The death of Phillip Hughes loomed large on Day One, but David Warner’s century put Australia on top at the Adelaide Oval. Read Geoff Lemon and Russell Jackson’s over-by-over coverage.
6.43pm AEST
With the wicket of Haddin, Day One has drawn to a close. It was a day dominated by bat in the early stages as David Warner channeled the hopes of the nation and somehow controlled his emotions to post a marvelous century in honour of his close friend Phillip Hughes.
Today the Australian players wore their fallen teammates’ Test number on their chests and played with him in their hearts. Warner thrashed the life out of the tourists early, hitting boundary after boundary before settling into a mature rhythm and eventually posting a century of depth and meaning.
6.30pm AEST
India are back in this game in a big way and it’s Mohammed Shami who strikes, sending one away from Brad Haddin and drawing an edge through to the keeper. I never lost faith in him, I swear!
Haddin is gone for a duck and this match is, if not on level terms, then at least a little more delicately poised that we’d have thought 25 minutes ago.
6.27pm AEST
89th over - Australia 354-5 (Smith 71, Haddin 0)
“Virat Kohli has had a pretty good day,” says Shane Warne, who is either drunk or has just had a 5-hour nap. What is pretty good is a probing over from leg-spinner Karn Sharma to Steve Smith. It’s a maiden and sets the scene for an interesting final over for Brad Haddin.
Lyon sees Australia safely through to 10 minutes before stumps.
6.24pm AEST
88th over - Australia 354-5 (Smith 71, Haddin 0)
Shami is having his best few minutes of the day, which is hardly saying much but he’s asking questions of Haddin and forcing him into nervy defence. The Aussie keeper survives this over and will have two more to contend with to finish the day.
6.21pm AEST
Finally Shami breaks through and to be fair his delivery to Lyon is a jaffa - accurately homing in on off stump and moving just enough for the Nightwatchman to edge it down onto his stumps. It was perhaps a tad defensive for the Australians to protect Brad Haddin with five overs still remaining on a day they’ve dominated and now it’s backfired on them.
6.19pm AEST
87th over - Australia 351-4 (Smith 71, Lyon 3)
As Steve Smith pushes three to take Australia past 350, I think it’s probably worth discussing the fact that he is now probably the best in the world at acquiring ‘stealth runs’. He’s barely had to impose himself on this game so far and yet he’s already worked his way to 71 from 122.
6.14pm AEST
86th over - Australia 348-4 (Smith 68, Lyon 3)
Here’s a huge surprise for you: Mohammed Shami doesn’t really even look like getting Nathan Lyon out with the new ball. He does draw an outside edge that falls short of Saha behind the stumps. That gets the Nine commentary team excited but then, what doesn’t?
NLyon adds batting at # 7 to batting at #3, #4, #5, #6, #8, #9, #10 and #11. But never before at #7.
6.10pm AEST
85th over - Australia 348-4 (Smith 68, Lyon 3)
It’s likely that Aaron would have bowled even if Ishant was firing on all cylinders because Shami is struggling so badly, but his wicket was precisely what the skipper would have wanted from this last ten overs.
6.07pm AEST
Just as David Warner appears to be interviewed by Nine, the new bowler Varun Aaron steams in to Mitch Marsh and catches him on the hop with a sharp, short one that the young all-rounder awkwardly edges through to Kohli at gully.
Aaron was on to replace Ishant, who looks injured, but that is a great bonus for his side and at least gives them a positive from this last session of the day.
6.03pm AEST
84th over - Australia 345-3 (Smith 68, Marsh 41)
Shami starts a little better in this over but that’s just a misleading prelude to another half-tracker that Smith’s able to enthusiastically slap through the on-side for four. Shami appeals for leg before a ball later but his claim is about as convincing as anything else he’s done for the day and of thus of no interest to the umpire.
5.58pm AEST
83rd over - Australia 341-3 (Smith 64, Marsh 41)
Ishant is back on track this over but as far as new ball spells go, this last ten minutes has been fairly tame stuff. He looks in need of a rub-down and potentially some mild sedatives to numb the pain of his thankless task.
5.54pm AEST
82nd over - Australia 340-3 (Smith 63, Marsh 41)
Mitch Marsh couldn’t really dream of an easier way to work his way into Test cricket on home soil than Mohammed Shami’s toothless mediums and the young West Aussie slaps the bowler through mid-wicket for a boundary after he digs it in short.
5.51pm AEST
81st over - Australia 336-3 (Smith 63, Marsh 37)
India take the new ball and it seems a little indicative of the type of day they’ve had when even the impressive Ishant first balks at the crease and then gets clipped to the fine leg boundary by Smith when he finally gets through his action.
5.44pm AEST
80th over - Australia 326-3 (Smith 53, Marsh 37)
How is this for an indictment: Virat Kohli has such little faith in Mohammed Shami’s ability to make an immediate impact with the new ball that he gives him an over of looseners with the old one first. It at least looks justified when his bowler sends one so far down the leg side that you think you’re watching a park-grade 4th XI.
