’s nowhere near as busy as a regular Boxing Day but still, come on people!

11.47pm GMT

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has given an update for the state – no new locally acquired coronavirus cases and one in hotel quarantine.

Saturday, 26 December – coronavirus cases in Queensland:

• 0 new locally acquired
• 1 overseas acquired – in hotel quarantine
• 11 active cases
• 1,241 total cases
• 1,460,171 tests

Sadly, six Queenslanders with COVID-19 have died. 1,217 patients have recovered.#covid19 pic.twitter.com/s6EZoibLg2

11.44pm GMT

Hope your Boxing Day is off to a cracking start so far. We are expecting to hear from NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian with a Covid-19 update shortly. She will be joined by health minister Brad Hazzard and chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant.

Today’s numbers will include a case recorded after the 8pm cut-off on Thursday. Chant said yesterday that the child was believed to have become infected while visiting the Paddington Alimentari – the fourth case to be linked to the deli.

11.33pm GMT

Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art reopens today, having taken the shutdown mid-March as an opportunity for a refresh.

Over 350 “highlights (and lowlights)” from David Walsh’s personal collection have been added to Mona’s semi-subterranean galleries.

Simply, it’s David Walsh’s home. This is what we have focused on for the rehang of the museum. ... It’s like a portrait of David.

Daddy's home.

We're open. Everyone needs a ticket, even if you're Tasmanian. Pre-bookings are a must. Dad says go to the website: https://t.co/R18TxZ1oLE pic.twitter.com/RiE8VLJZBj

It makes you focus on an efficiency and a courtesy around how you engage and make the space available for people.

Have you seen yourself in the mirror maze? Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney, creators of @MelbourneFest's House of Mirrors on now pic.twitter.com/yPVaMLQIF2

11.17pm GMT

The first case of the new variant of the coronavirus has been confirmed in France, Reuters reports, with a man recently arrived back in France from London testing positive.

The French Health Ministry said in a statement on Friday that the case had been found in the city of Tours. The man in question arrived from London on 19 December and is currently self-isolating.

11.15pm GMT

The Boxing Day Test is about to get underway, with Australia winning the toss to bat. Geoff Lemon is live-blogging from the MCG, where the mood is jubilant:

Streams of people walking in. All still doing the masks and caution thing, but the happiness was palpable. A couple of women ran over to greet each other with those noises that only people who are really happy can make. “It’s such a great day!” said one. “I just have this feeling already that it’s going to be a great day.”

Related: Australia v India: second Test, day one – live!

11.12pm GMT

A 25-year-old man is to face court after allegedly refusing to comply with a move-on notice at a Christmas party held at Sydney’s Bronte Beach.

A gathering of as many as 300 people, many believed to be backpackers, were broken up by riot police yesterday afternoon.

Bronte beach parties... not so much social distancing going on... pic.twitter.com/3StFoCaWB8

11.08pm GMT

The ABC’s Kathleen Ferguson is reporting from Pitt Street in Sydney, where some shoppers have turned out for the Boxing Day sales despite premier Gladys Berejiklian’s orders to stay home.

It is definitely not quiet. There are a few people wearing masks which is encouraging, but it’s definitely not the majority of shoppers … still quite a few people about.

We’ve seen a few people, potentially a few friends meeting up to go shopping, a lot of hugs and kisses about, not a lot of masks, so I’m sure the premier will have something to say something about it a little later this morning.

10.56pm GMT

The Australian National University’s vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt has called on Scott Morrison to take charge of the crisis in Australia’s university sector, crippled by a downturn in overseas enrolments during the pandemic. Schmidt told the Nine papers Australia risked losing foreign students – worth $40bn to the national economy – to other countries while its borders remain closed.

It would be really helpful if we could have a message coming from the Prime Minister welcoming students back, but with a realistic set of parameters – a supportive message that says, ‘Yes, we are going to take our time, but when you are here it is going to be safe and we’re really going to look after you!’ I don’t think we’ve really had that welcoming stance out there.

10.46pm GMT

As mentioned earlier we are missing Elle Hunt on the blog because of technical difficulties in her New Zealand quarantine hotel, but you can at least catch up with her experience until now of the “surrealness of the determined Christmas cheer amidst pandemic dystopia”. As the hotel proudly proclaimed, “there is no other quarantine like ours!”, but we should say no blame attaches to them for the internet failure.

