FOUR! Lusciously driven through extra cover by Smith off Saini! What's worse, it's a no-ball by the bowler, who's overstepped on the occasion. AUS 92/2
FOUR! Lusciously driven through extra cover by Smith off Saini! What's worse, it's a no-ball by the bowler, who's overstepped on the occasion. AUS 92/2
After 24 overs,Australia 86/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 39 , Steven Smith 22)
Siraj bowls with a silly mid on in place. Fine stop by the bowler off the second delivery after a straight drive by Labuschagne, who brings up the fifty stand two balls later with an on-drive that gives him enough time to come back for a third. The pair consume 86 deliveries to bring up the milestone — which is the second fifty-plus stand between the two in this match.
Fifty of the partnership comes up between Labuschagne and Smith for the third wicket — the second fifty-plus stand between these two in this match. The former drives the ball through midwicket, running three to bring up the milestone. AUS 86/2
After 23 overs,Australia 83/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 36 , Steven Smith 22)
Bumrah bowls a peach off the second delivery to Smith, the ball nipping away from the outside edge in the last second and nearly getting a nick. Smith, too acknowledges the quality of the delivery. Maiden over for the pace spearhead.
After 22 overs,Australia 83/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 36 , Steven Smith 22)
Siraj returns to the attack in place of Ashwin. Excellent stop by Saini at extra cover after a well-timed crunch by Labuschagne, saving at least a couple of runs for the visitors. Two singles collected in the over. Another 20 overs left in the day’s play.
After 21 overs,Australia 81/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 35 , Steven Smith 21)
Four off the over, with Smith collecting another boundary for himself, this time driving a full delivery from Bumrah wide of extra cover. Lead worth 175 at the moment with eight wickets in hand. Another 40 minutes left in the day’s play.
FOUR! Smith middles his drive off the full delivery from Bumrah, the ball then gliding away to the extra cover boundary. AUS 81/2
More bad news for India
UPDATE - Ravindra Jadeja suffered a blow to his left thumb while batting. He has been taken for scans.#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/DOG8SBXPue
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 9, 2021
After 20 overs,Australia 77/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 35 , Steven Smith 17)
Fine effort by Rohit to save a runs for the visitors after a drive by Smith off the fifth delivery. Four off Ashwin’s sixth over. Meanwhile, the two have produced another quality partnership in this match, their stand worth 42 off 65 balls at the end of this over. India desperately need to break this partnership if they are to keep their chances — however slim — alive at the SCG.
After 19 overs,Australia 73/2 ( Marnus Labuschagne 34 , Steven Smith 14)
Dot off each of the first four deliveries, before Smith clips the ball towards fine leg off the fifth, coming back for a second run. Two off the over. Meanwhile, Jadeja has been taken for scans, having suffered a blow to his thumb during the Indian innings earlier today.
India vs Australia 2020-21 Live score and latest update of 3rd Test at Sydney: Siraj bowls with a silly mid on in place. Fine stop by the bowler off the second delivery after a straight drive by Labuschagne, who brings up the fifty stand two balls later with an on-drive that gives him enough time to come back for a third. The pair consume 86 deliveries to bring up the milestone — which is the second fifty-plus stand between the two in this match.
Pace spearheads Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins got the breakthroughs, dismissing openers Rohit Sharma (26) and Shubman Gill (50) as India reached stumps at 96 for two, 242 runs adrift.
The dogged Cheteshwar Pujara was not out nine and captain Ajinkya Rahane, who scored a century in the second Test in Melbourne, on five.
Australia resumed their first innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 166 for two, but only managed another 172 in the face of India's spirited fightback led by spinner Ravindra Jadeja who took 4-62.
Smith, though, was the star attraction, smacking 131 – his 27th century, and his first since the 2019 Ashes in England – before being the last man to fall. Marnus Labuschagne made 91 and Will Pucovski 62 on debut.
"I think it's a decent total (338), although it would have been nice to score a few more. You always want more," said Smith.
"It's a bit up and down the wicket," he added.
"I think the boys bowled pretty well this evening and if we continue to bowl really disciplined tomorrow, we will get some opportunities."
India's openers negotiated a tricky nine overs before tea to be 26 without loss, and they put on another 44 before Hazlewood struck, removing Sharma.
The veteran right-hander hadn't played since straining a hamstring in October and only joined the team last week after a fortnight in quarantine.
But he quickly shook off the rust, hitting a big six off Nathan Lyon before surviving a scare on 24, when he was given out before the decision was reversed on review.
The reprieve proved short-lived, however, as Sharma scored just two more before being caught and bowled.
At the other end Gill, who made his debut in Melbourne, scoring 45 and 35 not out, again showed his composure and skill, reinforcing his status as a potential long-term opener.
Just 21, he brought up a maiden Test half-century before nicking an edge to Cameron Green off Cummins.
It left Pujara and Rahane to dig in and see India safely to stumps as the runs dried up.
Jadeja said the key to India's taking eight wickets Friday was patience.
"We just tried to put the balls in the right area, make them play dot balls," he said.
"The plan was pretty simple -- bowl in the right areas and not give them easy boundaries so we could create pressure and get the wicket."
Jadeja direct hit
Smith, who averages more than 61, failed to reach double figures in the first two Tests but roared back to life on his home ground, reaching his ton off 201 balls.
He looked comfortable throughout, surviving an ambitious lbw review on 41 before bringing up a patient century then letting rip, adding a quickfire 31 before being run out by Jadeja's fabulous direct hit.
Smith had resumed on 31 and Labuschagne 67.
It was a typically gritty innings from Labuschagne on a ground where he scored 215 this time last year against New Zealand.
But as he closed in on a fifth Test century, he was bamboozled by a Jadeja ball that took extra bounce, thick-edging it to Rahane at slip.
Smith brought up his half-century before light rain set in.
On their return from 24 minutes off the field, following an earlier eight-minute break, Matthew Wade was undone by his natural aggression, recklessly skying a Jadeja ball to Bumrah.
Green went without scoring, trapped lbw by Bumrah who then clattered the stumps of Tim Paine (1).
Cummins was then bowled by Jadeja as Smith began running out of partners.
He found an ally briefly in Mitchell Starc to ensure he made his century, before the tailenders were mopped up.
With inputs from AFP
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