Australia v India: fourth Test, day four - as it happened

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2015/jan/09/australia-v-india-fourth-test-day-four-live

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6.08pm AEST07:08

The Day in Brief

This was an absorbing and rewarding day of Test cricket at the SCG. India started the day in a relatively strong position at 342-5 and Virat Kohli on 140, but the inspirational Indian skipper perished early in the morning for the addition of just 7 runs to his overnight score when he clipped Ryan Harris to short mid-wicket.

This time around the Indian tail did at least wag. Ravi Ashwin’s 50 and 30s to Saha and Kumar allowed the tourists to scrape their way to 475, but they were always up against it with a first-innings deficit of 97.

The Australians left nothing to the imagination in their 2nd innings approach. With Ravi Ashwin (4-105 off 19 overs) a constant threat, Chris Rogers (56), Steve Smith (71) and Joe Burns (66) all launched blistering attacks on the him and the rest of the Indian bowlers to lift Australia to a 348-run lead by stumps.

In doing so, captain Smith reached a mountainous 770 runs for the series, obliterating the Australia-India series record held by Sir Donald Bradman. What awaits us to tomorrow is a battle of wills between the Indian batsmen and this sharply-turning SCG pitch. Nathan Lyon will be key for Australia and yet again, Virat Kohli for India. Their individual battle promises to be a gripping one.

My thanks go out to all of you readers and emailers this afternoon and also to my OBO colleague Matt Cleary, who lit up the first session. See you tomorrow for all the action on day five at the SCG.

5.53pm AEST06:53

Stumps on Day 4 - Australia leads by 348

Bar a couple of notable incidents, Umpires Kettleborough and Dharmasena have rarely made a mistake in this game but there is a moment of mild farce here when they take a light reading and promptly call stumps with an over still to play. That deprives us of the sight of Ryan Harris trying to get all Gary Sobers but they’re only doing their job, I suppose.

5.50pm AEST06:50

WICKET! Burns c Yadav b Ashwin 66 (0ff 39) - Australia 251-6

Joe Burns has become a cult hero in the last hour but he finally perishes and there’s no more worthy bowler than Ashwin to take the scalp. Burns tries for one slog-sweep too many and Umesh Yadav manages to hold onto the catch, more than he probably expected the way his afternoon has panned out.

8 fours and 3 sixes for Burns. What a brilliant knock.

Australia now leads by a scarcely-believable 348 with an over to go.

5.46pm AEST06:46

39th over - Australia 243-5 (Burns 59, Haddin 30)

Just when you thought there was no room left nuance, Joe Burns moves to 50 with a deft pair of boundaries, one a late cut to third man and the other a flick to a vacant fine leg. He must catch himself being conventional and worry, so the next ball is hammered inches short of the rope at long-off and the next hammered through mid-wicket for another -4 fours in a row!

Burns’ selection wasn’t exactly met with universal acclaim but he’s winning a lot of fans with this cameo. Less so is Umesh Yadav, who now boasts the x-rated figures of 0-45 from 3 overs. Ouch.

2 overs remain today.

Updated at 5.46pm AEST

5.40pm AEST06:40

38th over - Australia 225-5 (Burns 42, Haddin 29)

Haddin’s in video-game mode now and though the Indian field is scattered around the boundary with the part-time spinner Raina operating, Haddin gets just enough on a slog to deep mid-wicket that he gets it beyond the diving hands of the fielder and over the rope for six.

3 overs remain today.

5.38pm AEST06:38

37th over - Australia 215-5 (Burns 41, Haddin 22)

The Australian pair are officially in ‘rampage’ mode right now. Haddin takes Umesh Yadav for a pair of boundaries, both thrashed through the cover in typical Haddin style. Both batsmen are striking better than a run-a-ball and four over still remain for the day. Their 50 partnership comes up off just 37 deliveries.

Sankaran Krishna doesn’t feel very optimistic about India’s chances tomorrow. “I can predict this with certainty: India will collapse tomorrow - and Smith, more than Lyon, will be the spinner doing most of the damage. If there is a fate worse than being an Indian cricket fan I have not heard of it.”

4 overs remain.

5.33pm AEST06:33

Australia bring up 200 and the lead goes past 300

36th over - Australia 205-5 (Burns 40, Haddin 13)

Hooley dooley. Joe Burns, who slog-sweeps Ashwin for a mammoth six, is having so much fun out there that Shane Warne has started singing ‘Time of my life’. What did we do to deserve that?

5.29pm AEST06:29

35th over - Australia 197-5 (Burns 33, Haddin 12)

Now Brad Haddin gets in on the fun, stepping back towards leg stump and thrashing Shami like a rented car. There’s a lofted drive for six to long-off, then a pair of twos on either side of the wicket as the Aussie ‘keeper throws caution to the wind. The Australian lead, therefore, is now suddenly close to 300 with six overs remaining for the day.

5.25pm AEST06:25

34th over - Australia 187-5 (Burns 33, Haddin 2)

With the pitch now as worn-out as Michael Slater’s jokes, Joe Burns is struggling to middle them but he keeps at it and eventually finds a pair of boundaries before launching Ravi Ashwin over the long-on fence. 15 come from the over and at the end of it, Ashwin looks like a kid who has just had his science project ripped to pieces by the school bully.

5.22pm AEST06:22

33rd over - Australia 172-5 (Burns 19, Haddin 1)

It takes him a while, but new man Brad Haddin gets off the mark with a single off Shami, who’s still an ordinary Test bowler if you ask me. A solid ODI performer, mind.

A point to ponder, perhaps:

Impossible to take Marsh to England since they will prepare turners and Marsh is filth against spin. #AUSvIND

5.18pm AEST06:18

32nd over - Australia 171-5 (Burns 19, Haddin 0)

Now a missed stumping! Burns runs down the track and tries to hit Ashwin to Bondi but has a fresh-air shot, leaving Saha behind to take the bails. The only problem there is that the Indian keeper bungles another chance and it bounces off his body to allow Burns a reprieve.

Smith this series: 8 innings, 3 not outs, 770 runs at 154.00, 4 hundreds, 2 fifties, highest score 192 #Devereux #AUSvIND

My maths was slightly off. What a summer, what a man.

5.14pm AEST06:14

WICKET! SMith lbw Shami 71 (Australia 165-5)

I’d hesitate to speak on his behalf, but I get the feeling that Steve Smith doesn’t really rate Mohammed Shami’s mediums. Some of the shots he attempts in this over are the kind of late-innings swipes you’d expect in a park grade game.

Shami sticks to his guns though and when Smith moves across his stumps to flick through leg he’s trapped in front. Was there an edge? Perhaps, but Smith is gone. Australia lead by 262 and they’re swinging for the rafters. You’d think we’ll get a result now.

5.09pm AEST06:09

30th over - Australia 163-4 (Smith 71, Burns 12)

Now Smith is going more conventional. He cuts Ashwin for four with the kind of confidence you’d expect of a man with nigh-on 750 runs for the summer but the remarkable thing about it all is that he’s batting as though facing a bowling machine when the ball is in fact turning square. Can this form last? Is this just Smith’s level now or is he due some disappointments soon?

5.06pm AEST06:06

29th over - Australia 156-4 (Smith 65, Burns 11)

Joe Burns, who is surely the Australian cricketer who most looks like Adrien Brody, is under clear instructions from the Australian brains trust to get on with it here and he does just that, trading in twos with Smith and really looking for boundaries.

