Australia 328-7 off 50 overs; India need 329 to reach the final
Email: john.ashdown@theguardian.com | Tweet: @John_Ashdown
Ben Doherty at the SCG: ‘a home game for India’ in Sydney
Gallery: the best images from the Sydney Cricket Ground
8.18pm AEST
20th over: India 95-3 (Raina 0, Rahane 8) Maxwell gets the chance to turn his arm over for the first time, with Clarke perhaps thinking he can sneak a couple of quiet ones in from his lesser bowlers while India are looking to recuperate. He drags one down but Rahane can’t find the gap on the leg side and misses out. Just the single from the over.
8.17pm AEST
19th over: India 94-3 (Raina 0, Rahane 7) Clarke sniffs blood in the water and brings back Mitchell Starc. Rahane plays out three dots then guides a straight drive down the ground for a couple.
A problem: Every email I get that says “Eat the pizza” makes me not want to eat the pizza. “Why do they want me to eat the pizza?” I think. Every email saying “Don’t eat the pizza” makes me want to eat the pizza. “Screw you, I’ll eat what I want,” I think.
8.12pm AEST
18th over: India 91-3 (Raina 0, Rahane 4) Advantage Australia.
8.11pm AEST
What a comeback this is! A bat-pad comes in as Johnson looks to test Rahane with some more chin music. Well, chest music perhaps. I’d call it rib music, but for some reason that just brings to mind the sort of plinking piano you might listen to while eating a steak. Anyway, the batsman just about copes on this occasion, flapping the second ball away for a single. The fifth ball is smashed into the stands at cow corner by Rohit Sharma. But the last ball of the over is a jaffer, a fizzing delivery that tears through the defences and crashes into middle stump. What a response.
8.06pm AEST
17th over: India 82-2 (Sharma 27, Rahane 2) Hazlewood continues into his seventh over and again he’s bang on the money. The fifth ball again pings off Rahane’s fingers – those digits are being pummelled. Just two from the over, giving Hazlewood very handy figures of 7-1-20-1.
8.03pm AEST
16th over: India 80-2 (Sharma 26, Rahane 1) Rahane gets off the mark in the most uncomfortable fashion possible – a Johnson bouncer jams his fingers against the handle. Still, a run’s a run and India need a couple of collective deep breaths.
“The question you should be asking is why would anyone leave a pizza for two days on a desk near you, knowing full well that you would be OBOing through the night and thus starving hungry by the morning,” writes Andrew Benton. “It’s a test, but whoever they are, they’re not telling you what you’re being tested on … play it cool, I say.”
7.58pm AEST
Virat Kohli looks to go after a Johnson short ball, but it gets too big on him and he can only send a top edge steepling into the Sydney sky. Haddin jogs round towards square leg an takes a straightforward catch. A 13-ball one from India’s No3. Not what many of us were expecting.
7.55pm AEST
15th over: India 77-1 (Sharma 24, Kohli 1) This has been an excellent spell from Hazlewood. For such an inexperienced bowler on such a big occasion, he’s been superb. Here he has Kohli playing-and-missing outside off. And he’s finding that probing McGrath-esque line-and-length. (McGrath, by the way, was raving about Hazlewood a couple of years ago). That’s a maiden, the first of the innings.
7.52pm AEST
14th over: India 77-1 (Sharma 24, Kohli 1) Johnson sends down
two
three
four
five dots at Kohli, who gets off the mark from the last with a little tickle to third man.
A question: there is two-thirds of a seafood pizza on the desk next to me. It’s been there for 36 hours. Is it a) safe to eat two-day old seafood pizza? And, more importanty, b) acceptable to eat two-day old seafood pizza at 8.50am?
7.47pm AEST
13th over: India 76-1 (Sharma 24, Kohli 0) The replays show that shot from Dhawan just squirted away from the batsman – he was aiming a fair bit straighter. Anyway, Australia are back in the game.
7.45pm AEST
The breakthrough! And what a big wicket this is. While Johnson and Faulkner have taken some tap, Hazlewood has tied down an end very nicely. Rohit just gets enough on a pull after a bouncer rushes him a touch and picks up a couple, then dabs to third man for a single. Then Dhawan looks to go over the top of extra cover. It’s just too much of a 50-50 shot: not quite the full-blooded lash over the top, too uppish to be a nice safe chip for one. Maxwell’s out there in the deep and makes no mistake with the catch.
