26th over: India 134-6 (Nitish 20, Ashwin 1) That was the dream start for Australia, and with Pant surely goes any hope India have of making this match anything bordering on a contest. Smith really did make that catch look simple, despite ending up taking it in front of first slip. He moved so early and got into a perfect position to get both bucket hands safely around the fast moving ball.
Cummins opens from the River End and Nitish gets the scoreboard moving with a glance down to fine leg. There’s a little extra bounce for the Australian skipper, but both batters negotiate it safely to rotate the strike.
WICKET! Pant c Smith b Starc 28 (India 128-6)
Starc begins with a sighter outside off that Pant leaves alone, but the Indian keeper cannot allow a second delivery to pass un-mullered so he sashays down the pitch and aims a mighty hoick at ball two. He doesn’t connect, but there’s a noise as ball nears bat and Australia go up unconvincingly for a catch behind. Somewhat reluctantly Cummins presents the T sign but DRS quickly shows daylight between bat and ball.
Not to worry. Before the over’s out Starc hits a perfect line and length, Pant comes forward, and prods a regulation outside edge that Smith pouches comfortably at second slip.
25th over: India 128-6 (Nitish 15)
High fives abound as Australia take to an Adelaide Oval bathed in sunlight.
They are joined by Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy. What have they got in store for us over the next couple of hours? A game-changing burst of runs, or a quick collapse and a couple of days of golf?
England have completed victory in Wellington by a humungous 323 runs for their first series victory in New Zealand since 2008. Bring on the Ashes.
Here’s some conversation starters for you.
Australia are clear on top of the ICC Test rankings, but only one of their top seven would be competing for a spot in a World XI right now (Travis Head). Is there a precedent for this? What does it mean about where Australia are at in their cycle? Is batting diminishing in importance as the pace of the game speeds up?
What is going on if New Zealand can smash India in India, then England can smash New Zealand in New Zealand?
Seven nations are represented in the top ten ranked Test batters on the ICC rankings, with seven also featuring in the top 12 ranked bowlers. I want to think that’s good for the game, but worry that it’s a reflection of an era of mediocrity.
How good is Second Death of My Face by WH Lung?
If the wind changed…
And elsewhere in Australia v India action, Australia have smashed a mahooosive 371/8 batting first in the second ODI in Brisbane. Georgia Voll and Ellyse Perry both smacked quickfire centuries.
You can keep an eye on India’s chase here:
Elsewhere in Test cricket, a Tom Blundell century has delayed England’s inevitable series-clinching victory in Wellington.You can follow that live over here:
If any Indian supporters were hoping the weather might rescue them today, I’m afraid the forecast is for bright sunshine in Adelaide, although temperatures will be kept in check by a southerly breeze.
Adelaide Oval turns into a festival of South Australia during the annual Test. Photograph: Michael Errey/AFP/Getty Images
Don’t just take my word about what happened yesterday. Here’s how Geoff Lemon saw things.
In practical terms, state-based parochialism is irrelevant in modern Australia, a performative dance for politicians to half-heartedly perform around budget allocations or State of Origin. Even with cricket’s domestic structure still built along those borders, the consensus from outside South Australia admits that Adelaide Oval is the country’s best ground, and Adelaide’s Test the summer’s most enjoyable. The festival feel is unique, the city always turns out. Even among grumbling at being allocated the struggling West Indies the past two summers running, Adelaide cracked 50,000 people over the first two days both times. For the same team, Perth didn’t get that many in five.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to the third, and probably final, day’s play of the second Test from Adelaide. India will resume their second innings 128-5, still 29 runs away from making Australia bat again.
That Australia are in such a commanding position is due mostly to the brilliance of Travis Head. The hometown hero delighted 50,000 of his fellow South Australians with a match-defining 140 yesterday, belting the pink ball to all parts and motoring his side out of difficulty and into the ascendancy. Head’s value to this side has never been greater and he stands apart as Australia’s key man for the remainder of this series.
With Head scoring his runs briskly during the first two sessions of the day, Australia were unconcerned when they were bowled out shortly after Tea because it meant they could rip into India under lights. But it was not a typically ferocious assault from the home bowlers with little movement in the air or of the seam, yet still India lost half their batting order inside 21 overs. Instead of Australia’s familiar consistency wearing down opponents, this was a session of middling overs blessed by the occasional jaffa – almost all of which jagged a wicket.
After looking a shadow of his first innings self, Mitchell Starc found a trademark inswinging yorker to blow the set Shubman Gill’s house down. Rohit Sharma also saw his zing bails light up after a beauty from Cummins, but he looked less at ease strolling out at bedtime at number six. Around them Alex Carey took three catches behind the stumps as India disintegrated imperceptibly.
Not that Rishabh Pant could care less. He had the time of his life, improvising his way to 28 off 25 balls, including an ostentatious reverse hook over the slip cordon. While he remains at the crease, who knows what kind of total India might manage? But it will require something miraculous to deny the home side a series levelling victory, and something memorable to stop that win occurring before Adelaide Oval gets to show off another Pantone party sunset.
I would be delighted to receive your emails during this first session and a half. Please send them to: jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.
Travis Head single-handedly shaped the outcome of the second Test at Adelaide Oval yesterday. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP Image/Reuters