5.40pm AEST
79th over - Australia 323-3 (Smith 52, Marsh 35)
Murali Vijay bowls another maiden as the few punters remaining at their seats ask themselves questions like, “remember earlier in the day when we were having fun and smiling?” I know what they mean.
5.38pm AEST
78th over - Australia 323-3 (Smith 52, Marsh 35)
Karn Sharma does his job again, racing between balls and keeping the seat warm for his pace-bowling cohorts to take the new ball in a few overs’ time and hopefully have one last-minute crack at taking a few wickets.
5.35pm AEST
77th over - Australia 322-3 (Smith 52, Marsh 34)
Vijay sprints through another over of his innocuous spin for the cost of two runs.
"He's picked a road to bowl on, not through choice." Brett Lee challenging John Arlott for commentary quality atm. #AUSvIND #cricket
5.33pm AEST
76th over - Australia 320-3 (Smith 51, Marsh 33)
Steve Smith welcomes Karn Sharma back to the fold by milking him for a few singles and bringing up yet another half-centry for his country. He’s in sparkling form at the moment and a real rock for his side now.
5.29pm AEST
75th over - Australia 317-3 (Smith 49, Marsh 32)
Marsh spares us another Murali Vijay maiden when he biffs the offie’s final delivery through cover for another boundary. I don’t want to tempt fate here, but Marsh has the opportunity this afternoon and in the morning to ease his way towards one of the lowest-intensity centuries imaginable.
5.27pm AEST
74th over - Australia 313-3 (Smith 49, Marsh 28)
I’ve been tuning out where possible, but has James Brayshaw plumbed new depths today? He’s now talking about a VB promotional watch like it’s the Shroud of Turin. It rather drowns out any prolonged appreciation of Mitch Marsh’s sublime boundary that he cuts through point off Aaron.
5.21pm AEST
73rd over - Australia 307-3 (Smith 48, Marsh 23)
With one over left before drinks, Virat Kohli could opt for outright comedy but instead gives his part-timer Murali Vijay his 9th over. It’s another tidy one, keeping the Australian pair honest but not exactly inspiring any faith that a wicket might fall.
David Warner's last 10 Test innings: Five 100s and three 50s #redhot http://t.co/SDl9naXyba #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/540AoAblZN
5.16pm AEST
72nd over - Australia 304-3 (Smith 46, Marsh 22)
Varun Aaron has a minor victory here, not slammed for a single boundary in the over and even bring his economy rate down under 6 per over. That is a win in the context of India’s horrid day.
Cricket is a religion to Indians, Michael Slater says. He'd have been $1.40 favourite for first commentator to say it this summer #ausvind
5.11pm AEST
71st over - Australia 302-3 (Smith 45, Marsh 22)
Murali Vijay is all smiles after bowling a maiden to a patient Mitch Marsh but he’s the only person in a 2500 kilometer radius who particularly enjoyed it. Marsh is at least following on from his mature showings in the UAE and taking his time to get established at the crease here, reason for quiet optimism for the Australians.
VAaron has bowled 13 overs today, and conceded at least one boundary in 11 of them.
5.08pm AEST
70th over - Australia 302-3 (Smith 45, Marsh 22)
Okay, I take it back. Virat Kohli doesn’t hate us after all so he’s brought the hulking Varun Aaron back into the attack. Aaron’s first 12 action-packed overs today went for 76 runs and stirred thoughts like, “was that Mick Lewis spell at Johannesburg really that bad after all?”
5.03pm AEST
69th over - Australia 297-3 (Smith 41, Marsh 21)
Apparently Virat Kohli hates the people of Adelaide, because Murali Vijay is back with his off-spin and the punters are probably nodding off.
Kohli's first day on the job reminds me of my mate Troy who was handed the keys once and gifted the opposition 2/400 in 75 overs. #AUSvIND
4.59pm AEST
68th over - Australia 296-3 (Smith 41, Marsh 20)
It has to be said that the crowd today was not exactly packed to the rafters to begin with but it’s thinned out even further now that Warner has departed and the intensity of the contest has sagged. They’re probably packed into the bars surrounding the venue. You can hardly blame them, though personally I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch Fidgeting Steve Smith at work.
4.54pm AEST
67th over - Australia 291-3 (Smith 41, Marsh 15)
With Ishant holding up an end, the Aussies go after the spinner and Sharma is relieved of a string of boundaries by Marsh and Smith and might now be in need of a rest. Marsh has thus settled in well in an environment of such low intensity that he can’t help but feel comfortable.
4.51pm AEST
66th over - Australia 280-3 (Smith 36, Marsh 9)
Ishant continues with accuracy if not penetration, sending down a maiden that’s all heart but little guile.
4.47pm AEST
65th over - Australia 280-3 (Smith 36, Marsh 9)
Karn Sharma continues to busily whir away to Smith but Shane Warne is decidedly unimpressed with the defensive tactic he’s employing in bowling wide outside off stump with a stacked off-side field. This is at least stemming the flow of runs but Warne has a point about the limited range of dismissals to which the batsman is thus exposed.
