Australia v India: fourth men’s cricket Test, day one – live | Australia cricket team

62nd over: Australia 223-2 (Labuschagne 67, Smith 33) Washington appeals unsuccessfully for LBW when Labuschagne misses a reverse sweep. Scratch that, replays show he gloved it. Rohit looked slightly more inclined to review that than the Deep appeal, but not with only one left.

61st over: Australia 221-2 (Labuschagne 66, Smith 32) For the third time in this spell, Deep begs Joel Wilson to give Smith out LBW. It was a good delivery which straightened off the seam to hit Smith on the back leg, but it looked quite high and there’s no chance Rohit Sharma can risk his last review on that. Replays confirm it was bouncing over and was probably going down leg.

A maiden from Deep, perhaps his best over to date, includes a beauty that beats Smith outside off.

60th over: Australia 221-2 (Labuschagne 66, Smith 32) Washington Sundar replces Jadeja, who grazes with figures of 14-2-54-1. Four singles from the over, all taken with minimal risk. It feels like India are entering a world of pain.

59th over: Australia 217-2 (Labuschagne 64, Smith 30) Deep beats Labuschagne with a clever wide outswinger. Given Labuschagne’s recent struggles, it’s odd that India haven’t tempted himwith more deliveries like that.

Runs continue to flow, with 40 in six overs since tea. Labuschagne pulls for three, Smith fences through the slips for three more and then a Bumrah misfield gives Labuschagne a second run.

“Hey Rob, multicultural crowd of over 80,000,” says Ray Murphy. “Is there a better Leviathan-sized ground in the world to watch cricket?”

I’m probably not the best person to ask, but none come to mind.

58th over: Australia 208-2 (Labuschagne 58, Smith 27) Smith rocks back to cart Jadeja wide of mid-on for four more. That brings up a ruthless fifty partnership from 82 balls; Smith celebrates by mauling the next delivery back over Jadeja’s head for four more.

57th over: Australia 199-2 (Labuschagne 57, Smith 19) I’m not sure Rohit would have reviewed that if the score was, say, 50 for 2. It was on the desperate side of optimistic.

Smith is not out!

Smith shuffled a long way across, missed a flick to leg and was hit on the knee roll. But it was doing too much and would have missed leg stump, so India are down to their last review.

India review for LBW against Smith! Deep has another huge LBW shout turned down, but this time Rohit goes upstairs. My hunch is umpire’s call on line, though it’s really close.

56th over: Australia 197-2 (Labuschagne 56, Smith 19) Labuschagne, who is batting with increasing fluency, glides Jadeja for two and then spanks an inside-out drive to the extra-cover boundary. Lovely batting. India have got problems.

55th over: Australia 190-2 (Labuschagne 50, Smith 18) Akash Deep, on for Bumrah, has a big LBW shout against Smith first ball. It’s turned down by Joel Wilson and Rohit Sharma declines a review because of height. It was pretty close, mind, and would have been umpire’s call had they gone upstairs.

Smith takes seven from two deliveries later in the over, flicking to fine leg and driving three more through extra cover. Labuschagne fiddles a couple through the slips to reach a vital, hard-fought fifty from 114 balls. Australia are in such a good position here.

54th over: Australia 181-2 (Labuschagne 48, Smith 11) Labuschagne sets the agenda for the evening session by running down the track to slap Jadeja over mid-on for four. While it’s too early to be talking about a 12th Test hundred, he does look comfortable out there.

The players are back out there. It’ll be an extended evening session, with 37 overs still to be bowled. Ravindra Jadeja will take care of the first.

Teatime reading

A cracking piece here from Jack Snape on a debut innings like no other.

More than anything, Konstas had belied expectation. On debut, against Bumrah, in the first session on Boxing Day, it should be not be possible to play the way Konstas did. He charged down the pitch to Siraj short of a length, cut a middle stump-bound yorker for four, and produced more ramps than Arisa Trew’s backyard.

Tea

52nd over: Australia 171-2 (Labuschagne 40, Smith 9) It feels like Australia have weathered the brief storm that followed Khawaja’s unexpected dismissal. Jadeja, who is bowling accurately but with little help from the pitch, is milked for three singles.

51st over: Australia 168-2 (Labuschagne 39, Smith 7) Labuschagne and Smith are taking no risks against Bumrah, unlike Sam Konstas earlier in the day. I’m wary of recency bias but all but we’ll surely reflect on that as one of the most audacious debut innings ever played.

Kevin Pietersen dumping Glenn McGrath back over his head for six comes to mind, but he was 25, not 19. Ashton Agar’s 98 was awesome in a different way.