5.03pm AEST06:03

28th over - Australia 148-4 (Smith 62, Burns 6)

The Australians remain determined to run each other out today and now it’s the turn of the rookie. Burns survives for now but he’s probably got a decent dose of gravel rash down his arms after diving to make his ground at the bowler’s end and just as grass is green and the sky blue (well, sort of), the Indian bowler refuses to take the bails. I’ve definitely seen this one before. Australia’s lead approaches 250 with around 12 overs to play for the day.

@rustyjacko By my calculations, if Smith can reach 72, 1/3 of all his Test runs will have been in this series (8 inns out of 50).

Woah....

4.58pm AEST05:58

27th over - Australia 146-4 (Smith 61, Burns 5)

A drop? A drop! Kumar squares Burns up and his adjusted attempt to glide through third man almost ends up in the hands of Aju Rahane at gully. It was a desperatly tough chance but replays confirm it just brushed Rahane’s fingers as it hit the turf. Who’d be a quick in this match?

4.55pm AEST05:55

26th over - Australia 143-4 (Smith 59, Burns 4)

Joe Burns gets off the mark in slightly unconvincing fashion, cutting Ashwin late past the cordon for a streaky boundary. We’ve got around 35 minutes of play left but one fears that rain is not far away at the SCG.

4.53pm AEST05:53

WICKET! Marsh c Vijay b Ashwin 1 (Australia 139-4)

Are we due a huge Australian collapse? Shaun MArsh has got things kick started here when he shuffles forward to Ashwin and then hangs his bat out for an edge through to Vijay at first slip. The Indians will be quietly rapt with this. They trail by 236 and rain looks imminent, but they’re still in with a puncher’s chance. Sort of. Not really. Look, just come with me on this.

4.49pm AEST05:49

25th over - Australia 138-3 (Smith 58, Marsh 1)

Comedy! Virat Kohli is a great sport sometimes. He tracks back with serious toe in an attempt to catch Steve Smith at long-on but his full stretch dive is not enough and when he dusts himself off he also makes a hash of stopping the ball from dribbling over the boundary rope. There is an attempted back-heel but it’s not exactly Ronaldo-level footwork and for all Kohli’s trouble he’s heartlessly jeered by the nearby SCG members. Good stuff, Virat.

4.45pm AEST05:45

Quelle surprise - Steve Smith brings up another half-century

24th over - Australia 133-3 (Smith 53, Marsh 1)

The much-maligned Shaun Marsh is the new man in for Australia and after he gets off the mark with a single from Ashwin, he watches on in amazement as Steve Smith launches an audacious reverse-pull down to the third-man boundary. That also signals 50 for Smith, who is making runs for fun at the moment.

4.42pm AEST05:42

WICKET! Rogers c Raina b Kumar 56 (Australia 126-3)

Chris Rogers cannot be denied at the moment and he crunches Kumar through cover for a boundary to bring up his sixth consecutive Test half-century. There follows a wild slog for two, prompting a few observers to wonder whether he’s going in search of his first six in his Test career.

But then..oops... Rogers launches one too many and gets caught at deepish mid wicket again going in search of quick runs. Still, he’s played his role here beautifully and departs to a warm applause.

4.34pm AEST05:34

22nd over - Australia 118-2 (Rogers 48, Smith 47)

Smith’s certainly not batting for red ink here. Ashwin shoots one in and the Aussie skipper sweeps ambitiously for two before advancing down the track to the next and hitting a quite stunning inside-out six against the spin. That is followed by an equally absurd reverse-pull but on a turning track like this, not even Smith can pull that off.

Somehow, as drinks come out onto the ground, Smith is neck and neck with Rogers and close to yet another half-century.

4.30pm AEST05:30

21st over - Australia 110-2 (Rogers 48, Smith 39)

If Rogers is on the charge then Steve Smith is not too far behind. He shows little regards for the returning Bhuvi Kumar when he strides down the pitch and lofts somewhat streakily towards long-off for two but the intent of the Australian innings is obvious. Smith might also be wary of the darkening clouds that now surround the SCG, ominously so in this case.

Smith calls for a fresh pair of gloves at the end of the over but with a worried look to the sky, he might also be signalling for a fresh weather report. It’s not looking fantastic, I must say.

4.25pm AEST05:25

20th over - Australia 105-2 (Rogers 48, Smith 34)

Rogers stays busy, clipping Ashwin through mid-wicket for three but when he’s back on strike, he goes within a coat of varnish of edging behind to Saha. Rogers shakes his head and punches at his other hand, but he also survives.

Only Rahul Dravid has been out for six consecutive half-centuries. What I'm saying is Rogers needs two more runs then to be bowled. #AUSvIND

4.22pm AEST05:22

19th over - Australia 101-2 (Rogers 45, Smith 33)

“I wonder if these young Indian guys will go home and talk to their board about DRS,” ponders Mark Nicholas. Don’t you fall through a trap-door if you do that kind of thing? Chris Rogers, meanwhile, edges ever closer to his sixth consecutive Test 50. He’s in pretty decent nick, the Buck.

4.20pm AEST05:20

18th over - Australia 95-2 (Rogers 41, Smith 31)

Ashwin’s doing that thing where he looks like he’s got the ball on a string - a string attached to a spinning top in this instance. He beats Smith in the flight but a streaky inside-edge lands safely on the on-side when it might have crept through towards the stumps. Smith smiles at his foe as he runs through for a single but he knows how close he was to perishing.

The over finishes with a spirited LBW shout when Rogers shuffles back in front of his stumps but Dharmasena rightly adjudges it to be passing over the top of the stumps. Close all though.

4.16pm AEST05:16

17th over - Australia 93-2 (Rogers 40, Smith 30)

Raina’s bowling actually looks a lot more effective than many of his better-cedentialled teammates right now and there’s also a nice moment of visual comedy when Rogers takes one and runs head-first into the stocky Raina as both look in different directions. They go down in the visual style of a Benny Hill skit but pleasingly, there’s no ill-will when they get up and dust themselves off. One of them could have patted the other on the top of the head though. That would have really topped it off.

4.12pm AEST05:12

16th over - Australia 90-2 (Rogers 38, Smith 29)

Chris Rogers is really relishing this battle with Ravi Ashwin, you can see it plastered all over his face. Here’s a thought: why don’t we put off night Tests and do anything we can to get Rogers to keep playing? It’s what the people want. Hell, it’s what I want.

@rustyjacko Go Smudge. Record taken. Brill. Way to break the Bradman hoodoo/paradigm. I thought we Didn't Do That Down Under. ;) #AUSvIND

I should be talking about the Smudge a little more, shouldn’t I? 715 runs? Crazy stuff. We’re almost taking it for granted now. He’s been out there for what feels like 5 minutes and he’s already half-way to another 50.

4.09pm AEST05:09

15th over - Australia 87-2 (Rogers 37, Smith 27)

Part-time offie Suresh Raina appears now and with the quicks bowling like drains and Ashwin getting so much turn, why the hell not? Raina even thinks he has a surprise wicket but replays confirm what Umpire Kettleborough saw with his own eyes, Rogers had edged it back onto his pads.

