Thanks for your company on a pulsating opening day. Geoff’s hastily rewritten feature will be here soon, and we’ll be back for the second – maybe even the final – day in the morning. Goodnight!
At the time, with Australia on top, Nathan Lyon’s spell of 5-1-23-0 seemed like a minor detail. Now it feels like a waste of 23 precious runs.
Australia aren’t out of this but they surely need Alex Carey to get them to at least 100. It’s hard to make sense of it all after such a dramatic day.
It’s worth stressing that the pitch wasn’t dangerous or uneven. The ball zinged through, as it always should in Perth. When you couple that with some extravagant sideways movement, particularly when India bowled, it’s no surprise that 17 wickets fell.
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Your task for today Go back and watch Jasprit Bumrah’s opening spell of 6-3-9-3 in its entirety; it was utterly brilliant and as exhilarating as sport gets.
That was a chastening final session for Australia. It felt like they were in complete control after dismissing India for 150, but you know what they say: you should never judge a pitch until Jasprit Bumrah has bowled on it. He ran riot with the new ball, taking three quick wickets including Steve Smith for a golden duck, and returned to take another just before the close. Mohammed Siraj and the debutant Harshit Rana bowled superbly. But Bumrah was off the charts. We talk all the time about a great captain’s innings; that was one of the great captain’s spells.
Stumps: Australia trail by 83
27th over: Australia 67-7 (Carey 19, Starc 6) Starc drives Bumrah handsomely over mid-off for four, then almost falls to the last ball of an amazing day. He was duped by a slower ball that hit high on the bat and looped short of Bumrah in his follow through.
26th over: Australia 62-7 (Carey 18, Starc 2) A quiet over from Rana, his last of an impressive first day in Test cricket. Figures of 8-1-33-1 are a bit unflattering.
Time for one more from Bumrah before the close.
“Just on Malcolm Marshall, I was a 12-year-old boy who was taken to the MCC Bicentenary Match in 1987 (all the way from Belfast) and saw the short second innings of the ROWXI,” writes Hugh Odling-Smee. “Sitting pitch side on, I saw Marshall clean bowl Gavaskar, who had hit 188 in the first innings. I have never seen anything more exciting in all my years of watching sport. Marshall’s speed, the stumps flying, Gavaskar’s reaction and the huge collective joy that erupted in the stands was overwhelming and I’ll never forget it.”
25th over: Australia 59-7 (Carey 17, Starc 0) Seventeen wickets have fallen today. I’d have to double check but I think that’s the most on the first day of a Test in Australia since 25 January 1952.
Bumrah’s figures update: 9-3-12-4.
“That 10 from McSweeney,” begins Eamonn Maloney, “is aging like a fine wine.”
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WICKET! Australia 59-7 (Cummins c Pant b Bumrah 3)
Bumrah wasn’t done after all; he just needed a change of ends. Cummins is drawn towards a length awayswinger and gets a little touch through to Rishabh Pant. The extraordinary Jasprit Bumrah has taken 4 for 12.
24th over: Australia 57-6 (Carey 17, Cummins 1) Harshit Rana replaces Bumrah, whose two-over spell lacked the rhythm and menace of his first. Carey, who has been looking to counter-attack from the start, hits consecutive boundaries with a flick to fine leg and a deft uppercut. If he’s style there in the morning this game could change quickly.
“I’m about to do battle with my new coffee machine (bear with me on this) so I’ll have to read the instructions yet again,” says Gary Naylor. “Unless I put my glasses on, not only can I not read the words, I’m not sure I could tell you their language. I’m a lot older than Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, but I’m not sure (looking at the dropped catch and the first ball miss) that their eyes aren’t on their way to wherever mine have gone.”
You realise they’ll both play five Tests against England in the next 14 months? If they go on to score 800 runs apiece I’m putting your home address and telephone number on every internet forum.
23rd over: Australia 48-6 (Carey 9, Cummins 0) New Zealand’s 3-0 win in India looks even better now. It also highlights the folly of preparing bunsens when you have a pace attack like this.
Carey is beaten three times during a superb over from Siraj, twice on the drive and once trying an uppercut. The daft thing is Australia are 48 for 6 yet the ball must have beaten the bat at least a dozen times, probably nearer two dozen.
22nd over: Australia 48-6 (Carey 9, Cummins 0) Carey has started confidently in the circumstances, although he has a bit of luck when he inside-edges a drive onto the pad off Bumrah.
“No Dennis Lillee in the best ever Test XI?” says Laurence Boyd. “Who’s your spinner? SK Warne?”
Warne, yeah. I’d have McGrath because nobody has ever been as good against the opposition’s best player. Before the World XI sets off for Mars he’d proudly announce which of their top order he was targeting.
21st over: Australia 47-6 (Carey 8, Cummins 0) We’ve focussed on Bumrah’s genius, understandably enough, but Siraj and Rana have also bowled marvellously.
“Regarding your choice of pace attack,” says Krishnamoorthy V, “I would replace Malcolm Marshall with Michael Holding – the other two are spot on.”
Macko was the greatest IMO. His Cricinfo profile, written by our old friend Mike Selvey, captures his greatness perfectly.
WICKET! Australia 47-6 (Labuschagne LBW b Sirah 2)
Mohammed Siraj puts Marnus Labuschagne out of his misery with a very full delivery that hits him below the knee roll in front of the stumps.
Labuschagne’s reviews, just in case, but deep down he knows. He’s gone for 2 from 52 balls and Australia are enduring the evening session from hell.
20th over: Australia 42-5 (Labuschagne 2, Carey 3) Bumrah’s back! There’s still around 35 minutes to play so this could be the game right here. Bumrah’s first over is a maiden to Labuschagne, who played it pretty well. It helped that there wasn’t as much sideways movement as in Bumrah’s electrifying first spell.
