India push for win as Aus crumble We spoke about Dubai, believe we can win this: Lyon
FIRST TEST Hosts set a stiff target of 323 and reduced to 104-4 with Ashwin, Shami taking two each ADELAIDE
: Australia were staring at defeat in the first Test on Sunday, losing four wickets in their record run chase at the Adelaide Oval after being set a target 323 to win by India.
At stumps they were 104 for 4, needing another 219 for an unlikely victory with their fate resting on the shoulders of Shaun Marsh, who was not out 31, and local boy Travis Head who remained unbeaten on 11.
India amassed 307 in their second innings with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane smashing 70 and first innings century-maker Cheteshwar Pujara a composed 71.
A late collapse got the crowd on their feet and gave Australia a flicker of hope, with India’s last four wickets falling for four runs.
Spinner Nathan Lyon was the pick of the bowlers, taking six for 122 off 42 overs. It was his 13th five-wicket haul in Tests. Mitchell Starc snared 3 for 40.
Australia need to make history to win. The only successful fourth innings Test run chase of more than 300 at Adelaide came in 1902, when the hosts made 315 to beat England, with the biggest in modern times the 239 West Indies managed in 1982.
The home side can take some comfort, though, by Western Australia in a domestic match last month scoring 313 to beat South Australia here when Marsh was 163 not out.
SETTING THE TONE
Australian opener Aaron Finch -who survived being given out lbw second ball when a review showed Ishant Sharma had overstepped the crease -- made just 11 in his second failure of the match.
He was caught behind off spinner R Ashwin when the ball whistled past his glove. He chose not to review the decision, which was a mistake. Replays showed the third umpire would have overturned it.
Debutant Marcus Harris matched his first innings score of 26, hitting three crunching boundaries before he was caught by Rishabh Pant off Mohammed Shami, getting an edge on an attempted cut shot.
Australia desperately needed the experienced Usman Khawaja to stick around but he decided to run down the pitch to an Ashwin delivery on eight and sliced it to Rohit Sharma, who took a difficult catch.
And when Handscomb miscued a pull shot off Shami on 14 to Pujara, they were in deep trouble.
Play had started 30 minutes early to make up for rain disruptions on Saturday, with Australia needing an early breakthrough to build on the momentum after Virat Kohli fell to Lyon near the close on day three.
But two fours from Pujara off Josh Hazlewood in the second over of the day set the tone.
The right-hander brought up 50 -- his 20th in Tests -- with a three off Lyon and hardly looked troubled until the off-spinner fooled him half an hour before lunch and Finch caught him off bat and pad. It was a crucial 87-run partnership with Rahane, who brought up his 16th half-century with a boundary.
He was eventually out going for a needless reverse sweep off Lyon, with Starc picking up the catch.
The aggressive Pant went in search of quick runs as India’s lead approached 300, whacking three fours and a six in succession off one Lyon over. 3 104
Australia have drawn inspiration from a miraculous draw against Pakistan two months ago and will be going for a win on day five of the first Test against India here on Monday.
Lyon has said that the Day Five wicket at the Adelaide Oval will still be good enough to bat on, and that the hosts can press on to chase the 323-run target set by India.
They finished day four at 104-4, with Shaun Marsh, Travis Head and Tim Paine the last three recognized batsmen remaining. Australia had pulled off a miraculous draw on the final day in Dubai and Lyon was confident that it could be repeated on Monday.
“I think the pitch has quickened up a little bit and is doing a lot less for the seamers. It’s definitely spinning and they’ve got a world-class spinner. So it’s going to be a great challenge for our batters out there with two left-handers, with R Ashwin spinning
away,” said Lyon, who took 6-122 in the second Indian innings.
Usman Khawaja had scored a match-saving 141 against Pakistan on day five of the Test played in October. Skipper Tim Paine too made a significant contribution, an unbeaten 61, to save the game for his team.
“We just spoke about Dubai. We still believe we can win this, and that’s the best thing. We still believe we’re in this game, it’s just about coming out tomorrow, winning the first ball, first over, first hour, just breaking it down, very simple.
“We need not complicate things, enjoy ourselves, compete hard and fight our backsides off. We’ve had that belief before when our backs have been against the wall, but we’ve got a massive sniff here, I believe anyway, in this Test match,” he added. Australia were a bit unlucky that Aaron Finch walked without using DRS, but Lyon said that there wasn’t enough to upturn that dismissal.
“I don’t think he was going to get away with it. I’ve spoken to the third umpire (Chris Gaffaney) who said it was out or there was inconclusive evidence to overturn the decision.
“Finchy’s fine and it’s been a great learning curve for Aaron. He’ll take a lot out of this first Test match at home and he’ll be better for the run,” he said.
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