50th over: Australia 165-2 (Labuschagne 38, Smith 6) Smith mistimes a pull off Jadeja but it beats Sundar at mid-on and runs away for four. Just under ten minutes to go until tea; as things stand it’s Australia’s session.

49th over: Australia 161-2 (Labuschagne 38, Smith 2) Bumrah snaps an absolute jaffa past Labuschagne’s outside edge. Kohli appealed from slip but nobody else was interested.

This is a good spell for India, who are building some pressure, and Australia will be happy to get to tea without losing any more wickets.

A yorker from wide on the crease is jabbed into the ground and over gully for a couple by Labuschagne, who flicks two more behind square to end the over.

48th over: Australia 157-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 2) Smith drives Jadeja for a couple to get off the mark.

“Always love the almost poetic description we get from you,” writes Mark in Cleveland, though I should stress he’s talking about Geoff rather than me. “This piece from earlier only needed a tweak to become a first innings Haiku.

Khawaja this time. Stretching for a ball, to slip? Again, Deep sorrow.

47th over: Australia 155-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 0) Bumrah tries an elaborate off-break that is defended by Labuschagne, then walks back to his mark smiling at anything and everything. Geniuses are rarely as happy-go-lucky as Bumrah. Another maiden ends with Labuschagne edging a good one short of slip.

Labuschagne has slowed down as his innings has progressed: 21 from the first 43 balls, 13 from the next 47.

46th over: Australia 155-2 (Labuschagne 34, Smith 0) Jadeja is bowling very straight to the right-handers as usual, with a slip and short leg in place. Labuschagne waves a quick single to mid-off and Smith defends the last two balls.

45th over: Australia 154-2 (Labuschagne 33, Smith 0) That’s such a bonus for India, especially as Bumrah is at the start of his spell and could do some game-changing damage. The new batter Steve Smith nicks his fourth ball on the bounce to second slip, a lovely delivery that squared him up. A wicket maiden.

“T20 has ruined Test cricket,” writes Simon T. “Should’ve seen off the new ball with solid defensives or (preferably) studious leaves. Good luck to the young fella but I’ve hardly settled in to my salmon sarnies & Chardonnay…”

WICKET! Australia 154-2 (Khawaja c Rahul b Bumrah 57)

44th over: Australia 154-1 (Khawaja 57, Labuschagne 33) Labuschagne dances down to Jadeja, is nowhere near the pitch and switches to a defensive stroke. A maiden.

43rd over: Australia 154-1 (Khawaja 57, Labuschagne 33) Labuschagne times Siraj sweetly through mid-off, the first boundary in eight overs, anf dollows up with a clip through midwicket for three. Australia are in such a good position, one that would have been unimaginable this morning when seven of the first 10 deliveries went past the outside edge.

42nd over: Australia 146-1 (Khawaja 56, Labuschagne 26) Labuschagne waves Jadeja inside out for a couple to extend this methodical second-wicket partnership to 57. This is such a great opportunity for Australia to take control of the match and series. Perth is starting to seem forever ago.

41st over: Australia 143-1 (Khawaja 55, Labuschagne 24) Khawaja, who is back in his bubble after three difficult Tests, flicks Siraj for another single. Labuschagne drops another on the off side and Khawaja flicks a third to fine leg.,

Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy, ostensibly picked as bowling allrounders, have bowled two overs between them. If India lose this series they will lament some peculiar selections. That said, they are desperately missing Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Shami.

“A decade or so ago there was a lot of online action around watermelon boy,” writes Pete. “Has there been another fruit-based crowd hero since? I’ll be on the lookout from my couch today.”

He’s not among the crowd but Sam Konstas blew a few raspberries in India’s direction.

40th over: Australia 140-1 (Khawaja 53, Labuschagne 23) Jadeja spits one past Labuschagne, who was beaten more by the bounce than the turn as he tried to cut. He decides to take precisely no risks for the remainder of the over.

“Christmas Day here in North Carolina,” write Alex and Katelyn. “The first time I told my half-Swedish, half-American partner I loved her was during an Australia-Pakistan match last year and we are freshly engaged sitting down to watch a spot of today’s action. No sound on, as a compromise.”

That’s really rather lovely. Congratulations!

39th over: Australia 140-1 (Khawaja 53, Labuschagne 23) Khawaja flicks Siraj through square leg for a single; Labuschagne steals another on the off side. You never know with such things but it does feel like Konstas deserves an assist for some of these runs; from an Australian batting perspective, his innings has changed the mood of the whole series.

Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. Any chance we can pause this match and relive Sam Konstas’s knock again? There have been something like 91,515 innings played in Test cricket; few, if any, were as eye-catchingly unique as Konstas’s 60.