4.44pm AEST
64th over - Australia 279-3 (Smith 35, Marsh 9)
Ishant Sharma doesn’t have the figures to show it, but he’s been one saving grace for India today and in addition to his early wicket, he also effectively took out Michael Clarke with the bouncer from which the Aussie skipper crocked himself.
4.39pm AEST
63rd over - Australia 275-3 (Smith 32, Marsh 8)
Mitch Marsh gets himself started by slapping Karn Sharma through mid-wicket for a boundary but better still is a dancing cover drive by Steve Smith, which also races away for four. The latter continues his sparkling form of recent times and even by his sheer business, looks to be stopping the frontline spinner from getting into a groove.
4.35pm AEST
62nd over - Australia 266-3 (Smith 28, Marsh 3)
Murali Vijay starts ripping them in to Smith with his non-favoured hand, turning the ball half a metre as the crowd goes wild. Well, in my my daydreams he does anyway.
4.33pm AEST
61st over - Australia 264-3 (Smith 27, Marsh 2)
Karn Sharma if nothing if not a trier and bar a single to Smith, he’s applying more pressure in this over and building some pressure on the Australian pair. The problem is that is bowling partner has only one Test wicket to his name and doesn’t look likely to add to that tally here.
Eddie Cowan celebrates his third #BupaSS ton of the season. LIVE coverage: http://t.co/5O3LQ6X6RE #BupaSS #TASvSA pic.twitter.com/YoRY3vBEGx
4.30pm AEST
60th over - Australia 263-3 (Smith 26, Marsh 2)
“Am I right in thinking the Indians have the right to refuse Australia a sub fielder if M Clarke is not fit enough to take his crouched stance in the slip cordon?” asks Martin Laidler.
4.27pm AEST
59th over - Australia 260-3 (Smith 24, Marsh 1)
Marsh is gifted his first Test run on Australian soil on account of Kohli placing the man at mid-on regrettably deep, which allows the Western Australian to tap a leisurely single.
David Warner's still never faced 175 deliveries in a Test. Makes his current average of 49.15 even more insane. #AusvInd
4.24pm AEST
58th over - Australia 258-3 (Smith 23, Marsh 0)
The wicket-taking over is followed by a maiden, but it must be said that Virat Kohli has erred in not getting Ishant straight back on to have a crack at the new man Marsh. Kohli has been genuinely poor in his first few sessions as a Test skipper and that call would appear no exception.
4.23pm AEST
57th over - Australia 258-3 (Smith 23, Marsh 0)
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh appears at the crease and after having his spirits lifted by a maiden Test wicket, Karn Sharma is applying immediate pressure to the new man.
4.21pm AEST
Warner has taken the bait from Sharma and no longer content to pat it around, he attempts to launch the spinner long and high over deep mid-wicket but only succeeds in skying a catch to Ishant in the deep. What a shame that is because he looked set for a lengthy stay.
For those playing the David Warner balls-faced sweepstakes, he lasted for 162 deliveries, 12 short of his best. Look out if he ever faces 300 balls in an innings.
4.17pm AEST
56th over - Australia 257-2 (Warner 145, Smith 22)
“Oh that’s rubbish” is Ian Healy’s assessment of Murali Vijay’s off-spin and it’s hard to disagree with him in this instance. Dave Warner tucks in and bashes him down to fine leg for a boundary and then gleefully slog-sweeps him over for cow corner for another.
4.14pm AEST
55th over - Australia 248-2 (Warner 137, Smith 21)
With India’s improvised spin twins now in operation, Steve Smith calls for his baggy green cap and sets to work milking Sharma for a string of singles.
Michael Clarke has left Adelaide Oval for further assessment, say Cricket Australia. He's in "considerable pain". More after stumps #AUSvIND
4.13pm AEST
54th over - Australia 244-2 (Warner 135, Smith 19)
I should clarify that the overs are not racing by at such a rate that James Brayshaw is unable to take Nine viewers on a wine-lovers tour of South Australia. He’s always struck me as more of a Southern Comfort and Coke man, to be honest.
4.11pm AEST
53rd over - Australia 243-2 (Warner 134, Smith 19)
The only bad thing about India racing through their overs with spinners now is that it doesn’t allow much time for rambling conversation. In the aesthetic stakes Karn Sharma is not exactly Shane Warne, either.
4.08pm AEST
The Indians think they have their man after Warner misses his sweep but he manages to sneak a foot back behind the line before the bails are taken by Saha. Not out, says the third umpire.
4.07pm AEST
52nd over - Australia 242-2 (Warner 133, Smith 19)
A fielding offender one moment, Murali Vijay then appears the next in the hope of off-spinning his side towards a faster over rate. It should never have come to this for Kohli and his side but the skipper must wear some of the blame for this display.
4.04pm AEST
51st over - Australia 240-2 (Warner 132, Smith 18)
Hopes that India will transform themselves in the final session take an immediate dive when Murali Vijay misses a clear-cut chance to run out David Warner. The Aussie was half way down the track and stone cold if the Indian had fielded with even basic competence, but he couldn’t get a throw away in time and the chance went begging. So far, so bad.
4.01pm AEST
Some notes on that second session
Australia relieved the tourists of 125 runs from a 25 dawdling overs, with the loss of only Clarke through injury.
