Ravindra Jadeja, Josh Hazlewood and Steve Smith on day four at the Gabba. (AP/AAP)
Australia’s fast bowling stock took a huge hit while Steve Smith had a mixed performance and Mohammed Siraj survived by a narrow margin.
- What happened is that the underpowered Australian team was forced to face the powerful Indian defense again
- Scorecard: View all live scores and statistics
Here is a quick recap of Day 4 at the Gabba.
1. Wake up, Smudge
Steve Smith and Australia were more eager to play than India during the rain break. (AP: Pat Hoelscher)
Before the fourth day of play, Mitch Marsh told Fox that they needed to create 16 chances to finish India’s first innings and complete the second to secure victory.
He neglects to mention the second part of the equation: seize the opportunity when it comes.
Steve Smith certainly didn’t do that when he got a golden chance as KL Rahul fired straight towards his second base in the first ball of the day.
The catch was simple, the ball flew lightly over the edge and hit him directly in the stomach, then the ball just hit his hand too high and bounced out.
Smith desperately stretched out a foot to try to kick the ball back to himself, but he failed and stepped on the toes of Usman Khawaja as he fell backwards, causing Khawaja to fall to the grass.
“It was incredible. He conceded a ball that he should never have conceded.. and he beat Khawaja,” former Test coach and player Darren Lehmann told ABC Sports Review.
“It was a comedy of errors in the end. He won’t make any easier mistakes than this.”
This was no ordinary wicket either; when the catch was dropped, Rahul had already scored 33 and was on his way to becoming India’s top scorer of the series and having faced more balls than any other player in two and a half Tests.
2. Hoff off
Josh Hazlewood took just one shot on day four before leaving the field. (AAP Photo: Jono Searle)
Josh Hazlewood missed the second Test with a flank strain but recovered in time to replace Scott Boland at the Gabba.
Australia had hoped to take 16 wickets during the final two days of the Test match, which were delayed by expected rain, but Hazlewood was not available at the start of the fourth day.
He returned after throwing the first few pitches but was clearly in discomfort, throwing only one disappointing pitch before having to leave the field during the first water break.
Cricket Australia said it was not a recurrence of a lateral strain and later said the injury was a calf problem, something the lanky Clippers has had to deal with as he has battled injuries over the past few years.
He was injured during the warm-up and this may keep him out of the current series, which begins with the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Sydney Cricket Ground Test on January 3.
3. Smith makes amends
Steve Smith, left, dismisses KL Rahul with a screamer. (AP Photo: Pat Hoelscher)
As KL Rahul gradually scored, Steve Smith must have been feeling increasingly bad for his disastrous first-ball loss of the day.
Rahul, then 33, had passed 50, 60, 70, 80 and looked set to break the century mark.
But then, somehow, .. you know the rest. We’ve had scripts like this before.
Nathan Lyon didn’t do as well as he’d hoped, luring the batter in with a good cut and throwing the ball to Smith at first base, who extended his right paw and made a perfect catch.
While he may have played 51 more points and 25.3 more possessions than expected, Smith still made up for it very well.
4. Rain, rain, go away
Mitchell Starc was annoyed as he was dragged off the field again. (Getty Images: Cricket Australia/Matt Roberts)
The Test match was plagued by rain delays throughout, and the fourth day was no exception.
Started a little late.
The first class was briefly delayed.
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After lunch, there were several long rain showers, with a short period in between when 17 balls could be bowled.
Just before the rescheduled tea break, a light rain forced the players to leave, much to the dismay of Mickey Starc.
“This is just bullshit,” he said at the end of the game.
The tone of the game has always been that the test is completely dependent on the rhythm of nature – which is not as romantic or satisfying as it sounds.
5. A game of millimetres
Marnus Labuschagne was just a fraction late in clearing the post. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)
Sports are often described as a contest where every inch of ground is fought for.
For Mohammad Siraj, survival in this Test depended on a few millimetres.
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Jadeja flicked the ball to the leg side and Travis Head quickly turned and cut it away.
He threw the ball to the off-striker’s box, where Marnus Labuschagne quickly flicked it past the stumps.
Siraj looked to have the win in his hands, but a closer look revealed that the Indian bowler never got his bat behind the line and when he slipped the ball, the bat remained high.
In the end, the match was too close to call and Siraj won.
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