7.41pm AEST
12th over: India 73-0 (Sharma 21, Dhawan 45) Clarke sticks with Faulkner, Dhawan says “Don’t mind if I do”, and plays a straight drive so elegant and proper it should be wearing a three-piece suit and a titfer. He follows that with a shot that rips off the three-piece and reveals a pair of tiny tiger-print underpants: a clubbing blow down the ground for four more. Faulkner needs to get out of the firing line here. Thirteen from the over, leaving the Australia all-rounder with figures of 2-0-29-0.
7.36pm AEST
11th over: India 60-0 (Sharma 20, Dhawan 34) Sharma takes a single from the first ball of Johnson’s over and well he might with Dhawan in this mood. Some people out there will remember Brian Lara Cricket on the Mega Drive and the way a batsman could shuffle across his crease after it was clear where the bowler was going to pitch the ball:
7.31pm AEST
10th over: India 55-0 (Sharma 19, Dhawan 32) Michael Clarke throws the ball to James Faulkner, who oversteps by half a yard for a no ball and a free hit. Sharma, though, tries to smash the ball with the power of Thor’s hammer and can only skew it away for a single. Next up Dhawan shows him how it’s done, dancing down the track and gloriously thumping through the covers for four. Fine shot. And he repeats the trick next up for four more.
From the fifth ball Dhawan steps across his stumps and hoiks Faulkner into the stands at square leg for big six. Sixteen from the over and some concern for Michael Clarke.
7.27pm AEST
9th over: India 39-0 (Sharma 18, Dhawan 18) Johnson goes left-arm round to the left-handed Dhawan, looking to slide the ball in the direction of the two slips. Dhawan, though, uses the pace to economically guide him just forward of point for four. Experiment over.
7.23pm AEST
8th over: India 33-0 (Sharma 18, Dhawan 12) Hazlewood continues into his fourth over. Dhawan shuffles across his stumps threateningly … but then bunts into the off side. Just three from the over. Definitely a conscious effort in platform construction here from Dhawan, in particular.
7.18pm AEST
7th over: India 30-0 (Sharma 17, Dhawan 10) Mitchell Johnson, who hit a nine-ball 27 at the end of the Australian innings, replaces Mitchell Starc. The second ball is a bumper fizzing in towards the eyebrows, but Sharma hooks the thing into the stands for six! I think you call that a statement of intent. A six and five dots from Johnson’s first over.
7.14pm AEST
6th over: India 24-0 (Sharma 11, Dhawan 10) Hazlewood and Dhawan go shoulder to shoulder as India skitter through for a quick single. Dharmasena is clearly concerned about things kicking off as he’s straight in from square leg to cool the situation down, though there were smiles all round from the two players anyway.
Dhawan pushes the final ball of the over through the covers for a couple. There’s a real calm-before-the-storm feel at the SCG.
7.10pm AEST
5th over: India 20-0 (Sharma 11, Dhawan 7) Huge appeal as Dhawan is slammed on the pad by a Starc full toss. It’s going down so Clarke and co do well to opt against the review.
Here’s Jonathan Sexton: “We’re following the world cup very closely here in Dubai and as you might imagine there’s a lot of very excited Indian supporters working in our office today.
7.06pm AEST
4th over: India 15-0 (Sharma 8, Dhawan 6) Dhawan rocks back and pulls Hazlewood wide of midwicket for four down to cow corner. From the next … DROPPED! Dhawan looks to drive hard and Haddin supermans to his left but can only get his fingertips to it and the chance goes down.
Here’s one of our men on the ground at the SCG, Ben Doherty, on that Rohit catch: “A well-received third umpire’s decision. Not like the Finch one which is still causing much gnashing of teeth and beating of breasts in the ‘nosebleed section’. Speaking of music, the decision pending ‘tune’ (I use the word in the loosest possible sense) is the most grating sound known to humankind.”
7.02pm AEST
3rd over: India 9-0 (Sharma 7, Dhawan 1) A stray balloon floating across the sightscreen delays the start of Starc’s second over. Plucky effort from the little guy there – most inflatables will have been burst or beer-soaked by this stage. Sharma punches away a low full toss for a single and from the last Maxwell looks to throw down the stumps at the non-strikers’ end. Johnson does a decent bit of work backing up.
6.57pm AEST
2nd over: India 7-0 (Sharma 6, Dhawan 1) Josh Hazlewood takes the new ball at the other end. Quite a moment for this young man. He finds a tight line just outside off to Rohit, who is a touch fortunate to escape for a second time when a scoopy-pull goes wrong and the ball plops a couple of yards away fromt the scampering Haddin.