37th over: Australia 137-1 (Khawaja 51, Labuschagne 22) Siraj again, flying down the leg side. It feels like with Konstas having made the runs, these two can just squash the life out of India’s fast bowlers, then the rest can come in and profit. Trouble looming for India if they don’t break this pairing soon. Siraj settles for trying to break Labuschagne’s pair, again zeroing in on the testicles. If only someone hung a box on middle stump, Siraj might bowl full enough to hit it.

36th over: Australia 136-1 (Khawaja 50, Labuschagne 22) Very late in the piece, India’s fourth seamer has a shot. Innocuous first offering in the 120s.

35th over: Australia 134-1 (Khawaja 50, Labuschagne 21) Struck again by Siraj is Labuschagne, though this time mercifully it misses the box and hits more thigh. It draws an error to follow, a top-edged hook shot that lands safe and picks up four runs fine. It’s all going Australia’s way today, aside from the nut shots. Then a couple to square, and another near collision as Labuschagne dashes a single and clips Siraj, who gives him a long look.

“Is Marnus channeling Wally Grout here?” asks Greg Wood. “Don’t rub em, just count ‘em?”

Half century! USman Khawaja 50 from 103 balls

33rd over: Australia 119-1 (Khawaja 42, Labuschagne 14) Straight in the bowl of Jatz crackers there from Siraj, who is booed as he starts a new spell. Labuschagne the unlucky wearer of the contact, and he makes it two on two the next ball! This time he’s down for longer, on his knees on the pitch. He looks up to Siraj with a rueful smile, as if to say, would you mind aiming somewhere else? Good inward movement from Siraj, but if I may repeat a point, the length isn’t threatening the stumps. It’s only threatening a length.

Labuschagne needs a physio visit after the second blow, really just to give him time for a drink and a breather while he pretends to have a chat.

32nd over: Australia 119-1 (Khawaja 42, Labuschagne 14) The nicks aren’t carrying. Khawaja this time, stretching for a ball, short of slip. Again, Deep sorrow.

31st over: Australia 118-1 (Khawaja 42, Labuschagne 13) An overstep for Bumrah in the over, his first of those today, though his rhythm is still good enough to get an edge from Labuschagne from a different ball. It doesn’t carry to slip though.

“Slumped in front of the telly is the only way to spend Boxing Day. The swirling heat outside makes it even better, though that’s tempered by the thought of those facing a fire threat in western Victoria,” writes David Meiklejohn. “Question: is Kohli in trouble? Or are the conspiracy theorists (ICC=BCCI) right and he’ll get off with a light slap on the wrist?”

Well, it’s not a conspiracy theory when it’s demonstrably true, as that contention is. The Indian board sets terms at ICC meetings and the others are financially obliged to accede. So, the chance of Kohli being suspended is non-existent. If he were to be, India would probably refuse to play in Sydney and CA would be out millions of dollars. He might get some demerit points.

30th over: Australia 116-1 (Khawaja 42, Labuschagne 12) Runs at last! Four of them, Khawaja getting a full piece of a pull shot off a fast bowler for the first time today. Out through midwicket. Thoroughly beaten on the next two balls though, trying to drive. Deep is coming around the wicket and seaming the ball away. Gosh, he’s been an unlucky bowler in this series. Beats Khawaja a third time, again forcing the rabbit hop on the crease. I can’t fathom how that movement helps the batter control a shot. Any batting coaches out there, drop us a line.

29th over: Australia 112-1 (Khawaja 38, Labuschagne 12) Four maidens in a row. Labuschagne handles Bumrah watchfully but without any alarms in this over, trying to defend incoming balls to leg, trying to leave outside off.

28th over: Australia 112-1 (Khawaja 38, Labuschagne 12) Deep is giving Khawaja a hard time. Another ball that beats him, another jumping fend at it. There is still enough there for the bowlers, but India can’t break through. Three overs since lunch, no run.

27th over: Australia 112-1 (Khawaja 38, Labuschagne 12) Bumrah from the Shane Warne Stand End. Rides his little imaginary horse up to the crease, then catapults. Labuschagne gets one off the gloves trying to glance, then one towards gully trying to press. Another appeal for a leg-side catch but nobody except Bumrah thinks there was a touch. In fact that was miles from the glove. Rohit pretends to review and then pulls out, laughing.

26th over: Australia 112-1 (Khawaja 38, Labuschagne 12) We’re back with Akash Deep, and it’s another maiden, in that groove outside Khawaja’s off stump. The opener is still playing on his toes a lot of the time.

Trying to catch up on a few emails. One from Ibby Usman, before the break. “That’s absolutely embarrassing from Kohli. 35 years old, tens of thousands of runs, however many centuries, and he’s shoulder barging a 19 year old, then playing the victim. Never thought I’d say this, but I wish Warner was out there when that happened.”