“As an Englishman living in New Zealand I followed the recent Black Caps tour of India closely,” says Jon Saunders. “Winning 3-0 in India has to be one of the most astonishing series results of all time and hasn’t get anywhere near as much credit as it should do. If England or Australia did that we wouldn’t hear the end of it. Nobody saw it coming at all, least of all the Kiwis!”
I can’t recall a more unlikely series win, certainly not a more unlikely whitewash.
19th over: Australia 42-5 (Labuschagne 2, Carey 3) “Wasim over Waqar???” queries David Brook.
Left-arm, better batter, was great for longer. At their absolute peak I might pick Waqar though.
18th over: Australia 42-5 (Labuschagne 2, Carey 3) Rana, who is an abundant unit, has words with Labuschagne after going past his edge once again. That was a serious delivery: just full of good, straightening off the seam. The precision of India’s bowling, at a time when it would have been natural to chase wickets, has been exemplary.
A single takes Labuschagne to 2 from 41 balls of the fiercest concentration (what’s the batting equivalent of hard yakka?); Carey mocks him by driving his third ball through extra cover for three.
17th over: Australia 38-5 (Labuschagne 1, Carey 0) The opening day of a marquee series rarely produces numbers like this: 66.5 overs, 188 runs, 15 wickets.
“Bumrah always makes me think of under-14 cricket, when one kid is so much better than the others that the coach actually has to stop him batting or bowling sometimes to give the other kids a go,” says Pete Salmon. “They always had figures of something like six for nine of eight overs, and then had to retire at 30 not out off about 11 balls. I assume all Test cricketers are that kid.”
If he does this for another 3-4 years and finishes with, say, 300 wickets at 20, I think he’ll be a contender for an all-time World XI. At the moment my pace attack would probably be Malcolm Marshall, Wasim Akram and Glenn McGrath, but his average is superior to all of them.
WICKET! Australia 38-5 (Marsh c Rahul b Siraj 6)
Australia are now officially in all sorts. Marsh fenced at a good delivery from Siraj that lifted and straightened to take the edge. Rahul swooped low to his left at third slip – it wouldn’t have carried to second – and took a superb catch.
There’s no soft signal and I wouldn’t want to be the third umpire right now. My instinct is that Rahul got his fingers under the ball at third slip, but I definitely wouldn’t put the farm on it.
Has Marsh been caught by KL Rahul? It looks good but they’re going upstairs.
16th over: Australia 38-4 (Labuschagne 1, Marsh 6) Marsh has started well and, as usual, looks comfortable against pace and bounce. It’s sideways movement that will trouble him, and he needs a thick inside-edge to keep out a good nipbacker from Rana. It might have been going over anyway.
Later in the over Rana collects the ball in his followthrough and flings it back towards Labuschagne. He blocks it with his bat, at which point the entire Indian team appeal for something or other. It wasn’t a big appeal and was almost certainly designed to affect Labuschagne’s concentration.
15th over: Australia 37-4 (Labuschagne 1, Marsh 5) Australia know from the Indian innings that batting will get easier as the ball gets older. The tough part is managing to hang around until that happens. Labuschagne has been dragged into a desperate fight for survival, which almost ends when he leaves a ball that whooshes just past off stump. I think it was ultimately a good leave, though I wouldn’t put the farm on it.
Another maiden from Siraj. Labuschagne has 1 from 36 balls, Marsh 5 from 10.
14th over: Australia 37-4 (Labuschagne 1, Marsh 5) Rana overpitches to Marsh, who pumps him through mid-off for four. That’s a lovely shot, full of authority. Marsh averages around 160 in Tests on this ground, though batting will never have been more challenging than it is right now.
Rana, who hits the pitch really hard, beats Marsh twice with excellent lifting deliveries. India keep finding players. Rana is 22 and making his Test debut after only 10 first-class games; he looks totally at home.
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13th over: Australia 33-4 (Labuschagne 1, Marsh 1) Bumrah gives way to Siraj after a spectacular spell 0f 6-3-9-3. There are still 75 minutes remaining so Bumrah should be back before the close. Siraj has words with Labuschagne over something and nothing, then finds the inside-edge with a sharpl delivery. It flies past off stump and through to the keeper. Labuschagne is living exceedingly dangerously.
“People want this series to replicate the 2005 Ashes,” wr ites Digvijay Yadav. “Well, the visiting team has been rolled over. And the best fast bowler in the world has snapped back. (Probably no bigger compliment for both Bumrah and McGrath to be compared to the other.) I hope this lives up. Could make this the greatest rivalry in the world.”
It already is, surely.
12th over: Australia 33-4 (Labuschagne 1, Marsh 1) Mitch Marsh, who loves batting in Perth and is a very good player of pace, takes a single off Rana to get off the mark from his first ball. Labuschagne does likewise to get off the mark from his 24th ball, prompting banterous cheers from the crowd.
Mark Waugh points out that, while that was a jaffa from Rana, Head was stuck on the crease when he needed to get forward. Had he done so he’d probably have survived via a thick edge.
“A warming good morning to you (I’ve got the heater full on),” says John Starbuck. “The problems with playing every Test in Perth are (a) Australia would be the permanent hosts (b) no chance of anything like a sticky dog so almost no spin and (c) we here in the UK would have to be out of bed too early.”
All very good points. BUT LOOK AT THIS CRICKET.
WICKET! Australia 31-4 (Head b Rana 11)
Harshit Rana first Test wicket is the big one! Travis Head has been cleaned up by a devastating delivery from around the wicket: fullish and straightening off the seam to beat Head’s crabby defensive push. This is utterly exhilarating.
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11th over: Australia 31-3 (Labuschagne 0, Head 11) Head has a fast-handed flash at Bumrah and connects only with fresh air. That aside he plays the over pretty well and steals a quick single off the fifth ball. Head is such a big wicket because he can change both the state and the mood of the game in half an hour, as India know from bitter experience.
