Key events
Trying to catch up on a few emails. One from Ibby Usman, before the break. “That’s absolutely embarrassing from Kohli. 35 years old, tens of thousands of runs, however many centuries, and he’s shoulder barging a 19 year old, then playing the victim. Never thought I’d say this, but I wish Warner was out there when that happened.”
I generally try not to make assumptions about what players are thinking, rather than doing, but it’s hard to see how Kohli could have been genuinely surprised by the contact after walking towards the other player.
We’re about to resume after lunch. It’s still hot and still cloudy in Melbourne. India need to find a way to get some equilibrium back after that break.
Shiona Biswas is feeling upbeat. “It’s a working holiday season for me albeit while also spending time with old friends. Having grown up on the other side of the world in India, tuning in to the Boxing Day test brings me extra cheer today.”
Glad to hear that.
Lunch – Australia 112 for 1
What a session. A hundred runs in it, Australia already on top, and it came from an injection of what could be deemed audacity or foolishness, depending on your view, that was undeniably allied with a lot of skill. Sam Konstas said that he would take on Bumrah and take on India, and he did: scooping, ramping, reversing, charging, all of the above. It won’t always work, and it very nearly didn’t work a number of times here, but it got him a score and it got Australia the impetus. Now they have a big advantage on which to build a lead.
25th over: Australia 112-1 (Khawaja 38, Labuschagne 12) Two more for Khawaja off the outside edge, he’s building a handy score here. He needs one, and it needs to be bigger than this. It’s still cloudy at the G, as Bumrah gets bounce and Khawaja fends it away, lucky that it goes to ground. The clock ticks past lunch time. Khawaja glances a run. Bumrah appeals for a leg-side catch from Labuschagne, but no dice. And that’s that.
24th over: Australia 109-1 (Khawaja 35, Labuschagne 12) Deep rolls back in, Labuschagne wristing two runs through midwicket. Khawaja drives what should be one but Siraj misfields at mid off, conceding three.
“In all of the Konstas hype, can we not add that he is debuting in the city with the largest Greek population outside Greece, and about the sixth or seventh largest with Greece included? I hope everyone is raising a spanakopita to him in Melissa’s Cafe, Smith Street, my first stop every time I am in Melbourne.”
We can add that, Peter Salmon, this is an open forum. Wait, that’s Roman. Lucky I’m not agora phobic. We did a homemade spanakopita for Christmas lunch, it was top notch.
23rd over: Australia 103-1 (Khawaja 32, Labuschagne 9) Bumrah back for a quick burst before lunch, maybe two overs, and he’s nasty immediately. Two balls in a row leaping at Khawaja’s gloves, played off the handle almost as the batter flinches. Then pad, but via an inside edge. No run from the over.
Sam Konstas is down at the edge of the player’s race signing shirts and taking selfies. Why not? The crowd wave is circling the ground. Atmosphere here is top notch.
22nd over: Australia 103-1 (Khawaja 32, Labuschagne 9) Jadeja to Labuschagne, a deft late cut brings four runs. Next ball, another one, finer! Bumping up the scoreboard close to lunch.
Photograph: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
I’ve finally worked out how to route some emails off my phone through about three other intermediaries to have them show up as text messages. Every other website at the MCG is blocked, somehow. Anyway, here’s an expert on my opening subject: his name is Russell Yule.
“My great-great grandfather emigrated from a Scandinavian state a while back to England before my great grandfather emigrated to Queensland in the early 1900s. Our family name was changed to ‘Yule’ because the original ‘Juïlle’ wasn’t, ahem, gaining traction, so great granddad went with a phonetic spelling.
