Here’s Geoff Lemon’s report:
That, then is us. Our report will be here soon likewise on-site, so all that remains is for me to thanks for your company and comments; we’ll see you tomorrow for New Zealand v South Africa in the second semi. That should be a belter, and though you don’t envy either, facing India in these conditions, both have the players to spring a shock. Ta-ra!
Rohit says a match is never over until the final ball is bowled but his team were very composed. The idea is to play the situation and take it from there, not spending too much time worrying about what the pitch is doing – the batters are experienced enough to decide what they’re going to do. When putting the squad together he wanted six bowling options and batting down to eight; it wasn’t easy to achieve but they got there and it means he has an option available for every opponent.
He then credits the partnerships, not just the big one between Virat and Shreyas but the ones at the end which got them over the line, and pretty much every player is in form.
They know New Zealand and South Africa are both good teams, but he’ll give the players a day off tomorrow to rest and relax.
Smith reckons his bowlers did a good job and says Australia were always a wicket too many down when batting. He’s proud of how the team has come together in the circumstances, saying they played exceptionally well against England, and that there are some good players in the changing room.
Tomorrow of course, comes the second semi: New Zealand v South Africa. Both have the firepower to trouble India, but do either have the batting? We shall see.
Also going on:
Virat says his knock was similar to the one the other day against Pakistan. It’s about evaluating the conditions and, on this track, the key is to build partnerships – the pitch tells him the cricket to play. Usually, the template is to finish off quickly, and though that didn’t work today, he was really pleased with his composure and wasn’t at all desperate; when you take pride in hitting a single into the gap , you know you’re playing well. and when you’re chasing a target with two set batters and wickets in hand, the opposition usually give up, which makes things easier.
Asked if he’s never played better, he says that’s not for him to say and he’s not bothered, it’s nice to hit three figures but the team got the win and it’s happy dressing room;he is player of the match, of course he is.
It’s fair to say that Australia are without Marsh, Stoinis and Green, as well as their three pacers, but it’s also fair to say that, offered the choice of all six or Jasprit Bumrah, you might take the latter.
Kohli will be irritated he didn’t see it through, but his was still the crucial contribution. There’s no one better at commandeering a chase, there’s never been anyone better, and after a lean time, he looks back in terrific touch.
We knew it at change of innings: Australia should’ve made more, and not doing so was the difference in this match. Steven Smith husbanded his limited resources well, but India, and Virat Kohli in particular, knew too much. It’ll take something significant to stop them.
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India beat Australia by four wickets to reach the Champions Trophy final
Maxwell ambles in, Rahul creams him for six back over his heed, and that completes a terrifyingly competent win for Rohit’s men.
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48th over: India 261-6 (Rahul 36, Jadeja 2) Target 26 Jadeja shoves to mid-on, they run one then another on overthrow, and India need four runs from 12 balls.
WICKET! Pandya c Maxwell b Ellis 28 (India 259-6)
In typical style, Hardik looks to finish things with a six, but instead picks out Maxwell at long-on, who this time hangs on.
48th over: India 259-5 (Rahul 36, Hardik 28) Target 265 Ellis’ last over was excellent, but a single and a wide – called on height – from three deliveries, set up the over. And again, Hardik goes downtown, slamming over the top, right through the ball, and it plugs just before the rope then rolls into it.
47th over: India 253-5 (Rahul 35, Hardik 24) Target 265 Zampa returns to finish off and Rahul takes his first delivery to long-off for one. So Hardik, back on strike, throws hands, cutting over cover but to the man on the fence; he wants a second run but, sent back, manages to hurt himself in the process, but I’m sure he’ll be fine. A single follows, Rahul cutting to point, then Hardik almost teleports into another dimension, so violently does he swing and miss. So Zampa looks to tantalise him, tossing one up, problem being this time, the swing is true and Pandya muscles six over the long-off, intimating pain thereafter. So Zampa looks to tantalise him, tossing one up but a little wide, problem being, this time, the swing is truer, nay truest, and a monstrous second six in two balls probably finishes the game. India need 12 runs from 18 balls.
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46th over: India 238-5 (Rahul 33, Hardik 11) Target 265 Ellis continues and Rahul takes a single to cover-point, his 3000th run in ODIs; only Virat and Shikhar Dhawan got there quicker. Two dots follow, though, Pandya again failing to rotate the strike as there’s a little bit of reverse-tail, and when Ellis fires one into the block-hole, the pressure on India increases just a bit. One off the over and India need 27 runs from 24 balls.
45th over: India 237-5 (Rahul 32, Hardik 11) Target 265 Sangha returns to bowl the biggest balls of his life so far; is the plan for him to tempt Hardik? Well, four dots make for a good start, a wide line upping pressure on the batters … ahahahaha! A gigantic six, devastated back over the bowler’s head, backed up by two to cover, turns a parsimonious over into one that might tip the match irrevocably. India need 28 runs from 30 balls.
44th over: India 229-5 (Rahul 32, Hardik 3) Target 265 Ellis returns and after a his first two balls yield a single, Rahul looks to flick around the corner and the bowler wants a catch behind. The umpire says no and so, in the end, does Smith who, much as he needs something, knows the sound the bowler heard was bat passing pad. Three off the over and India need 36 runs from 36 balls.
KL was saying “Main maar raha tha,” advises Arul Kanhere, “which means I was hitting them.”
Ah, I love stuff like this, thanks a lot. It’s so strange that Kohli went when he did, having got his team close to victory playing in a particular way. It just goes to show how difficult it is to stay focused.
43rd over: India 226-5 (Rahul 31, Hardik 1) Target 265 Hardik gets off the mark with a drill to cover, and Australia have renewed intensity about them. India need 39 runs from 42 balls.
WICKET! Kohli c Dwarshuis b Zampa 84 (India 225-5)
Oh V-Man, what have you done?! With Rahul having taken care of the over’s scoring, Kohli suddenly loses patience, swiping down the throat of long-on! Australia still have a sniff!
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43rd over: India 225-4 (Kohli 84, Rahul 31) Target 265 Zampa replaces Sangha, Smith acknowledging that it’s now or never, and after Kohli takes one,, with long on and long off both stuck on, Rahul trots down anyway, premeditating a delightful assault miles over the fence.