3.46pm AEST
50th over - Australia 238-2 (Warner 131, Smith 17)
India’s intensity now resembles that of a victim of severe heatsroke. They amble through the final over of the session and Steve Smith artfully pastes Mohammed Shami’s final delivery though mid-wicket for a boundary. That rather sums up India’s day so far; lethargic, lacking in penetration and devoid of a coherent plan. Virat Kohli must lift his men in the final session to take any positives from their first-up efforts.
3.38pm AEST
49th over - Australia 233-2 (Warner 130, Smith 13)
Warner continues to play patiently here, but that doesn’t mean he’s above unleashing an audacious reverse-sweep against Sharma. That brings him a boundary and he looks as good as ever for a double century today. If India get through enough overs, that is. They’ve ambled through them like a creaky veterans side today.
I like how Dave Warner plays the reverse sweep when he's on 125 and when the team's 2/230. Not when he's on 3 and we're 1/9.
3.35pm AEST
48th over - Australia 226-2 (Warner 125, Smith 11)
Mohammed Shami returns to the attack with sadly predictable results when Warner dismissively clubs him over mid-on for a boundary and then Smith takes the opportunity to peel off one of those glorious cover drives at which he’s now so adept. If anything the Australian tempo has now increased since Clarke’s departure.
Bad news still to come for India... Brad Haddin has a Test average of 121 at the Adelaide Oval #AUSvIND
3.31pm AEST
47th over - Australia 217-2 (Warner 120, Smith 7)
For those of you who are following Dave Warner’s balls-faced progress, he’s now survived for 132, just 42 short of his career-best in Test cricket. Geez I hope he hangs around for another hundred at least. He could really do some damage against the worn-out version of this bowling attack.
3.26pm AEST
46th over - Australia 214-2 (Warner 118, Smith 6)
Mike Hussey is now calling Clarke “a gamble worth taking”. Is he right? There was always a chance this could happen and I sense if the universe had been less cruel in the past fortnight, there is no question that Clarke would have sat out the first Test. You could say he deserved to make the call himself given recent events but what a shame it’s ended so disappointingly.
3.21pm AEST
45th over - Australia 207-2 (Warner 117, Smith 0)
Steve Smith gets his first look at Karn Sharma and is typically busy, fidgeting endlessly to mark his guard and re-adjust his protective equipment before racing down the pitch to play a defensive stroke to the on side.
I hope I am wrong here, but there is a chance that might be the last we see of Michael Clarke this summer.
3.19pm AEST
44th over - Australia 206-2 (Warner 116, Smith 0)
Just one comes from Ishant’s over but the potentially match-altering departure of Michael Clarke, retired with a back injury, is now the major talking point. Are we seeing the end of Clarke now? You’d hope not but these constant setbacks don’t auger well.
3.16pm AEST
Well, well, well. Just as things looked better than ever for Australia, Michael Clarke’s back appears to have seized up badly, so Dr Peter Brukner and physio Alex Kontouris are out there assessing him.
The problem came when Clarke twisted out of the way of a ball in Ishant’s last over and then started grimacing in pain. It doesn’t look good at all and the possibility that he will retire hurt is confirmed when he attempts to flex to the side and lets out another loud grimace followed by a four-letter word you can probably guess.
3.10pm AEST
43rd over - Australia 205-2 (Warner 115, Clarke 60)
Karn Sharma produces his best over yet but from the limited sample size on offer, I would have to conclude that Ravi Ashwin would have been a better bet on every conceivable level. Is he ill? Did Sharma tie him up in hotel basement? I need answers.
Ishant Sharma to Warner/Clarke: 23 off 60 balls. Rest to Warner/Clarke: 150 off 133 balls. #AusvInd
3.06pm AEST
42nd over - Australia 203-2 (Warner 114, Clarke 59)
Ishant is huffing and puffing and trying to blow Clarke’s house down, but he’s not getting much assistance from this pitch and has to settle for another frugal if less inspired over.
3.03pm AEST
41st over - Australia 201-2 (Warner 113, Clarke 58)
Karn Sharma continues with accuracy and no small measure of enthusiasm but when he’s not being milked for singles on account of an uninspired range of field placements, Warner is bossing him over cow corner for four.
2.58pm AEST
40th over - Australia 190-2 (Warner 107, Clarke 53)
Virat Kohli has seen enough of Varun Aaron for now so throws the ball back to Ishant in the hope his veteran paceman might produce a moment of inspiration and drag the tourists back into the contest. He produced the best over of the last hour by a mile, drawing a false stroke from Clarke to a ball that moved away off the seem and otherwise asking questions of the batsman.
Clarke's 50 acknowledgement says 'I'm not done' as much as 'thankyou' #AUSvIND
2.54pm AEST
39th over - Australia 190-2 (Warner 107, Clarke 53)
Karn Sharma continues with his leg-spin, posing no great hurdle to Clarke as he moves to 50 by punching a single to long-on. Warner, meanwhile, looks to re-assert his dominance by slog-sweeping the spinner deep and rather dangerously to the deep square leg boundary. Any finer and he might have been caught by the man in the deep but fortune favours his bravery this time.
