Australia v India Third Test, Day Four Report Card

Featuring springing magically into existence, prising out wickets, the worst state in Australia and Foxy the Idiot Six-Measuring Fox

Springing Magically Into Existence
Grade: B+

A very weird mini-contest sprung magically into existence on the fourth day of this Test, like some kind of mystical Golem or the drawing in A-Ha’s Take on Me toe-tapping video clip.

That contest? Could India get past the follow-on mark and prevent Australia from putting them into bat again, the only realistic route to victory in this sodden Test?

At the start of the day, India needed 195 further runs, Australia needed six further wickets. Let’s play.

Or, as it turns out, let’s not play if you’re Josh Hazlewood, who was suddenly under an injury cloud, with the injury ground staff getting the injury covers ready. He bowled one unconvincing over then was taken away and ruled out of the rest of the series. So that made things more challenging for Australia.

Also making things more challenging? Steve Smith, who was busily dozing at second slip when KL Rahul edged the first ball of the day from Pat Cummins straight to him.

Imagine not expecting a wicket opportunity first ball of the day with this attack.

Prising Out Wickets
Grade: B

Annoyed, Cummins chose to dismiss Rohit Sharma instead, reducing India to 5/74. But Rahul stuck around (the KL stands for ‘Konstantly Lingering’) with Ravindra Jadeja to take India to 5/141. That’s when Smith decided to hang onto a nonsense chance from Rahul off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.

It was unclear why Smith would drop the trivial chance and take the impossible one, but he’s always forged his own path as a cricketer. Who are we to second-guess him? A great problem-solver, even if the problems are of his own making.

6/141 became 7/194 when Cummins had Nitish Kumar Reddy playing on, then 8/201 when Starc found the edge of Mohammed Siraj’s bat and Alex Carey realised a panicky Usman Khawaja was never going to take the chance at first slip, diving athletically in front of him.

Finally, it was Cummins again who bounced out a strike-manipulating Jadeja, who skied one to a diving Mitch Marsh in the outfield.

He can’t bat or bowl any more, but, my goodness, Marsh brought his A grade catching game to this Test.

The Worst State in Australia
Grade: F

In between all of this, needless to say, was rain. On and off the players went, like some kind of tiresome Morse Code message. What did that message spell? ‘Queensland is the worst state in Australia’, I’m afraid.