42nd over: India 217-4 (Kohli 83, Rahul 24) Target 265 Kohli swings and slices, but the ball drops shy of deep third and they run one. Rahul then cuts two and looks to be playing more aggressively now, leaving the senior partner to see it home if he goes. And there it is, two singles then a swipe over mid-on for four making it nine off the over; this coiuld finish quickly now. India need 48 runs from 48 balls.
41st over: India 208-4 (Kohli 81, Rahul 17) Target 265 How would Bazball consider India’s approach here? Even before it – yes, there was a before it – England lost looking to manage a relatively low chase when Sri Lanka beat them at the 2019 World Cup. I guess they only have Joe Root able to navigate a classical Test-type innings, whereas India have various. Anyhow, Sangha returns and after two singes, Rahul splatters him back over his head for four, a two follows, and that’s eight off the over, the rate back down below six. India need 57 runs from 54 balls.
40th over: India 200-4 (Kohli 80, Rahul 10) Target 265 Dwarshuis also returns and that’s Smith making his move – rightly so because this isn’t yet over, but if Australia don’t do something soon, it soon will be. And it’s a decent over too, a second single raising Australia’s 200 before three dots take the rate up to 6.50. That’s drinks, and India need 65 runs from 60 balls.
39th over: India 198-4 (Kohli 79, Rahul 9) Target 265 Knowing he’s running out of road, Smith tosses Zampa the ball once more, the rate sneaking to six for the first time. But DJ Virat is on the ones and twos, starting the over with the former and immediately adding the latter; two further singles follow, and India need 67 runs from 66 balls.
38th over: India 192-4 (Kohli 75, Rahul 7) Target 265 Connolly continues but he’s struggling to build pressure, India taking singles from his first four balls, and this is such deft, patient, self-denial from Virat. A further single follows, and he has put this chase over his absolute knee (metaphorically speaking).
37th over: India 187-4 (Kohli 73, Rahul 3) Target 265 Ellis properly charges in, but the pitch is offering him little and the batters, cognisant of that, are doing likewise. For those of us keen for an arse-nipper, it’s a shame Australia dropped Kohli when they did, as it is they didn’t add another 30; four singles off the over.
36th over: India 183-4 (Kohli 71, Rahul 2) Target 265 Lefty gone, Smith immediately goes back to Connolly’s SLA. The problem both have is the new man at the crease is KL Rahul, a veteran good enough to open in Tests; he might panic, but also, he might not, and five singles keep India ticking over. India require 82 runs from 84 balls.
WICKET! Axar b Ellis 27 (India 178-4)
Axar hasn’t held back and he indulges another massive mow, misses when the ball keeps low, and loses off-stump.
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35th over: India 178-3 (Kohli 68, Axar 27) Target 265 Smith returns to Ellis; the batters milk him for three singles from five balls.
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34th over: India 175-3 (Kohli 66, Axar 26) Target 265 “It’s a totally different game if Virat Kohli gets out here,” prays Hayden, as Maxwell continues. And just as his over looks decent, four singles ceded from five balls, Axar forces over extra, the ball rolling between two converging fielders and into the rope. This isn’t over, but it’s 10 to.
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33rd over: India 167-3 (Kohli 64, Axar 20) Target 265 Smith introduces Head, hoping he can either golden arm something, or a batter takes him lightly. Instead, the complete opposite eventuates, six balls and six singles.
32nd over: India 161-3 (Kohli 61, Axar 17) Target 265 As if to make a point, Kohli turns to leg for one.
REVIEW! NOT OUT!
Bat out in front, Kohli somehow imparts the faintest nick, and it saves him.
32nd over: India 160-3 (Kohli 60, Axar 17) Target 265 Kohli nips across his stumps and eases around the corner for one, then Axar cuts for another; we’ve seen few big overs, but even fewer tight or testing ones. Anyhow, Kohli then looks to turn into the on-side, he misses, and when ball hits pad, there’s a lusty shout; the umpire says not out, but Australia have no choice: they must review.
31st over: India 158-3 (Kohli 59, Axar 16) Target 265 Sangha replaces Zampa and, well, we said Axar wasn’t hanging about and after taking two to point, he gets down on one knee and swats a slog-sweep over the fence at deep square for six. A second ago, this was a decent over; now, not so much, with eight from it and another batter nicely ensconced.
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30th over: India 150-3 (Kohli 59, Axar 8) Target 265 Axar wants to keep things moving – Nasser wonders if he’s been told to try breaking the back of this chase quickly, a luxury India’s deep batting line-up allows them – and, when Maxwell returns, he drives hard down the ground for one, seeking four. Two more singles follow, and India’s control in almost total.
29th over: India 147-3 (Kohli 58, Axar 6) Target 265 The last thing Australia need is a boundary-four from the first ball of this latest Zampa over, but Kohli picks length so well – at 36, his eyes are still obscene – such that when Zampa drops short, he hauls around the corner to the fence at midwicket. Two singles follow, and Australia could use another breakthrough.
28th over: India 141-3 (Kohli 53, Axar 5) Target 265 India get back to it, three singles, then Axar thrashes over cover for two. Five from the over, the required rare 5.63.
27th over: India 136-3 (Kohli 51, Axar 2) Target 265 Three dots, then Axar pulls to deep square, where Carey does superbly, a diving stop saving two.
WICKET! Shreyas b Zampa 45 (India 134-3)
BUT THEY’VE GOT ONE NOW! Zampa targets the stumps, bowling flat, and Shreyas, cramped, looks to cut anyway; he misses, there’s a rattle behind him, and Australia needed that so, so badly. Can they up the pressure?
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26th over: India 134-2 (Kohli 51, Shreyas 45) Target 265 In comms, Nasser notes that there’ve only been 69 dots in the 153 balls we’ve had so far, BUT WHAT’S THIS?! Connolly gets one to stick in the pitch and Kohli, looking to turn into the on side, is early on it, ac leading edge flying towards Maxwell at short cover. But with Connolly looking to go for it too and blocking his eye-line, he dives and can’t hold! In a semi-final, Australia have now dropped three catches, words no one ever supposed to type, and that one reprieves the main man!
