LIVE
Fri, 26 December 2014
3rd Test Live! Smith's 72 n.o. takes Australia to 259-5 on Day I

Timeline  Refresh

12:05  

Australia: 259-5 (90 overs)

The official attendance at the MCG is just under 70,000. And they have been treated to an even contest between the ball and the bat on the opening day. 

Australia reach 259 for five at stumps on the opening day.

The home team managed to add 85 runs (off 31 overs) to their total in the final session. 

Steve Smith in unbeaten on 72, and giving him company is Brad Haddin (on 23), the duo having added 43 runs for the sixth wicket so far. 

Team India will be happy with the day's effort. They managed to keep Australia in check. 

More importantly though, the in-form Smith is still there and so is the Australian tail, that wagged so wonderfully well at the Gabba.

Day Two promises excitement. Will be there tomorrow. Goodbye for now.
11:41  

Australia: 253-5

Shami is back on the field. 

The new-ball is eventually taken in the 83rd over. Ishant to bowl. Haddin smashes the fifth ball over gully for his first boundary.

Yadav bowls the second over. Smith (on 67) survives a leg before shout off the third ball. 

A couple by Haddin, in the same over, helps Australia get past the 250-run mark. 
11:24  

Australia: 242-5

When on 60, Smith has completed 1,000 Test runs in 2014. He clearly is enjoying his new responsibility. 

Shami has gone off the field with a slight limp.

After a slow start, Haddin breaks the shackles with a massive six off Ashwin. 

Dhoni doesn't take the new ball in the 81st over. Instead, his two spinners continue. 
10:50  

Australia: 219-5

It takes Burns seven balls to get off the mark, but he does so with a neat push off Shami, for three runs.

His first boundary, over mid-on off Ashwin, helps Australia get to the 200-run mark. 

Ishant replaces Shami (16-4-51-2) in the attack in the 67th over and Burns welcomes him with a boundary through gully.

In his second over a boundary through midwicket takes Smith to 49. He completes his 10th Test fifty with three off Yadav. 

Yadav, who has replaced Ishant, strikes in the same over having Burns *13) caught behind. Brad Haddin joins his captain at the crease.
10:18  

Australia: 189-4

Ashwin starts the proceedings in the third session. Smith smashes the third ball for a huge six over long-off. 

However, India do get an early breakthrough as Shami has Marsh (32) caught behind. 

Marsh's 83-ball knock was inclusive of four hits to the fence and he helped his captain add 69 runs for the fourth wicket. 

Debutant Joe Burns walks out to bat, with his side in a spot of bother at 184 for four.
09:44  

Australia: 174-3 (59 overs)

Murali Vijay is handed the ball in the 54th over, replacing Ashwin (14-5-23-1). He gives away two runs first up. 

Shami replaces Yadav (14-1-55-1) at the other end. Smith hits the third ball to the fence, the shot helping raise the 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

Australia reach 174 for three at tea (59 overs), adding 82 runs in 31 overs in the second session.

Marsh in unbeaten on 28, with his captain on 23, the two having added 59 runs for the fourth wicket.
09:20  

Australia: 152-3 

Marsh eases the pressure with a boundary off Ishant, a beautiful shot punched through covers.

It takes Smith 33 balls to open up but he does so with an inside out boundary off Ashwin. 

Yadav replaces Ishant (15-4-40-0) in the attack in the 51st over. Marsh welcomes him with a boundary past mid-off. 

Smith and Marsh run four as Australia get past the 150-run mark in the 52nd over.
08:56  

Australia: 126-3 

Its been a good first hour in the second session for India, with those two quick wickets. 

The pressure was such that it took Smith 18 balls to open his account. 

Ishant replaces Shami (11-4-32-1) in the attack in the 45th over. Shaun Marsh survives a caught behind appeal off the fourth ball.
08:27  

Australia: 115-3 

And it is twin successes for India as Ashwin has Watson out leg before. 