“Oh, the joys of test cricket,” says Phil Withall. “Time at hand, 450 overs to slowly absorb the intricacies of bat and ball, savouring the growing tension as pressure mounts and time recedes. Time for the mind to drift, for conversation and banalities. It also has a perverse way of mutating into absolute chaos, either way I am, and always will be in love with it.”
10th over: Australia 30-3 (Labuschagne 0, Head 10) Travis Head starts the counter-attack with two superb boundaries off Rana, a slashing back cut and a deliberate uppercut that bounces this far short of the boundary sponge. How long this lasts, who knows, but his fearlessness is so impressive. He’s like the Tyler Durden of batting; everyone wants to bat the way he does but only he has the courage to consistently counter-attack when the heat is on.
“Labuschagne is receiving the sort of searching examination that would normally require an MRI scanner and X-ray machine followed by the dread sound of a rubber glove being donned,” says Brian Withington. “Just saying.”
And nobody can have you banged up for that. Actually they can, but let’s not worry about that for now.
9th over: Australia 20-3 (Labuschagne 0, Head 1) Head takes a single off Bumrah’s first ball, the old Geoffrey Boycott tactic.
Labuschagne, who has already been hit on the body multiple times, is smacked in the ribs by a malevolent nipbacker. But he survives another over, 0 from 20 balls now; he knows Bumrah can’t bowl forever.
8th over: Australia 19-3 (Labuschagne 0, Head 0) The hulking debutant Harshit Rana replaces Siraj, who bowled a pretty good spell of 3-1-12-0 that was totally overshadowed by the genius at the other end.
He gets some extravagant swing from the first ball and twice hits Labuschagne in or around the box. A brilliant first over ends with a lifter past the edge. Labuschagne has faced 15 balls without getting off the mark; survival is enough of a challenge right now.
7th over: Australia 19-3 (Labuschagne 0, Head 0) The hat-trick ball is full, straight and would have trapped Head LBW but for a vital inside-edge.
A double-wicket maiden from Bumrah, who has stunning figures of 4-2-7-3. They flatter him not one jot.
Smith skipped towards the off side and was pinned plumb in front by another huge nipbacker. It was so plumb that Smith barely discussed a review; replays show it would have hit the middle of middle.
The astonishing Jasprit Bumrah is on a hat-trick.
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WICKET! Australia 19-3 (Smith LBW b Bumrah 0)
Steve Smith has gone first ball!
WICKET! Australia 19-2 (Khawaja c Kohli b Bumrah 8)
Turns out Khawaja wasn’t relatively comfortable; he just hadn’t faced Jasprit Bumrah as much as the right-handers. When he does get stuck at Bumrah’s end it’s a quick kill: a beauty past the edge and then a defensive poke that flies off the edge to second slip.
Glorious bowling from arguably the greatest cricketer India have ever produced. I know he doesn’t have the longevity of Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Kumble etc but I’m not sure they were as superior to their peers as Bumrah. He’s astonishing.
6th over: Australia 19-1 (Khawaja 8, Labuschagne 0) A short ball from Khawaja is pulled smoothly for four by Khawaja, who has looked relatively – relatively – comfortable during a ferocious new-ball spell. I think that’s the first over without at least one false stroke.
5th over: Australia 14-1 (Khawaja 3, Labuschagne 0) Labuschagne is squared up by Bumrah and edges on the bounce to third slip. A nipbacker hits him on the pad to elicit another huge LBW appeal that is turned down. Too high.
Another immense over ends with a length delivery that fizzes past the edge. This is about as good as fast bowling gets.
“Regarding the considerable challenge of facing Bumrah that you vividly described earlier, perhaps one key step would be to turn up at the right ground!” says Brian Withington. “Or maybe batting at the Optus whilst he bowls at the Waca is, in fact, the smart move?”
Look, I’ve been guilty of far worse Freudian slips.
4th over: Australia 14-1 (Khawaja 3, Labuschagne 0) Oof this is sizzling cricket. Khawaja is beaten by successive deliveries from Siraj, the first a Bumrahian jaffa. Can we just play every Test match at Perth for the rest of time?
That Kohli drop was quite unusual. He took the catch cleanly but then tried to turn his right arm to ensure the ball was facing upwards, so that it wouldn’t touch the grass when he landed. In doing so it slipped out and plopped miserably to the turf.
3rd over: Australia 14-1 (Khawaja 3, Labuschagne 0) Bumrah is bowling majestically. He’d been swinging the ball away from a good length; then he pitched one up that snapped back off the seam to trap McSweeney LBW.
Now Labuschagne ahs been dropped second ball! He edged low to second slip, where Kohli seemed to take a lovely low catch but then lost his balance and kind of placed the ball on the ground.
A stunning over ends with a violent seaming legcutter that beats Labuschagne. This man is an utter genius.
WICKET! Australia 14-1 (McSweeney LBW b Bumrah 10)
He’s gone! It would have hit middle just below the bails and McSweeney in on his way. That was a torrid introduction to Test cricket.
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It was a beauty from Bumrah, which jagged back from a fullish length to thump the kneeroll of the front pad. Actually this looks really close.
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India review for LBW against McSweeney I think he’s outside the line. Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t totally sure and reviewed with about a second remaining.
2nd over: Australia 13-0 (Khawaja 2, McSweeney 10) David Warner, a really excellent addition to the commentary team from what I’ve heard so far, is discussing the unique challenge of facing Bumrah; the confusing cues and so on.
A hostile first over from Siraj includes an edge for four from McSweeney, the ball bouncing just short of slip, and a big LBW appeal that is turned down by Chris Gaffaney. McSweeney offered no stroke and, though it was tighter than the one off Bumrah, it would still have gone over the top.
“As an England fan, waking up to see Australia bowling the touring side out for 150 feels awfully familiar, Rob,” writes Guy Hornsby. “India have looked shaky but isn’t that the way at the moment? I’ll be fascinating to see how they navigate a series in such different form than their last visit. Pant is such box office, but he can’t do it on his own. It feels a pretty uncharacteristically callow line up.”