25th over: India 131-2 (Kohli 50, Shreyas 43) Target 265 Again, Smith fiddles, reintroducing Zampa, and after a single to Shreyas, Kohli presses forward and drives two to long-off. It feels like Australia’s only hope is Obi Wan Kenobi a batting error, and there’s no sense that either of these are going to make one, Kohli pulling a short one for four – he was on to that so quickly and it takes him to yet another fifty. Nine from the over, and India look impregnable.
24th over: India 122-2 (Kohli 43, Shreyas 41) Target 265 More of the same as Connolly returns: India accumulate with three singles and one two. The partnership is 79 off 97.
23rd over: India 117-2 (Kohli 40, Shreyas 39) Target 265 A single to each batter, then Shreyas again scoops, first for two then for one, and two further singles mean it’s seven from the over with barely a risk taken. Australia’s spinners are doing their best, but without Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc, they lack the ability to keep things tight with Test-match lines, along with the magic-ball deliveries that change everything.
22nd over: India 110-2 (Kohli 38, Shreyas 34) Target 265 Kohli has properly commandeered this chase, he and Shreyas knocking Sangha about for four singles. Faor now, at least, this is easy for India.
21st over: India 106-2 (Kohli 36, Shreyas 32) Target 265 Smith gambles, tossing Maxwell the ball, but India are in sufficient control to milk him; Australia will want them to try and hit him out of the attack. And after Kohli takes one, Shreyas tries a scoop, adding another – that’s a lot of risk for not a lot of reward – before a third single from the over completes the scoring.
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20th over: India 103-2 (Kohli 34, Shreyas 31) Target 265 Australia’s innings was characterised by batters getting in without going on, so there’s hope for them yet – but if they don’t force the issue soon, they’ll soon be desperate. And, as I type, following three singles from three balls, Kohli gets down to sweep and bottom-edges four to finest leg, then adds two more through midwicket and a single to third man. Ten off the over and India are turning it up. Can Australia respond?
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19th over: India 93-2 (Kohli 26, Shreyas 29) Target 265 Dwarshuis returns and immediately goes around to Shreyas, who takes a quick one to point then, when Labuschagne nails a futile direct hit – Kohli is well in – they take a second run on the overthrow. A single follows, then Kohli extends arms seeking to batter through the off-side and misses, before two singles complete the over. The rate is 5.54 and India are experts at hitting that without taking risks which is to say they’re on control here. At drinks, Australia need something.
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18th over: India 88-2 (Kohli 25, Shreyas 25) Target 265 Sangha replaces Ellis, and I daresay the batters will fancy getting after him. Hayden, though, tells us he fancies himself at this level and this is a really good first over, three singles from it. Thing is, given how deep India bat, it’s hard to see them losing unless they’re bowled out, and for that, Australia need wickets; the runs shoiuld come quickly enough to keep the rate in check.
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17th over:India 85-2 (Kohli 24, Shreyas 23) Target 265 Another good, tight over from Zampa, three singles from it, but with the partnership 42 off 55, Auastralia could very much use a wicket.
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16th over: India 82-2 (Kohli 23, Shreyas 21) Target 265 Several overs ago, when Hayden was talking about misjudging catches, I meant to embed the below, but it’s always good whenever you see it. He told me that he got his feet wrong for this one, which is why he had to reach over his head – it’s lucky he did. Meantime, back in the middle, Smith decides India are milking Connolly, replacing him with Ellis, and three singles follows. Then, offered a final delivery that sits up, Kohlia nails a booming pull for four, and, after 16 overs, India are exactly where Australia were.
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15th over: India 75-2 (Kohli 18, Shreyas 19) Target 265 Today is Shane Warne’s third yahrzeit; rest well, old mate, and in celebration of him, below is a little reader from Joy of Six: genius. Anyhow, India again accumulate in singles, then Kohli plays down the wrong line having failed to detect Zampa’s wrongun and there’s a big appeal – smith really likes it – but when the umpire says no, Australia opt not to review probably correctly, as I think the ball was going down.
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14th over India 71-2 (Kohli 16, Shreyas 17) Target 265 Smith, bored of India’s batters shoving easy singles down the ground, slots Maxwell in to stop them, so Kohli takes one to deep point instead. This brings Shreyas on to strike and he moves about to Connolly off his line and length, then does really well to wait for one, opening the face at the last moment to ease four through backward point. Two singles follow, and that’s a much better over for India, seven form it.
13th over: India 64-2 (Kohli 14, Shreyas 11) Target 265 The best time to bat on this ground, in this format, is at the start of an innings, and Australia’s spinners have put a bit of a strangle on, another over yielding nothing but singles and only three of them too. At this stage, Australia were 74-2.
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12th over India 62-2 (Kohli 12, Shreyas 11) Target 265 A single down the ground to Kohli, then one to Shreyas, then one to Kohli. This is a really good contest.
11th over India 58-2 (Kohli 10, Shreyas 10) Target 265 Yup, we said this passage could be key, and with Smith introducing Zampa, it now feels keyer. Kohli takes his loosener for a single to cover, then Shreyas presses forward, waits, and cuts two to deep point. Those are the only runs off the over.
10th over India 55-2 (Kohli 9, Shreyas 8) Target 265 India are a little rattled, Shreyas flinging hands – or, in the event, a hand – at a slightly wider one and, though it rushes away for four, it was a risk he didn’t really did need to take. But when Connolly sends him a high full-toss, he has plenty of time to hump it to deep square for four, making this a decent over for India.
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9th over: India 47-2 (Kohli 9, Shreyas 0) Target 265 Ellis has been getting a bit of movement and he spirits one past Kohli’s outside edge. But despite five dots, there’s not a chance he’s being allowed to complete a maiden and, when he’s fuller and straighter, he’s blasted back over his head, one-handed. You could knock down walls with that lad’s forearms.
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8th over: India 43-2 (Kohli 5, Shreyas 0) Target 265 Already, this next passage feels key. If Australia can muster another wicket, India will have a problem – though they bat down to Jadeja at eight.
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IT'S DEAD!