@rustyjacko dumb from India getting Watto so early He could have been key for them to work thru the rest of the Aussie order #AUSvIND

4.06pm AEST05:06

14th over - Australia 86-2 (Rogers 36, Smith 27)

Ashwin is turning it square at the moment. That’s brilliant news for him but also, one would suspect, a slightly horrible prospect for India’s batsmen tomorrow if Nathan Lyon can really strut his stuff. Can he though?

@rustyjacko As Mr Miyagi once ruefully predicted; "Watson, Wats off"

4.03pm AEST05:03

13th over - Australia 85-2 (Rogers 36, Smith 27)

As I suspected, it is finally time for some Umesh Yadav but he starts just as badly as Shami, if not worse, sliding one down leg and being clipped to fine leg for four and then straying short outside off-stump and watching on almost helplessly as Smith glides him for another. The latter was a no-ball too, to add insult to injury.

Worse is to come though because failing to learn his lesson, the right-arm quick digs in another series of innocuous short balls and gets mercilessly pulled through the leg side for a second pair of boundaries. Oh dear.

“Yadav is getting pumped,” says Ian Healy. Normally that would seem a bit gauche but it’s actually 100% correct. Smith is better than Bradman now, by the way. It’s offical. He passes the Don’s record aggregate for India-Australia series’. What a gem of a summer he’s having.

3.58pm AEST04:58

12th over - Australia 68-2 (Rogers 36, Smith 11)

Ashwin really shows his wares here, hemming Rogers to the crease with a variety of dippers, drifters and sharp turners. If you have a kid who wants to know how to bowl off-spin, you could do worse than sitting them in front of the TV right at this moment. Ashwin’s putting on a bit of a clinic when he gets it right.

3.55pm AEST04:55

11th over - Australia 68-2 (Rogers 36, Smith 11)

It hasn’t worked at any other point of the series, but Mohammed Shami bangs in a half-tracker to Steve Smith and allows the Aussie captain to slap a boundary out to deep square leg. The follow-up is also too straight and gets clipped for two.

Matt Harris is back. “What do you see as a good total for Australia to set India, and how long to bowl them out?” he asks. “In Melbourne, two sessions turned out to be too short, and this pitch seems more friendly than that one. But I can’t imagine declaring with a lead of less than 300, or you’re just giving Kohli and Co. an extended ODI scenario tomorrow.”

To be honest, I’d be very surprised if Smith set a gettable total. These guys don’t like losing home Tests to India and they’re unlikely to voluntarily give the tourists a sniff. 300 would be a safe zone but they’ll really have to motor in this final session to set up a chase like that. I reckon the only chance of a result here is an Aussie collapse. That’s never out of the question on a turning deck.

3.51pm AEST04:51

10th over - Australia 62-2 (Rogers 36, Smith 5)

Hmm, Ashwin has only two men on the leg side to Rogers. Not so sure about that, especially when he strays a little straight and allows the batsman to nudge a single around the corner. He’ll do that all day, Rogers. Literally. He’d bat into the night if they’d let him and he wasn’t bordering on blind.

Ashwin finishes the over well, squaring Rogers up in such a way that he can’t control a an edge that squirts out towards point past the hands of the man in short.

3.47pm AEST04:47

9th over - Australia 56-2 (Rogers 31, Smith 4)

This match might be delicately placed, but Chris Rogers is not the man to let a wide half-olley slide through to the keeper so he throws the kitchen sink at it when he gets one for Shami and it motors away to the fence at deep point.

If India are serious about quick wickets, there would be some irony in ignoring the man who has taken the most of them in this series, but Shami is offering up some real tripe here. Yadav time?

3.42pm AEST04:42

8th over - Australia 48-2 (Rogers 26, Smith 2)

Well the Australians couldn’t have a better man at the crease now than Steve Smith, who is also locked into a secondary battle with Virat Kohli for the most runs of the series. Bradman’s India-Australia series record is in threat, too. One to watch.

Updated at 3.43pm AEST

3.40pm AEST04:40

Wicket! Watson b Ashwin 16 (Australia 46-2)

Watson’s after Ashwin again, which is all well and good when he’s given width but when Ashwin turns one in from outside off stump and the ball keeps low, the batsman doesn’t have enough margin for error in playing a full-blooded cut shot. He chops it back onto his own stumps. Ashwin is doing windmills with his bowling arm and you can’t blame him. He might be bowling his side into a winning position here.

Then comes the Watson trudge. There really isn’t anything else like it in cricket. He looks like he’s walking to the gallows.

3.37pm AEST04:37

7th over - Australia 44-1 (Rogers 26, Watson 14)

Fresh from his late-order batting cameo, Mohammed Shami appears to bowl the first over after tea and his start is far from ideal, dropping short and allowing Chris Rogers to send a short-arm jab through mid-wicket for four.

Then it’s a case of another over, another missed run-out opportunity. Again Rogers and Watson meet in a spot other than the middle of the pitch, which is never ideal. Shami calls for the man at mid-wicket to throw at the bowler’s end stumps but he might have devoted those energies to taking the bails, to be honest. Watson survives and Rogers has a bit of a lugh, but he won’t be smiling when he or his partner is heading back to the pavilion. That seems inevitable at this rate.

3.16pm AEST04:16

Tea on Day 4 at the SCG

6th over - Australia 38-1 (Rogers 21, Watson 13)

Watson continues the assault on Ashwin and the Australian pair continue to look like they’ll run one another out. After a boundary and a single to Watson, Rogers bunts to the on side and takes off on a slightly kamikaze run himself but the throw to the bowler’s end is about a metre wide of the mark.

All of this manic action and David Warner isn’t even at the crease anymore. Ashwin’s over finishes and so too does this middle session, one that’s seen the demise of the Indian tail and an early breakthrough from Ashwin to have the Aussies slightly on edge.

Meanwhile, here’s some tea-time viewing for you while I nip off and grab a drink. It is, well, just have a look...

3.09pm AEST04:09

5th over - Australia 32-1 (Rogers 20, Watson 8)

It’s boundaries galore at the moment. When wickets aren’t falling and run-outs aren’t being comically botched, Chris Rogers is getting busy. This time he’s using what remains of Kumar’s pace, guiding a four through gully and then a mirror image around the corner to fine leg. It’s all a little bit mad out there at the moment and it’s almost a shame that tea is only moments away.

3.05pm AEST04:05

4th over - Australia 24-1 (Rogers 12, Watson 8)

If Chris Rogers is worried about the state of the game he’s doing a pretty good job of hiding it. Ashwin drops short and gives him far too much width outside off stump so the nuggety left-hander helps himself to a pair of boundaries through the point region.

Perhaps the Aussies feel they need to belt Ashwin out of the attack because when Rogers gets off strike, Watson immediately slog-sweeps the off-spinner for four through mid-wicket.

Then some drama! Ashwin turns one sharply but innocuously down the leg side and Watson takes off for a suicidal bye, one that’s actually of no interest him but Rogers calls him through before stopping dead. IHe what? t’s too late for Watson, who scrambles to make his ground but Saha makes a hash of taking the stumps and Watson survives. What a clamity for India. Watson should be gone and Rogers was the man at fault.

3.00pm AEST04:00

3rd over - Australia 11-1 (Rogers 3, Watson 4)

Perhaps Shane Watson is a little tense about the match situation here because he drives loosly to Kumar and watches on in mild terror as the ball flashes a foot over the head of the man at a very short gully. That’s the disadvantage of Kumar’s restricted pace I guess, you can’t exatly set gully right back for that hard-handed slash.