My understanding is that the Yule log was a large log that had been chosen based on its ability to burn for a long time. This was to celebrate a Pagan winter solstice celebration in the long hall where the party would last as long as the log was burning. Generally it was considered poor form if the log burnt out in less than 8 days. If you’re snowbound for a while, you might as well enjoy it…
There are some sacrifices to be made. The Yule Goat (or reindeer buck) was a big part of the celebration in order to safeguard the New Year harvest. There was also a pig sacrifice as well but since the wet blankets at head office decided that sacrificing live animals was not okay, sacrifices were made. Smaller Yule Goat ornaments are now made from straw, (and apparently available from Ikea!), which burns well. It is a common game to try to sneak a Yule Goat ornament under a neighbouring friend or family Yule tree. Once discovered the game is to sneak it on to someone else’s Yule tree. Oh those wacky Scandos!
The Yule ‘Pigs’ are now often made from the corn meal from the last ear of corn from the previous harvest. A pig head is baked from the cornmeal and rather than being even is broken up and spread over the corn field to promote a prosperous harvest.
There is also a Yule Cat that decides, based on whether children get new clothes or not, if children have been good/worthy of presents. The thinking being that only good children would get new clothes. There’s a thought that bad children would then be offered to the Yule Cat who would spirit them away. Possibly based on the very real fact that children who didn’t get new clothes wouldn’t survive the winter.”
21st over: Australia 92-1 (Khawaja 29, Labuschagne 1) Some leaving, a run, a leg bye, another quiet Deep over. Super weird seeing players just carry on like the game is normal, after that opening stand. It’s like the awkward resumption of conversation after a fight at family Christmas when the offending parties have been ushered outside.
20th over: Australia 90-1 (Khawaja 28, Labuschagne 1) Normal service resumes, then, with two of Australia’s regulars in the middle.
WICKET! Konstas lbw Jadeja 60, Australia 89-1
Oh, what a piece of bowling from Jadeja! Just as I was thinking about Australian tons on debut, about Ponting’s 96, and all that stuff. Around the wicket, down the line of the stumps, drawing a big forward defensive lunge from Konstas. The ball straightens just enough to beat the edge and strikes his back leg. Konstas doesn’t bother reviewing.
Immense ovation for the young player as he walks off though, and the MCG gives you a long runway to keep soaking up that applause. He was chancy, he was dramatic, and he found his own unique way to nullify the threat of a Bumrah opening spell.
19th over: Australia 89-0 (Konstas 60, Khawaja 28) Three more for Konstas, driving Deep at the top of the bounce out through cover.
“Are middle aged men allowed to swoon?” a friend messages me.
18th over: Australia 86-0 (Konstas 57, Khawaja 28) Jadeja goes through Konstas, past the bat, but the ball is just too far down leg. Umpire says no and it’s a good call. Jadeja agrees, eventually, and that’s a good call too. Konstas drives a run, then gets the strike back, and drives another. Seems to have settled down from his early adrenaline rush.
17th over: Australia 83-0 (Konstas 55, Khawaja 27) Another drinks break, in the heat. India have been thoroughly disconcerted, it must be said. You could see Kohli speaking to teammates after that collision complaining the Konstas had put a shoulder into him, miming a big shoulder movement coming forward. But Kohli is the one who made a beeline close to the other player. I’m sure there’ll be much more about that later. Konstas does the remote camera interview at the drinks break, but won’t say anything about the bump when asked.
Akash Deep resumes after the break, and gets through a maiden over in the channel outside Khawaja’s off stump. Three overs for five runs, he has. Siraj meanwhile has gone at 4.8 an over, and Bumrah at 6.3.
16th over: Australia 83-0 (Konstas 55, Khawaja 27) Spin, at last. Jadeja to Khawaja though, I want to see what Konstas does against slow bowling. Presumably he’ll try to murder it. No need though, as Khawaja pulls the second ball for four. It wasn’t short, but Khawaja gets down very low with a straight front leg to manufacture the length and get power through his shot. Punches one off the back foot.
15th over: Australia 78-0 (Konstas 55, Khawaja 22) Again, Deep makes things slow down a bit. Bowls most of the over to Khawaja. One run from a top edged pull.