It does, although they had untold joy in Australia with an under-strength side in 2020-21. Whatever happens here, and right now an Australian win looks likely, I can’t see India going quietly in this series.
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1st over: Australia 6-0 (Khawaja 1, McSweeney 4) Bumrah starts with a no-ball to Khawaja, who works it for a single. Nathan McSweeney’s first ball roars back to hit him high on the thigh. There were a few oohs and aahs, and for a horrible split-second I thought he’d been cleaned up, but it was a perfectly safe leave on length.
There’s no amount of visualisation, video analysis, data analysis and ideal 4am prayers can prepare you for the challenge of facing Jasprit Bumrah, on your debut, at the Waca, in an unfamiliar position. The third ball swerves away beautifully to beat the edge; then, when Bumrah gets greedy and goes for the magic inswinger McSweeney tickles him fine for four. He’s on the board.
Now then. Jasprit Bumrah has the ball in hand, and a crucial 140-minute session is about to begin.`
Teatime reading
Tea
It’s been a near perfect start for Australia, who lost a good toss and then got to work on an old-fashioned Perth trampoline. The seamers shared all 10 wickets: four for Josh Hazlewood, who was at his interrogative best, and two apiece for Mitchell Starc, Mitch Marsh and Pat Cummins. It’s no coincidence that nine of the ten wickets were caught in the cordon.
Jasprit Bumrah already had plenty on his plate as strike bowler and captain. Now, with such a small total to defend and a very inexperienced pace attack, he has even more.
WICKET! India 150 all out (Reddy c Khawaja b Cummins 41)
Usman Khawaja has dropped a dolly. Reddy tried to pull Cummins and spliced the ball high towards midwicket. Khawaja strolled in, assumed the reverse-cup position… and dropped it. His reaction suggests he lost it in the sun.
Reddy backs away to smear the next ball for four, which makes him the top scorer in the innings. Not bad for a debutant batting at No8. But then he top-edges another pull stroke and Khawaja scurries back from midwicket to take a much tougher catch. Cricket is a perverse old game.
49th over: India 144-9 (Reddy 35, Sirah 0) “That Rana dismissal was well worth the price of admission,” says Brian Withington. “I think I’ve previously written to you about my admiration for the juggling relay slip catch, and recalling reading a Richie Benaud reference to a late 50s or early 60s Australian tour of England where a particularly spectacular three person effort ‘deserved to be booked immediately as a variety act for the London Palladium’.”
You did indeed. I spent half an hour trying to find it without success. Anyone recall which catch it was?
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Incidentally, Reddy and Rana are the sixth and seventh Indian players to make their Test debut in Australia in the last four years; before that there were only eight in 53 years. Theer’s a moral in that story and I haven’t a clue what it is.
WICKET! India 144-9 (Bumrah c Carey b Hazlewood 8)
Four wickets for the outstanding Josh Hazlewood. Bumrah top-edges a pull over the slips for six before thin-edging an immaculate delivery through to Carey.
48th over: India 136-8 (Reddy 34, Bumrah 1) Reddy turns down a single from Cummins’ second ball, then takes one off the fourth. Bumrah gives him the strike back straight away, so Reddy uppercut the last ball for six! Labuschagne was on the boundary, almost as a long stop, but it had just enough to clear him.
47th over: India 128-8 (Reddy 27, Bumrah 0) Hazlewood’s figures get better and better: 12-5-21-3. That was such a good catch from Labuschagne – not just the take but the fact he didn’t snatch at it.
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WICKET! India 128-8 (Rana c Labuschagne b Hazlewood 7)
A superb relay catch from Australia – in the slip cordon. Rana edged Hazlewood low to the left of third slip, where McSweeney did pretty well just to get to the ball. He couldn’t take a very difficult chance but Labuschagne reacted beautifully to stoop to his right and grab the loose ball just above the turf.
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46th over: India 124-7 (Reddy 27, Rana 3) Rana back cuts his first ball in Test cricket for three. He didn’t exactly get in line but it was still well played.
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WICKET! India 121-7 (Pant c Smith b Cummins 37)
It looks like Pant wants to play the long game: bat time, with the occasonal maverick stroke, and then make hay in the evening session.
Cummins decides to test his patience with a series of channel deliveries from over the wicket. Pant ignores the first four but then tries to flick the fifth, a slightly fuller delivery, through midwicket. It flies off a leading edge and is very smartly caught by Smith at second slip.
That’s terrific work from Pat Cummins, both as bowler and captain.
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45th over: India 121-6 (Pant 37, Reddy 27) Carey enquires for caught behind when Reddy sways away from a beautiful lifter by Hazlewood. In fact he played that superbly, almost limbo dancing away from the ball as it followed him off the seam. He’s almost suckered later in the over when a fuller, wider delivery snakes past his instinctive defensive prod. Excellent stuff from Hazlewood, who has borrowed his bowling figures from Sir Curtly Ambrose: 11-5-17-2.
44th over: India 121-6 (Pant 37, Reddy 27) The No9 Harshit Rana can bat – he has a burgeoning first-class average of 43 – so India will still have hopes of reaching 200. Batting looks as comfortable now as it has all day, probably for a few reasons: oldish ball, tiring bowlers and, crucially, two batters who have got their eye in.
Watch: Pant hits Cummins for six
That's an unbelievable shot from Rishabh Pant 😅#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QneMmuqZ4g
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) November 22, 2024
43rd over: India 118-6 (Pant 36, Reddy 26) Hazlewood misses his length – remember the date – and Reddy drives beautifully through mid-off for four. India were 59 for 5; they’ve doubled that score for the loss of Washington Sundar.
42nd over: India 114-6 (Pant 36, Reddy 22) Cummins calls time on the Pant v Lyon contest, at least for now, bringing himself back into the attack. Actually he might be calling time on Reddy v Lyon because that was costing Australia a few runs.