6.52pm AEST
1st over: India 4-0 (Sharma 4, Dhawan 0) Off we go then. Rohit Sharma has scored three ODI hundreds in Australia this year but his opening effort against Starc is a play-and-miss from the first ball outside off. From the fourth ball Rohit plays a lackadaisical drive and edges to Watson at second slip. It’s dying on the fielder and no one’s quite sure whether the ball has carried. Watson isn’t sure, Dharmasena isn’t sure. And the replay is the classic has-he-got-his-fingers-underneath-the-ball-we-can’t-quite-tell-so-the-benefit-of-the-doubt-goes-to-the-batsman. The TV umpire reckons the ball has definitely hit the turf, but you can barely really discern that.
Rohit celebrates the reprieve with a slightly squirty drive square of the wicket for four, but the final ball sees another edge fly well short of Clarke at second slip.
What's that old thing about Johnson bowling well after batting well? I'll back that in. He's due in any case. Really well played. #AusvInd
6.45pm AEST
Out stride the players as the sun sets over the SCG. What a sight.
6.44pm AEST
Cheers Geoff, and hello everybody. As for getting down, I take it everyone enjoys folk-country? Anyone for a bit of Jim Croce? No? Just me then …
This is beautifully poised. In normal circumstances you’d make Australia huge favourites but there’s something about the big stage that brings the very best out of this India side.
6.33pm AEST
Geoff Lemon here, live from the SCG, and it’s time for me to hand over to m’colleague in the Old Dart, John Ashdown.
I’ve greatly enjoyed your emails and tweets over the day, thanks for joining in. Please do keep that up for john.ashdown@theguardian.com, or @John_Ashdown.
@GeoffLemonSport Reading in Zanzibar. The pubs not open and cafe hasnt paid their TV bill! Dont forget Mongol hiphop! http://t.co/K4XenYpf28
.@GeoffLemonSport .@GuardianAus Aussie Cricket slams Aussie Hip Hop. 77 times over. #AUSvsIND #CWC15 #GoogleTrends pic.twitter.com/zYj0jrQchr
6.30pm AEST
This thought in from our man on the ground, Ben Doherty: “If one was looking for a form line for this year’s IPL, you could do much worse than the Chennai Super Kings. Five of the undefeated Indian side turn out for Chennai: Jadeja and Ashwin, a certain M.S. Dhoni, Suresh Raina, and Mohit Sharma. Add to that a bloke called McCullum from the top of the New Zealand order and there’s the spine of a fair club.”
Classical knowledge and backhanded praise from Eush Tayco: “In the Iliad (Book 7, I think), Hector and Ajax are fighting, and it looks like Ajax is winning until night falls and they have to quit. (Fighting at night is a big Iliad no-no.) I’m sure one could draw parallels in cricket to rain delays/other breaks halting one team’s momentum. Love the commentary, keep it up. (I don’t know anything about cricket, though. Take this as you will.)”
6.30pm AEST
It’s been a hell of an entertaining innings, and here’s hoping it’ll be just as good in the second half.
@GeoffLemonSport Stay in bed and miss India win a thriller or get up and watch India get thrashed. #SchroedingerCricketMatch
6.21pm AEST
It was an innings that seesawed all day. India struck early to get rid of Warner. Smith, with the support of Finch, kept things steady until the 35th over, and looked to have given Australia a platform to launch toward 350. Then India struck three times in the last 10 overs and looked like they might keep Australia under 300. But Watson and Faulkner did enough to keep the scoring rolling and to clear that mark, and then Johnson came in with a blazing flourish at the end, taking 27 from his 9 deliveries faced, and pushing Australia closer to their desired total than to India’s.
329 to win is a massive ask. But India have the two greatest chasers in the world, in Dhoni and Kohli, and a partisan crowd behind them, on a pitch with no obvious demons. There was enough pace and bounce there to do something for the faster Indian pacemen, so expect Australia’s mob to get something out of it. India have chased 350+ scores against Australia a couple of times in recent years, but this will be much harder away from their home pitch and conditions.
6.15pm AEST
50th over: Australia 328-7 (Haddin 7, Johnson 27)
Two runs to Johnson from a soft push to the on-side, but it went to a nice gap and they got back. Single to the deep on the leg-side. Haddin gives him the strike back.
6.09pm AEST
49th over: Australia 313-7 (Haddin 6, Johnson 13)
Shami to Haddin in the penultimate over. Dot ball as the Aussie keeper drives to the field. Then a very hairy single, pushed toward cover and there wasn’t really a run there, but the throw to Dhoni running in to the stumps was wild.