Well done Cooper Connolly! It takes a lot to bowl spin at batters like this, never mind after putting one of them down a few overs ago. Imagine the intensity and profundity of his buzz, goodness me.
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ROHIT REVIEWS!
I dunno, it looked dead to me, but I guess he’s worth the risk.
WICKET! Sharma lbw b Connolly28 (India 43-2)
NOW THEN! A bit of drift and dip from Connolly, Rohit going down to sweep and missing a ball that’s too full for the planned assault. It hits him on the pad, there’s an appeal, and that is a glorious redemption!
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8th over: India 43-1 (Rohit 28, Kohli 5) Target 265 Connolly into the attack, a good move from Smith in that he’ll be stewing over that missed catch so could use the diversion. And he starts well too, a single to midwicket the only run from his first three balls.
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7th over: India 42-1 (Rohit 28, Kohli 4) Target 265 Kohli and Sharma knock Dwarshuis around, three singles making this a good over for Australia.
“I have never been against Australia,” confesses Aidan McNally, “unless they are playing England. What India have done here is an abomination. If they weren’t holding the purse strings it would never have happened. C’mon Aussie!!”
I don’t know – I totally understand why keeping everyone safe is the most important thing.
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6th over: India 39-1 (Rohit 27, Kohli 2) Target 265 Looking again, that was a really poor shot from Gill, who was tentative or casual in allowing ball to hit bat. But Australia must now find a way to bin Virat Kohli, the king of the run-chase, who, after a wide, gets off the mark via run-down, and life doesn’t really get much better than these two, chasing together in a semi. And as I type, Ellis, having ceded a run a ball in this over, runs in to finish it off … and Rohit twinkles down, annihilating four down the ground as the umpire hits the deck in terror.
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WICKET! Gill b Dwarshuis 8 (India 30-1)
India’s luck runs out, Gill trying to run down but instead playing on. Australia needed that.
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5th over: India 30-0 (Rohit 21, Gill 8) Target 265 Gill’s been quiet so far, but after a wide, he charges Dwarshuis and, with his customary ludicrous hand-speed, plays almost a tennis shot, carting four to wide long-off. A single follows, then Rohit goes forward and across, looking to haul over the off-side only to inside-edge past off-peg … for four. Another inside edge then adds one more to the total.
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4th over: India 19-0 (Rohit 16, Gill 3) Target 265 That dropped catch was not unlike this one though, it’s worth noting that, as Matthew Hayden points out, Labuschange got just a little ahead of the ball so wore the catch “on the drumsticks”. Meantime, Ellis bowls a much better over, three dots then a very serious globule, just shy of a length and moving away from Rohit; two singles follow. This is shaping up nicely.
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3rd over: India 17-0 (Rohit 15, Gill 2) Target 265 Cooper Connolly is quite a name; wearing it’ll feel like doddle, though, if Rohit bats for an hour. Dwarshuis, though, responds with a good, tight over, just a single from it, then Rohit again goes over the top, this time on the off side, and Labuschagne, sprinting from mid off is after it! He gets there too, diving forward and full-length as it drops … getting both hands to it … and shelling the chance! You can’t really criticse him for that, and at the same time, if you’re going to beat India at this, you can’t be turning down chances like that.
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2nd over: India 15-0 (Rohit 14, Gill 1) Target 265 In comms, they cite as key the three overs that saw Smith and Maxwell go, and that’s fair enough; for what it’s worth, the moment I the total would be shy was when Inglis chipped to Kolhi. Anyroad, Ellis’s second delivery is back of a length and outside off, doing nothing, so Rohit smokes over cow for six. But what’s this? Next ball, he cuts hard, and a backward point Connolly is right there … only to get himself into a frightful tangle, somehow crossing hands and grassing the opportunity. He looks extremely poorly and with good reason: the India skipper is not someone you want to give a life.
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1st over: India 7-0 (Rohit 7, Gill 0) Target 265 Immediately, Dwarshuis is on the money, but his second delivery seams on to the pads and Rohit doesn’t need asking twice, flicking four through fine leg. Then, again offered a ball that floats towards the pads, he lofts over midwicket for three, and that’s a decent start from India.
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And play…
And here come the batters. A fast start from them and it’ll be hard to see India losing.
Australia huddle. They know the left 20 or 30 runs out there, but they’ll expect to win because that’s what they do.
“Nothing speaks to the state of India’s influence on cricket today more than me, as a Kiwi, crying out the words C’MON STRAYA!”
I have a rule in situations such as this: no first names, no nicknames, yes insults after the exhortations, i.e. “C’MON STRAYA YOU [REDACTED]!”
I put my Friday night chicken soup on this morning, so my entire gaff now hums of something delicious that I can’t touch. This chase had better be diverting.
“SA prospects for tomorrow,” begins John Starbuck. “On TMS they are talking about tomorrow’s game and are, very deliberately, avoiding ‘the C word’. Sensitivity, eh?”
I’m looking forward to that one. My guess is SA lose, but in acceptable circumstances.
A question: is it just me, or has Steve Smith got hench? Watch out Chris Tremlett.
Thanks Daniel and good morrow everyone. You’d take 265 to win a semi, but you’d not mind 264 runs on the board in a semi either. The problem Australia have is that, Zampa aside, they’re struggling for wicket-takers, and in India they’re facing the one-day experts on a decent track that suits them, on a ground they’re well used to.
Australia all-out for 264
Pandya cleans up Zampa to bring the innings to a close. The Aussie spinner was just beaten for pace as he makes way for 7, leaving Sangha not-out on 1.
Is that enough? I don’t think so, not without Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood. The Indians are upbeat. Their bowlers have done the job. Can their batters respond?
Dan Harris will be with you shortly to find out.
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49th over: Australia 262-9 (Zampa 6, Sangha 0) Shami ends with 3-48 from his 10. He bowled brilliantly throughout the innings. Ellis spanked him for six, but like most Indian bowlers who have hit for a maximum, he got his man in the end.
WICKET! Ellis c Kohli b Shami 10 (Australia 262-9)
Holed out! After spanking Shami for six over cow corner, Ellis tries again. Clears the front leg but doesn’t get enough of it as the bat twists in his hand. Kohli completes the simple catch.
