Australia have fumbled, stumbled and swatted away their utter domination of the World Test Championship final against India in what is clearly a much-needed Ashes lead-up.
With a lead of 296 and six wickets in hand, history says Australia are still on course to claim the title of the world’s best Test team despite a rust-laden performance at the Oval on Friday. Three catches went down, another wicket was denied off a no-ball, and first innings century makers Steve Smith (34) and Travis Head (18) were out attempting to slog the spin of Ravindra Jadeja (2/25).
Australia’s Travis Head hits a six on the third day of the ICC World Test Championship Final against India.Credit:
Australia were 4/123 in their second innings at stumps on the third day with two days to play, and potentially a reserve day should there be interruptions from forecast thunderstorms over the weekend.
The highest successful run chase at the Oval is a modest 9/263, which gave England a one wicket victory over Australia 121 years ago, although there have been larger fourth innings scores in draws and losses.
Smith looked in immaculate touch until he charged Jadeja, had a beach swipe, and skied the ball to point. Head was dropped on the midwicket boundary by Umesh Yadav, who fumbled the ball over the rope, then mistimed another slog so terribly two balls later it went straight back to the bowler. It’s hard to imagine Smith playing such an injudicious shot in an Ashes Test. With Head anything’s possible.
Australia’s Cameron Green at rear, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of India’s Shardul Thakur.Credit: AP
David Warner (1) and Usman Khawaja (13) had already gone, caught behind off pace playing equally ‘un-Test-like’ shots.
Warner had already secured his Ashes place during the first innings with a stout 43 in the most difficult conditions of the match after Australia were asked to bat on a greenish pitch under leaden skies.
Marnus Labuschagne (41 not out) battled hard against an honest pace attack on a pitch playing the occasional trick, and could yet still bat India out of the game, with Australia leading by 173 on the first innings.
Australia’s position would have been considerably greater had captain Pat Cummins not claimed two leg-before-wicket decisions which were scuppered by no balls and Australia taken at least two of the three chances which came their way on Friday.
The great beneficiaries were Ajinkya Rahane (89), who had two of the chances and Shardul Thakur (51), who had three. Together they added 109 of India’s 296 to help avoid what could have shaped as a massacre.
If all had gone his way, captain Cummins could have taken seven wickets. As it was Cummins finished with 3-83, including six no-balls, and a run rate conceded of more than four an over.
The usually unflappable Cummins showed his frustration in the over before lunch, kicking the ball away in frustration when he had a successful LBW appeal overturned when replays showed a no ball, then burnt a caught behind review.
Mitchell Starc claimed 2-71, conceding more than five an over, but it’s hard to see him being left out given the success of his two most recent summers at home.
The contest for places in the pace attack appears to be between Scott Boland, who was the steadiest of Australia’s bowlers claiming 2/59 at under three an over, and Josh Hazlewood returning from injury. Both are attractive options, but given Hazlewood’s injury history over the past two years he may have to wait a bit longer to return.
Cameron Green (2/44) also made a useful and at times lively contribution with his 12 overs.
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