2.50pm AEST
38th over - Australia 180-2 (Warner 101, Clarke 49)
While they’ve rather made their own luck, India return from drinks with no greater fortune when Clarke edges a “French cut” past his stumps and to the fine leg boundary before streakily nicking between second slip and gully for another.
You bloody legend mate!! All class for ya bruzzy up there watching you, #HungeForHughesy #408 @davidwarner31 #Proud pic.twitter.com/NpfqlS5Zka
2.45pm AEST
37th over - Australia 171-2 (Warner 100, Clarke 41)
After two balls of patient defence, Warner advances slightly and punches Sharma through cover for one, bringing up his tenth and surely most emotional Test century. He hugs his skipper Michael Clarke fiercely and then looks to the heavens in honour of his departed mate Phillip Hughes.
Just glorious Dave Warner. Wouldn't it be something if Michael Clarke followed him and also got a ton on this day of days
2.40pm AEST
36th over - Australia 170-2 (Warner 99, Clarke 41)
In the absence of DRS, which India don’t want, they’re left to maniacally appeal anything remotely close to a dismissal and here Aaron erroneously believes he’s had Clarke caught behind but can’t do anything about it other than appeal in via the method of a kind of primal scream.
2.36pm AEST
35th over - Australia 165-2 (Warner 98, Clarke 37)
The newbie Karn Sharma is now back into the attack and facing the thankless task of trying to slow the Australian progress. Going in his favour is that Warner is being watchful as he approaches his century. Warner gathers two through mid-wicket and then a single through point.
2.32pm AEST
34th over - Australia 162-2 (Warner 95, Clarke 37)
For a reasonably fast bowler, it’s hard to imagine anyone looking as impotent as Varun Aaron right now and the way he starts the over to Warner you immediately assume that the batsman might get the ten runs required for his century in this over.
2.27pm AEST
33rd over - Australia 157-2 (Warner 90, Clarke 37)
Kohli has seen something in Shami’s bowling that none of the rest of us had noticed, so keeps him plugging away at Warner and Clarke. “Did that look a bit lame?” says Ian Healy, barely conceiling his contempt for Shami’s offerings. He’s not out of line to be honest and the point is proven well by a rank half-tracker that Clarke cannons through mid-wicket for a boundary.
2.23pm AEST
32nd over - Australia 150-2 (Warner 89, Clarke 31)
Kohli does make a change, but it’s to take off Ishant and replace him with Varun Aaron. The Indians also feel a change of ball is due, perhaps one full of nitroglycerin that explodes on impact because nothing else seems to be working right at the moment.
2.15pm AEST
31st over - Australia 144-2 (Warner 84, Clarke 31)
Clarke is rolling along now. He thrashes the life out of Shami for a boundary square of point and then cracks another through cover off the back foot. The latter was just classical Test match batting. The less said about the bowling, the better. Kohli surely needs to make some kind of change at this point because the session is slipping away very quickly.
2.12pm AEST
30th over - Australia 136-2 (Warner 84, Clarke 23)
Again David Warner turns the strike from the first ball of the over, this time facing up to the frugal and so-far metronomic Ishant. Talk in the Nine box has turned to Michael Clarke’s upright posture at the crease. Split screen vision using footage from last season only confirms what looks obvious to the naked eye.
@rustyjacko Has Warne stopped bagging Karn Sharma yet? Maybe he should remember his own Test debut. The 9 team is unbearable for non-Aussies
2.06pm AEST
29th over - Australia 134-2 (Warner 83, Clarke 22)
Shami continues but in the absence of the swing he offered earlier, he’s far easier pickings for Clarke to thump for a straight four. The only saving grace for India right now is that Warner’s not getting much of the strike. Still, beware Michael Clarke once his eye is in. If we know anything about his last 18 months it’s that once he gets past 30 he’s a difficult man to budge. Doubly so carrying the emotion into this game that he’s surely feeling out there.
2.03pm AEST
28th over - Australia 129-2 (Warner 82, Clarke 18)
The Australian pair are becoming more industrious now. Warner nudges Ishant to mid-wicket for one and then Clarke drives through mid-on for three. As that happens, I’m alerted to the fact that I might have dumped a reader into some strife in the office.
1.57pm AEST
27th over - Australia 124-2 (Warner 81, Clarke 15)
Phil Withall doesn’t think I’d cut it as the co-host of a re-booted Better Homes and Gardens. “May I just go on the record as saying that is the most disturbing tweet since Botham’s. Also what else is in your room that could possibly “tie in” with it? Yours in shock.”
1.52pm AEST
26th over - Australia 117-2 (Warner 78, Clarke 11)
Michael Clarke is gently easing himself in here and clips Ishant Sharma through the gap at mid-wicket for two to get himself going after lunch. Ishant remains something of an enigma to Australian audiences; he was magnificent in 2007-08, almost destroying Ricky Ponting’s confidence, then bowled like a drain in 2011-12 as his side was embarrassed. Still those formative spells give a glimmer of hope that he could be a hero for the tourists.
