Abuse from Aussie fans halts test
Play stops for seven minutes after Indian bowler’s complaint
Play was stopped yesterday while umpires and local police responded to complaints by India’s cricketers of crowd abuse on day four of the third test against Australia.
India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj had been fielding near the boundary before he complained to the umpires and pointed to a section of the crowd.
Umpires Paul Reiffel and Paul Wilson stopped the game for at least seven minutes while India’s fielders and the two Australian batsmen huddled in the middle of the Sydney Cricket Ground as police and security questioned people in the crowd. Police later escorted at least five men away from their seats.
Australia moved from 301-5 to 312-6 in the few minutes after play resumed and declared the innings after all-rounder Cameron Green was dismissed for 84 in the last ball of the session.
Australia set India a target of 407 to win with four sessions remaining.
At stumps, India were 98-2, having lost openers Shubman Gill (31) and Rohit Sharma (52) after the pair had shared a promising 71-run stand.
Siraj had earlier complained about comments, allegedly racist, from the crowd after play on Saturday. Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council were investigating that episode.
“As series hosts, we unreservedly apologise to our friends in the Indian cricket team and assure them we will prosecute the matter to its fullest extent,” Sean Carroll, Cricket Australia’s head of integrity and security, said in a statement outlining the zero tolerance policy toward racism.
“Cricket Australia condemns in the strongest terms all discriminatory behaviour. Once those responsible are identified, CA will take the
strongest measures possible under our anti-harassment code . . . including lengthy bans, further sanctions and referral to New South Wales Police.”
Stadium management is using CCTV footage to help investigate.
“We are taking this extremely seriously. If those involved are identified, they will be banned,” Venues New South Wales chief executive Kerrie Mather said.
The complaints overshadowed Australia’s progress in their second innings. Half centuries to Marnus Labuschagne (73), Steve Smith (81) and a maiden half-century from Green put the Australians into a
dominant position at the Sydney Cricket Ground as they chase a 2-1 series lead.
Rookie all-rounder Green faced 132 balls and hit eight boundaries and four sixes — including back-to-back drives over the long-on boundary against Siraj before play was halted — before he was caught behind off Jasprit Bumrah, prompting the declaration during the tea interval.
He shared a 104-run partnership with captain Tim Paine, who was 39 not out.
Green showed good poise and patience of his own to bring up his maiden half-century off 116 balls in
this third test, before scoring another 34 runs off 15 balls as the hosts chased quick runs ahead of their declaration.
After resuming at 103-2 yesterday, Labuschagne and Smith made a watchful start as India’s attack bowled a tight line to limit Australia’s scoring opportunities.
Labuschagne should have been out on the second ball for 47 but Hanuma Vihari dropped a regulation chance at square leg off Bumrah’s bowling.
His fortune eventually ran out when Navdeep Saini had the batsman caught behind off a leg glance.
Matt Wade made four runs from
11 balls before he edged behind to substitute wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha off Saini, who is making his test debut. Saha had replaced Rishabh Pant, who has not taken the field after sustaining an elbow injury from a rising ball from paceman Pat Cummins while batting on day three.
Spinning all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is another injury concern after he was struck on the thumb by a Mitchell Starc delivery on Saturday.
While Jadeja managed to bat on and make 28 not out, after taking four wickets in the first innings, he did not return to the field on the fourth day.