Australia on course to be World Test Champs after just 2 days at The Oval
Day 2, World Test Championship, The Oval.
Day 2, World Test Championship, The Oval.
Thursday 8th June 2023
Australia 469 all out
India 151–5 (trail by 318 runs)
This Ashes diary entry is brought to you from the very beating heart of central England during yet another sporadic burst of glorious Summer sun and as such, it comes wrapped in my travels for the day and a visit to the ruins of a centuries old Abbey at Lilleshall and a picturesque stroll along the Shropshire Union Canal. Without a cloud in the sky to spoil the view of some 12th and 13th Century ruins of an Abbey church and cloister and two picture perfect stretches of the canal, I had to forego the live action from London and instead make some further sunshine filled memories with my beautiful son who let’s say doesn’t quite share my enthusiasm for all things ruinous and historical and finds my fascination with the centuries old canal systems quite baffling but look, the sun was shining and the cricket could have my undivided attention via an hour long highlights package later in the evening.
What transpired as I traversed the 12th and 13th Century rocky remains of a church or via that highlights package in the evening, was 12 wickets falling throughout the day, an arguable mini batting collapse, one team leaving the door slightly ajar for their outplayed opponents, cricketing “lives”, cricketing “snorters”, dropped catches and perhaps most importantly of all, of one team, Australia, seemingly holding all the cards for victory and for a coronation in three days time as World Test Champions.
Starting the day on a commanding 327–3, the world be World Champions from Australia saw their overnight batting heroes in Travis Head and Steve Smith both pass their individual innings milestones before Head was, in the cricketing vernacular, “strangled” by a tangled pull shot down the leg side he feathered into the gloves of Srikar Bharat and Smith was comprehensively bowled by Shardul Thakur. At 387–6, Head passed 150 to finish on 163 and Smith scored yet another century at The Oval before he perished on 121. But with Cameron Green dismissed for just 6 in between the fall of these wickets, Australia rather collapsed to a total of 469 all out and a total I’d argue was 75 runs short of sealing almost certain victory already. Aside from wicket-keeper Alex Carey’s typically attacking knock of 48 from just 69 balls received, every other Aussie batsmen in the tail of their innings failed to climb into double figures.
469 is still a highly dominating 1st innings total, but 550+ and the engravers could begin to etch “Australia” into the winner’s plate of the trophy.
“Ashes to Ashes”
Out Now! Hot off the Press!medium.com
Roared on by an Oval crowd largely bathed in the orange, white and green colours of India, their team rather flattered to deceive before ultimately ending Day 2 a long way behind on any cricket scorecard. Every batsman reached double figures. Two batsmen simply gave their wickets away without playing a shot. The team reached 30–0 serenely and without a hitch before collapsing to 50–3 and 71–4 . The final session saw a brilliant fightback before Ravindra Jadeja “nicked off” just two runs short of a swashbuckling run-a-ball half century, and his wicket, India’s fifth, leaves them trailing by a whopping 318 runs with just five 1st innings wicket standing overnight.
Prior to this conclusion we saw the captain’s duel between Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins culminate comprehensively in the Aussie skipper’s favour as he trapped his Indian counterpart LBW (Leg Before Wicket) and so comprehensively and so brilliantly well bowled, Sharma didn’t even trouble the DRS or TV umpire. Next up came not one but two consecutive uses of the beautiful cricketing term of “shouldering arms” or to not play a shot as you’re comfortable the ball will easily miss your precious “Castle” of stumps behind you. Not so in the case of Shubman Gill as he “shouldered arms” to a delivery from Scott Boland that cut back from the wicket before crashing into his off stump and just 20 team runs later, Cheteshwar Pujara performed the exact same non-stroke to the bowling of Cameron Green, who punched the air in delight at his great sporting fortune. Throw in the dismissal of the crowd’s darling Virat Kohli, with the score on just 71–4, and India were rocking and seemingly ripe for a batting collapse.
India’s day, and arguably the entire Test Match at this early juncture, was rescued in the evening session of play by the dogged determination of Ajinkya Rahane and a run-a-ball extravaganza from Ravindra Jadeja. Their partnership of 71 was curtailed just before end of play “Stumps” with a brilliant spinning delivery from Nathan Lyon that snagged the edge of Jadeja’s bat and into the grasping hands of Steve Smith at 1st Slip. Whilst Jadeja crashed his way to 48 invaluable runs from just 51 balls received, his partner in the final session of the day ended the day not out on 29 and, perhaps crucially, the recipient of a cricketing “life” when on 17 he was adjudged out and LBW to the bowling of Pat Cummins, only to see the Aussie skipper had overstepped and bowled a no-ball. Bowling a no-ball is simply unforgivable in any form of cricket and this gift of a second chance may, may come back to haunt Australia and indeed their captain tomorrow.
But the stark reality at the end of Day 2 is that Australia hold the whip hand with a 300+ run advantage and if they skittle the remaining 5 Indian wickets cheaply and take a 250+ run advantage into the 2nd Innings I can only see one winner.
“Moving Day” tomorrow. I foresee Australia holding a similar lead come end of play before setting India a near record setting target for victory.
Time will tell.
It always does.
Thanks for reading. If you’re a fan of Test Match cricket, can I direct you to my three previously published articles on this grandest of all games?
Aussies set down dominant marker ahead of The Ashes
Day 1: World Test Championship, The Oval.medium.com
England warm up for The Ashes with easy victory over Ireland
Ashes Diary — Day 1.medium.com
Who says Test Match cricket is boring? Kiwis win a thriller!
Day 5: New Zealand v England. Basin Reserve, Wellington.medium.com