48th over: Australia 252-8 (Zampa 4, Ellis 2) Without Carey, anything from here will be a bonus. Pandya did well to only concede four runs from that over. Some cute slower balls, including the short ball that had Carey pulling before he was run-out.
WICKET! Carey run-out (Iyer) 60 (Australia 248-8)
Direct hit! Carey’s brilliant knock comes to an end thanks to superb fielding from Iyer. Pandya, back in the attack, dragged down and Carey pulled round the corner. Iyer was on it in a flash from long on and Carey, coming back for the second, was a long way short. Outstanding fielding.
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47th over:Zampa manages to get off strike from the second ball, a leading edge past mid-off and a quick scamper brings Carey back on strike. Carey then plays a perfect premeditated scoop that comfortably clears the fielder at short fine leg for a one-bounce four. A well-directed yorker keeps Carey honest before a single keeps him on strike for the next over. Zampa has one ball to survive but is given out lbw! He reviews and is saved by a thick inside edge. He knew straight away. Would have been plumb without it.
46th over: Australia 242-7 (Carey 55, Zampa 2) Varun signs off with 2-49 from his 10. Brilliant bowling from the mystery spinner. Zampa the new man has one job: feed Carey the strike!
“Hello Daniel”
Hi Krishna Moorthy, what’s up?
“I have nothing against the Indian team in general. They are, at best, as toxic as the Australians. I would still want the latter to win, as the highhanded attitude of ICC led by Jay Shah must end. I want the final in Pakistan.”
Unless the Australians can do something special with the ball, it’ll be India in the final.
WICKET! Dwarshuis c Iyer b Varun 19 (Australia 239-7)
Taken in the deep! He had to go for it, but just couldn’t get enough of it. Full ball swatted away into the leg side. Iyer runs in off the boundary and takes a comfortable catch.
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45th over: Australia 239-6 (Carey 54, Dwarshuis 19) Excellent from Shami. Returns with a yorker from round the wicket that Dwarshuis does well to keep out. An inside edge almost finds the stumps and ends with a single. A couple of slower balls and it’s just five singles from the over. Just what India need. They’ve done brilliant to take back control of this innings.
44th over: Australia 234-6 (Carey 52, Dwarshuis 16) They start this Varun over with a boundary as Dwarshuis runs one fine down to deep third. A catcher in place might have gobbled it, but of course there isn’t one there at this stage. He gets a single before Carey crouches low to scoop a couple over the 'keeper’s head.
43rd over: Australia 227-6 (Carey 50, Dwarshuis 11) POWER from Dwarshuis as he hammers a sweep over midwicket. Yadav oushed it wider but the big lad managed to get a big chunk of it. Carey brings up his 50 from 48 balls with a clip off his pads after collecting two past midwicket.
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42nd over: Australia 217-6 (Carey 47, Dwarshuis 4) Varun has been excellent all day. Another over with a range of tricks costs just three singles. Carey is trying to manipulate the angles needed to the field is set perfectly and Varun is bowling accordingly.
41st over: Australia 214-6 (Carey 45, Dwarshuis 3) Time for one last mini rebuild here. Yadav returns and sends down a miserly set that costs just one run. No major harm as far as the Aussies are concerned. They’ll need Carey in for the final over so chance for a deep breath before the final plunge.
40th over: Australia 213-6 (Carey 44, Dwarshuis 3) Carey brings out the reverse sweep and nails it. Axar can only stand and admire as it races to the boundary. Tight lines otherwise and the Aussies settle for a pair of singles.
39th over: Australia 207-6 (Carey 39, Dwarshuis 2) Tight from Shami as he concedes just one single to the new man Dwarshuis. A neat tuck off his pads. He has to stick around with Carey for as long as he can.
38th over: Australia 206-6 (Carey 39, Dwarshuis 1) Big job now for Carey. He’s watched two of his mates get bowled. Maxwell launched a big six over square leg but played all around a skidder from Axar and got bowled. Not the best shot from the big hitter.
WICKET! Maxwell b Axar 7 (Australia 206-6)
Bowled ‘em! After spanking Axar for six with a mighty sweep, Maxwell goes back to one that didn’t get up as high as he thought it would and gets cleaned up. India are on a roll.
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37th over: Australia 199-5 (Carey 29, Maxwell 1) The big wicket of Smith. India have their opening and it’s Shami, who saves his best for these ICC events, with the breakthrough. Can Carey now play the role of anchor with the ‘Showman’ Maxwell at the other end?
WICKET! Smith b Shami 73 (Australia 198-5)
What a moment! Smith charges Shami, eyeing the big gap around extra cover, and misses the full toss. It felt so unnecessary given Carey’s work at the other end. But there you go, not Shami’s best ball but one of his most important wickets for sure.
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36th over: Australia 195-4 (Smith 71, Carey 38) Carey is putting on a show. Pandya gets the ball straight after drinks and is forcefully pulled in front of square for four. A little while later Carey skips down the track and plays an on-drive on the move, that is some cricket shot! He’ll keep the single with a tickle on the leg side. 38 off 32, he’s injected impetus into this innings and taken all the pressure off Smith.
Arul Kanhere has some nice words for the 50-over format:
I loved the article in the Guardian about how to keep the format and make it worthwhile. Going back to 4 Year T20 WCs and the rest....
It’s like that 12 min run that tests both your stamina and ability to explode. A worthy middle child. And although it does not feature in one of the greatest games played, my personal favourite (apart from the obvious classics — 2019 Lords, 1999 Edgbaston and 2015 SF between NZ and SA) was the one where Tendulkar nearly chased 351 all on is own in Hyderabad.
35th over: Australia 186-4 (Smith 71, Carey 29) Shami returns and digs one in that compels Smith into a pull shot that just clears a jumping Sharma at short midwicket. They get two for that. A slower bouncer is angled by Smith down to deep third for a single and Carey collects a single of his own with a nice touch from a pull. That’ll be drinks. 15 to go. 330 I reckon will be par from here.
34th over: Australia 182-4 (Smith 68, Carey 28) Exquisite batting from Carey. Boundaries to bookend the over. First a slog sweep that was well in front of square, over a wide-mid with the man up in the circle. Then an inside-out cover drive into acres of space on the off side. He’s playing the field perfectly.
