Key events
Don’t just take my word for it about what happened yesterday. Here’s how Geoff Lemon seeing everything
In practical terms, state-based parochialism has nothing to do with modern Australia, the political dance being performed for economic allocation or State of Origin for about half of . Even with the domestic cricket structure still under construction across those borders, the consensus from outside South Australia admits that the Adelaide Oval is the country’s best venue, and the most enjoyable of the summer Adelaide Tests. The celebration feels unique, the city always happens. Even amid the rumblings that the contending West Indies have positioned themselves over the past two summers, Adelaide has cracked five thousand people over the first two days each season. The same team, Perth did not get many in five.
The beginning
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everyone and welcome to the third, and probably final, match day of the second Adelaide Test. India will resume their innings at 128-5, still 29 runs short of Australia’s bat.
The fact that Australia is in such a position is largely due to the brilliance of Travis Head. The country hero delighted the 5,000-strong South Australian crowd yesterday by level 140, circling the pink ball in all directions and moving his side out of trouble and into the lead. Price’s cap has never been greater for this side and he looks like Australia’s key man for the rest of this series.
With Capite scoring at his best in the first two sessions of the day, Australia were safe when they were bundled out shortly after Tea because it meant they would break into India under lights. But it wasn’t the usual ferocious force from the home team in the air or seam movement, yet India still lost half their batting order within 21 overs. For the familiar tenacity of Australia’s weary opponents, this was a superb middle session blessed by the occasional joker – which almost all but shut the wicket.
After looking in the shade of his first innings, Mitchell Starc found the art of slotting a yorker as the trumpet set Shubman Gill home. Rohit Sharma also saw his zingers ignite after a beauty from Cummins, but he looked less leisurely on his way to the six-hour mark. Around them, Alex Carey takes three behind the stumps in an insensibly relaxed India.
Not that Rishabh Pant could care less. He had the time of his life, slicing his way to 25 balls, including a glorious return hook at slip cordon. As long as he remains in the fold, who knows how he would manage the whole of India? But it will take something amazing to deny their home series an equalizing victory, and something memorable to stop that win happening before Adelaide Oval to display another Pantone party setting.
Happy to receive your emails in this first session and a half. Send them to: jonathan.howcroft.casual@theguardian.com.