6.02pm AEST
48th over: Australia 299-7 (Haddin 5, Johnson 0)
Four! Mohit comes on to bowl as Dhoni’s attack starts to resemble a carousel. It hasn’t helped the bowler in this case, he plonks down a length ball, so Watson makes room and drives through cover. Shot.
6.01pm AEST
Another one down, as Watson takes on the short ball, looking for a six but can’t clear deep backward square. It’s been a big over already though for Australia, the 300 looms.
5.56pm AEST
47th over: Australia 288-6 (Watson 18, Haddin 4)
Faulkner mashed a Yadav full ball through midwicket for four, then was bowled trying to repeat the dose. Haddin smashes his first ball back to the bowler for a crowd catch, then is cramped by Yadav and can only find cover. Dot balls sprinkle the score book like tiny gold nuggets.
5.52pm AEST
Nice and simple - full enough, straight enough and with Faulkner trying to go long enough, Yadav scatters the stumps. Jimmy Forks has just about done his job, now the Indians need to get rid of Haddin who has been deadly from the few balls he’s faced in this World Cup.
5.49pm AEST
46th over: Australia 279-5 (Watson 17, Faulkner 17)
Sixer! Down to the corner shop for half a dozen goes Jadeja, as Faulkner gets down on bended knee and marries the ball with the boundary rope, over midwicket with the slog sweep. Faulkner drives well through cover but Raina times his dive to save a boundary, only one run. Jadeja does well to tie Watson down, conceding only one more run from the next four balls.
5.45pm AEST
45th over: Australia 271-5 (Watson 16, Faulkner 10)
Shami is bowling now, Dhoni ringing the changes like a two-dollar shop cashier. Three runs as Watson goes over cover. Four runs as Faulkner edges a pull over the keeper. Four more as Faulkner perfectly places another pull between the fine leg and the deep backward. That’s class. A final run as Faulkner tries to flick down leg and misses - was that bye, leg bye, inside edge? Don’t know. They got one, anyway.
5.39pm AEST
44th over: Australia 258-5 (Watson 13, Faulkner 1)
Ashwin is about to bowl out. His first ball turn in to Watson and gives him no room to play. Second ball, Watson is advancing but can only push with the turn to midwicket, no run. Third ball, struck to cover, no run. Advantage Ashwin.
5.36pm AEST
43rd over: Australia 250-5 (Watson 5, Faulkner 1)
“Come on Aussie, come on” is the chant from a small but enthusiastic corner of the crowd after Clarke’s dismissal from the first ball of the over. James Faulkner comes to the middle. Seven and a bit overs left for him. He usually takes a couple to get set, then he can go big. Can he do that today? India scrapping for every run. Faulkner’s first ball is a bunt to cover for nothing. Then a slightly shorter one that strikes high on the bat for nothing. Then a dashed single to a defensive shot that went almost nowhere. Watson digs out the attempted yorker for a single, Faulkner is cramped by the final ball and can only push it to midwicket for a dot ball.
5.32pm AEST
Caught Rohit, bowled Mohit, and don’t you know it, that’ll do it. Mohit’s first ball of a new spell, it’s one of those crap short balls, not short enough, but Clarke’s balance is off as he tries to pull, and he just prods it to the catching midwicket 20 yards from the bat.
5.29pm AEST
42nd over: Australia 248-4 (Watson 4, Clarke 10)
Four! Gorgeous shot from Clarke, there’s the captain’s class as he approaches Jadeja and whips through wide midwicket for four. So much similarity between Clarke and Smith, the younger man has had a good example to model his game on. Three singles and they have seven from the over.
5.26pm AEST
41st over: Australia 241-4 (Watson 3, Clarke 4)
Shami comes on for his eighth over. He’s been so good throughout the tournament, but hasn’t yet got a wicket today, and is going at about six an over. Watson cracks a square drive but some brilliant fielding at backward point keeps the scoring to one run. India want this bad. Shami finds some spice, with a sharp bouncer past Clarke’s grille that has the crowd up and running. Clarke gets a single to third man next ball. Watson cracks another drive straight to point, then gets his own bouncer past the helmet. He can’t do anything with the last ball, and it’s another over down with only two from it.
5.22pm AEST
40th over: Australia 239-4 (Watson 2, Clarke 3)
India clawing back ground withe tenacity here. Jadeja returns, goes for four singles from his first four balls, but is able to hold up Clarke from the final two balls of the innings. This is turning into a real contest. 10 overs to go - a run a ball gets Australia 300, a better finish gets them a fair way past that, but can India turn the screws?
