Nitish Kumar Reddy and a century for the ages
Australia v India — Day 3, Melbourne
AUSTRALIA 474
INDIA 358–9 (trail by 116 runs)
Well who saw this turn of events coming?
I certainly didn’t and quixotically all four results are now possible even though only one result, a draw, would seem feasible from here but after the events of today, who would dare make such a prediction now?
Commencing today on 164–5, India trailed their Australian hosts by 310 runs on 1st innings needing a bare minimum of 111 runs to ensure Aussie captain Pat Cummins couldn’t even consider enforcing the follow-on (which in all likelihood he wouldn’t have) but still, the facts were laid bare:
310 runs behind and only 5 wickets in hand, India needed a hero and step forward 21 year old Nitish Kumar Reddy. Arriving at the wicket following the strange dismissal of Rishabh Pant so early in the day and so in keeping with the extravagance of the 27 year old wicket-keeper batsman, Reddy joined the deliberately watchful and slow scoring Ravindra Jadeja with India still trailing their hosts by 283 runs but within mere minutes, Jadeja was gone too, a wicket waiting to happen for Nathan Lyon to claim, and now joined by Washington Sundar and still 253 runs behind, it was time for a hero and boy oh boy did India find not just one, but two.
We could gallop forward to the rain before the sunshine that brought an early end to the afternoon session and indeed the sunshine after the rain of a mid 1990’s classic song that will be an earworm once you’ve heard it again, but who needs that? For the rain returned once more to end another of those incredible days of Test Match cricket that pleases the childish impulses in those of us lucky enough to have been bathed in its majesty since childhood. But this would be to skip over a tired and struggling Australian team who failed to clean up the Indian batting “tail” even with a new ball and a brand new cherry soon dispatched to all parts of the MCG by the Indian heroes of the day Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar who remained unbeaten and not out at both the Lunch and Tea Intervals and who by this latter break in play had compiled a possible Test Match saving partnership of 105 and after the sunshine followed the rain, returned for more. Sundar, still in the early throes himself of a Test Match career, reached his 4th Test Match half century before being dismissed for exactly 50 from a brilliantly spinning and lifting delivery from Nathan Lyon that flew from the edge of his bat into the grasping hands of Steve Smith at 1st Slip and then the late day fun could really begin!
Reddy, with a maiden Test Match 50 under his belt, had added a further six boundary 4’s to the four he cracked on his way to his half century (and one huge boundary clearing 6 too) and now with the departed Sundar edged and eased his way to 99 not out and just a solitary run from a quite astounding century. Jasprit Bumrah joined him but lasted just 3 deliveries before edging a Pat Cummins delivery into the hands of Usman Khawaja at 1st Slip and as Bumrah trudged back from whence he came (accompanied by “Daddles the Duck”, naturally), in walked Mohammed Siraj to face the late day music and three deliveries from Pat Cummins he simply had to defend, keep out and survive for his partner at the other end. This he did, to an almighty roar from the thousands of Indian supporters in the MCG and a roar not only matched by smashed to oblivion by the howls of delight that greeted Reddy’s century moments later. Mere minutes later, mother nature had the final say and rain brought an early end to a brilliant day’s Test Match cricket.
Nitish Kumar Reddy — 105 not out from 176 balls received.
Well batted kid.
With two days to go in this Test Match all four results are still possible and whilst a draw is now an odds-on favourite (and the beautiful prospect of heading to Sydney with the series level at 1–1 and an in effect one match shoot-out for the destiny of the series), we also have the tantalising prospect in the morning of 21 year old Reddy for India and 19 year old Sam Konstas for Australia both having the “licence” to enjoy themselves and “throw the bat” in cricketing parlance in search of quick runs, the always pleasing and always fired up Mohammed Siraj seeking Aussie scalps alongside the master Jasprit Bumrah, as well as the small matter of Steve Smith needing just 51 runs to reach 10,000 runs in Test Match cricket.
A nailed on draw, but Day 4 is set to be a thriller and if Jasprit Bumrah turns on the magic and takes a bagful of wickets we could have one hell of a Day 5.
I depart, as ever, childishly excited to return to the MCG later.
Thanks for reading. Over the past boundary four cricket watching years I’ve turned my daily journals into a hat-trick of self-published books on the grand old game and should you be an Aussie or fan of the India cricket team reading this now, here are my second and third books which I hope will pique your interest in supporting an indie author:
"The Spirit of Cricket" - link to Amazon
"Tea and Biscuits in India" - link to Amazon
Whilst you’re here I may as well brag about the release of my two self-published books during December 2024. Both are free to read if you subscribe to Amazon Kindle “Unlimited” or reasonably priced in both paperback and hardback. Go on, treat yourself or a loved one and help out an Indie Author! Buy the books if you’re financially able to.
We HAVE to keep the spirit of reading books alive and well.
Thanks.
"My Ironbridge Summer" - link to Amazon
"still life, with gooseberry" - link to Amazon
Thanks for reading. I hope this message in a bottle in The Matrix finds you well, prospering, and the right way up in an upside down world.