Half century! Sam Konstas 50 off 52 balls
14th over: Australia 77-0 (Konstas 55, Khawaja 21) A remarkable morning. It’s not even midday yet, and the kid has 50 at almost a run a ball. He’s taken down the biggest threat by treating him like a T20 bowler. Gets there with an inside squeeze to leg, and he makes Khawaja work those twilight-of-a-career legs to race back for two.
Salutes the crowd, then follows up by slotting Siraj for a monster pull shot over the longest part of the ground. Just lands inside the rope. He’s done that a lot today.
Hopefully the memory of that gives him some solace as he gets his box crushed next ball.
13th over: Australia 65-0 (Konstas 48, Khawaja 20) We get a brief pause for breath, as Konstas faces four balls from Akash Deep but elects to have a little look at him before trying anything.
12th over: Australia 65-0 (Konstas 47, Khawaja 17) More Siraj. Try a spinner, surely? Khawaja tucks one, Konstas flays a cut shot to deep third for two. Misses a hook shot at a bouncer.
11th over: Australia 62-0 (Konstas 45, Khawaja 16) It’s official, Konstas is winning the battle. He’s got Bumrah into a sixth over in this heat, he’s just had an earful from Kohli, and he smokes an off drive for four! Finally a normal shot, and an imposing one.
Feeling good about that, he smacks one over long on for six!
Reaches for it outside off stump, again the length is fuller, and he gets the length to land it on the rope just around from the old Bay 13.
Four more! T20 shot again, backs away and squirts the full straight ball away through backward point this time.
Then opens his stance again and tries to pound more over long off, this one mistimed for two runs.
This is absolutely extraordinary. He’s taken 18 off that Bumrah over after 14 off an over earlier.
Nathan McSweeney would have done the same.
10th over: Australia 44-0 (Konstas 27, Khawaja 16) Early drinks break. Apologies I haven’t got to any emails, the internet connection at the ground has somehow torpedoed access to that server while allowing everything else. I’ll just have to believe that they were witty, erudite, and insightful. I can imagine a bunch of confused late-night English readers trying to work out how Zak Crawley is playing for Australia: tall, right-handed, and throwing the bat without concern.
Konstas plays through cover for a couple, then charges Siraj and belts back a drive that hits the bowler. Again Siraj has a few words and the crowd get on his back. Kohli doesn’t say anything, skipping down level with the batter to field, but looks at him with what I would interpret as contempt. Konstas doesnt’ mind, charging again to belt a cut shot for four!
Then pulls, splices, high over the leg side for one, into a gap.
Huh, now Kohli really is getting into Konstas. They bump shoulders at the end of the over, Kohli walking beside the pitch towards Siraj. Kohli moves his line partly but not enough, perhaps expecting Konstas to do the same. They clip quite forcefully, then Kohli turns to give the young player an earful. Khawaja comes up and shoos Kohli away, Umpire Gough gets involved as well. Boiling over.
9th over: Australia 37-0 (Konstas 20, Khawaja 16) Change in the field for the bouncer, Bumrah to Konstas. Deep square leg, deep fine leg, deep third set quite fine. Two slips, gully, point. Konstas is clueless to the ball cutting in, but it goes too far to leg before hitting his pad. Then he edges on just short of slip! Kohli diving across can’t get it. Skews a single through square leg and gets off strike.
Bumrah’s first crack at Khawaja and he immediately goes past the left-hander’s edge. But Khawaja gets the last ball of the over off his pads for four, behind square. Nicely timed.
8th over: Australia 32-0 (Konstas 20, Khawaja 12) Still digesting this. Bumrah’s over went for 14. It’s not like he was collared though. I wouldn’t say that Konstas hit any of those scoop shots flush, or that it seems a viable long-term strategy. But he’s shaken things up.
Khawaja pulls three more from Siraj, Konstas gets one off an inside edge, Khawaja drives two. Runs flowing.