5.20pm AEST
39th over: Australia 235-4 (Watson 0, Clarke 1)
Clarke has come to the wicket now, rather than promoting Faulkner or Haddin. Right move, if he’s going to play then he should play. He pulls a single first ball and is off and racing. Big Shane Watson, the Human Plinth, faces off against Yadav. Short balls expected? Yadav double-bluffs by pitching up, twice, Watson pushing into the covers for no result. A wide and Clarke’s single are the only runs from the over.
5.14pm AEST
Two big strikes for Team India, the set batsmen are gone. Finch gets cramped by Yadav’s faster short ball, better bowling there, he doesn’t seem sure what kind of shot he’s trying to play and he ends up spooning it away to mid-on.
5.12pm AEST
38th over: Australia 233-3 (Finch 81, Maxwell 23)
Shane Watson comes in to bat, and Michael Clarke’s practice of bumping himself down the order continues. It just doesn’t sit right - he’s taken George Bailey’s place in the team, but Bailey would be right at home coming in anywhere in the order. Two runs from the Ashwin over.
5.09pm AEST
That’s the one they need more than any! Dhoni had a couple of overs of Ashwin up his sleeve, he went back to spin and it has worked. Ashwin bowled on middle, turning to leg, and Maxwell down on one knee made good contact with this slog sweep, he might have six on some grounds but the catch was taken just inside the rope at deep backward square.
5.07pm AEST
37th over: Australia 231-2 (Finch 79, Maxwell 23)
Yet another big appeal against Finch, again slightly missing, this time down leg. And again Finch nearly causes a run out, this time his own, as he hesitates in going for the leg bye that was available. The throw at the stumps from cover misses, and it would probably have caught him an inch short.
5.02pm AEST
36th over: Australia 216-2 (Finch 79, Maxwell 9)
That’s it, he’s faced four balls, Sensible Maxi Time is over. Glenn is facing Mo Shami and backs away, trying to slew a short ball somewhere or other with the cross-batted swipe, and top edges to third man for two runs.
4.56pm AEST
35th over: Australia 206-2 (Finch 73, Maxwell 5)
What the crowd wants, the crowd gets. Glenn Maxwell, the Jolly Good Show, comes to the wicket. Yadav dishes up a couple of wides to Finch, as the batsmen have crossed. Then a leg bye. Maxwell spoke in an interview a couple of days ago about having learned to take five or six balls to play himself in. So conservative these days.
If you love cricket or reggae check 'Fire in Babylon'. Amazing film.
4.50pm AEST
Smith may be confident, but he’s still out. Finally a short ball works, but this one was delivered by Umesh Yadav, who can send them down with more intent. It was a proper bouncer, Smith hooked, a steepling top edge flew up to high-five the sun, then descended like Icarus to crash into the palms of Rohit Sharma. The wine-dark Aegean swallows Smith whole, but he’s done enough soaring for one day.
4.48pm AEST
34th over: Australia 197-1 (Finch 73, Smith 105)
“Does Finch need to start swinging his bat now?” asks Jonathan Siu. “If it comes off, he gets runs, and if not, well, someone in better form might?”
4.43pm AEST
33rd over: Australia 181-1 (Finch 62, Smith 100)
It’s been a while, but Shami is back on to bowl.
4.37pm AEST
32nd over: Australia 167-1 (Finch 62, Smith 86)
Finch is getting desperate. Dhoni is happy to keep Ashwin going, and Finch can’t get him away. After the batsmen trade singles, Finch pulls out a reverse sweep for two, not hit cleanly. Then he tries again, misses completely, and survives yet another huge appeal. Then he backs away, exposes his stumps and once more is lucky to make contact, slamming the ball away to cover for no run.
4.34pm AEST
31st over: Australia 161-1 (Finch 57, Smith 85)
Four! Mohit smacked straight down the ground by Smith. The in-form Aussie nicks a single. Finch, as has been the case all day, doesn’t find it so easy. Dot, dot, then he’s nailed on the pad for yet another massive appeal. Again, this one was probably just going over the top. He finally gets a run to finish the over.
4.30pm AEST
30th over: Australia 155-1 (Finch 56, Smith 80)
Ashwin is having a blinder. Seven overs for 26 runs. Two singles from this over, but again he ties down Finch for delivery after delivery. Presumably the Australians are happy to target the others.
