Alex Carey frustrates India as Australia extend lead beyond 350 runs
Alex Carey frustrates India as Aussie wicketkeeper omits reverse sweep to help Pat Cummins’ side extend lead to over 350 runs in World Test Championship final
- Alex Carey frustrated India on day four at the Oval
- Australia extended their lead to over 350 runs
- They are trying to win the final of the World Test Championship
Alex Carey has taken his lessons leading up to the Ashes to heart and put away the reverse sweep to help Australia set up a big goal in the fourth innings for India in the World Test Championship final.
Australia went to lunch on Saturday at 6-201, with a 374 lead and five sessions to play at The Oval.
Runs were hard to come by on the fourth morning, with Australia adding 78 to their overnight score after losing to Marnus Labuschagne for 41 in the third over of the day.
But what will please Australia is the patience with which Carey (41no) and Cameron Green beat, six days after the first Ashes Test against England in Edgbaston.
Both were watchful in the opening session in a 43-run sixth wicket stand, before Green was bowled by Ravindra Jadeja who tried to leave on 25.
Alex Carey dropped out of the reverse sweep as Australia continued to frustrate India
India trying to keep Australia’s lead low in World Test Championship final
Green recorded 95 balls in his innings, as he adapted to Test cricket mode after arriving in England after two months in the rush of the Indian Premier League.
The all-rounder took a blow to the shoulder that required attention from the medical staff, but largely deflected it against India’s fast-paced life.
He was out in the first innings driving away from his body on a ball well away from his body, but was much calmer in the second.
Moving his feet well, he played the shot of the morning as he quickly sent a ball from Mohammed Shami back past the Indian for four.
But in the end he was tied in a web by Jadeja, thrown when a ball bounced off his gloves and onto the stumps after he tried to carry his arms to the spinner.
Carey was also vigilant.
The wicketkeeper has seemingly put the risky reverse sweep to bed as he faced India spinner Jadeja (3-45), having been dismissed on the shot four times this year.
Marnus Labuschagne lost his wicket for 34 runs on day four at the Oval
Instead, he pushed the ball around against the spinner and scored his offside runs from the quicks with several nice cover drives and cut shots.
He got to the wicket after Labuschagne deflected an Umesh Yadav ball which slipped slightly, sending the Queenslander on a slip.
Australia’s lead means India must already break a record for the biggest fourth innings chase at The Oval to win the game, with England’s previous mark of 263 set in 1902.