Hahahahaha. After five dot balls, Pant plays his no-look lap-sweep for six! We’ve seen that shot dozens of times but it never fails to raise a smile. There was man on the fence as well. Pant fell over towards the off side and cartwheeled comically; he didn’t see it go for six but the noise of the crowd would have told him.
“Critical session here,” writes Chris Parasakevas. “Way back when this is the time when the Fremantle Doctor would start wreaking havoc with the best laid plans, swiftly followed by the underrated West Australian sunset. Was always fascinating to see which team could literally ride it - careers were probably made and destroyed off the direction of the breeze/failing sunlight.
“Without the openness of the Waca, I suppose we’re a little more reliant on how the pitch breaks down. Looks a half-decent compared to some of the cement roads of recent years - enough for the bowlers and batters. Miss the halycon days of breaking the 160 km/h barrier, though...”
As an England fan I have an odd relationship with Perth. I love the place, the Waca was my favourite Test wicket in the world… and England are always stuffed out of sight when they set foot in WA. But look at this pitch; it makes dull cricket nigh-on impossible.
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41st over: India 108-6 (Pant 30, Reddy 22) Josh Hazlewood, who bowled a majestic second spell of 5-3-5-2 this morning, replaces Starc. Kumar almost becomes the seventh player to be caught in the cordon, edging the second ball just short of gully. Bounce has been Australia’s biggest weapon on what looks a classic Perth pitch.
40th over: India 105-6 (Pant 28, Reddy 21) Pant charges Lyon’s first ball and smashes it flat whence it came. The long-off is straight so he conly gets a single.
Reddy continues to reverse sweep merrily, first for two and then for another boundary. He’s quietly dominating this partnership, having scored 21 out of 32.
39th over: India 98-6 (Pant 27, Reddy 15) Pant slogs Starc into a galaxy far, far away. When the ball eventually descends to earth it goes over the shoulder of Cummins, who drops a tough diving chance. He was never really set. It’s tempting to think he dropped it because it was Pant – a bit like Steve Smith with Ben Stokes at Lord’s last year – but I’m not sure it was that. The way Cummins was moving and searching for the ball suggests it swirled a fair bit.
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38th over: India 97-6 (Pant 26, Reddy 15) Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. As I settle into the liveblog bunker, Reddy reverse sweeps Lyon confidently for four. That missed review notwithstanding, he has started pretty well.
Anyway. That’s it for me. I’m handing over to Rob Smyth for the next Rishabh Miracle. See you tomorrow.
Drinks. David Sseppuuya has a question from Kampala, Uganda. “Having seen Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah out in the middle for the toss, how many times have pacemen captained both teams in a Test match?”
I might not be able to tell you all of them, but the most recent was just this year, Cummins and Tim Southee in New Zealand. Jason Holder and Suranga Lakmal did it in 2018. Shaun Pollock against Heath Streak and Waqar Younis. Courtney Walsh against Wasim Akram. People mention Kapil Dev and Imran Khan… oh yes, I’ve just found that one. Pakistan in India, 1987.
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37th over: India 93-6 (Pant 26, Reddy 11) Starc bowling quickly, and Australia have missed a review. Burned a couple of wrong ones, and didn’t have the confidence to use this one. But Reddy did glove that ball down the leg side.
To answer Alex Kutt’s question on email, doesn’t seem to be any Hot Spot in this match. Don’t know why.
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36th over: India 91-6 (Pant 25, Reddy 10) Nathan Lyon is where India gets a breath! Reddy has the confidence to take him on, not once but twice, and slam boundaries down the ground. That’s a tonic for the tourists.
35th over: India 83-6 (Pant 25, Reddy 1) Trending into a quiet period, just the one run from Starc’s over.
34th over: India 82-6 (Pant 25, Reddy 1) There’s the cross-bat slap again! Pant down the pitch to Marsh now and battering four, and this one does go over mid off. Another shot along the ground slows up inside the rope. Barely a stroke on the grass has gone the distance today, I wonder why the outfield is so slow. Recent rain here but it’s a sunny day today. Reddy gets his first Test run, a glance to fine leg.
33rd over: India 73-6 (Pant 18, Reddy 0) Australia down another review for a caught behind appeal by Cummins, this one more understandable as it flicked Pant’s pocket on the way to the keeper. Very vocal from the Australians now, as Pant works a single. He’s not sure how to approach this innings now, knows that it’s all on him to make a big score, so for once he’s reticent to play many shots. Reddy gets back on strike, three lips and a gully, same field as everyone else, and he rides the bounce of a ball just square of short leg.
32nd over: India 73-6 (Pant 17, Reddy 0) Nitish Kumar Reddy… well, I hope he’s ready. On debut. Decent record as a bit of both with batting and bowling, has a first-class ton in his 23 matches to date.
WICKET! Sundar c Carey b Marsh 4, India 73-6
Ok, now they’re in trouble. Marsh again! The Australians mob him, their fave. Great bounce from a length, it jumps at Washington Sundar, who’s trying to play carefully with the bat close to body, trying to keep the ball down, but it takes a touch on its way through to Carey. A very understated finger-raise fromt he umpire isn’t seen by Sundar, who hangs around for a bit and gets given out again. His head snapped around like the Exorcist girl after he nicked that ball, so it was pretty obvious.
31st over: India 71-5 (Pant 17, Sundar 4) Cummins to Pant… shaping to dink the ball behind him? In the end knocks it away to fine leg for a single. Washington Sundar drives three, the ball slowing up towards the rope.
30th over: India 67-5 (Pant 16, Sundar 1) The Marsh spell is now three overs for two runs, with a Pant single. Plus the wicket. He never looks comfortable bowling, a bit ginger in the follow-through, and so heavy-footed when running in, but he’s landing the ball well.
Here’s Brian Withington. “Greetings from a near freezing Dorridge in England where I’m guessing the temperature is about 30c shy of Perth. Shabbily I missed the morning session where it appears Australia’s bowlers have enjoyed a fine start to the series on a proper Test wicket. Looking forward to a great series, and perhaps seeing Nathan McSweeney bat at some point later on today?”