Watson, it must also be said, faces a physical battle here because he bowled a ton of overs by his standards. One to keep an eye on.

2.57pm AEST03:57

2nd over - Australia 6-1 (Rogers 2, Watson 0)

Ashwin is right on the money to Watson as well, turning the ball in sharply towards the right-hander and at the conclusion of the over, Umpire Dharmasena has a few tense words with Virat Kohli. To say the Indians are fired up would be an understatement. They fancy themselves here and I don’t entirely blame them while Ashwin is producing bowling like this.

2.54pm AEST03:54

WICKET! Warner c Vijay b Ashwin 4 (Australia 6-1)

I hate to be an ‘I told you so’ but Ravi Ashwin is thrown the ball straight away by Kohli and achieves eye-popping turn immediately, nearly claiming Rogers with his first ball and then jagging it a appreciably to take Warner’s outside edge and have him caught at first slip. Warner had no hope there. He shuffled back and prodded but was powerless to avoid nicking it.

He merely nods his head and smiles in appreciation of what Ashwin has produced. That is a stunning start for Ashwin and India.

2.49pm AEST03:49

1st over - Australia 4-0 (Rogers 1, Warner 3)

Bhuvi Kumar’s given the new ball for India and he’s a little up on his first innings pace but not much. Put it this way, Chris Rogers won’t mind getting 124kmph half-trackers on his hop all afternoon.

With Rogers off strike, Dave Warner is straight into the action with two past square leg and then a single. That gets Michael Clarke talking about Warner’s endless pursuit of the perfect bat. Good stuff for the cricket bat nerd in everyone.

2.42pm AEST03:42

India all out for 475 and trail Australia by 97 runs on the first innings

We’ll now have a quick change-over period in which David Warner and Chris Rogers will pad up for the locals and the Indian bowlers mark out their run-ups again. Four and a bit sessions remain in this match now. Enough for a result? Only if Australia bats with some serious intent here and set an enticing total for Kohli and co.

Can you see that happening though? I’m not so sure. Fans of pitch rollers, there’s a development for you as well: The Indians have asked for the light roller. That and more searing insight when we’re back for Australia’s 2nd dig.

2.37pm AEST03:37

WICKET! Yadav c Haddin b Harris 4 (India all out for 475)

Not for the first time, I’ve spoken too soon. Smith drags Lyon and brings Harris back and there must have been some kind of signal for the new ball because the third umpire waits by the boundary with said replacement. Harris starts with the old one and probably wonders why when Yadav slams him down the ground for a boundary to long-on.

That four is the final act committed with the old ball and Yadav takes another lusty swipe at the new one, skying it high and swirling into the breeze. The good news for Australia is that Brad Haddin gives the men in the cordon no chance of botching the catch, moving around smartly and then diving forward to take the catch and end the Indian innings. Phew.

India has been dismissed for 475 and Australia now hold a 97-run first innings lead.

2.30pm AEST03:30

161st over - India 470-9 (Shami 15, Yadav 0)

Smith now has the option of taking the new ball but with Starc moving the old one so prodigiously, he makes the understandable call of rolling on with the clapped-out Kookaburra. Starc huffs and puffs and fires it in from every angle at Yadav but he can’t prize out India’s final batsman. Yadav seems to take just as much delight in forcing the maiden as Shami had tonking Lyon all over the park in the over prior. Fantastic stuff.

2.28pm AEST03:28

160th over - India 470-9 (Shami 15, Yadav 0)

With the fall of Ashwin’s wicket, Shami knows this innings is not long for this world so he attacks Lyon with glee, biffing him for four, six and then another four over cow corner. It’s highly entertaining stuff from the plucky tailender and a bit of a nightmare for Lyon. He’s always a chance of a wicket in the face of such filthy slogging but he’s also geting pasted around his home deck like a novice.

Lyon thinks he’s got his man with the final delivery of the over but his caught-behind shout is turned down by Umpire Richard Kettleborough. Maybe the Shami Show has a few more hits yet.

2.23pm AEST03:23

WICKET! Ashwin c Haddin b Starc 50 (India 456-9)

Moments after bringing up an admirable half-century, Ravi Ashwin is - unfortunately for his sake - good enough to get an edge on a Mitchell Starc off-cutter the likes of which had Mohammed Shami spellbound.

Snarling Starc is gone in this instance and he lapses back into his far more lovable goofball persona. Starc has a big chance to bag a fourth wicket now and quite frankly, he deserves it.

2.13pm AEST03:13

158th over - India 454-8 (Ashwin 49, Shami 0)

There’s still sharp turn on offer for Nathan Lyon, which is less of a concern to an expert in the art like Ravi Ashwin but quite a hanful for Shami. It also begs a few questions as to the sort of damage Ashwin might do himself in the second innings. Shami survives the Lyon over and with that, the giant Gatorade bottle on wheels races out onto the ground to provide some refreshments. It’s the traditions of Test cricket that I love the most, you know?

2.11pm AEST03:11

157th over - India 453-8 (Ashwin 48, Shami 0)

With Hazlewood either worn out or being deployed strategically at this point of proceedings, Mitchell Starc returns as Steve Smith’s pace option and he’s bowling with better intensity and speed than any Australian today. On the Shane Warne body language index, I’d have him at about 8.2 at the moment.

Ashwin is equal to the challenge and takes the left-armer for two and then a single, but Mohammed Shami can’t be expected to do much when Starc is swinging it a foot from leg stump to rear past his outside edge and travel towards first slip. In that case the delivery was probably wasted on the novice batsman.

2.06pm AEST03:06

156th over - India 450-8 (Ashwin 45, Shami 0)

It looks like Ashwin is prepared to trust Shami for now, turning a single off Lyon and letting his teammate weather the storm.

@rustyjacko But if Watto caught it one handed it counts right? #BackAlleyRules

Hey, at least an Australian held a catch. The fact that it wasn’t actually out is a minor detail in this light.

2.03pm AEST03:03

155th over - India 449-8 (Ashwin 44, Shami 0)

Josh Hazlewood, much like Shane Watson before him, has a pleasing ability to tail the old ball in with reverse swing and he’s up to those tricks again in search of Mohammed Shami’s castle. Shami holds firm for now but the approach of Ravi Ashwin will interesting here; does he trust his colleague and turn the strike or does he take charge and chase some quick runs?

It has just been proven again: it's not about the technology, it's about the people who interpret and operate it. #INDvsAUS

1.59pm AEST02:59

154th over - India 448-8 (Ashwin 43, Shami 0)

Lyon’s made like a thief for that wicket and he’ll fancy a couple more now. He’s turning it in sharply in search of Mohammed Shami’s stumps and there’s some hairy moments for the new batsman in a wicket maiden.

India should be riled with that decision. It’s really undone their rearguard efforts of the last hour.

New method of dismissal introduced into the laws of cricket. #AUSVIND

1.56pm AEST02:56

WICKET! Kumar c Watson b Lyon 30 (India 448-8)

My my... He’s been given! And it was Kumar, not Ashwin. Sorry about that. The third umpire has somehow ruled in favour of the Aussies there despite most camera angles indicated that the toe of the bat had squeezed the ball into the turf, from whence it rose to Watson at slip. The Aussies have burgled a wicket there, if you ask me. At the very least it was unclear.