Related: My Christmas in quarantine: a Covid carvery, Santa patrols and paper bag decorations

10.38pm GMT

Boxing Day in Australia is not completely unmoored from its usual schedule – the Sydney to Hobart was cancelled, but the MCG Test goes ahead, which definitely did not seem likely a couple of months ago. Our live blog is up and running with Geoff Lemon, the first ball is at 10.30 AEDT. Of course the Sydney Test is still in doubt, but no decision will be made on that until Cricket Australia sees the progress of the NSW Covid outbreak.

Related: Australia v India: second Test, day one – live!

10.28pm GMT

In overseas news, Associated Press is reporting that human remains have been found near the explosion that rocked the US city of Nashville in the early hours of Christmas Day. The identity of the perpetrator remains unclear, but police said earlier the blast was an “intentional act”.

10.24pm GMT

The northern beaches MPs Jason Falinski and Zali Steggall have been asked on ABC News 24 whether masks should be made mandatory in NSW, as many have been calling for. Falinski is opposed:

What seems to have worked in New South Wales as opposed to other jurisdictions around the world, is if you treat your people like adults and not inmates is you get far better buy-in for the measures you are taking. If this wasn’t working, I’m sure the New South Wales government could be moving from a setting of suggestion to one of mandatory.

I do feel we are striking the right balance between enabling people to do the right thing without becoming a complete police state. I think we do need to entrust people to do the right thing.

10.17pm GMT

While we’re taking stock of a generally awful year and looking forward a bit apprehensively, at best, there are some reasons to be more positive about the effect of the coronavirus on Australia. Tim Costello has written for us this morning on what he says has been a “deepening of our ethics” thanks to the crisis.

We discovered through Covid-19 that it is interdependence that really matters. All of us are biologically connected by an invisible virus and all of us are vulnerable if we do not act together. I think this is a lesson that may change us.

Related: Covid has moved us to understand the need for more 'we' and less 'I' | Tim Costello

When there are shared facts and values, and when governments are seen to be broadly competent and connected to the needs of citizenry, politicians lay the foundations of trust, because citizens are bound together rather than occupying detached alternative realities.

Related: This was the year Australia restored trust in its politics – and that really is a miracle | Katharine Murphy

10.06pm GMT

The UNSW epidemiology professor Mary-Louise McLaws spoke about the potential transmission risk at Boxing Day sales and New Year’s Eve celebrations on ABC News 24 this morning.

If you were going to do outbreak management, you would say everyone stay indoors ... If you were trying to balance between being The Grinch and giving them some joy, it is difficult because they still have to get there.

If you are on a long bus or train ride, it is quite dangerous. I would be postponing it for a while.

I would love to see masks being handed out as you are getting on a bus if you don’t have one.

10.01pm GMT

Paul Zahra from the Australian Retailers’ Association has been on Sky News this morning, reporting that crowds in the Sydney CBD are noticeably down on previous years, even at a “record low”, following Gladys Berejiklian’s plea for shoppers to avoid the city centre.

We’ve learnt that NSW people are very compliant, there’s been very little traffic into the CBD locations. It was at a record low this morning. Normally people would queue up as early as Christmas Day night to get into the stores, but this year’s been a very different year, being a Covid year of course and with Gladys’ commentary.

It is much needed ... for our retailers have had many difficult months. [Boxing Day] remains a signature event on the Australian shopping calendar.

9.56pm GMT

Happy to say that Victoria has had another zero day.

Yesterday there were 0 new local cases, 0 new cases acquired overseas and 0 deaths reported. 4,907 test results were received - thanks, #EveryTestHelps us to #StaySafeStayOpen. More info: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco #COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/RqhNoNltG0

9.55pm GMT

Sorry for the long delay – this is Mike Ticher taking over temporarily from Elle while she tries to restore her internet connection in New Zealand quarantine.

9.17pm GMT

Good morning, and welcome to the Australia news live blog for Boxing Day – I hope you’ve had a restful festive break so far. My name is Elle Hunt and I’ll be seeing you through the day’s developments.

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