OVER TO YOU, SHAUN
Chase looks a big ask, but Aussies must dig in ...
AUSTRALIAN cricket’s whipping boy Shaun Marsh shapes as his side’s best hope of winning the first Test against India which history — and conventional wisdom — suggests is near-impossible.
Australia was set an imposing target of 323 at Adelaide Oval and reached 4-104 at stumps on day four.
Marsh is unbeaten on 31 from 92 balls, having occupied the crease for more time than any other batsman in Australia’s second innings, while Travis Head is 11 not out.
Marsh has history when it comes to resisting India, having batted out 62 overs on day five to help secure a draw last year in Ranchi.
The 35-year-old is also likely to draw confidence from negotiating yesterday’s final session plus last month’s Sheffield Shield knock of 163 not out in Adel- aide, where he helped Western Australia to overhaul a target of 313. But the mountain confronting the muchmaligned veteran today is significantly more confronting for several reasons, with Australia still 219 runs away from a record-breaking victory after suffering a concerning collapse of 4-56.
The highest-successful run chase in an Adelaide Test is Australia’s 6-315, achieved in 1902 against England, while no side has hunted down more than 236 at the venue since West Indies in 1982.
India’s prospects of recording its first Test win in Australia since 2008, and their maiden Test series win in Australia, were already strong when resuming yesterday at 3-151.
They were enhanced by first-inning centurion Cheteshwar Pujara, who top- scored again with 71 to make it 11 hours at the crease in the low-scoring contest. Nathan Lyon grabbed 6-122 as India posted a second-innings total of 307. Loose strokes from Marcus Harris, Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb served as the latest reminder of Australia’s reliance on Steve Smith and David Warner in recent years.
The slump started when Aaron Finch ended the post-lunch session, caught at bat-pad for 11.
Replays suggested the ball didn’t flick the gloves, meaning Finch would have been reprieved if he had reviewed.
Finch had already referred a lbw verdict in the first over of the innings, only avoiding the ignominy of a pair because replays showed Ishant Sharma delivered a no-ball.
AUSTRALIAN success in Adelaide rests on the shoulders of Shaun Marsh. And whether you like him or not the whipping boy of Australian cricket has the chance to deliver his own knockout blow and play an innings to secure Test passage until he wants to stop.
With local lad Travis Head (11 not out) by his side, Marsh (31 not out) worked his way to stumps on day four against an electric Indian outfit, finally staring at a scoreboard that delivered the only message the batting pair needed to take to bed.
“Australia needs 219 runs to win” was writ large in bright lights, the difference between going to Perth for the second encounter tails up, or chasing them, hard.
It’s a win or lose situation. A draw should be 100-1.
India has never lost a match when talismanic captain Virat Kohli wins the toss and after calling correctly on day one his teammates guided the determined tourists into pole position.
A six-wicket second-innings haul from Australia’s best bowler Nathan Lyon, and some willing late order Indian batting, was all that stood between the home team and no chance to win at all.
The task was set at 323 with time not a problem, but history shouting “no way” to the Aussie batsmen who deserve patience, not pressure, according to the coaching staff.
The highest successful run chase in Adelaide is 315, achieved in 1902. Since World War II no one has scored more than 239 to win a Test in the city where India has only ever won once.
Before yesterday’s play, those in charge of the home team declared 250 would be a task too hard, so chasing a total that started with a three seemed well beyond their reach.
Opener Aaron Finch nearly contributed nothing to the fight, before a no-ball allowed him to notch up his first 11 Test runs in Australia.
He could have wiped more off the chase but for a “naive” decision not to review what looked another wrong call from quick-draw English umpire Nigel Llong.
Marcus Harris and then Usman Khawaja played shots not at all suited to the occasion as their rushing blood made everyone else’s boil.
Khawaja was a national hero in October when he batted for eight hours in the desert to draw a match for his rookie teammates.
But he couldn’t even stomach a 60-minute fight this time round, and “gave his wicket away” according to Allan Border, the man so many would have bat for their lives.
“A few short weeks ago he played one of the innings of his life. He was playing tough. Hanging tough. He’s one of the senior players too. You don’t want to give your wicket away,” Border said on the ABC.
So it falls to Marsh, the next most experienced but oldest player in Justin Langer’s line-up, to deliver on the message the coach sent by selecting him.
It was only three weeks ago, too, when Marsh was his own state’s super hero, making 163, not out, to chase down 313 and win a match. It was an innings that gave Langer every tick he needed to keep his man.
That was, however, in the Sheffield Shield, and Ravi Ashwin wasn’t playing for South Australia.
Australia is so many balls away from winning, but maybe only one or two from Ashwin away from losing.
Shaun Marsh, over to you.