I generally try not to make assumptions about what players are thinking, rather than doing, but it’s hard to see how Kohli could have been genuinely surprised by the contact after walking towards the other player.

We’re about to resume after lunch. It’s still hot and still cloudy in Melbourne. India need to find a way to get some equilibrium back after that break.

Shiona Biswas is feeling upbeat. “It’s a working holiday season for me albeit while also spending time with old friends. Having grown up on the other side of the world in India, tuning in to the Boxing Day test brings me extra cheer today.”

Glad to hear that.

Lunch – Australia 112 for 1

25th over: Australia 112-1 (Khawaja 38, Labuschagne 12) Two more for Khawaja off the outside edge, he’s building a handy score here. He needs one, and it needs to be bigger than this. It’s still cloudy at the G, as Bumrah gets bounce and Khawaja fends it away, lucky that it goes to ground. The clock ticks past lunch time. Khawaja glances a run. Bumrah appeals for a leg-side catch from Labuschagne, but no dice. And that’s that.

24th over: Australia 109-1 (Khawaja 35, Labuschagne 12) Deep rolls back in, Labuschagne wristing two runs through midwicket. Khawaja drives what should be one but Siraj misfields at mid off, conceding three.

“In all of the Konstas hype, can we not add that he is debuting in the city with the largest Greek population outside Greece, and about the sixth or seventh largest with Greece included? I hope everyone is raising a spanakopita to him in Melissa’s Cafe, Smith Street, my first stop every time I am in Melbourne.”

We can add that, Peter Salmon, this is an open forum. Wait, that’s Roman. Lucky I’m not agora phobic. We did a homemade spanakopita for Christmas lunch, it was top notch.

23rd over: Australia 103-1 (Khawaja 32, Labuschagne 9) Bumrah back for a quick burst before lunch, maybe two overs, and he’s nasty immediately. Two balls in a row leaping at Khawaja’s gloves, played off the handle almost as the batter flinches. Then pad, but via an inside edge. No run from the over.

Sam Konstas is down at the edge of the player’s race signing shirts and taking selfies. Why not? The crowd wave is circling the ground. Atmosphere here is top notch.

22nd over: Australia 103-1 (Khawaja 32, Labuschagne 9) Jadeja to Labuschagne, a deft late cut brings four runs. Next ball, another one, finer! Bumping up the scoreboard close to lunch.

I’ve finally worked out how to route some emails off my phone through about three other intermediaries to have them show up as text messages. Every other website at the MCG is blocked, somehow. Anyway, here’s an expert on my opening subject: his name is Russell Yule.

“My great-great grandfather emigrated from a Scandinavian state a while back to England before my great grandfather emigrated to Queensland in the early 1900s. Our family name was changed to ‘Yule’ because the original ‘Juïlle’ wasn’t, ahem, gaining traction, so great granddad went with a phonetic spelling.

My understanding is that the Yule log was a large log that had been chosen based on its ability to burn for a long time. This was to celebrate a Pagan winter solstice celebration in the long hall where the party would last as long as the log was burning. Generally it was considered poor form if the log burnt out in less than 8 days. If you’re snowbound for a while, you might as well enjoy it…

There are some sacrifices to be made. The Yule Goat (or reindeer buck) was a big part of the celebration in order to safeguard the New Year harvest. There was also a pig sacrifice as well but since the wet blankets at head office decided that sacrificing live animals was not okay, sacrifices were made. Smaller Yule Goat ornaments are now made from straw, (and apparently available from Ikea!), which burns well. It is a common game to try to sneak a Yule Goat ornament under a neighbouring friend or family Yule tree. Once discovered the game is to sneak it on to someone else’s Yule tree. Oh those wacky Scandos!

The Yule ‘Pigs’ are now often made from the corn meal from the last ear of corn from the previous harvest. A pig head is baked from the cornmeal and rather than being even is broken up and spread over the corn field to promote a prosperous harvest.

There is also a Yule Cat that decides, based on whether children get new clothes or not, if children have been good/worthy of presents. The thinking being that only good children would get new clothes. There’s a thought that bad children would then be offered to the Yule Cat who would spirit them away. Possibly based on the very real fact that children who didn’t get new clothes wouldn’t survive the winter.”

21st over: Australia 92-1 (Khawaja 29, Labuschagne 1) Some leaving, a run, a leg bye, another quiet Deep over. Super weird seeing players just carry on like the game is normal, after that opening stand. It’s like the awkward resumption of conversation after a fight at family Christmas when the offending parties have been ushered outside.