7th over: Australia 26-0 (Konstas 19, Khawaja 7) Finally, Konstas connects with his scoop shot! Not completely cleanly, it takes the inside portion and goes much straighter than intended, over the keeper more than fine leg. And it trickles to the rope rather than racing. But he does get four.
And goes again! For six! That one is cleaner, and it’s a reverse. Absurd shot. Bumrah has had enough and goes for the yorker. It’s a pretty good one, tailing in at off stump. But Konstas is either expecting it, or is fast enough to adapt. He gets in position, has the bat down for the full pitch, then seeing the line, falls with his body towards the leg side rather than continuing to the off, and opens the face to hit it very fine over deep third. It carries the rope by a few inches.
Third ball, charges and tries to flat bat through cover, misses. Fourth ball, leaves.
Fifth ball, plays the same reverse scoop to another full ball, and it lands just short of the rope. Replay says four, not six.
This is utterly absurd.
6th over: Australia 12-0 (Konstas 5, Khawaja 7) Siraj to Khawaja, across him. It’s been a tale of two battles so far, all of Khawaja down one end and Konstas down the other. Khawaja has soft hands as he runs one into the gully, no score. Finally the ends change, as Khawaja pulls without timing it, clunking three through square, and Kinstas will face Siraj for the first time. Smashes his pad first ball. Was there an inside edge? Guess not, the ball lands with the cordon. Konstas follows up with a huge charge and swing! Baseball style, aimed nowhere and everywhere, and fresh air again. Siraj doesn’t much enjoy that audacity, and has some words. The big screen flashes a close-up of him speaking and the crowd immediately razzes him. But Konstas gets a score to follow, three runs through square leg on the flick. Australia double their score that over.
5th over: Australia 6-0 (Konstas 2, Khawaja 4) The Bumrah-Konstas show resumes, and the new guy tries the scoop again! This ball was even less the one for it, fuller but wide of the off stump. The bat is nowhere near it. Rohit chuckles, Kohli just shakes his head in mild disapproval. You can’t bat like that after two career runs, buddy, he seems to be thinking. Bumrah ends the over by nearly bursting through, taking a sliver of bat onto the other player’s foot.
4th over: Australia 6-0 (Konstas 2, Khawaja 4) What do you know – an incorrect review with Siraj’s encouragement. The ball does bend in to the left-hander and smash Khawaja on the pad, but it’s near the knee roll and he’s on the march towards the bowler. Always going over, but India burn one early to see the green light. Siraj at least turned to the umpire eventually, after running down level with the batsman first.
Then swings one down leg side, and Khawaja gets a little inside feather on it to fine leg for four.
3rd over: Australia 2-0 (Konstas 2, Khawaja 0) Huge ovation for Konstas with his first Test runs, getting a straighter ball from Bumrah that he can stab off his pads through square leg for two. Then plays a very clunky forward defence and gets bat on ball again. Bumrah could be bowling fuller, everything so far is over the stumps. He’s enjoying the contest though, smiling at Konstas every couple of balls, as if to say, I can work you out, young feller.
So Konstas plays the scoop! Eleventh ball of his Test career, against the best quick in the world. And misses. The ball goes over his off bail. A bit fuller…
Bumrah walks back chuckling and shaking his head. And last ball of the over, beats him again!
2nd over: Australia 0-0 (Konstas 0, Khawaja 0) Now then, India need quality from the other end. Some support for Bumrah. It did start to come in Brisbane, before the last-day rain. Siraj with the new Kooka, and he does beat Khawaja with a good one, Khawaja playing on the top as he has done so often while getting out this series. And again, fourth ball, sparring, kangaroo style, bounce and movement. Khawaja survives the over.
1st over: Australia 0-0 (Konstas 0, Khawaja 0) There’s a real good lip curl from Konstas on the close-up cam, waiting for Bumrah. The crowd hushes in anticipation… and sighs as he leaves the ball. A big jerky action, shouldering arms over the top of the ball and pulling his bat around to face back down the pitch.