Safe to say that India have some work to do, for this to be a great series. Although first-Test pastings don’t rule that out. Viz: 2020-21, 2005 etc.
29th over: India 66-5 (Pant 15, Sundar 1) Sundar off the mark with a nudge. Enough of being on 10, says Pant, who hasn’t scored in a long while. So he charges Cummins and tries to slot him down the ground cross-batted while on one foot. Degree of difficulty: Simone Biles. The ball does end up going for 4, but over the top of the slips rather than over mid off where it was aimed.
He defends the next ball conventionally, then takes a single. “India flying by the seat of their Pants?” asks Rowan.
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28th over: India 60-5 (Pant 10, Sundar 0) Washington Sundar and Rishabh Pant saved the day in Brisbane 2021. How about Perth 2024? A leg bye to start Sundar’s day.
WICKET! Jurel c Labuschagne b Marsh 11, India 60-5
The bowling change proves a Marshterstroke. Width to Jurel to start the over, who cuts Marsh, and dropped at point by Lyon. Oh, but it’s a no ball. Lyon has put it down and hurt his finger in the process. He’s staying on the field though. And the drop is redeemed in no time, as Marsh bowls a fine length and it draws the hard-handed defensive push, nicked to slip. He did something similar against Babar Azam here last year.
27th over: India 58-4 (Pant 10, Jurel 11) This is good from Jurel. Plays a little late dab at Cummins for four, finding the gap, then gets forward and drives for three, also quite square.
Stephen Lewis writes in to say that the Rahul wicket “is not at all contentious. Bat hitting the pad does not make a spike like that and the bat clearly hits the pads after the spike.”
What isn’t clearly shown, though, is ball hitting bat. There’s no frame of that. That’s like an umpire being unsighted. Not sure you can credibly give dismissals on sound graphs alone. And bat spikes are usually sharper. That was a flatter bump of sound. Enough doubt for me, Your Honour.
26th over: India 51-4 (Pant 10, Jurel 4) To take the ball after lunch is… Mitch Marsh? That’s an unexpected one. It surprises Pant enough that he plays out a maiden against medium pace.
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Hello, hello. We’re back after the refreshments.
Lunch, Day 1 - India 51 for 4 after choosing to bat
Good bowling morning. Pace, bounce, carry, movement, swing. India raise their 50 in that final over, but at heavy cost. Four wickets down, their keeper and their six batting, with a few all-rounders to come. Jasprit Bumrah should maybe have taken the ball himself and put Australia’s new opener under pressure.
Either way, that’s the break. We’ll be back after a sandwich.
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25th over: India 51-4 (Pant 10, Jurel 4) Almost holds on to a screamer! Nathan McSweeney in the gully flies to his left but can’t quite mitt it, as Jurel squeezes out a full Starc ball off an open face. It reaches the boundary. Cameron Green would have caught that with both feet planted, but it was out of the smaller guy’s reach.
24th over: India 47-4 (Pant 10, Jurel 0) Press box chat reckons that KL clipped his pad, and that was the movement on the sound graph. Lyon bowls a maiden to Pant.
“Fully agree that we can’t write off India here. They’ve had one young guy (Jaiswal), one debutant (Paddikal) and an-out-of-form Virat, who unsurprising failed to rediscover his form on a difficult wicket. Plenty of time and enough batting for visitors to consolidate and start putting on runs,” wrote Boris Feigin before the fourth wicket. Throw in some bad luck there.
That is the thing with this Indian side, though: experience. Padikkal did play one Test before this one, but that’s it. To come they’ve got Jurel and Sundar, who’ve played a couple of Tests, and Rana and Reddy on debut. It’s a big ask to expect so many new players to take down Australia in Perth. A lot riding on Pant here.
23rd over: India 47-4 (Pant 10, Jurel 0) Dhruv Jurel faces his first four balls in Test cricket. Keeps Starc out.
WICKET! KL Rahul c Carey b Starc 26, India 47-4
This one will be contentious. Another review for Starc, though this time it’s not at the bowler’s urging, the whole slip cordon thinks that KL Rahul has edged this ball. Slight angle across the right-hander, kicking off a length, and there’s a nick on the sound graph as the ball passes close to the shoulder of the bat.
Now, I don’t know if this was a mistake from the camera operators, but there is no clear from of the ball making contact. The point of contact is slightly out of frame on the usual close-up, the one that marries with the sound graph. So you can see the spike, but not what made the spike.
Then they have to switch to other angles to show the ball passing close to the bat, but honestly on the main close-up it looks like it might be missing the bat.
KL certainly thinks so, he is furious as the decision is reversed and he’s given out. He speaks with both umpires as he walks by them. He may have a case. The spike could have come from another source, coinciding.
22nd over: India 47-3 (Rahul 26, Pant 10) Here is Lyon, on cue. Pant wants a piece first ball, driving hard but stopped by the bowler. No rush problem third ball, swept very fine for four! Cheeky shot, very Rishabh. Who then shows his range with some sensible defending.
“This Test could all be over in one day, do you think? Amazing bowling. And India caught in the headlights, shocked and powerless to react.” Three down is a long way from all out, Andrew Benton.
21st over: India 43-3 (Rahul 26, Pant 6) No Lyon to the left-hander yet. Starc comes back. I know nobody is great at reviews, but he’s particularly not great. Clearly going down the leg side, the left-handed Pant falling across his crease, but Starc wants the referral and burns it. Pant follows up with a half-timed drive, forcing through cover for three runs toward the long square boundary where the goalposts are set up in footy season.
20th over: India 40-3 (Rahul 26, Pant 3) Back to leaving, as KL sees off a maiden from Cummins.
“I know you shouldn’t judge a wicket till both sides have collapsed on it, but this is shaping like a decent toss to have lost.” A fine start from Australia, Rowan Sweeney, but a lot of teams recover well from three or four down.