1.47pm AEST
25th over - Australia 114-2 (Warner 78, Clarke 9)
The first over after lunch is bowled by Mohammed Shami, who swung the ball appreciably early in the first session but also copped the full force of Warner’s blade at points too. Here he has the left-hander driving uppishly towards point, which is bizzarely vacated in favour of a deeper man in he same line.
1.38pm AEST
More Warner love
Reader Phil Withall is feeling the Warner love as deeply as me. “It would appear the Warner is not only intent on batting all day, but also single-handedly winning this test,” he says. “He’s looking ominously in control. Who’d be a bowler when he’s in this mood?”
1.32pm AEST
I am broadly against people embedding their own tweets
...but in this instance, and bearing in mind I keep forgetting how to embed images in any other way, I need to make an exception. Here is a pic of what arrived in the post today.
Thanks to the arrival of the postie, Tony Greig has joined us on the sofa. pic.twitter.com/Vewc9GyzQw
1.27pm AEST
Meanwhile, on Nine...
I’ve long advocated a change to Nine’s tired lunch-break ‘Cricket Show’ (18 foot skiffs? Cara Honeychurch and the ten pin bowlers? The return of the Uncle Toby’s series?) but now Brett Lee and Michael Slater are talking about Modi (not Lalit) and the G20 summit.
1.22pm AEST
Afternoon all
...and welcome to the second session of this first Test of the rejigged summer schedule. Hasn’t it all just been a wonderful tribute to Phillip Hughes so far? Not overbearing, not uncomfortable, just right on the money like everything about the way Australian cricket has handled these difficult past few weeks.
1.09pm AEST
There is the end of the first session. India only got through 24 overs in that stint, it should have been more like 30. At this rate they’ll be 90 minutes behind the mark by the close of play.
The classic evenly-poised session there: two fairly cheap wickets for India, Rogers and Watson gone although each batted for a while. But as so many teams have found, they could not tame David Warner, and he is absolutely the difference. He’s scored over 68 percent of his team’s runs so far, and absolutely crushed India’s pace attack early, when he took Shami and Aaron all around the park. Ishant has been very sturdy, and the debutant spinner has bowled three nervy overs for 15 runs.
1.04pm AEST
24th over: Australia 113-2 (Warner 77, Clarke 9)
Ishant continues to keep David Warner quiet. He’s bowled excellently to Warner, giving him no width, cramping him for room, getting that awkward bounce from a fullish length that makes it hard to drive. Three singles from the over, and that’s all she wrote.
12.58pm AEST
23rd over: Australia 110-2 (Warner 75, Clarke 8)
Ah, it was just to change ends. Karn Sharma returns from the river end of the ground, Kohli seeing something with the breeze or the pitch or the sun or perhaps some butterflies flittering around a woodland glade while deer crop nearby.
12.55pm AEST
22nd over: Australia 101-2 (Warner 66, Clarke 8)
Karn Sharma is quickly off, and Ishant Sharma is back on. Get Rohit in there and we can have a Sharmarama. Three singles from the over, and it raises Australia’s hundred.
12.52pm AEST
21st over: Australia 98-2 (Warner 64, Clarke 7)
Three braces for Clarke in that over, two from short balls, only one of which was a controlled stroke. Aaron has his line (or length) of attack worked out. Clarke is handling it with equanimity, despite gloving one to fine leg.
There is a small section of the crowd, I think on the hill, that are cheering every bouncer.
12.47pm AEST
20th over: Australia 92-2 (Warner 64, Clarke 1)
There is a lovely moment that you will never see in any cricket match but this. Karn Sharma bowled, David Warner swept the ball away behind square leg for two, and the crowd rose to give him a standing ovation as Warner’s score reached 63 not out. The batsman, who had ridden by his friend’s side off the SCG two weeks ago today, clutched his bat by the blade and looked to the heavens, holding it skyward in an understated salute. What a wonderful and sad and wonderfully sad little scene that was.
12.42pm AEST
19th over: Australia 88-2 (Warner 61, Clarke 0)
We’re about five overs behind the nominal rate already, hopefully the spinner can help reel that in. There’s no rush from Aaron, who’s continuing his practice of sauntering back to the top of a long run. But he won’t be changing anything after that wicket. There’s an “Oooooh” around the Adelaide Oval as Aaron belts in a bouncer at Clarke’s helmet first ball. Evaded. The next is short as well, defended up high by Clarke. The third is wildly high down leg side, and easily let go. Run rate is still above four and a half.
12.39pm AEST
Vindication for Varun Aaron! Against the run of play, Watson tries a square-ish drive, angled the bat, got too much bounce, it took the edge near the shoulder of the bat, and gave Dhawan his second catch of the day. A rousing ovation as Michael Clarke walks to the crease.
12.36pm AEST
18th over: Australia 88-1 (Warner 61, Watson 14)
Ah, nice. Here comes India’s newest bowler - Karn Sharma, the leg-spinner, on debut. He’s not Yasir Shah, I’ll tell you that. Nice fast whippy action, very high arm, not much in the way of revs on the ball by the looks. Certainly not much turn, but he dropped them on a spot nicely, getting them full, hard to drive. Only two singles from his first over.