4.28pm AEST
29th over: Australia 153-1 (Finch 55, Smith 79)
Mohit Sharma returns and pace almost does the trick, beating Smith’s attempted forcing shot and zipping through to the keeper. Smith picks up a couple through cover, then there’s a chip to midwicket for one that didn’t look entirely controlled. Some adjustment after all those overs of spin. Finch gets a single, Smith pulls two. Good Lord, he’s almost in the reckoning for a century now.
4.22pm AEST
28th over: Australia 147-1 (Finch 54, Smith 74)
Ashwin continues to keep the lid on, four runs from the over, knocked away exclusively to the leg-side with the spin.
4.19pm AEST
27th over: Australia 143-1 (Finch 51, Smith 73)
Half century for Finch. 50 from 82 balls, five boundaries. Not his usual style but he’s providing valuable support. Singles flowing.
4.17pm AEST
26th over: Australia 135-1 (Finch 49, Smith 67)
As well as Smith is playing, Ashwin is a good enough bowler to keep him quiet at times. Two defensive strokes, then Smith drives into the stumps at the non-striker’s end via Ashwin’s hand. There’s a replay, but Finch is in his ground. Smith eventually gets off strike, and Finch swings two runs away behind square.
4.14pm AEST
25th over: Australia 132-1 (Finch 47, Smith 66)
Big appeal for a bat-pad catch against Finch, declined. He takes a single.
4.10pm AEST
24th over: Australia 124-1 (Finch 46, Smith 59)
Ravi Ashwin to Hat Smith. Doesn’t he look comfortable? He and Michael Clarke loved Sri Lanka’s spinners at this ground a couple of weeks ago. Three runs on the cover drive, then they work three of singles. Smith is El Confidente.
4.06pm AEST
23rd over: Australia 118-1 (Finch 44, Smith 55)
Jadeja is rushing through his overs. A single apiece to the batsmen, then there’s a massive appeal as Jadeja strikes Finch on the pad while the batsman tries to sweep.
4.02pm AEST
22nd over: Australia 114-1 (Finch 42, Smith 53)
Finch pays back a litte of the credit extended to him, swatting Ashwin’s short ball through point for four. Then he works a ball behind square, and energetic running from both batsmen turns this into two runs. A single to finish the over, Finch is up by seven.
4.00pm AEST
21st over: Australia 107-1 (Finch 35, Smith 53)
Smith takes a single first ball, and I hate to say this but Finch is really soaking up strike and momentum. He’s the Fun Sponge in the dinner party of the Australian innings. 35 from 63 at the end of that over, as he can only take a single from the last ball. He owes the team a few.
3.59pm AEST
20th over: Australia 105-1 (Finch 34, Smith 52)
Ripping through the overs with two spinners. Smith is batting in his cap. Ashwin beats Finch a couple of times, the second yielding three leg byes down the leg side. Add two runs from the bat, in singles, both to Smith.
3.57pm AEST
19th over: Australia 100-1 (Finch 34, Smith 50)
Ravindra Jadeja, the man who looks like he should be pillaging galleons or otherwise engaged in the buckling of swash, settles into his spell as well. Only two singles from the over. Not bad, Moustachio.
3.55pm AEST
18th over: Australia 98-1 (Finch 33, Smith 49)
Ravi Ashwin is on, and immediately settles into a testing line for Finch. Ashwin dots him up for a while, then once Finch gets off strike with a single to long on, Ashwin draws a thick inside edge from Smith’s attempted drive, and it deflects past the stumps to the fielder behind square.
3.48pm AEST
17th over: Australia 96-1 (Finch 32, Smith 48)
Mohit, hydrated and refreshed, bowls to Smith. Smith runs hard to make one run into two as he steers the ball to third man. Then a single through square. Finch, blocky and stocky, takes his guard. The sun shines on. Goddamn it’s a nice day. Finch thinks so too, as he gets a rank wide short ball and bludgeons the cut shot for four.
3.41pm AEST
16th over: Australia 89-1 (Finch 28, Smith 45)
Smith drives a single to cover. Jaddu bowls very wide the next ball, and even the most out-of-form Aaron Finch will destroy you there. Slapped through mid-on, dragged away for four runs. A couple of singles make it seven from the over. How easy is that?
3.37pm AEST
15th over: Australia 82-1 (Finch 23, Smith 43)
They’re settling in now, ticking over the singles against Mohit Sharma. Still a lot of balls short of a length, but not threateningly. It’s almost obscene how easily Smith pushes singles off the back foot through cover. The run rate is 5.5.