“I think you can see whatever you want to see here,” says Michael Slater. I think he’s trying to hold back how much he likes what he’s seeing from the third umpire. Personally, I’m not so enthused

1.53pm AEST02:53

REVIEW!

Lyon thinks he’s got Ashwin caught at slip but it looks very “bump ball” to me, I must say. He ‘toed’ it into the ground and Watson’s reaction says a lot; he’s far less interested than the bowler.

1.51pm AEST02:51

153rd over - India 7-448 (Ashwin 42, Kumar 30)

The Aussies are more than a little flat at the moment. Hazlewood continues to charge in but without the faintest hint of assistance from the surface it looks like rote fast bowling, exactly the kind of stuff that makes tailenders purr with satisfaction.

Matt Harris is back with a quick answer for Tony. Thanks Matt. “The simple answer to Tony’s question is that my team batted first, and the opposition made the runs to beat our score with overs to spare. However, the rules in that league were that we played out the overs, or until the team batting second were all out, even though the game was already decided.”

Well there you go.

1.48pm AEST02:48

152nd over - India 7-444 (Ashwin 42, Kumar 27)

Nathan Lyon’s done everything but take a wicket here. He entices Kumar forward and into a lusty drive whereupon an inside edge deflects off the batsman’s boot and rolls inches past the leg stump. Brad Haddin groans, Lyon throws his head back and Kumar probably further cements the thought in his mind that this is his day. He might be right there.

1.44pm AEST02:44

151st over - India 7-443 (Ashwin 41, Kumar 27)

Hazlewood predictably replaces Harris and the latter looks like he wants to be anywhere on earth other than the centre of the SCG right now. He’s pinching at his brow and possibly dreaming of lying face down on the massage table with a very long straw reaching from his mouth down to a VB longneck on the ground. Or is that just me?

Hazlewood concedes a single to Ashwin but doesn’t make much progress on Kumar, whose confidence seems to strengthen with every run. Now he’s launching ambitious cover drives even at good balls. This is much, much better from the Indian tail. What a series we might have had if they’d discovered this batting form earlier.

1.40pm AEST02:40

150th over - India 7-442 (Ashwin 40, Kumar 27)

Nathan Lyon makes an appearance now to replace Watto and he’s getting some serious revolutions out of the rough first up, spinning one from off-stump in a sharp diagonal past Kumar’s hip for three byes. Haddin didn’t have a hope of reeling that one in. Not quite as pleasing is the penultimate delivery of the over, which the tailender thumps to the boundary at deep square leg.

Lyon kicks the turf, in disgust with himself probably but also possibly on behalf of all his bowling comrades.

1.37pm AEST02:37

149th over - India 435-7 (Ashwin 40, Kumar 23)

Speaking of weary legs, the Rhino is into his 30th over now and it’s beginning to show. He’s well down on pace, frequently overstepping the line and often dropping too short. The latter two problems are rarely factors when he bowls, proof enough that this pitch is like a torture chamber for the quicks.

Kumar cuts his half-tracker for four and then given some width from the final ball of the over, drives between gully and point for another. Time for Harris to cool his heels and get a rub-down, methinks.

Jonny Hodgetts is on the punt. “It’s a shame for Brett Lee that such foresight on his future didn’t extend to letting his Dad’s mates know. Hazelwood’s father’s friends were offered 500-1 when in his teens to represent Australia. Imagine the odds on a 9 year old. Selfish Brett.”

Terrible areas, Brett. Have a spell mate.

1.33pm AEST02:33

148th over - India 426-7 (Ashwin 39, Kumar 15)

Shane Watson is into his 20th over now, quite an achievement for one as physically fragile he’s been in the past, especially after such a long shift at the crease when Australia batted. Might Australia drop him down the order later when quick runs might be needed?

Kumar gets a streaky boundary of his own here, again through the gully region but this time as a result of a full-blooded swipe. His side still trails by 146 but these are handy runs.

Nearly 300 overs for 14 wickets, this SCG pitched should be booked for cruelty against bowlers. #INDvsAUS

1.29pm AEST02:29

147th over - India 422-7 (Ashwin 39, Kumar 11)

Ryan Harris is trying everything he can to jag a wicket here but not having much luck. There’s movement and awkward bounce, but Ashwin gets him way for a boundary with a streaky edge through gully.

Reader Nicholas Hartman has some thoughts on the current dearth of intellectual ballast in the various commentary boxes of Australia. “Gave me a giggle with the IQ gag,” he says. “I’ve been wondering, I’m only 23, so I don’t have much context or perspective, but have sports shows only ever had former pros as panellists?”

“It’s horrible, most of the talk is banal and/or chummy, and biased towards their mates, and there’s very rarely a journalist in site. Everyone (Fox, 9, 10) seems to follow the same formula of: Journalist leading the ‘discussion’ I mean, Fox brought in John Aloisi as panellist, what expertise does he have, other than failing to progress a club in a 10-team league and managing to convince the board not to sack him?”

“Why aren’t the likes of you, or Gideon Haigh or Malcolm Knox ever invited? You fellas would have unafraid opinions and unnamed sources to share. I guess the only sport where the ex-pro-heavy commentariat works is Rugby Union (I’m not familiar with the AFL stuff btw)”

Well, TV punditry has always been the domain of ex-players, Nicholas. Sad but true. Gideon’s on Offsiders, does that count? Perhaps we need to be careful what we wish for. What if the bookish types were actually bores? Could that be as bad as the boofheads?

1.24pm AEST02:24

146th over - India 417-7 (Ashwin 35, Kumar 10)

Shane Watson’s wobblers are the favoured method attack for Steve SMith after lunch and the hulking all-rounder thinks he might have claimed Ashwin with his first ball after lunch when he tails one in to the batsman’s pads and watches it balloon into the hands of CHri Rogers at short mid-wicket. Was there an edge? Rogers thinks so. Umpire Kettleborough doesn and as is often the case, he’s correct.

He’s having quite a series, Kettleborough.

Tony Dunlea has a question but I must admit I missed the anecdote to which he refers. “Sorry to be off-topic but I was thinking about the “Michelle” (five-for) thing, following a comment yesterday. One of your readers mentioned that after a B grade country game, he had to shout the team for not taking the Michelle while the game could still be won. This game is amazing. My question is this – how can the game still be playing but one team can’t win? I mean he took 5 for 10 off two overs or something. Why didn’t that win them the game?”

Any ideas, readers? I’ve see those sorts of figures in losing teams quite often, Tony. Maybe the bowler was a part-timer brought on when the game was already well out of hand; the opposition possibly having piled on a mountain of runs and then going the tonk later in the day. I’m only guessing though.

1.19pm AEST02:19

145th over - India 413-7 (Ashwin 33, Kumar 9)

Ryan Harris gets us under way after lunch, gingerly winding up from the Paddington end. Bhuvi Kumar gets a jab in while his opponent is still alittle shaky, punching a cover drive for two as Harris gets his bearings. Kumr looked like he was batting with a toothpick before lunch but to Harris’ third elivery he produces an absolute gem of a cover drive and this time it pierces the gap to run away for four.

Will this be the day that the Indian tail finally delivers something? Perhaps. Kumar will need to wind back on a few of the wild swipes here either side of the scoring shots.