19th over: India 40-3 (Rahul 26, Pant 3) Time for some Rishabh Pant magic? Off the mark by taking one hand off the bat as he drives square for three. Why not. Cummins then gets an edge from Rahul, near the shoulder of the bat, but played so softly that it loops down in front of Smith at second slip. Phew. Glances a run to fine leg.
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18th over: India 36-3 (Rahul 25, Pant 0) KL Rahul has had enough of all the traffic going one way, and throws hands at a Cummins delivery. Streaky four in the air that eludes gully. Takes India to their 2020 Adelaide score of 36.
17th over: India 32-3 (Rahul 21, Pant 0) Josh Hazlewood 2 for 6 from 7 overs. That is all.
WICKET! Kohli c Khawaja b Hazlewood 5, India 32-3
And just like that, a momentary good time for India becomes bad again, as the big fish is hauled into the dinghy. Hazlewood vicious this time. Horrible bounce, only up around armpit height but from a difficult length. Kohli flails at it, just trying to play the ball down I think, but there didn’t look to be any clarity in the shot. More flinch than shot, and the angled bat lifts an edge through to first slip.
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16th over: India 32-2 (Rahul 21, Kohli 5) India still don’t have a deliberate boundary in this Test match. KL Rahul tries to find it, and Cummins gives him the chance with some full balls. The first, through cover, is reeled back in. Kohli tries one down the ground, but it stops short of the rope. Three runs from each. Then finally, last ball of the over, KL gets it! Really laying into a cover drive with an angled bat, and gets enough juice in the shot to hit four.
15th over: India 21-2 (Rahul 14, Kohli 1) Happy Somebody Other Than KL Rahul Has Scored a Run Day! Kohli has been moving around a lot at the crease, and here he’s able to get across in order to glance a Hazlewood ball for a single. KL sees out the rest of the over.
14th over: India 20-2 (Rahul 14, Kohli 0) Another horrible ball to face from Cummins, as it leaps from a length past Rahul’s bat. The next ball is straighter and he’s able to tuck it away for two, before Cummins appeals for a pad-first v bat-first call, but it’s bat first, just.
13th over: India 18-2 (Rahul 12, Kohli 0) First over for Kohli, and he gets through Hazlewood. Nice wrists on one flick to midwicket, though it doesn’t beat the field. Almost coughs up a leading edge from another such shot. And Hazlewood beats him to end the over, moving away from the bat.
13 overs in the first hour, which would equate to 78 of 90 in the allotted time. No reviews, no delays.
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12th over: India 18-2 (Rahul 12, Kohli 0) This Australian bowling attack… Starc starts brilliantly, Hazlewood returns to make an impact, now Cummins is all over KL Rahul. Another peach from that close line that decks away and nearly gets the edge, then a short ball that has KL trying to sway away but it follows him and only bounces around ribcage height. In the end it glances off the edge of his bat while held in the backlift, so more of a top edge than an outside one, and ramps over the cordon for an accidental four runs. First boundary of the day for India, by mistake, after nearly an hour of play.
11th over: India 14-2 (Rahul 8) The wicket falls from the last ball of the over, so there’s plenty of time for India’s supporters to cheer Virat Kohli to the middle.
WICKET! Padikkal c Carey b Hazlewood 0, India 14-2
Oh, works him over. Hazlewood returns for Starc, change of ends, and Padikkal hasn’t faced him yet. Hazlewood is so close to that off stump line to start, then bowls a couple quite full at the stumps. The wicket ball is also full but angled across, and a minor wobble of the seam decks it away from the drive. It looks full enough for that shot but the movement is enough to bring about the nick. Brilliant bowling. Padikkal faced 23 balls and batted a good while but didn’t score.
10th over: India 14-1 (Rahul 8, Padikkal 0) Cummins just keeps on working at KL Rahul outside the off stump. Some a little wider, some moving closer. KL is picking the lines well, leaving where he can, withdrawing the bat at times, playing when he must. No run.
9th over: India 14-1 (Rahul 8, Padikkal 0) Starc still rolling, beats the edge once more as the cordon hop and hover. Padikkal tries an IPL shot when he sees the line stray down leg, looking to pick it up over deep square for six. Instead he misses. Then Starc misses, wide outside the off stump, almost off the pitch as it passes the batter. Three slips still: Khawaja, Smith, Labuschagne, with the new guy in the gully, Lyon at point, Head at short leg, Cummins mid off, Mitchell Marsh at mid on, Hazlewood grazing.
8th over: India 13-1 (Rahul 8, Padikkal 0) Bowling change, just the three overs for Hazlewood as Cummins comes on, and nearly snares KL immediately! Close to the stumps, that Cummins line that just moves away enough. So close to the edge. Rahul follows up with soft hands past gully for a couple of runs.
7th over: India 11-1 (Rahul 6, Padikkal 0) Survival and not much else for the left-handed Padikkal, who is twice beaten by outswing in this over. Serious spell from Mitchell Starc.
Arun writes in. “Just checked the Guardian OBO scorecard and had a mini-scare when I saw the score as 0-5 before realizing it was Australian style scoring (runs before wickets). Panic replaced calm again as Rahul’s just got out.”
You’re right, we may have to reverse that given we’re a global publication.
“Any reason offered by the Indian camp why Akash Deep isn’t playing?”
Ha! Is there ever an explanation offered by India’s camp for anything? Pretty sure they only confirmed why Rohit wasn’t here a couple of days ago. I had a feeling Harshit Rana would play, because picking a 22-year-old quick is very much the energy of a touring Indian side. Try the untried. It could be fun. Absolutely baffled by Washington Sundar over Ashwin and Jadeja though.
6th over: India 11-1 (Rahul 6, Padikkal 0) This is good from KL Rahul. Two runs off the inside half. Leaves the wider stuff, defends the tighter line, ducks the bouncer. Not giving Hazlewood a way in.