33rd over: Australia 173-4 (Smith 68, Carey 20) Some aggression from Carey, but he’s fully in control. Spots a flighted one from Varun and he stoops down to bring out the slog sweep. Absolutely smokes it over midwicket for six. Two singles elsewhere.
32nd over: Australia 165-4 (Smith 67, Carey 13) Smith plays a pretty lofted drive down the ground, all full-face and flourish, but it plugs in the grass so they settle for two. Kohli fields at deep square and throws to the non-striker’s end. Varun allows it to go towards the stumps and Sharma has to back up. Both Sharma and Kohli berate poor Varun who didn’t do anything wrong as far as I can tell. Three singles and that couple for Smith adds up to five.
31st over: Australia 160-4 (Smith 63, Carey 12) Good from Varun. A flatter googly here, a dippy leggie there, he’s a handful. Just two singles from this over. The Aussies can’t find the gaps. Lovely tight stuff from the Indians.
30th over: Australia 158-4 (Smith 62, Carey 11) Carey gets the broom out and sweeps Yadav. One is fine and finds the boundary, another is stiff and gets a single to the man at deep backward square. Smith is content to keep ticking along as he holds this innings together.
29th over: Australia 152-4 (Smith 61, Carey 6) Carey spots that mid-off is inside the circle so he throws his hands through the line and against the turn to collect a boundary down the ground. He wasn’t in complete control, nor did he time the leather off it, but got enough on it to find the rope.
28th over: Australia 146-4 (Smith 60, Carey 1) Yadav again. Just the two singles. Carey is off the mark with a single down to extra cover. Yadav then beats Smith with a quicker leg-break, almost a leg-cutter, that almost catches the outside edge.
Gervase Greene with some thoughts on those players that send tingles down the spine:
Evening Daniel/all,
Gervase Greene here, in The People’s Republic of Clovelly (Sydney’s east).
Isn’t it odd how the (for want of a better term) X-factor Player determines the drama and pulse of a game? Even Indian supporters, I’m sure, and certainly non-aligned fans would have sighed when a flying Travis Head went relatively early this evening, against the flow of the game.
Equally, I was by no means the only Australian to see Mitchell Starc bowl Brendan McCullum in the first over of that 2015 ODI World Cup.
Hardly a profound thought, I guess, but there was never a fan with more than a faint cricketing pulse who ever wanted to see Baz, Virenda Sehwag, Glenn Maxwell or Rishabh Pant go early. And imo Trav is very much in that company.
Cheers,
27th over: Australia 144-4 (Smith 59, Carey 0) Jadeja was gifted the wicket of Inglis after Smith punched him down the ground for six. That was some cricket and made possible by disrupting Jadeja’s length with some nifty footwork earlier in the piece. But, just like the Labuschagne wicket, Jadeja bags a breakthrough as a partnership started gathering pace.
WICKET! Inglis c Kohli b Jadeja 11 (Australia 144-4)
Soft! Just as the partnership was gathering pace, Inglis spoons a tame shot straight to Kohli at short extra cover. Perhaps it held up in the pitch, but that was a weak attempt at the back foot drive. Neither forceful nor watchful and he pays the price.
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26th over: Australia 133-3 (Smith 51, Inglis 8) Lovely batting from Smith who brings up his fifty. First a crunching pull off a rare drag down from Varun brings him four, then a flowing cover drive adds two more to reach the milestone.
25th over: Australia 125-3 (Smith 44, Inglis 7) Jadeja hurtles through his work. No risk of a slow over rate fine when he’s operating. Four singles means his figures after six overs are 1-23. Smith is looking for gaps but the field is perfectly set so there’s no danger of coughing up a boundary.
24th over: Australia 120-3 (Smith 42, Inglis 4) Shot Smudge! Varun gets it too full and the skipper unfurls a gorgeous cover drive that skips along merrily to the rope. Three singles elsewhere. I won’t win any cricket analysis awards for pointing out that Smith is the key man here for Australia.
23rd over: Australia 113-3 (Smith 37, Inglis 2) Labuschagne whacked Jadeja for four off the first ball with a lovely sweep in front of square, but the bowler would have the last laugh. Flatter, skiddier and angled with the arm, he trapped him plump in front. A review wouldn’t have saved him either. Inglis collected two singles off his first two balls. Big job here for the ‘keeper.
WICKET! Labuschagne lbw Jadeja 29 (Australia 110-3)
Trapped in front and Marnus goes without a review! Jadeja, who else, gets the breakthrough. Wicket to wicket, this one skids on with the arm and beats the attempt to flick it towards midwicket. Marnus asks Smudge if it’s worth a review. The senior man doesn’t think so and that’s the third wicket.
Updated
22nd over: Australia 106-2 (Smith 26, Labuschagne 25) Shami returns and beats Labuschagne with hist first ball off a good length. A single brings Smith on strike and he charges Shami in an attempt to knock him off his length. Shami drops a sharp return catch, but that was hardly a chance. It was hit so firm that I’d say he had a 5% chance of holding that with his left hand. Smith then falls to his bum as he attempts to paddle one over the fine leg who had come up, but there was no contact. A great return from Shami. Just one run as the rune-rate dips to 4.4 an over.
21st over: Australia 105-2 (Smith 36, Labuschagne 24) A maiden from Jadeja who beats Smith with a beauty outside the off-stump.
20th over: Australia 105-2 (Smith 36, Labuschagne 24) Labuschagne gets lucky as a top edge off a slog sweep lands between two fielders in the deep and he comes back for a second. No luck from the second slog sweep. That screamed off the middle of the bat and cleared the rope for six. Fifty partnership up alongside the team 100.
19th over: Australia 96-2 (Smith 35, Labuschagne 16) Jadeja is just such a quality cricket. Bats, fields, and here is bowling some beautiful miserly spin. Smith chips a couple over midwicket and runs hard for two. Then he squirts a couple more off his pads. A crisp drive keeps him on strike with a single off the final ball.
