Brisbane: India struck back with dismissing four Australian batsmen FOR 221 after debutant Josh Hazlewood captured five wickets and Brad Haddin equalled a wicketkeeping record as Australia dismissed India for 408 on the second of the second Test in Brisbane on Thursday.
Here is how the action unfolded.
David Warner and Chris Rogers were quick to get off the mark as Australia commenced batting in the post lunch session. While Rogers was watchful in his approach, Warner continued from where he had left in Adelaide.
The swashbuckling batsman’s stay though was cut short when he mistimed a pull off Umesh Yadav’s bowling. The ball looped up in the air and Ashwin took a neat catch to give India their first breakthrough.
Watson joined Chris Rogers in the middle. Maintaining a solid run-rate the duo added some quick runs to bring up 50-run partnership with the left-hander scoring majority of the runs.
However, a fine diving catch from Shikhar Dhawan at mid-on ended Watson’s stay in the middle. The right-hander fell to R Ashwin.
Chris Rogers, making up for his Adelaide failures, brought up his half-century as Australia continued to bat aggressively in the post-lunch session. However, a tickle down the leg-side in the final over before tea brought curtains to his inning.
Skipper Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh then got involved in a partnership to guide Australia go past 200-run mark. Enjoying a rich vein of form, the newly appointed Australian captain brought up his third successive 50-plus score of the series.
Shaun Marsh, on the other hand, took his time before settling down. Ajinkya Rahane dropped a skier to give the left-hander some relief.
But Marsh failed to cash in on his good luck and got out on 32 when R Ashwin, fielding in slips, took a fine catch to send Shaun Marsh to the dressing room. The play did not go on for too long after the left-hander’s dismissal as the umpires decided to call it a day due to bad light.
Earlier, Paceman Hazlewood led the way with three scalps on the second morning as the Australians bounced back after Wednesday’s horror day in the field in sweltering conditions.
Haddin equalled the Australian record of six dismissals in an innings held by Wally Grout, Ian Healy and Rod Marsh with two more catches on the second morning.
Lunch was taken upon the final wicket with Umesh Yadav caught in the deep by Chris Rogers off Nathan Lyon for nine.
Varun Aaron had been caught by fielding substitute Marnus Labuschagne off Lyon for four on the last ball before lunch forcing extended playing time for the ninth wicket down.
The Australians began the day well with two wickets in the opening 40 minutes before captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin regained the initiative with a belligerent seventh-wicket stand.
The pair put on 57 in equal time before Ashwin became Hazlewood’s fourth wicket, playing away from his body and edging chest-high to Shane Watson at slip for 35.
Dhoni cracked 33 off 53 balls with four fours before he fell to the Hazlewood-Haddin combination.
Hazlewood was far and away Australia’s best bowler with five for 68, while left-armer Mitchell Starc continued to struggle with his line and length and was punished, going wicketless for 83 runs.
Hazlewood struck early enticing an edge off Ajinkya Rahane with a late outswinger to give Haddin his fifth catch of the innings.
Rahane hit 81 off 132 balls with nine fours and put on 60 for the fifth wicket with Rohit Sharma.
Steve Smith pulled off a magnificent sprawling catch at second slip to dismiss Sharma for 32 off Watson in the 92nd over.
Smith anticipated the catch, flinging himself to his right to pluck the ball just off the ground to the delight of his teammates.
Starc returned to bowling after Test great Shane Warne called his body language “soft” during commentary for Network Nine on Wednesday.
He got a couple of deliveries to go through to the keeper but was hit for successive fours by Dhoni and again proved ineffective with his wayward line and length.
