2nd Test, Day 3 Highlights: Smith, Johnson Star as Australia Dominate Day 3
The third day was dominated by batting. Steve Smith struck his first ton as captain while Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc also hit fifties to provide Australia an important lead. India batted solidly in reply ended day's play with 26 runs behind. Catch all the highlights here.
India were 71 for one and trailing Australia by 26 runs at the close on the third day of the second Gabba Test. Catch all the highlights here: (Scorecard | As it Happened)
13:04 (IST): That's the end of third day's play and India have replied beautifully to Australia's 97-run lead. At close, the visitors were 71/1, still trailing by 26 runs, with Shikhar Dhawan 26 not out and Cheteshwar Pujara 15 not out. The lone wicket to fall was of first innings centurion Murali Vijay. Mitchell Starc provided Australia the breakthrough.
12:57 (IST): Australia certainly have a plan for Shikhar Dhawan. Backward short leg in place now. India 408 and 71/1, trail by 26 runs
12:50 (IST): Mitchell Johnson tests Cheteshwar Pujara with successive bouncers. India 408 and 69/1, trail Australia (505) by 28 runs
12:37 (IST): Dhawan knocked off his feet. He plays it back to bowler Shane Watson, who picks the ball and targets stumps but the wayward throw hits Dhawan's boot. Indian falls but Watson immediately apologises and Dhawan signals thumbs up.
12:23 (IST): 50 up! Cheteshwar Pujara plays it through covers and gets three. Aussie pacers testing Indians with short stuff. India 408 and 50/1, trail Australia (505) by 47 runs
The last time Indian openers put on 50+ stand twice in the same overseas Test 61 & 109 Sehwag & Jaffer at Basseterre in June 2006 #AusvInd
- Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 19, 2014
Mitch Starc was PUMPED after that one! LIVE: http://t.co/NaGNJAi0VK #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/kNjpAUtliT
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 19, 2014
12:03 (IST): WICKET! Murali Vijay (27) was playing well but has go now. He was in two minds whether to leave or play it and just couldn't get his bat away in time. Ball takes the inside edge onto stumps. Mitchell Starc strikes. India 408 and 41/1, trail Australia (505) by 56 runs
11:42 (IST) Four! Shikhar Dhawan upper cuts Josh Hazlewood over the third man to score his first boundary in the match. India 408 and 31/0, trail Australia (505) by 66 runs.
11:34 (IST): Murali Vijay is simply outstanding at the moment. First he plays an uppish drive over extra cover and follows it up with a slice towards backward point. Gets four on both the occasion. India 408 and 26/0, trail Australia (505) by 71 runs
11:26 (IST): Murali Vijay punishes a widish delivery by Mitchell Johnson for first four of this innings. India 408 and 9/0, trail Australia (505) by 88 runs.
11:13 (IST): Final session of the day begins. Indian openers - Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan - are out in the middle. Mitchell Johnson starts proceedings for Australia. India 408 and 0/0.
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This Test at Gabba.... India lost last six wkts for 87 runs in 24.1 overs Australia lost last four wkts for 258 runs in 48.3 overs #AusvInd
- Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) December 19, 2014
11:05 (IST): WICKET! Mitchell Starc (52) is the last man to be dismissed. R Ashwin picks up the last wicket. Debutant Josh Hazlewood remained not out on 32 as Australia scored 505. Partnerships between Steve Smith-Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc and Hazlewood proved costly for India. For the visitors, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma bagged three wickets each while Ashwin an Varun Aaron chipped in with two apiece. An entertaining last session of the day to follow.
10:40 (IST): TEA! Mitchell Starc (51*) and Josh Hazlewood (31*) have shared 49 runs for the last wicket as Australia go into the break at 503 for nine with a huge lead of 95 runs.
10:28 (IST): FIFTY! Mitchell Starc scores his 4th half-century. Australia 492/9, lead by 84 runs
10:19 (IST): Four! Hazlewood is simply enjoying his batting at the moment. Hammers Ashwin for a couple of fours. Australia 481/9, lead by 77 runs
10:15 (IST): Four! Josh Hazlewood hits Ishant Sharma for couple of boundaries and Australia's lead grows. Australia 476/9, lead by 68 runs
09:59 (IST): Four! Josh Hazlewood scores his first runs in Test cricket. Earlier, he edged one to first slip but it fell just short. Australia 462/9, lead by 54 runs.
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09:49 (IST): WICKET! Varun Aaron brings an end to a crucial 56-run stand. Nathan Lyon plays it straight to Rohit Sharma at mid on. Australia 454/9, lead by 46 runs
09:44 (IST): Fifty Stand! Mitchell Starc (33*) and Nathan Lyon (19*) have added 51 from 44 balls. Australia 448/8, lead by 41 runs
09:29: (IST): Nathan Lyon edges Umesh Yadav but it goes over slip cordon for four. Australia 431/8, lead by 23 runs
Not sure about Marais' catching technique?! http://t.co/NaGNJAi0VK #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/42HPDOTXsM
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 19, 2014
09:20 (IST): Umpire Marais Erasmus hurts his right wrist after being hit by Mitchell Starc shot. Australia 422/8, lead by 14 runs
09:14 (IST): LEAD! Mitchell Starc hits back-to-back fours to take Australia past India's score of 408. The lead starts now. Australia 410/8, lead by 2 runs.
09:06 (IST): Wicket! Ishant Sharma gets another one and time it's captain Steve Smith, who falls after scoring a brilliant 133 off 191 balls. Smith looks to work it down the third man but finds an inside edge onto the stumps. He is dismissed for the first time in the series. Australia 398/8, trail by 10 runs
@MitchJohnson398 what an innings! That partnership could win us the Test Match.
- Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) December 19, 2014
08:59 (IST): WICKET! Ishant Sharma finally breaks the 148-run stand. He lures Mitchell Johnson into drive, who finds the outside edge to keeper MS Dhoni. Definitely his 88 off 93 balls has got Australia back in the game. Australia 395/7, trail by 13 runs
08:43 (IST): Partnership between Steve Smith and Mitchell Johnson grows to 134. Australia 381/6, trail by 27 runs
08:25 (IST): Second new ball has been taken and Umesh Yadav is back into the attack. Australia 367/6
08:18 (IST): Rohit Sharma is sharing the attack with R Ashwin post lunch. Second new ball due in one over. Australia 362/6, trail by 46 runs.
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07:31 (IST): LUNCH! That's the end for first session on Day 3. It belonged to Australia as they have reduced the deficit to 57 runs, thanks to Steve Smith's 110 not out and Mitchell Johnson's 67 not out. Australia went into the break at 351 for six. India started off strongly removing Mitchell Marsh and Brad Haddin within first fifty minutes of play. But things change once Johnson launched the attack back to the bowlers. The duo - Smith and Johnson - has shared 104 runs for the seventh wicket to put the Aussies back in the game.
A brilliant ton from skipper Steve Smith and what a celebration! #ohwhatafeeling https://t.co/hA6w6LWSb4
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 19, 2014
07:23 (IST): HUNDRED! Captain Steve Smith scores his sixth century. Second in three innings. He is yet to be dismissed in the series. Australia 339/6, trail by 69 runs
07:18 (IST): Six! Mitchell Johnson dispatches R Ashwin for a biggie over long on. He is simply tormenting India at the moment. Australia 332/6, trail by 76
07:10 (IST): FIFTY! Mitchell Johnson slams his 10th half-century. He hammers Varun Aaron for three consecutive fours. Australia 323/6, trail India by 85 runs
07:04 (IST): Fifty Stand! Steve Smith (95*) and Mitchell Johnson (41*) have added 62 runs for the seventh wicket. Hosts have scored at 6.71 runs per over in last 10 overs. Australia 309/6, trail by 99 runs.
06:59 (IST): Another Bowling Change: R Ashwin comes into the attack. Steve Smith moves into 90s. Virat Kohli was seen discussing the team strategy during the drinks breaks. Australia 293/6, trail India by 115 runs
06:54 (IST): Another Drinks Break! Mitchell Johnson has taken the attack back to the bowlers. Ishant Sharma has been extremely expensive since Brad Haddin's wicket as he has conceded 25 runs in his last two overs. Australia 290/6, trail India by 118 runs
Happy 40th birthday, Ricky Ponting! Here's his 2003 @cricketworldcup Final masterclass: http://t.co/l8nus8JX1i pic.twitter.com/NEntEV2RDW
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 19, 2014
06:36 (IST): Mitchell Johnson quickly moves on to 18 off 13 balls. Australia 272/6, trail India by 136 runs
06:19 (IST): WICKET! Varun Aaron strikes first ball after the the first drinks break of the day. Aaron bangs in short, Brad Haddin fends and it safely lands into Cheteshwar Pujara's hands at forward short leg. Australia 247/6, trail India by 161 runs
06:12 (IST): Bowling Change: Umesh Yadav comes into the attack, replaces Ishant Sharma. Australia 247/5, trail India by 161 runs.
06:09 (IST): Four! Brad Haddin moves across to guide the ball to fine leg boundary off Varun Aaron. Three slips and a gully are placed for him. Australia 247/5
06:04 (IST): Brad Haddin is not in good form and has struggled off late. But he averages 60.85 in Tests at Gabba. Australia 243/5
Don't look back Mitch... LIVE: http://t.co/NaGNJAi0VK #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/7cRP9X8gLO
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) December 19, 2014
05:52 (IST): WICKET! Ishant Sharma strikes and his hard work pays off. Mitchell Marsh shoulders arms and the ball nips back in sharply to take the top of off stump. Poor leave that. Ishant was bowling extremely well today. Australia 232/5
05:38 (IST): Varun Aaron is consistently hitting in 140s. He has looked far more disciplined today so has Ishant Sharma. They need to be patient and will have to earn their wicket on a good batting deck.
05:30 (IST): Welcome to Day 3. Both teams are out in the middle. It's bright and sunny at the Gabba today. Ishant Sharma starts proceedings.
A beautiful day for the start of Day 3 at the Gabba. View from our commentary box pic.twitter.com/5DRWrl9l8t
- Glenn McGrath (@glennmcgrath11) December 18, 2014
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Sunil Gavaskar feels India have the slight edge in the second Test but added it was imperative to bowl out Australia by lunch. Smith, unbeaten on 65, will resume proceedings with the dangerous Mitchell Marsh on Friday. Brad Haddin is the only specialist batsman due in next followed by the tail. Can India strike early and take a firm grip?
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Josh Hazlewood Impresses Glenn McGrath With Five-Wicket Haul
Impressed with Josh Hazlewood's performance during his five-wicket haul on Test debut, Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath on Thursday, said that the New South Wales seamer can become a member of the 200-wicket club if he continues the good work. Sharing the new ball with Mitchell Johnson, Hazlewood inspired Australia's fighback as India lost their last six wickets for just 97 runs to be bowled out for 408. (Full report)
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Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes his side is currently ahead in the second cricket Test against Australia and said they would look to get some quick wickets in the morning session on Friday. Australia on Thursday, finished the day at 221 for 4 in reply to India's total of 408 runs. The hosts still trail by 187 runs. (Full report)