Watson's 89-ball knock was inclusive of four boundaries. 

Captain Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh are the two new batsmen at the crease. 

Australia have to rebuild once again. Both the set batsmen are out in the space of six balls.
08:22  

Australia: 115-2 

Ashwin replaces Yadav (11-1-44-1) in the attack in the 36th over. He starts with a maiden again. 

Its a twin bowling change, with Shami replacing Ishant (12-3-32-0) in the 37th over. 

He strikes with his second ball, having Rogers (57) caught behind. Rogers' 126-ball knock was inclusive of five hits to the fence and he helped Watson add 115 runs for the second wicket.
08:13  

Australia: 115-1 

A single off Ishant helps Watson reach his 23rd Test fifty. It was an innings long overdue. And it is an innings which had had its share of luck. 

However, what matters is Watson has got the runs, a year and eight innings after his last 50-plus score, an unbeaten 83 against England coincidentally at the MCG. 

And Rogers goes past 55 in the next over. 
07:57  

Australia: 102-1 

Ishant to start the proceedings after lunch. Its a maiden. Yadav to bowl the second over. Eight runs come off the over, with a last ball boundary by Watson helping Australia get to the 100-run mark (30 overs).

A single off Ishant helps Rogers complete his eighth Test fifty, in his 19th Test.

It is the 37-year-old's third straight fifty, after scoring 55 apiece in each innings in Brisbane.
07:02  

Australia: 92-1 (28 overs)

Yadav replaces Shami (5-1-24-0) in the attack in the 19th over. It's a twin bowling change, with Ravichandran Ashwin replcing Ishant (8-2-23-0) in the attack in the 20th over. He gives away a single first up. 

Shami replaces Yadav (81-30-1) in the attack in the 25th over. He's unfortunate as Dhawan puts down Watson (on 37) off the second ball. Dhawan makes a mess of it when it should have gone to first slip. 

Shami follows up that good ball with a slew of poor deliveries. 

Australia reach 92 for one at lunch (28 overs). Rogers is unbeaten on 46 and Watson on 41.
06:27  

Australia: 71-1 

Ishant has got Watson out six times and that's the reason he is back. But the batsman is negotiating him at the moment.

A spectacular boundary through point by Rogers, in the first ball of Shami's fourth over helps raise the 50-run partnership for the second wicket. 

Three balls later, Watson whacks it over midwicket for his first boundary. His second comes two balls later, another great shot, this time through backward point.

And he gets his third off Ishant in the next over, through midwicket. A whopping 55 runs have come between the sixth and 16 overs. 
05:56  

Australia: 42-1 

India make their first bowling change in the ninth over, Shami replacing Ishant (4-2-7-0). Rogers welcomes him an off-drive that ensures the first boundary of the Australian innings. 

The last ball of the over is short and Rogers whacks it through point for another boundary. 

Rogers' third boundary comes in Yadav's fifth over, and its an excellent shot down the ground.

Change of ends for Ishant, replaces Yadav (5-1-23-0) from the Southern End in the 12th over.
05:28  

Australia: 12-1 

The third Test in Melbourne sees both the team making two changes. 

While the hosts expectedly give a debut to Joe Burns - replacing the injured Mitchell Marsh - and get Ryan Harris in place of Mitchell Starc, the visitors have handed a Test debut to KL Rahul, in place of Rohit Sharma.

Besides, Mohammed Shami is back, replacing Varun Aaron. 

Ishant's first two overs are maidens while Yadav, as mentioned earlier, has given India an early wicket. 

Australia get their first runs in the fourth over, courtesy a bye. However, Rogers gets successive couples in the over. 
05:14  

Australia: 0-1 

Australia has won the toss and opted to bat first. 

However, it is not an auspicious start for them as Umesh Yadav strikes with his sixth ball, having David Warner caught by Dhawan. 

Shane Watson joins Chris Rogers in the crease.

TOP STORIES