Sports Desk:
Australia lost 9 wickets for 173 runs in the second innings of the Melbourne Test. At that time, the Aussies had a lead of 278 runs. At such a time, India must have wanted to bowl Australia out before the lead reached 300 and keep control of the match in their hands.
But the expectations were not met, on the contrary, the pressure on India is increasing due to Australia’s 10th wicket partnership. Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland have made an unbroken 55-run partnership for the last wicket on the fourth day. This has increased Australia’s lead to 333 runs. It remains to be seen how far Australia can advance this lead on the last day tomorrow, Monday.
At the end of the fourth day, Australia’s total is 228 runs for 9 wickets after playing 82 overs. Lyon is on 40 and Boland is on 10 runs.
India started the day’s play on Friday with 358 runs for 9 wickets. The visitors can survive only 21 balls after coming out to bat. Rohit Sharma’s team was all out for 369 after adding 11 runs. Nitish Kumar Reddy was dismissed for 114 runs (11 fours and 1 six) off 189 balls, ending the Indian first innings.
Australia started the second innings with a lead of 105 runs. Despite scoring 60 runs in the first innings, Sam Constas’ second innings was not good. He was bowled by Bumrah for 8 runs off 18 balls.
Opener Uskhan Khawaja could not extend the innings despite getting a life. Jaiswal dropped an easy catch of Khawaja in the leg-gully region off Jasprit Bumrah in 2.5 overs. Khawaja was batting for just 2 runs at that time. Finally, left-handed Aussie opener Khawaja was bowled by pacer Mohammad Siraj and returned to the dressing room. He had scored 21 runs before that.
Steve Smith also did not hold out. Despite scoring 140 runs in the first innings, he was out for 13 runs off 41 balls this time. He was caught behind the wicket by Rishabh Pant off Siraj’s delivery. Bumrah then put Australia under pressure by taking 3 wickets in 11 balls. Travis Head (1 in 2 balls), Mitchell Marsh (0 in 4 balls) and Alex Carey (2 in 7 balls) returned. Australia lost 6 wickets for 91 runs.
Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne put on a 57-run stand for the seventh wicket. Labuschagne scored 70 runs in 139 balls. Cummins scored 41 runs in 90 balls. Lyon and Boland’s partnership followed.
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