Australia were teetering on the brink of defeat in the third Test yesterday, despite a battling unbeaten half-century from tailender Pat Cummins after being set a massive 399 to win by India.
After early-morning drizzle, India started an overcast day 4 in Melbourne with a 346-run lead and five wickets in hand on a wearing pitch that was becoming increasingly difficult to bat on.
Skipper Virat Kohli declared at 106-8, leaving Australia to chase what would be a record fourth-innings total at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Photo: AFP
The previous biggest successful run chase at the ground came in 1928, when England made 332-7.
Despite more batting failures, Australia were still alive at stumps on 258-8, needing another 141 runs with the gutsy Cummins on 61 not out — only his second Test 50 and his highest score. It followed his career-best 6-27 with the ball.
He was accompanied by Nathan Lyon (6 not out) in the rearguard action.
“We’re going to go out tomorrow [today] and try and win the first ball and the first over, and show a lot of fight and a lot of pride going out there to bat for Australia,” Lyon said when asked whether Australia had a chance.
“That’s all we can do. It’s a massive honor to play Test match cricket for Australia and we’re not going to give up this Test match lightly,” he said.
However, with a full day left, India are now zeroing in on a first-ever series win in Australia with just the Sydney Test next week to go and the series level at 1-1 before this result.
Australia’s higher-order batsmen mustered a top score of 44 to Shaun Marsh, while opener Aaron Finch (3) and Mitch Marsh (10) did little to persuade the selectors to pick them for the next match.
Usman Khawaja made 33 and Travis Head put up some resistance with a battling 34 before Cummins brought the game back to life, at least for a short time.
Cummins on Friday was again instrumental, grabbing four wickets in a devastating spell after his team were skittled for just 151 in reply to India’s first innings 443-7 declared.
Debutant opener Mayank Agarwal (42), who had witnessed the carnage from the non-striker’s end, showed early aggression yesterday when they resumed, smacking spinner Nathan Lyon for two big sixes.
However, he was no match for Cummins, who got a delivery to stay low and ricochet off the bat onto the stumps.
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