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5th over: India 9-1 (Rahul 4, Padikkal 0) KL Rahul handles Starc more comfortably than his two partners have so far, though the ball is still swinging for the left-arm quick. One run from the final ball, another cover push.
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4th over: India 8-1 (Rahul 3, Padikkal 0) Runs off the bat! Huge cheers, last ball of Hazlewood’s second over, as KL props forward and plays a controlled check drive through the covers for three.
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3rd over: India 5-1 (Rahul 0, Padikkal 0) Facing the fire early is Devdutt Padikkal at No3, and he gets an absolute unplayable first up. Swinging in, seaming away, narrowly missing stump and edge. Starc is on one. Adds in a huge lbw appeal for a ball angling down leg, then a full swinging yorker that nearly lands on the batter’s toes except Padikkal gets the toe of the bat in the way instead. Whoosh. What an over.
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WICKET! Jaiswal c McSweeney b Starc 0, India 5-1
Early wicket! Starc pitched it up, gets his line right, and the scrambled seam maybe shifts the ball away slightly. Jaiswal aims a big drive at the wrong length to play that shot, and edges low into the gully. McSweeney into the game right away, great signs for him.
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2nd over: India 5-0 (Jaiswal 0, Rahul 0) A maiden for Hazlewood first up, of course, Rahul playing and missing at one ball outside off.
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1st over: India 5-0 (Jaiswal 0, Rahul 0) We’re away in true Mitchell Starc fashion! Tries to produce the Rory Burns ball to the left-handed Jaiswal, but it doesn’t swing back in, instead seaming away on the angle to beat Carey behind the stumps for four byes. Next ball, across the lefty, nick into the cordon on the bounce. There must have been a chorus of “They usually carry at Perth!” from every comm box in the stadium. Throw an overstep in there, and it’s five extras from the over.
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And we’re about to get underway! Here come Jaiswal and KL for India, with the running stripes down the legs of their trousers in true Adidas style. Let’s go.
The national anthems are run and won. Big cheers all around. Lots of people out on the ground standing in some kind of dot pattern formation. Do they spell something? Do they join up with red strings to paint a picture? Get a drone onto it.
Thanks Marty, and good morning from Perth, as it is here. Lovely day, stripes of high white cloud, no precipitation in them, and strands of blue in between that mean we’re getting periods of sunshine. And it’s mild! Temperate! Not the anvil-busting Perth temperatures of legend. At least not until later in the week. Australia won’t mind bowling in the cool conditions.
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The countdown is well and truly on to the first ball in this blockbuster five-Test series. Thanks for following along to this point – Geoff Lemon will now steer you through the rest of the build up and across the first half of the day’s play.
India XI
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah (capt), Mohammed Siraj.
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana make their Test debuts but off-spinner Sundar is very much the surprise selection in place of Australia’s old nemeses Ashwin and Jadeja.
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Australia XI
Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
No surprises for Australia as Nathan McSweeney makes his debut among what Pat Cummins casually calls “all the regulars”.
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India win the toss
Jasprit Bumrah calls correctly and India will bat first at Optus Stadium.
“Looks like a good wicket,” the India skipper says. “We played a Test here [in Perth] in 2018 so we know what to expect. The wicket gets quicker after the first session.”
Pat Cummins says it was “pretty 50-50” which way he would’ve gone if Australia won the toss.
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The simmering rivalry between the two leading Test sides across the past two WTC cycles, and for the best part of a decade, has elevated the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to become one of the most highly-anticipated and hard-fought series in international cricket.
But have Australia and India clashes replaced the Ashes as the premier red-ball battle? Jack Snape and Josh Nicholas dig into the data.
India has become not only as much as a draw for crowds as the “old enemy” in England, the broadcast windfall of Australia-India clashes will underpin CA’s financial recovery.
Jasprit Bumrah is set to lead a new-look India lineup in just his second Test as captain, while also carrying the load as the dangerman in their bowling attack on a juicy deck in Perth.
Yours truly takes a closer look at Bumrah and the other Indians that will play a major hand in this blockbuster five-Test series.
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Nathan McSweeney is presented with his baggy green by former Australia batter and coach Darren Lehmann. The 25-year-old earns Australia Test cap #467.
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Nathan McSweeney was the winner of the Great Australian Bat Off as the reigning World Test champions search for an opener to replace David Warner (and Steve Smith), especially with Cameron Green sidelined for the summer with a back injury.
India have many more selection concerns with captain Rohit Sharma yet to arrive in Australia for personal reasons, Mohammed Shami still recovering from injury and Shubman Gill under a cloud after taking a blow to the thumb.
But India were in an ever greater predicament three years ago, as Geoff Lemon reminds us:
India became the subcontinent team that figured out how to win in Australia, taking down the first-choice home bowling attack both times in the process. Then last year, when hosting was reversed, Australia got swatted in Nagpur and Delhi to let India keep a grip on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first day of the first Test between Australia and India. The first five-Test series between the pair of powerhouses since 1991-92 has all the hallmarks of being a rip snorter with established stars and emerging talents on both sides set to lock horns as the tourists seek to maintain their firm grip on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
While India have won the past four series – twice in Australia and as many times on home soil – they arrive this time under even more pressure than usual after a shock series defeat to New Zealand and with several players from their first-choice XI missing this opening Test in Perth. Australia’s lineup is more familiar but a debutant at the top of the order in Nathan McSweeney is sure to get the heart racing on the bouncy deck at Optus Stadium.
First ball will be at 10:20am local time / 1:20pm AEDT. I’ll be seeing us through to the toss, when Geoff Lemon will take the reins. The forecast in Perth is a bit cooler than usual for this time of year with a maximum of 23 while there is a bit of cloud and light wind around, making the toss a curious call for Pat Cummins and Jasprit Bumrah.
Get in touch with any comments, questions, thoughts and predictions – you can shoot me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
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