Cameron Green had done the hard work to settle in during the morning session of the fourth day’s play of the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final on Saturday. He had copped a blow to his right shoulder after Mohammed Siraj tested him with a nasty bouncer but the youngster looked intent on battling it out at The Oval.
After consuming 94 deliveries to make 25 runs, Green must have been thinking to make it big. But a strange turn of events saw him getting bowled by India spinner Ravindra Jadeja off what was the final delivery of Australia’s 63rd over of second innings as the lead touched 340 runs.
Green was left frozen as he made a big stride forward after Jadeja pitched the delivery outside the leg-stump hoping to kick it away. Turns out it wasn’t big enough.
The ball turned after pitching as it evaded the pad before kissing his gloves and then bounced off the pitch to crash onto the stumps as Green helplessly looked what was transpiring.
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The wicket came as a relief to India as Green along with Alex Carey had started frustrating them with a solid 43-run partnership for the sixth wicket. It was Jadeja’s third wicket of the innings having dismissed Steve Smith and Travis Head - both struck hundred in the first innings - on the third day.
Resuming on their overnight total of 123/4, Australia were jolted early when Umesh Yadav dealt with Marnus Labuschagne with a superb delivery to have him caught at first slip by Cheteshwar Pujara without having added anything to his overnight total of 41.
That was the ideal start to India as they hoped to skittle Australia quickly but it wasn’t to be as they finished the session with 201/6 and an overall lead of 374 runs.
India were bowled out for 296 in reply to Australia’s 469 and thus conceded a massive lead of 173