18th over: Australia 91-2 (Smith 30, Labuschagne 16) Labuschagne shows his class with a deft late cut that took the ball from Rahul’s gloves and found the boundary towards deep third. Axar has his head in his hands as it was off the outside half of the bat, but Marnus was in full control.
17th over: Australia 84-2 (Smith 28, Labuschagne 11) Jadeja into the attack and in a flash he’s through his over. Two singles as he’s darting wicket to wicket testers. Brilliant bowling from the Indians.
Gary Naylor agrees:
This is very high class bowling indeed. In a T20I, I suspect you would barely notice it as the slogs would get the score to 130-4 or 120-7 off 15 overs almost regardless. But 50 overs means that each ball must be played on its merits and we see not just the skills in each delivery, but also in how overs are constructed. Worth keeping this format.
16th over: Australia 82-2 (Smith 27, Labuschagne 10) Axar needs to take a break after this and is headed up the tunnel. He hurt himself fielding off his own bowling. Six singles off that over means it’s an improvement for the Aussies, but India have them right where they want them.
There’s a break in play as Axar receives some treatment after landing awkwardly on his neck while fielding.
They were going to take drinks anyway after this 16th over.
Time for some emails:
Ramprasad Sridhar:
Morning Dan,
Trust you are well.
I agree with Colin. You would be surprised to see India being asked to back out of the tournament or forfeit their points vs matches in Pakistan. This is not the first instance that ICC hasn’t taken any stance against India but this has gotta stop.
Hope you have a nice day
Deepak Puri:
Rather this than India travelling to Pakistan and something bad happening which would lead to a wave of violence across S Asia. And I’m not sure the tourney would have gone ahead without India’s presence.
Btw, it feels horrible, doesn’t it, when a nation leverages its power to the disadvantage of other nations. Many of us know that feeling.
Vasu Chaurey:
Thing is though, this mess is self inflicted. The ICC has done absolutely nothing to for cricket in associate nations, or to diversify the avenues of income. It was happy to let the big boys call the shots and pocket the revenue from showcasing the same big ticket series and tournaments - this is never a good idea as it leave the door open for one/a few to get more influential than the organising body.
Sadly there’s so many similarities with FIFA/UEFA allowing government intervention (in a roundabout way, but still). No one did anything when state ownership started, or when it breached regulations. And now we have Qatar threatening to pull projects from France if PSG is punished, the Spanish Supercopa being held in the Middle East, world cups in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and a team under investigation for financial foul play winning 6 out of the previous 7 Premiership titles. The Super League isn’t far off from being real.
Food for thought…
15th over: Australia 76-2 (Smith 24, Labuschagne 7) Lovely tight stuff from the Indian spinners. Wicket to wicket means there’s no room to free the arms. Marnus works a couple off his pads and then nearly chops on after a late cut catches the under edge of his bat. A single gets him down the other end.
14th over: Australia 72-2 (Smith 23, Labuschagne 4) The ball hits the stumps but the bails stay put! A maiden over but it could have been more as Smith gets himself in a tangle, meets the ball with his pad and watches it dribble onto the stumps. But the bails don’t budge. The ball before there was half a chance for a run-out, if only the man at short fine leg could collect cleanly. A maiden over. pressure is building.
13th over: Australia 72-2 (Smith 23, Labuschagne 4) Varun is mixing it up, both out the hand with a couple of wrong-uns and sliders, as well as through the air with his pace. Must be a nightmare to face. They’ve got twpo catchers in for Labuschagne, one at a very straight short mid-on and another at short midwicket. Three singles off this over.
12th over: Australia 69-2 (Smith 21, Labuschagne 3) They’re content to be watchful for the time being. Just three singles off this Axar over. Tight lines and not too much flight means it’s not easy to get away.
11th over: Australia 66-2 (Smith 19, Labuschagne 2) Spin at both ends means we’re racing through the overs. Three singles off this one. Two for Smith who is now in a cap.
10th over: Australia 63-2 (Smith 17, Labuschagne 1) Another change as Axar joins the party. Smith watches one ball and then launches him down to a vacant long-on for four. A single off the last ball keeps the skipper on strike.
9th over: Australia 58-2 (Smith 12, Labuschagne 1) Success in his first over for Varun as he gets the big fish of Head who decide to take on the new bowler’s first ball. Why didn’t he give himself some time to set? Smith flicks a couple and Marnus is off the mark with a back-foot punch down the ground.
Updated
WICKET! Head c Gill b Varun 39 (Australia 54-2)
The bowling change does the trick! Varun’s spin comes into the attack and Head takes him on but doesn’t get enough wood on the drive down the ground. Instead it spoons up and it’s catching practice for Gill running in from the rope at long-off. Soft dismissal you have to say.
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8th over: Australia 53-1 (Head 39, Smith 8) Head comes down the track and nails a straight drive for six off Yadav. Lovely swing of the bat and perfect timing. Great shot. Yadav then ups his pace and skids it off the deck, forcing Head to hang back in his crease. A couple of wrong-uns has Head in a bit of discomfort, but he survives.
Shami is off the field receiving treatment. Something’s up with his left foot.
7th over: Australia 47-1 (Head 33, Smith 8) After an uncharacteristically slow start, Head is in the groove. A delicious whip through midwicket for four and a single to short fine leg means he’s batting at 128 currently. Smith gets his first boundary with a lofted pull that trickles to the rope on the leg side. 11 off that over. Australia back in business after the early wicket.
Updated
Vasu Chaurey makes a valid point on where we should place the blame:
Just want to understand what BCCI is supposed to do here? It’s not the BCCI who’s refusing to go to Pakistan, it’s the government disallowing it. If they withdraw from the tournament, it’s viewed as throwing a tantrum when things don’t go their way. The onus is on the organizing body to refuse such requests. Yes, yes - “that will never happen since India generates revenue” - and the blame for this imbalance should fall squarely on ICC.
The BCCI is doing it’s job - it’s the ICC who’s failing at theirs.
My 10 cents is that the BCCI is now very clearly a branch/tool/muscular arm of the Indian government. Also the ICC knows who butters its bread.
6th over: Australia 36-1 (Head 28, Smith 3) Spin early doors and it’s Yadav with his tricky left arm wrist spin. Smith is up to it, swatting a single down the ground first up. Four more singles across the over as Yadav finds his range. This is the earliest he’s come into the attack in an ODI since 2017.
