Australia stumble in reply to India’s big total
sydney — Australia’s batting woes returned on the third day of the fourth Test on Saturday with the home side slumping to 236 for six when bad light and rain brought an early end to their response to India’s mammoth first-innings tally.
The tourists, who declared on 622-7 late on Friday, only need a draw to claim a first series win Down Under and Australia’s hopes of salvaging anything from the match faded with the loss of five wickets after lunch.
Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Shaun Marsh and Travis Head were all dismissed in the second session, before captain Tim Paine followed shortly after the tea break.
Peter Handscomb, unbeaten on 28, and fast bowler Pat Cummins, who had made 25, were at the crease when bad light stopped play at a Sydney Cricket Ground swathed in pink for the McGrath Foundation breast cancer support charity day. A storm lashed the venue for the final hour of scheduled play.
Most of the Australian batsmen made starts but only opener Harris was able to get past the half-century mark, his 79 the highest score by the home side in a four-match series in which India have pillaged five centuries.
The left-hander showed plenty of intent but just when it seemed he could be heading for a maiden test ton, he played the ball onto his own stumps off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja.
“I was disappointed not to get a hundred but it was good to spend some time in the middle,” Harris told reporters.
“I’d been playing positively against the spinners and got out with a half-arsed shot so probably a bit disappointed with myself more than anything.”
India’s pace attack played the leading role in victories in Adelaide and Melbourne that gave the tourists a 2-1 series lead but it was the spinners who did most of the damage on Saturday.
Jadeja (2-62) also accounted for the experienced Marsh (8), who must surely have exhausted his supply of test recalls after leaving his bat hanging to gift Ajinkya Rahane the simplest of catches at first slip.
Rahane had to work considerably harder for the catch that dismissed Labuschagne for 38 off the bowling of Mohammed Shami, diving low to his left to grab the ball with both hands. “I feel we are the best in the world when it comes to fielding,” left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav said.