Welcome to Grandstand's live coverage of the fourth Test between Australia and India from the Adelaide Oval. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first.
5.56pm - Another nick. Clarke again, but this time from Zaheer. The new ball seems to be offering some assistance and there could be some late drama in the final three overs. Makes it even more baffling as to why Sehwag held on to the old pill for so long.
5.53pm - New ball taken. Thank goodness. Ishant Sharma gets first crack and procures an outside edge from Clarke and second-slipper Laxman at full stretch can only get a hand to it. More bad fortune for the towering Indian quick.
5.40pm - New ball has been due for three overs. Not taken. Sigh.
5.20pm - Ishant Sharma taken out of the attack after three overs. Sehwag continues into his 11th. India just preparing for the new ball due in a few overs. But it won't matter what pill they use if they continue to bowl without discipline and to an attacking plan. Meanwhile, Ponting and Clarke have passed the record fourth-wicket stand against India at the Adelaide Oval which they set with 210 four years ago.
DRINKS - AUSTRALIA 3-287 (R Ponting 120*, M Clarke 109*)
Ponting and Clarke continue to pile on the runs. The deadly combo passed 200 runs in 268 balls and the toothless India attack appears powerless to stop them. We've seen this story before, haven't we?
4.40pm - CENTURY FOR MICHAEL CLARKE - Listen here.
The current Australian skipper is not far behind and brings up his 19th Test ton with a cut behind point. Was hardly in doubt after he strode out to the crease. Clarke's form with the bat since becoming captain has been impregnable. Four centuries (against Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand and India) and a triple ton in Sydney. This hundred came from just 133 balls and featured 14 fours and a six. Clarke has now gone past triple figures against India on six occasions. Ponting has done it eight times, which is the equal most by any batsmen with Viv Richard and Sir Gary Sobers.
4.28pm - Meanwhile, Zaheer has been taken out of the attack for Yadav just as the veteran looked to be getting some signature movement with the old ball. The Indians have reverted to just hoping for a wicket again, instead of pushing for one.
4.26pm - Interesting comments by Geoff Lawson in the commentary box regarding Ponting's century celebration. He made a point of acknowledging every corner of the ground. Possibly saying goodbye to the Australia public? Seems a stretch after all Ponting has been through to prove he is still good enough. Can see him leaving the crease let alone the game at the moment.
4.25pm - CENTURY FOR RICKY PONTING - Listen here.
Ricky Ponting brings up his 41st Test century with a boundary through point. As easy as you like. An aggressive but chanceless knock from the former skipper. The 37-year-old mentioned after his SCG century he felt he was one big score away from racking up a few centuries. He is certainly proving good to his word. It is also Ponting's fourth straight Test century against India at the Adelaide Oval. His previous knocks were 124, 242 and 140. The Tasmanian now has six centuries in Adelaide, matching his tally in Sydney. Ponting cracked three figures in 164 balls with 11 boundaries. It's worth mentioning the milestone came after Australia was 2 for 31.
4.00pm - We're back after lunch. Ponting odds on favourite to crack the triple figures first.
3.32pm - The 200 is up for Australia. Runs coming very quickly now. Clarke picking off Ashwin with three boundaries in one over. The Indian spinner was much too short and wide to the Australian skipper who feasts on average spin bowling.
3.22pm - 100 PARTNERSHIP: PONTING AND CLARKE
Ponting (46) and Clarke (50) bring up another hundred stand, this one from 160 balls. Ricky Ponting has also now passed 13,000 Test runs. He is 262 behind second-placed Dravid. That could be an interesting race before they both retire. Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) is back in the Grandstand box for this Test and says if India bowl Australia out for under 400, on this pitch and in these conditions, it will be a tremendous effort.
Our friend @rajeshstats from Cricinfo tells us this is the "5th century stand in Tests for Ponting-Clarke; 3 of the previous 4 have gone beyond 200, including 210 v Ind in Adelaide in 2008."
3.01pm - FIFTY FOR CLARKE - Listen here.
The skipper brings up his 50 off 69 balls by dancing down the pitch and whacking Ashwin down the ground for four after dispatching a long hop to the square boundary the delivery before. Boots filling. Heads dropping.
2.51pm - A lazy cut shot by Michael Clarke from Sharma goes straight through a vacant first slip. India pays the price for trying to spread the field. That would have been swallowed by Tendulkar or Dravid or Kohli or whoever the Indians decide to put in that position. On this occasion it is nobody and it's four more for Clarke. As the old adage goes, when you bet each way the horse comes fourth. India has hardly backed a winner all summer.
DRINKS - AUSTRALIA 3-154 (Ponting 68*, Clarke 34*)
Ponting and Clarke eyeing off another big partnership after their 288 in the second Test at the SCG. The Indian bowlers seem to have lost the momentum with some poor bowling after lunch. The visitors have struggled to put a complete day's cricket together all tour. And by the way, Clarke averages 89.71 at the Adelaide Oval with three tons and three fifties and doesn't look like going anywhere.