Ian [no last name] points to hypocrisy by nodding to history:
In prior times, teams who refused to play games in countries they had issues with defaulted the game (e.g. New Zealand not playing in Kenya at the South African World Cup).
The same should have applied to India this time around, but we all know that they now own the game. Sad times.
Quite.
5th over: Australia 31-1 (Head 26, Smith 0) Head has been unleashed. Rare width from Shami allows him to crack a back-foot scythe through cover for four. A lucky inside edge almost takes out his leg stump but instead adds four more to his tally. Then a lovely cut shot screams past backward point.
4th over: Australia 17-1 (Head 12, Smith 0) The first boundary of the innings is one of pure belligerence from Head. Pandya slightly over pitches and the Aussie throws his hands at it and smashes it down the ground for four. Then a flick of the wrist and the ball is arcing over the fine leg boundary for six. A scampered single to backward point and two wides means it’s a handy haul for the Aussies.
3rd over: Australia 4-1 (Head 1, Smith 0) Lovely from Shami from round the wicket, angling into the left-hander and getting it hold its line after pitching on a full to good length. Connolly kept looking for width that isn’t there and eventually feathers one behind.
WICKET! Connolly c Rahul b Shami 0 (Australia 4-1)
Inevitable! After three consecutive swishes and misses outside his off stump, Connolly gets the faintest outside edge and has to go. Shami had him on toast, forcing some poor strokes away from his body as he was rooted to the crease. Not great batting to be honest. Lovely bowling and Shami is on the board.
Updated
“India running the cricket world”
That’s the punchy (and accurate) title of Colin Gould’s email:
How fair is that whilst Pakistan is supposedly hosting the Champions Trophy India gets to play all its games in Dubai, including the semi final and the final (if they win the former).
Every other team (Australia included) plays all their games in Pakistan (unless they had a match against India). Dubai is NOT Pakistan and the conditions whilst maybe similar are surely a huge advantage to the team (ie India) who have played ALL their games there.
If India was not prepared to play in Pakistan then they really should have withdrawn from the competition. This precedent might well be replicated in the future but I doubt any other country will get the favourable treatment that India has been accorded.
I agree it’s not fair. In theory India should have been told to stay at home, but that was never going to happen.
2nd over: Australia 3-0 (Head 1, Connolly 0) Pandya from the other end and he’s got it skidding through. Head hasn’t quite worked out the pace of the deck, first jumping at a lifting ball on his hips, then swishing at a pull shot that shoots just over his stumps. Apart from a wide down the leg side, Hardik is on the money with a string of dots to the fidgety Head.
1st over: Australia 2-0 (Head 1, Connolly 0) Shami was millimetres away from the early breakthrough. Just mistimed his attempt at a return catch, palming it round the post as opposed to pouching the leading edge off Head’s bat. Head collected a single from a full blooded drive that was well stopped in the covers. Connolly swiped and missed at one. Apart from the wide up front, it was a tidy start with the ball.
Dropped off the first (legal) ball!
After bowling a wide first up, Shami found the leading edge of Head’s blade and it spooned back down the pitch. Shami stuck a hand out but couldn’t hold on.
Anthems done, Australia’s openers are suited and booted, and we’re almost ready to get going.
Shami with the ball. Head will face up first.
Not a brilliant crowd so far, but it’s still early on a work day.
Once they do start filtering in, I imagine they’ll be wearing blue kits.
Australia clearly think it’s going to turn.
They’ve switched the seamer Johnson for the leggie Sangha. Even Connolly at the top of the order gives it a tweak.
India team
Rohit Sharma was in two minds as to bat or bowl first, so he says he doesn’t mind losing the toss.
He’s also downplaying the ‘home advantage’, arguing that the pitch has behaved differently every time. It’s a fresh deck, a dry one.
They’re unchanged.
India: Sharma (c), Gill, Kohli, Iyer, Patel, Rahul (wk), Pandya, Jadeja, Shami, Yadav, Chakravarthy.
Australia team
Two changes for the Aussies.
The injured Matthew Short is replaced by Cooper Connolly at the top of the order. Tanveer Sangha replaces Spencer Johnson.
Australia: Connolly, Head, Smith (c), Labuschagne, Inglis (wk), Carey, Maxwell, Dwarshuis, Ellis, Zampa, Sangha.
Australia win the toss and bat
Steve Smith didn’t hesitate. As soon as the heads call went his way, he declared his intent to “put some runs on the board and put some pressure later on”.
As with most battles against India, Australia’s hopes rest on how they play spin.
Steve Smith has highlighted the ‘middle overs’, that large chunk between the fireworks with the new ball and the launch of the death overs. Ordinarily this has been a period to take stock but India have changed the game by attacking this period with both bat and ball.
Preamble
We’re down to the final four, and on the evidence of the past few weeks, these are unquestionably the best teams of this year’s Champions Trophy.
We’re kicking off the semis with a big one. India, holders of the T20 World Cup, take on Australia, holders of the 50-over World Cup. This tournament doesn’t quite rank alongside those other two, but both sides will be keen to add to the silverware back home.
They’re both unbeaten. India, aided by the familiarity of the same hotel and playing conditions used throughout their competition – something that has been widely, and rightly, criticised – have thwacked Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand. Australia have tip-toed into the knockouts after two rained-off matches. They did spank England, though that doesn’t reveal too much about their form.
Does this mean that India are the better prepped of the two? Possibly, but the Aussies, more than any other side, have a knack of humbling the Indians. And this is an ICC event and you’d be a fool to bet against the men in canary yellow.
Sure there’s politics, sure there are existential questions about the format, sure there’s the stink of gerrymandering, but let’s try forget all that for a few hours. This has all the ingredients of a cracking game of cricket, one that’s too close to call and stacked with superstar talent.
I hope you’re as excited as I am.
If you’ve got some thought’s you want to share, be sure to ping me a mail.
I’ll be back in about 20-odd minutes with some updates with the toss and team news to follow.
First ball at 1pm in Dubai, 8pm in Sydney and 9am in London (does that cover enough bases?)