Kurt Baird, meanwhile, is also an Ed Cowan fan. I think. “I like Ed,” he says. “My first sight of him was when he was bowled leaving a straight one from Harmison in a warm up in 06. He is wasted on Channel 9, and the Australian Test team for that matter. TMS awaits in the winter for him I feel. His humbleness, intelligence and love of the game is better suited to that bastion of cricket tradition.”

1.14pm AEST02:14

One other thing before we start...

Is there any bigger statistical lie in this series than Mohammed Shami having “out-bowled” Mitchell Johnson in a statistical sense? More wickets, better average...how?

Johnson hasn’t been at his best, to be sure, but Shami...the guy seems merely to have been bowling as wickets fell, rather than actually taking them. Am I being harsh? I think I need to rake through his 14 dismissals and judge how many of them were unforced errors from batsmen with tired arms. A decent portion, I’d guess.

1.09pm AEST02:09

Heart u Richie

Matt’s covered off the morning session pretty well, so I just want to take the opportunity to canvas the opinions of all you OBOers on Nine’s use of Richie Benaud this summer. Specifically, is anyone else being driven into a state of heartbreak by these Richie-narrated montages they’re showing? They’re doing me in, to be honest.

I think it’s his scratchy voice. It’s like being a nursing home room with your favourite grandfather. I can’t handle it. Would it be better if they just let him be at this point, or am I just being selfish? I don’t want to remember him this way, damn it.

Brett Lee, meanwhile, says “I knew when I was nine that I was going to play for Australia.” Humility is the key, Brett.

12.56pm AEST01:56

Afternoon all

Russell Jackson here. Welcome to the dying minutes of this fourth day lunch break. The world has gone mad - Ed Cowan is on The Cricket Show. The average IQ of the panel has just tripled. What a time to be alive.

But where are we in this game? Locked in something of a stalemate unless Australia can get rid of Kumar and open up the other end to Ravi Ashwin. The latter can hold a bat, it’s fair to say. Every time I watch him bat and bowl, India’s decision to leave him out of the first Test just feels more and more bizarre.

If you have any thoughts on that, the state of the game or Ed Cowan’s TV talents, hit me on russell.jackson@theguardian.com or via twitter: @rustyjacko

12.44pm AEST01:44

Lunch, Day Four. India 407-7 (Ashwin 33, Kumar 3) trail Australia by 165 runs on first innings

Righto. Seventy-five runs in the Session for India, two wickets for Australia, and the game remains Australia’s to win, India’s to save.

Australia missed a catch when Joe Burns shot in when he should’ve hung back at short-leg, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar remains unbeaten on 3. Ravi Ashwin is on 33 and has ridden some luck. The Aussie bowlers have tempted him outside off stump and Ravi has had a go at them, scoring quite a few runs through third and fourth slip where Australia hasn’t had any fielders. You’d think they might.

But the Aussie bowlers have gone pretty well. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have bowled with pace and aggression, Shane Watson with tight lines, and Ryan Harris with typical economy and skill. We’ll see much more of him in the middle session. As we we will with Nathan Lyon, considered by some - or at least one Isaac Forster - to be Australia’s unluckiest bowler of the last 30 years.

Don’t know if that’s true. It would take too much research to work it out.

Anyway. That’s me, Matt Cleary, signing off for today. I’ll be back for the final session of Day Five if we are still playing Test cricket at 3:30pm AEDST tomorrow. Join us again in half-hour for the fast-typing of Russell Jackson, considered one of the great men of the Internet.

Updated at 12.45pm AEST

12.36pm AEST01:36

144th over: India 407-7 (Ashwin 33, Kumar 3)

Last over before Lunch. The Lyon King, tossing down his floaty spin-things. Ashwin bunts a half-volley through the covers for two. He comes around the wicket. The Lyon King’s change-up. Ashwin in behind it. And again. And that’s Lunch.

Ravi Ashwin and Ryan Harris have a laugh as they head off, the latter deciding to head off anything Too Unpleasant, it seems. The Aussies are having a little word here or there, it means they’re worried they’re not taking wickets with their actual bowling and fielding and they need to get inside the batter’s head. Ashwin should take it as a compliment. But don’t think he’s quite in that state of mind, he’s more combative like the captain. But there you go. That’s Lunch. Will grab a drink, and Summarise the Session, before handing over to the great Russell “Rusty” “Jacko” Jackson for the remaining two (2) sessions.

Updated at 12.36pm AEST

12.30pm AEST01:30

143rd over: India 405-7 (Ashwin 31, Kumar 3)

Starc, again. Ashwin works him for one. The pair exchange words. Ashwin appeals to Ryan Harris wondering why must people be so unkind. Bit of chit-chat. “Banter”. Some pointing, some gesticulating.

Kumar slashes at a wide one - he is expecting the heat at his melon, this much is certain. Case for a fly-slip.

Over, three off.

Maybe. Probably not but, I’d warrant.

12.25pm AEST01:25

142nd over: India 402-7 (Ashwin 30, Kumar 1)

Lyon, again, aiming for Starc’s footmarks outside off. Kumar works him about. The ball’s exploding, a little, out of the rough, there’s some detritus flying up in the slow-mo pictures.

Six more dots. Couple more overs until Lunch. Game meandering.

Ned Hurley, meanwhile, says, and one can only agree, that: “ABC radio were this morning discussing that Kohli averages in the 20s when India bat first (1st & 3rd innings). When they bat 2nd (2nd & 4th innings) his average is in the 70s. This discrepancy is incredible for a player of his talent.”

Statistical anomaly? Some would say: No.

12.22pm AEST01:22

141st over: India 402-7 (Ashwin 30, Kumar 1)

Okay, Starc it is. And Starc it isn’t, at least in terms of the OBO man’s prediction that Starc would take a wicket. Ashwin did squirt a drive to gully on the ground. Smith didn’t give him a third slip. Though Channell Nine put a hologram man there like that game in Star Wars in which you should let the Wookie win.

Maiden.

Updated at 12.24pm AEST

12.17pm AEST01:17

140th over: India 402-7 (Ashwin 30, Kumar 1)

Lyon, he’s reached his century for one wicket. Should’ve had two, at least. He’s bowled a six-dotter, a maiden. And onwards we roll towards lunch. And you know what? I’m calling it: Mitchell Starc will take a wicket next over. Get on*.

* Don’t do that.

12.15pm AEST01:15

139th over: India 402-7 (Ashwin 30, Kumar 1)

Change of bowler, it’s Mitchell Starc back into it, taking over from Joshua Tree. And he immediately gets an edge from Ashwin’s bat and the ball shot through third slip on the ground, four runs. Then he beats him. Good change from Smith. Starc will put the wind up this India tail. He bounces Ashwin who sways, nicely, moving his large upper body out of the way like a very limited limbo dancer. Then there’s a full one. Ashwin’s handling Starc okay. The ones he isn’t missing or edging, anyway. And then, bang, another boundary off the fat edge through the still-vacant third slip position. Big Mitche might ask for one next over. There’s eight off that one, and India is 402.

Meanwhile, Isaac Forster from the Internet sets the poser: “Would love to see an analysis of Lyon’s career record if you included all the dismissals that have been missed off his bowling. I can’t think of a Australian bowler in the last 30 years who’s had as many chances missed as Lyon, from Wade missing loads, to all the close catches that have gone down.”