3.34pm AEST
14th over: Australia 77-1 (Finch 21, Smith 40)
Jadeja is on, Dhoni holding back Ashwin. They’ll want some Powerplay overs from him. Finch gets a risky single as he backs away, cuts a ball off his stumps, and strikes it in the air just past point. Not high-percentage strokeplay for one run. Smith and Finch trade singles, then Smith whips three more through midwicket, such a productive region for him with that grip of his angling his bat to the on-side.
Were the Swami Army a real army, their conquest of Driver Avenue would be complete, and the tri-colour would be waving over the Brewongle stand.
The SCG has been washed blue for the evening. And it has been a noisy annexation.
3.29pm AEST
13th over: Australia 71-1 (Finch 19, Smith 36)
Four! India need to give away the tentative short balls. Finch creams this one from Mohit on the pull shot. Takes a single, gets off strike. He’s battled through and is building. Strike rate of barely 50. Not his usual role but perhaps with Warner gone he’s rethought things. Smith takes a single, Finch is tied down for the remaining three balls, only a leg bye from the last of the over.
3.26pm AEST
12th over: Australia 64-1 (Finch 14, Smith 35)
What devilry is this? Virat Kohli is on to bowl the 12th over. About as fearsome as AB de Villiers. He bowls club meds off a few steps. The first couple are pretty good, struck to the off-side field for dots. Finch knocks a single down the ground, Smith cracks a short ball for four, beating the midwicket dive. A couple more singles and it’s seven from the over.
3.21pm AEST
11th over: Australia 57-1 (Finch 12, Smith 30)
Dhoni stands calmly behind the stumps with his hands behind his back, having instructed Mohit Sharma to come on for Shami. Mohit gets some respect from Smith after a Finch single, with a couple of balls to wait and watch this paceman that Australia didn’t face during the Test series. Mohit even tries a slower ball at 104 km/h. Five dots to Smith, good start, though Smith has shown how quickly he can catch up.
3.18pm AEST
10th over: Australia 56-1 (Finch 11, Smith 30)
Yadav continues...
3.13pm AEST
9th over: Australia 40-1 (Finch 11, Smith 14)
Shami keeps it tight - two singles from the over. Finch’s skewed off the bat as he was in two minds about whether to hook a bouncer. Smith’s was controlled through midwicket. Once again Smith looks to be facing different bowlers on a different pitch, but he’s remaining cautious against Shami.
@GeoffLemonSport reading live commentary instead of going to bed in Boston, MA. Don't even really understand cricket.
3.08pm AEST
8th over: Australia 38-1 (Finch 10, Smith 13)
Yadav is turning up the heat. Smith gets a single through cover, but didn’t look confident in the shot. Finch edges along the ground to point. Yadav is approaching 150 kilometres per hour in this spell. Short run, muscular, shoulder-led action and he’s ripping them down. Shortish mostly, the batsmen take a single apiece from a glance and a pull, but both shots were hurried. They make it through the over though, which is the main thing.
3.03pm AEST
7th over: Australia 34-1 (Finch 8, Smith 11)
This batting pair are just keeping their heads down at the moment, there’s some tight bowling going on. A wide and a single from a short ball is all that Shami concedes from the over, as he has Smith defending and leaving a range of good deliveries.
2.58pm AEST
6th over: Australia 32-1 (Finch 8, Smith 10)
Yadav has another hearty lbw appeal, this time against Smith, that again was probably going over. Smith edges a run. Plenty in this for the bowlers right now but they need one of these fractional chances to become a fully fledged one. Finch nearly edges a full ball through to the keeper, then miscues a pull along the ground to mid-on. Dicey.
2.54pm AEST
5th over: Australia 31-1 (Finch 8, Smith 9)
Four! Finch’s first true shot of the day, as Shami pitches up searching for movement and Finch drives dead straight past the stumps. Then he whips two, a meaty leg glance fine of fine leg. I’ve never seen a batsman clobber a leg glance before but Finch has somehow managed it.
2.50pm AEST
4th over: Australia 21-1 (Finch 1, Smith 6)
Here’s the key contest of the day. India’s tormentor this summer, Steven ‘Spud’ Smith, walks to the crease. All eyes on him.
2.45pm AEST
There’s the breakthrough. Yadav bowled a little short at the body, Warner tried to turn it away to the leg-side, he was through the shot a little early and gets a leading edge that balloons to mid-on. Kohli is into the game , he’ll relish that.