12.33pm AEST
17th over: Australia 86-1 (Warner 60, Watson 13)
As if to validate my last stat, Warner clobbers Aaron down the ground on the drive for another boundary, his 10th, intentionally lofted. He gives strike to Watson, who is once more thudded on the pad, I think that was off the bat first though. No appeal.
12.27pm AEST
16th over: Australia 81-1 (Warner 55, Watson 13)
Warner still circumspect against Ishant, waiting four balls for a single. He’s faced 24 balls in total from Ishant for 6 runs. That means his other 49 runs have come from 27 balls against the rest. Chew on that.
12.23pm AEST
15th over: Australia 80-1 (Warner 54, Watson 13)
Aaron is continuing, as are his troubles. He gets just a touch short and Warner savages him on the pull shot to midwicket. The very next ball was short and down leg side, and Warner nudged it along to fine leg. Successive boundaries, and another Test fifty for Warner - his 14th, and the 23rd time he’s passed 50 in his 33 matches.
12.18pm AEST
14th over: Australia 71-1 (Warner 45, Watson 13)
Ishant into his fifth over, bounces Warner who goes underneath it. Warner works a ball angled into his body away through midwicket, hustling back for an excellently run third. Watson is tangled up attempting the same shot, before Ishant launches a vocal but lonely appeal after striking the big man’s big front pad. Angling in, wasn’t the worst shout in the world given Watson was a bit low in his stance, but the tracker has the ball sailing just over and just down leg. There’s no other score from the over.
12.12pm AEST
13th over: Australia 68-1 (Warner 42, Watson 13)
Aaron getting some steam up: Watson tries to repeat the cut shot, but the ball is through him before he can get near it. He does get near the cover drive though, belting a wide and full one to the fence. Aaron attacks the stumps a couple of times, and Watson is behind it. A good little contest shaping up there as well.
12.09pm AEST
12th over: Australia 64-1 (Warner 42, Watson 9)
A really interesting shift in pace from Warner - evidence of that growing maturity. He’s got his good start, he has the Indians wary, and now he’s settling in. Bats out a maiden from Ishant.
12.03pm AEST
11th over: Australia 64-1 (Warner 42, Watson 9)
Varun Aaron is back, and again he’s all over the place. Fast, but all over the place. Short down leg, full on off, full outside off. Watson edges interestingly near gully for no run, creams a square cut for four, and hits that booming square-shouldered drive of his straight to mid off. That’s drinks. 11 overs in the hour. Not great signs for the new Indian skipper.
11.58am AEST
10th over: Australia 60-1 (Warner 42, Watson 5)
Warner is down to a dreary strike rate of 127 now that he’s playing out some dots and working singles. Watson gets off the mark though in emphatic fashion - a full ball on middle, and he plants the front foot and whips hard across the line to the midwicket boundary. Not the highest-percentage shot, perhaps, but it looked great. He gets a single from the inside edge to close the over.
11.52am AEST
9th over: Australia 54-1 (Warner 41, Watson 0)
Another meaty Warner drive to deep cover, well saved out there on the fence by Rohit Sharma, I think it was, who put in the dive to great effect. Three runs. It’s Shami in his fifth over. He adds a wide. Watson is Watschful early on, intent only on keeping the ball out of his stumps and pads.
11.48am AEST
8th over: Australia 50-1 (Warner 38, Watson 0)
The 50 partnership came up in that over as Warner took another single. It only took 43 balls. Warner though has done his early dash, like a flower the blooms viciously for but one night, and now he has retreated back into bud. Or the bowling tightened up. One or the other. That left Rogers the strike, and brought about the wicket. The final ball of the over is a sharp bouncer that has Shane Watson pulling away so quickly that he overbalanced and ended up galloping toward square leg by several metres to keep his feet. That missed the grille by an inch. Ishant finding some menace.
11.45am AEST
Finally, the pitching up gets some reward. Rogers pushes forward at an Ishant delivery that probably wasn’t there for it, just not full enough for the drive Rogers played. The ball takes a healthy edge and flies to second slip.
11.41am AEST
7th over: Australia 49-0 (Rogers 9, Warner 37)
Shami continuing. He’s settled in over the wicket now. Beautiful straight drive from Rogers goes all the way down the long Adelaide Oval and finally saunters into the rope. The rest of the over is high quality though, Shami probing away around the off stump and pinning Rogers down.
11.36am AEST
6th over: Australia 45-0 (Rogers 5, Warner 37)
Ah, here we are. Ishant Sharma, the Australian crowd favourite, is on to bowl. It’s hard not to love him in person, he looks exactly like an overgrown boy playing in a laneway, all gangly and awkward and full of enthusiasm. Australia going at a lazy 9 an over, but Ishant produces a maiden to Warner to bring that down to 7.7.
11.33am AEST
5th over: Australia 45-0 (Rogers 5, Warner 37)
Warner glances one to fine leg, and finally Rogers is able to get a shot away: a cover drive from Shami for three. India persist in pitching it up here, hoping to find the edge and a wicket, but it’s proving an expensive pursuit this morning. Tough work for bowlers here. Warner has switched modes, happy to find one more run to the on side. Rogers gets a big inside edge into the pads.