Warney, maybe. What say, The People? Is Nathan Lyon the Unluckiest Bowler in Australia?

12.10pm AEST01:10

138th over: India 394-7 (Ashwin 22, Kumar 1)

Nice shot by Ravi Ashwin, he uses his feet and lofts Lyon out through deep mid-wicket, the ball cut off on the fence by the bustling and sliding David Warner, a fair cricketer.

Lyon, around the wicket. Ashwin plays him deftly behind square.

Three off.

12.07pm AEST01:07

137th over: India 391-7 (Ashwin 19, Kumar 1)

Hazlewood flings down another maiden, as the Channel Nine Tweet-o-bot reveals: “There have been 16 missed opportunities for Australia.”

Which is quite a lot. And doth the Twitter-sphere agrees.

12.03pm AEST01:03

136th over: India 391-7 (Ashwin 19, Kumar 1)

Lyon, there’s wickets in the man. The pitch isn’t breaking up yet. But it’s going to. This time tomorrow the footmarks will look like black holes. What is a black hole, anyway? Something to do with space?

Maiden.

12.00pm AEST01:00

135th over: India 391-7 (Ashwin 19, Kumar 1)

Gary Allen from Brisbane asks: “Is this the poorest fielding performance since the first fish left the ocean and sprouted hands? I’m not sure Joe Burns has sprouted any yet.”

Arguably the worst since the pre-Simpson era of the mid-to-late-80s, Gary. Has this devil pack of hunting dog ... pack of Australian fieldsmen dropped so many catches? Probably they have.

Discuss.

Hazlewood’s bowled a maiden, another good one.

11.56am AEST00:56

134th over: India 391-7 (Ashwin 19, Kumar 1)

Dropped! Big bat-pad off Kumar, and Joey Burns has had a Barry Crocker at short-leg the ball has ballooned over his head and he’s dived late when he could’ve probably just stood there and waited for it to come to him. Huge edge onto the pad.

Barry Crocker. Once upon a time this man was Australia.

11.53am AEST00:53

133rd over: India 390-7 (Ashwin 19, Kumar 0)

Big Joshua, he thumps one in short outside off-stump and it sits up like a very obedient poodle and is thumped over gully by Ravi Ashwin, it was begging to be hit and was with alacrity.

There follow two dots. And another one. Ashwin is distracted. Perhaps by Brad Haddin and Steve Smith, who are having fun behind the poles. it’s 7 for 390 as we say in Australia to denote the wickets and score but which we don’t on this medium because it’s a Thing.

Discuss.

11.49am AEST00:49

132nd over: India 386-7 (Ashwin 15, Kumar 0)

Okay, Lyon King. Bowling tidy lines outside the off stump of these two right-handers. A short leg and a silly mid-off. And a short mid-wicket ... WHO’S DROPPED IT! NO. It was half volley. Didn’t reach the Rhino, he pouched it but on the bounce. They all yelled, and I thought for a moment, Wicket! And then didn’t think it.

11.46am AEST00:46

131st over: India 383-7 (Ashwin 12, Kumar 0)

Nice over by the Joshua Tree, good pace and bounce on a still-benign surface. And Australia is in the box seat, whatever that is, I will Google it.

11.43am AEST00:43

Wicket! Wriddhiman Saha 35 c Smith b Hazlewood

Well, there you go. He’s been so good and steady against the short stuff this morning but Joshua Tree Hazlewood has surprised him with a short one that Saha has ungainly ... ly tried to hoick backward of square but succeeded only in plopping a gloved catch to Steve Smith in slip. Good bowling. And India is:

131st over: India 383-7 (Ashwin 12, Kumar 0)

Updated at 11.43am AEST

11.40am AEST00:40

130th over: India 383-6 (Saha 35, Ashwin 12)

Okay, here’s the Spin Man, the Lyon King, the Lawnmower Man of Adelaide via Canberra and Young the Cherry Capital of Australia, Nathan Lyon. He bowls a tidy one, without extracting spin like a thing from Quidditch, whatever it is I forget already.

Couple off.

Updated at 11.40am AEST

11.37am AEST00:37

And so to Drinks, and Jim Lee of Portland, Oregon, a fine and progressive town, they reckon, asks: “Matt, mate: What’s with the SCG? Where is THE HILL, where mate Geoff and I barracked for the mighty Seagles against the dastardly Rabbitohs? At least the Women’s Stand, wherefrom I watched the noble SIr Garfield score 130-caught out keeper, seems still to be in place. What’s next, major league baseball? I’d sooner see Test matches in Dodger Stadium!”

So many questions, so little time, Jim Lee, but the Hill’s been gone since about 1988, the Ladies Stand and Members will be ever thus, and I’d love to see a Test match at Dodger Stadium for no other reason than to say I had. MLB at the SCG was Brilliant.

11.33am AEST00:33

129th over: India 381-6 (Saha 34, Ashwin 11)

Okay, Big Joshua Tree Hazlewood, rumbling in. There’s a lot of him, would be six-feet-six or so in the pre-metric measurement system we still use to describe The Tall because 195cm doesn’t cut it like saying “six-six”

Saha looking fairly comfortable here. And oh yes - four runs, beautiful off-drive. The wicket won’t countenance anything full in the slot and Saha, who I for someone reason want to call Louis instead of Wriddhiman, pastes it for fourth to long-off, top shot.

Word:

Updated at 11.34am AEST

11.28am AEST00:28

128th over: India 375-6 (Saha 28, Ashwin 11)

Watto, the Enigma, he’s in again to Wriddhiman. The pitch looks like golden straw, like flax, whatever flax is, I will find out through the all-powerful magic knowledge of the Internet. What did we do before Google? Believed stuff? Argued in pubs? Yes we did.

Watto bowls a maiden ... no he Saha takes him for two off his hip, last ball.

Updated at 11.30am AEST

11.24am AEST00:24

127th over: India 372-6 (Saha 25, Ashwin 11)

It is indeed, Geoff Lemon, fellow OBO Man and cricket scribbler. It’s been quite hard to get both men out. I’ll back, Smith, however. He can tonk and hang about at the same time. Batting gangbusters.

Here’s Josh Hazlewood, taking over from Big Mitch Starc who bowled with plenty of pace and aggression this morning, it’s how he rolls. He’s been stung, a bit, I think by Warney’s “soft” body language malarkey.

Hazlewood in-swinging ... it’s going Irish for him early. We’re what, 30-odd overs from the ball being new.

Lovely off-drive from Saha, there’s quite a bit about him, the Keeper, I like him.

11.20am AEST00:20

126th over: India 369-6 (Saha 22, Ashwin 11)

Dropped! Well ... maybe not dropped, per se, the ball slashed off Ashwin’s bat and burst through Nathan Lyon’s fingers like a Hot Quidditch, one of those things in Harry Potter. Lyon flinched in the gully and got one hand to it, but he was more chance of catching leprosy. And Ravi Ashwin takes four.

Then he’s beaten outside off stump. Then he plays one back to Watson who has a shy at the stumps, drawing a low murmur from the masses who have not amassed yet, they’re thinking about it. Ashwin survives the rest of Watson’s sly little meds, and that, friends, is over.