2.43pm AEST
3rd over: Australia 15-0 (Finch 1, Warner 12)
Finch is all at sea against Shami to start. A swipe at a ball that he nearly edges down leg side. A booming drive that he nearly nicks and that equally nearly bowls him. A massive shout for lbw that is turned down, no review, perhaps a touch high. A hugely wide ball, full outside off, that Finch tries to cover-drive and somehow inside-edges to square leg. Yep.
2.40pm AEST
2nd over: Australia 14-0 (Finch 1, Warner 12)
Shot from Warner - Yadav’s first ball is overpitched and Warner caresses the straight drive, perfect timing that sees it streak down the ground for four.
2.35pm AEST
1st over: Australia 2-0 (Finch 0, Warner 1)
Massive cheers as the first ball is bowled, and Mohammed Shami is right on the mark as he has been all tournament. Finch plays and misses as it seams away - cheer. Finch defends the next - cheer. Finch misses the third, survives an lbw appeal as it’s sliding down leg, takes a leg bye - cheer, cheer, cheer. Warner plays and misses, then gets a single into the covers, and Finch can’t do anything but defend the last ball.
2.31pm AEST
Ian Forth emails with the subject line “Dutch elm disease blithe confidence”, which wins him many points because it’s a reference to my article this morning about the various shades of perfection that these two teams have shown. Ruthless self-promotion is what this blog is about.
Says Ian, “Lead articles on the back page of [Melbourne newspaper] this morning - the morning of a World Cup semi final featuring Australia, taking place in Australia? An argument over AFL broadcast negotiations. And “Jobe Watson on the Bombers’ purgatory”. I’m not sure Australia deserve to win this match for all the interest they’re taking in it.”
2.27pm AEST
Oh man. There is some serious Chariots of Fire bizzo going on here. Massive dramatic music over the loudspeakers, shades of some sort of Soviet rally. Kiddies with massive flags - when does that ever get old - have come out onto the ground, one flag for each of the competing nations. The Aussie and Indian flags are brought out of the circle as the two teams emerge and line up facing the Members side of the ground, with the flags positioned behind them. Even the press pack stand for the anthems. Am I supposed to stand and type? This is awkward, chiropractically and patriotically.
2.23pm AEST
You, like Chris, can send me an email, or a message on Twitter. Do it. Live a little.
@GeoffLemonSport
2.22pm AEST
“Not front row in the concourse I hope, Geoff?” asks Chris Martin. “The air con in the press box too chilly for you?”
Yes, I’m signalling the OBO up to someone in the box with an elaborate system of flags and mirrors. Expect the security and corruption officials to keep a close eye on me. Apparently they gave one fan a thorough grilling at an earlier match for tweeting too much.
2.18pm AEST
Australia
Finch
Warner
Smith
Clarke*
Watson
Maxwell
Faulkner
Haddin†
Johnson
Starc
Hazlewood
India
Dhawan
R Sharma
Kohli
Rahane
Raina
Dhoni*†
Jadeja
Ashwin
Shami
M Sharma
Yadav
2.16pm AEST
The World Cup song comes on. I may be the only person in the world to say this, but I’m not sick of it yet. I only wish they’d play more than that 20-second clip.
Dance. Floor. Banger.
2.14pm AEST
Michael Clarke calls correctly at the toss. Batting first is Australia’s preferred method. MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli are the world’s pre-eminent exponents of the ODI chase. Should Australia make anything under 300, you’d think India are well in the frame. Australia need another massive first innings, employing the kind of strokeplay that has seen Glenn Maxwell average a strike rate of nearly 190 across the tournament.
2.13pm AEST
Walking into the ground today was a surreal experience. Even a couple of hours ago, before most of the gates had opened, the Sydney Cricket Ground was surrounded by Indian fans. Blue shirts up and down the length of the concourses, brass bands, flags and banners, a riot, a cacophony of colour and sounds. Glimpses of Aussie gold (and don’t you forget it) were few and far between, though below me now in the stands there are a few more splashes of the home colour to be seen. Home colour, but it’s almost an away game in Sydney for Australia.
2.11pm AEST
Hello world! Geoff Lemon here from a front-row seat at the SCG on a flawless late autumn day, and let me say without any hint of hyperbole that the atmosphere is, as suspected, electric.
1.45pm AEST
Geoff will be in his seat at the SCG shortly, ready to bring you regular updates on the second semi-final, but before he arrives, have a read of his match preview.
A certain blithe confidence has infested Australian punditry, spreading through the chatter like some conversational Dutch elm disease. Since the first semi-final came to its blazing conclusion there have been casual references to an Australia-New Zealand final, with little concession that a team as quietly effective as India still stand in the way.
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