11.26am AEST
4th over: Australia 40-0 (Rogers 2, Warner 35)
We are being given an absolute treat, ladies and gents. Aaron steaming in, and he bowls the first bouncer of the match. Warner flinches out of the way. Good to get that done with. But Warner is not cowed. The next ball he cuts uppishly, it goes high in the air, point and gully track back but they can’t get there before the drop, and the ball runs away to the rope. It’s a no-ball anyway. Then he forces two runs through cover. Aaron bowls a wide outside off stump in reply. Finally there’s a single, and Rogers actually faces a couple of balls. Warner has 17.5 times as many runs. They appeal for caught behind off the final ball. No dice.
11.21am AEST
3rd over: Australia 31-0 (Rogers 2, Warner 28)
Awwww whack. David Warner is on a mission. Gets width from Shami, and fullness, and in the fullness of time he plays another square drive, this time deliberately spooning it as it was so wide of his stumps, he could only reach it by lifting it away. There are three slips, a gully and a point, but this soared over the latter gentleman. A deliberate bunt. Very next ball Warner plays a more orthodox cover drive. Four more.
11.14am AEST
2nd over: Australia 16-0 (Rogers 2, Warner 13)
Kah-lassic stuff. Varun Aaron begins his day, tall and fast, right-arm around, a decent length ball that was only slightly hinting at being full. David Warner begins his day by driving it to the cover fence. On the up, but all along the ground, and that sped away. Warner digs out the next couple, then Aaron bowls a no-ball that’s too full, and Warner drives behind square, opening the face, and takes another four. Tough start for the inexperienced quick. He comes back the next ball as he has Warner edging into his ankle, beaten for pace, but the final ball cops the square drive once more, and once more is struck into the breach. A single off the last makes that 14 from the over, 13 of them to D. Warner, and ensures that Australia are away. Whaddanover.
11.08am AEST
1st over: Australia 2-0 (Rogers 2, Warner 0)
And we’re away. Mohammed Shami begins the formalities, bowling right arm around the wicket to the left-handed Rogers. Everything is pitched up. There are a couple of yelps, first as Rogers glances for two runs, then as he plays one into the ground to short leg. The Indians are chirping all over the place in the slip cordon, geeing each other up, encouraging the bowler. There’s a rumble of contentment around the ground, and a yell of excitement as Shami hits the pad, angling in, but striking Rogers far too high. Shami attacks the pads with all but one ball of that over, but Rogers keeps him out. Good battle.
11.03am AEST
Great Southern Land booms over the PA speakers as David Warner sprints to the crease. Chris Rogers trails behind him like a reluctant schoolchild being dragged to the principal’s office.
11.01am AEST
The ground empties in preparation for the players. Always my favourite moment of a match, this. A blank point in time, the future hinging on this. Complete potential, infinite possibility.
10.59am AEST
On matters purely cricketing, Clarke has won the toss and Australia will bat. They’ve picked their Ashes side from last summer with the exception of Mitchell Marsh in George Bailey’s spot at No6.
India are missing Dhoni, so Virat Kohli will captain and Wriddhiman Saha will keep wicket. They’ve also gone with Rohit Sharma as a sixth batsman, meaning a four-man bowling attack. And they’ve picked the leg spinner Karn Sharma, which is what true blue Indian fans will be yelling from the stands. The pace attack is Ishant, Aaron and Shami.
10.54am AEST
It will be good to get the game underway after all this mourning, as some kind of context and point of focus. It’s a sombre beginning to a Test and a series, full of feeling.
10.53am AEST
There is a massive ovation as I type , as Michael Clarke and the Australians are announced. They’re striding onto the ground opposite the Indian team, and both are joining into a long line facing large versions of their national flags held by obedient children.
Then an eerie, electrifying moment as Richie Benaud voices a tribute to Phillip Hughes, broadcast on the ground’s scoreboards. The MC request an ovation of 63 seconds in honour of Hughes, and the hairs on your arms prick up as the entire ground rises to their feet to deliver this final salute.
10.50am AEST
Yes - good morning all, welcome to the Guardian’s over-by-over report from the Adelaide Oval. It’s an achingly perfect day, somewhere in the mid-20-degree range, cloudless blue skies above, the ground glowing green below, but also an achingly sad day as we face a Test match that will inevitably be more about the absent Phillip Hughes than any of the 22 men playing. It’s emotional in a way that no one I’ve spoken to can recall Test cricket being before - this is personal, about one of Test cricket’s own.
It is also the first of what will be an intriguing series of Test matches. Geoff Lemon here to take you through the action, in partnership over the series with Russell Jackson, Paul Connolly, Scott Heinrich and Matt Cleary.
10.31am AEST
Good morning and welcome to the live blog. It’s a beautiful day in Adelaide and play will start in less than an hour. Geoff Lemon will be along shortly to take you through what promises to be a session of cricket as emotionally charged as any you are likely to come across.
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