Plays and misses at the next one, a pearler that goes away off the pitch. Bumrah doing heaps early. Draws another leave third ball, but the fourth and the fifth are lovely. Beaten, beaten again, both times drawing Konstas into the defensive shot before seaming past the edge. Perfect seam position, upright then scrambling away.
And the sixth ball same again! Just misses the edge. Bumrah excited, but doesn’t go through with his appeal. Didn’t bowl an in-ducker in that over, I wonder if he’s going for an extended setup.
Konstas beats Khawaja to the middle by about 150 metres. Runs out there and regards the pitch. The young and the old.
Anthems go around the ground. We’re not full yet, but well on the way to full. Mitch Starc has had a haircut. Boland has too. Marsh and Konstas have not, by the looks. The Torres Strait and Aboriginal flags fly on poles between the larger Australian and Indian national flags, which are held flat like bedsheets ready to be folded. Done, away we go.
Teams
And a big piece of news about India’s XI. I wasn’t expecting this. Gill is out so they can play two spinners, with Jadeja at six. Rohit goes up to three.
Australia
Usman Khawaja
Sam Konstas
Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith
Travis Head
Mitch Marsh
Alex Carey
Pat Cummins
Mitchell Starc
Nathan Lyon
Scott Boland
India
Yashasvi Jaiswal
KL Rahul
Rohit Sharma
Virat Kohli
Rishabh Pant
Ravindra Jadeja
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Washington Sundar
Jasprit Bumrah
Mohammed Siraj
Akash Deep
Weather report from the ground: it is already hot out there, but it’s currently cloudy. So that’s some measure of relief at least. I suspect it will burn away soon, although there’s also a chance of rain in the forecast and a cool change later. The whole Melbourne grab-bag. I’ll tell you what is certain: Indian support. My word, the crowd outside is at least half wearing blue India shirts. Huge lines on the way in.
Australia win the toss and will bat
Huge toss to win! No surprises there, with the heat and the gusty winds blowing across Melbourne.
Drop us a post-Christmas cheerio
Tell us about your day, whether you’re at the end of it on one half of the planet, or it is already yesterday on the other. Who ate what? Who annoyed who? Who is filled with seasonal cheer? Get salty, get schmaltzy, get smoochy – whatever you like. The email line is open.
Here’s our lead-in piece on Konstas and his forerunner, Ricky Ponting.
The biggest news for Australia is the debut of young sensation Sam Konstas to open the batting. Huge challenge for him, especially if he’s called upon immediately. Although that would give him less time to get nervous, I suppose. He seems pretty confident, but walking out in front of 90,000 would have to challenge any teenage bravado.
Scott Boland is coming back for Australia replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood. Not sure what India will do yet, they always play their cards close and always seem to make a change somewhere along the line.
Preamble
Geoff Lemon
Happy tidings of the Yule. Now that I think about it, I’ve never thought to check what Yule means. Yuletide could be the guy from The King and I doing an album of Vance Joy covers. Regardless, what with all of those logs and whatnot, I’m going to assume that most people had a festive time. In most of Australia, Christmas was stinking hot, in the UK it’s been cold and bleh to a moderate sort of level, and wherever else you were in the world, it was something else. Or still is something else, for those on the negative side of Greenwich Mean.
Whatever the case, it is Boxing Day in Melbourne, and that means one thing. We are about to send 13 players and two umpires into the middle of the MCG to suffer in ridiculous heat all day. In Melbourne the temperature didn’t drop out of the 20s all night, it will be into the 30s by the time the toss takes place, and it will be up towards 40 degrees by the end of the afternoon. The following days will cool off.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the ICC doesn’t have an extreme heat policy, even though the world is getting hotter. Cricket Australia does have one, where something called the Heat Stress Risk Index can be calculated to theoretically suspend games if it gets hot enough. But at this level of heat they usually just have extra drink breaks.
So, on we go. Safe to say this is a bat-first day, even though the MCG has become the best bowling pitch in the country after they renovated it for being too flat.
