Labuschagne repels India as Australia stay on top in WTC final
Australia remain firm favourites to win the World Test Championship final after a dogged Marnus Labuschagne helped extend their lead over India to 296 by stumps on day three.
Australia were 24-2 in their second innings at The Kia Oval as David Warner (1) and opening partner Usman Khawaja (13) nicked behind amid a hostile spell of bowling from India’s seamers but closed on 123-4.
Labuschagne (41no off 118) – woken from a nap by Warner’s dismissal before he trotted out at No 3 – shared a 62-run stand with Steve Smith (34) and was batting alongside Cameron Green (7no) at the close after Travis Head (18) also fell.Scorecard: Australia vs India, WTC final, The Kia OvalThe Ashes: Dates and venues for 2023 series
The Baggy Greens look likely to head into next week’s Ashes series against England – live on Sky Sports from Friday – with the World Test Championship mace in their possession.
Australia had earlier dismissed India for 269, eventually polishing off the innings in 69.4 overs after a trio of dropped catches, as well as an absolute screamer from Green.
Green, Khawaja and Warner had all squandered chances in and around the slip cordon but Green atoned with a stunning one-handed grab at gully to remove Ajinkya Rahane for 89 from 129 deliveries, ending the batter’s hopes of a 13th Test hundred and first since December 2020.
India had started the morning on 151-5, still 318 runs adrift of Australia’s first-innings 469, and their position worsened when Scott Boland bowled Srikar Bjarat (5) from the second ball of the day.
However, Rahane and Shardul Thakur (51 off 109) then shared a 109-run partnership amid some blistering bowling but also those aforementioned errors in the field from Australia.
Those included Pat Cummins missing out on the wicket of Thakur lbw after overstepping – the same mistake that had cost him the wicket of Rahane on 17 during day two.
Once Rahane, who became the 13th Indian to pass 5,000 Test runs, fell to Green’s gem of a catch off Cummins, India lost their final four wickets for 35 runs.
Cummins cleaned up Umesh Yadav (5) before wicketkeeper Alex Carey pouched Thakur and Mohammed Shami (13 off 11) off the bowling of Green and Mitchell Starc respectively.
Australia began their second dig with a healthy lead of 173 but India’s tails were up after Mohammed Siraj worked over Warner and Khawaja then snicked Umesh – Australia’s advantage 197 at that point.
The Baggy Greens were 259 to the good when they lost their third wicket in surprising fashion, with first-innings centurion Smith, usually the most patient of batters, skipping down the pitch and slicing left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja to cover.
Jadeja also accounted for the other Australian to notch a first-innings ton, Head, when he caught the left-hander off his own bowling for 18 – two balls after having the same player dropped on the midwicket boundary by Umesh.
Once again, Head was peppered by short balls from India’s pacemen, something that will not have gone unnoticed in the England camp ahead of next week’s Ashes opener in Birmingham.Rahane: Australia are slightly ahead
India batter, Ajinkya Rahane:
“We were looking to get around 320-330 but overall we had a really good day. Bowling-wise, we bowled really well in second innings. Everyone chipped in really well and we bowled in partnerships.
“Australia are slightly ahead of the game. What is important for us is to play session by session. We don’t want to think too far ahead. If we bowl really well in the first hour, anything can happen.
“Funny things can happen in this game so it’s all about believing in our ability. I still feel this wicket will help seam bowlers.”