11.16am AEST00:16

125th over: India 365-6 (Saha 22, Ashwin 7)

Righto, Mitchell Starc again, and Saha pastes him beautifully for four through point, top shot. He’s a fair batter, the keeper. Which one supposes he would be given he’s the next in line to MS Dhoni, who’s been a belter a long time.

Oh - Starc comes around the wicket and draws a pair of exaggerated back-bending, head-tilting sways out the way from Saha. It’s a strong part of his batting, the keeper. He sways like a limbo man. Top flexibility. Good judge of length. Good luck to him.

Meanwhile Our Shane’s talk of “body language” has the Tweet People bubbling:

11.11am AEST00:11

124th over: India 361-6 (Saha 18, Ashwin 7)

One slip, a gully. Catching men at cover and mid-wicket. Rest of em spread like Meadow Lea. Ravi Ashwin chips him through mid-wicket and briefly excites Watson and the short mid-wicket man Chris Rogers who thought the doughty left-hander might’ve pouched another’n like he did Virat K.

11.07am AEST00:07

122nd over: India 359-6 (Saha 18, Ashwin 5)

Mitchell Starc getting a decent morning spell, and building up that proverbial head of steam. Bowling well. Little in-dip to the right-handers, more than the odd skull-frightener. Rahul Ashwin looks a pretty tidy No.8 without channelling Kapil Dev. Sort of tall and stiff. But he can bat a bit. And he advances to five (5). They’ll need a few more from him, and his mates in the 9,10, Jack, they haven’t been prosperous this Australian summer. Oh - here’s Watto!

11.02am AEST00:02

122nd over: India 357-6 (Saha 18, Ashwin 4)

Mr Rhino, he runs in in his economical, bustling style, following through more than half the pitch, it’s a fine and rhythmical, repeatable style, and he can seemingly land the cherry upon a h’penny piece. T’penny? I know not. These are denominations from olden times. Playing cricket as a kid the old boys would talk of these things, given Australia adopted the metric system in 1966.

One off.

In the metric system, they don’t know what a quarter pounder is.

Updated at 11.03am AEST

10.57am AEST23:57

121st over: India 356-6 (Saha 17, Ashwin 4)

Mitchell Starc, left-arm over the wicket, pretty rapid, he shoots a very handy bouncer past Saha’s tin lid. And very well played by Saha, he bends under it like the Limbo Dancing champion of the Caribbean. Starc follows it up with three fairly handy short ones that Saha plays in three fairly handy ways. Has a very nice leave to the short ones, Wriddhiman Saha, I like him.

10.54am AEST23:54

120th over: India 356-6 (Saha 17, Ashwin 4)

Successful over for Harris, he’s bowling fine areas this morning, he’s a ripper. Though last ball he just over-pitches onto Ashwin’s pads and the No.8 bonks him through mid-wicket with some authority for a boundary. Australia leads by 216. Crucial period here.

10.51am AEST23:51

Wicket! Virat Kohli 147 c Rogers b Harris

Ryan Harris arrows in on middle and off, and Kohli over-balances just slightly while trying to turn him through mid-wicket, and the ball shot out low to Chris Rogers who pocketed a sharp chance at short catching mid-wicket. Well bowled, The Rhino. Superb innings from the India skipper. And Australia is riding upon India’s back and asking to be carried up a hill on a very hot day.

10.48am AEST23:48

119th over: India 350-5 (Kohli 145, Saha 17)

Mitchell Starc bowling left-arm over the wicket, sending the cherry across the right-handers, looking for a fat edge for two slips and a gully. Good speed. The odd bouncer. He’ll go for a few runs, on occasion. But when he gets that 150-click Irish in-swinger honing in on the base of the poles, Starc could channel Mr Akram himself.

Not that often, one warrants. But now and again he can muster Wasim’s heat-seeking Devil Balls.

10.43am AEST23:43

118th over: India 349-5 (Kohli 144, Saha 17)

Okay, the Mighty Rhino again, the man with the best strike-rate for 100 wicket takers in Australian cricket, a telling statistic for a bloke who’s 35 and didn’t start being so grouse until he was 30. One off, by Virat, after a typically quick and probing over by the Rhino.

10.40am AEST23:40

117th over: India 348-5 (Kohli 143, Saha 17)

Mitchell Starc thunders in from the Randwick End. He was fined overnight for his send-off of Rahul last evening. And Kohli and Saha take three each off his bowling with fine, controlled cover drives. This wicket still looks a peach for the Bat Men.

10.37am AEST23:37

116th over: India 342-5 (Kohli 140, Saha 14)

Typically tidy maiden over from The Rhino, didn’t deviate anywhere from those Good Areas that are so in vogue with cricket talky types, and Virat defended or left everything with a respect verging on reverence. Admittedly a long way from reverence. Reverence would be for Don Corleone.

10.31am AEST23:31

Okay, here we go, The People. The umpires are striding out with their security escort, a man more superfluous than a bikini specially made for a Brahman bull. The Indian batters are striding out, doing their batter thing, limbering up, playing ghost strokes. And here come the hunting dog-pack of Australian fielders, wandering out onto the field like cream amoebas. Ryan Harris (77/2) will bowl the first nut to Virat Kohli (140*). Let’s getteth ready to rumble. Eth.

9.57am AEST22:57

Greetings, The People, and welcome to the Sydney Cricket Ground for Day Four of this fourth and final Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series Test match.

If Day one was Phil Hughes Day, Day Two for so many Richie Benauds, and Day Three for Bob Hawke with a beer (see below) on Jane McGrath Day, today remains to be written. But one would warrant it’ll be battle in two between the classy swordsman, Virat Kohli, and the crafty finger man, Nathan Lyon. The former is in the form of his life. The latter bowling bouncy turners on a fourth day SCG deck. How India’s thus far feeble tail supports their captain, for mine, decides this Test match.

Crackerjack hot day in old Sydney Town, about 31 degrees forecast for the day’s equinox (or whatever it means, the middle, the hottest bit) though a 20-click nor-easter will waft across the checker-board green billiard table in the late afternoon. They say there’ll be storms in the West. If they head to the coast, the draw is looking odds-on.

Yet Australia, for mine, still hold the best cards. And though it’s been a batters’ Test thus far - aided by a flat track, shoddy catching and Spiderpig - one still fancies Australia’s bowlers to rip through India’s tail, Australia’s batsmen to make hay for 30 or so overs of thrash-n-bash, before sending India in on to chase 350 in three sessions on a crumbling fifth day wicket, the black clay of Bulli baked hard and crumbling like so many Arnott’s delicious butternut snap biscuits.

So. Should be a good one.

I’m Matt Cleary. I’ll be back live and sweaty at 10:30am AEDST, 11:30pm GMT, and 3:30pm (yesterday) in Reno, Nevada, USA, a city randomly generated through the epic power of The Internet.

Talk at you soon. Here’s Hawkey, unarguably Australia’s greatest ever Prime Minister, skolling a beer. Oh, Country. Don’t go changin’.

9.57am AEST22:57

Matt Cleary will be along before too long, tasked with being your eyes and ears for day four of the fourth Test. While he wends his merry towards a keyboard, why not remind yourselves how day three panned out.

Lokesh Rahul hit his maiden century, Virat Kohli his fourth of the series but Australia’s Shane Watson hit back with two wickets in as many balls to leave India on 342 for five after the third day of the fourth Test.

And that’s not even mentioning Spidercam. So just another average day at the office, really. Read the full match report here.