2.36pm - It's hot out there but some of this Indian fielding is diabolical. They've made a habit of giving away upwards of 50 runs an innings with their poor work on the ground. In contrast, their catching has been quite good.
2.19pm - No surprises Yadav is replaced by Ashwin.
2.12pm - The 50 partnership (Ponting 24, Clarke 21) is up in just 59 balls. Ponting has also passed 1,500 runs at the Adelaide Oval. Could be plenty more to come at this rate.
2.10pm - Yadav starts his ninth over with a wide bouncer which goes all the way to the fine leg boundary. Two keepers wouldn't have stopped that one. Think he needs a spell.
2.00pm - Yadav and Khan opening the bowling after the break. The youngster is just dishing up runs for the in-form Ponting, who has taken 33 from 19 Yadav balls as he drives another straight down the ground.
1.50pm - HALF CENTURY FOR PONTING - Listen here.
Yet again Ponting passes the 50 mark - the sixth time in his last nine innings. He means business today, bringing up the milestone in just 69 balls with seven boundaries. Ponting v India at the Adelaide Oval: 125, 21, 242, 0, 140.
1.00pm - Zaheer Khan back into the attack to ask some questions of Michael Clarke, who has proven a tad shaky in the final overs before a break.
12.51pm - WICKET - E Cowan c. Laxman b. Ashwin 30 (Australia 3-84, Ponting 37*) - Listen to the dismissal.
Hardworking opener Ed Cowan plays a rash get-out shot in the shadows of the lunch break. Well flighted by Ashwin and a reaching Cowan flays one to cover where VVS Laxman takes a sharp catch low to the ground. Huge breakthrough for the visitors. This is their session now. Cowan again fails to go on after a promising start. Kerry says the spinner set him up with a fuller delivery the ball before which was worthy of cover driving.
12.46pm - As is tradition this series, a part-timer comes in just before the lunch break. Sehwag and his gentle off breaks will try and unsettle Ponting and Cowan.
12.40pm - Meanwhile, Sharma is bowling with some good pace, pitching it up and finding some deviation off the seam. He has been below his best this series coming in with an ankle problem but has also bowled without much luck. He seems to have found his rhythm this morning by pitching it up more. "It's not rocket surgery," says Kerry.
12.35pm - Yadav's been hooked and Ashwin is back to stem the flow of runs again.
12.30pm - Ponting is away and has sped to 30 off just 40 balls with five boundaries. Some cracking shots amongst those that have hit the rope. Ominous signs on this wicket. The 37-year-old averages 56.61 at the Adelaide Oval with five tons and five half centuries.
12.19pm - Ponting looking aggressive early, taking on the short stuff with his trademark hook shot. Yadav still wayward with his line and the 50 is up for the Aussies in the 18th over courtesy of two boundaries from the former Aussie skipper.
DRINKS - AUSTRALIA 2-44 (Cowan 17, Ponting 11, Z Khan 1-12, R Ashwin 1-6)
One of India's better hours of the series. Things looked dire early with the ball not moving and very little help in the deck. But getting rid of the dangerous Warner and exposing the out-of-sorts Marsh early will do wonders for the tourists' confidence on a hot day.
11.50am - Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav combining now with Ricky Ponting off to a typically shaky start.
11.40am - WICKET - S Marsh b. Ashwin 3 (Australia 2-31, E Cowan 15*) - Listen to the dismissal.
Shaun Marsh's horrendous run of outs continues. Played all around that one from Ashwin and the ball spins unimpeded into his off stump. Marsh has now registered scores of 0, 0, 3, 0, 11, 3 and barring an impressive knock in the second dig has likely lost his Test spot. The move to introduce Ashwin early has paid dividends for Sehwag.
11.28am - WICKET - D Warner lbw Z Khan 8 (Australia 1-26, E Cowan 13*) - Listen to the dismissal.
No idea where that came from. Things were looking a bit dire for India but that man Zaheer makes the breakthrough trapping a shuffling Warner square on the crease. The burly opener didn't score off his last 15 balls. Ashwin's two maidens prior could have played a part there.
11.15am - The spinner is on in the fourth over... The unconventional ways of Sehwagology making an early appearance as Ravi Ashwin is tossed the ball.
11.05am - Umesh Yadav (12 wickets at 32.66 this series) to share the new ball. The youngster tries to get it full to make the most of some early movement in the air but is punished by a boundary each from Cowan and Warner.
11.01am - Zaheer Khan to open the bowling for India. He has been arguably India's best this summer, along with Sachin, but has only taken 12 wickets at 28.5. That says a bit.
11.00am - It is hot in Adelaide. A top of 37 degrees forecasted. It was 30 degrees around midnight last night! Could be a long day in the field for the tourists if they don't make the most of the new ball.
10.59am - Aplogies for the blog running a tad late this morning. We had a few technical issues but should be good to go for the remainder of the Test, however long this one lasts. In saying that, 12 of the last 18 Tests in Adelaide have gone the full five days. Let's stay optimistic and hope for some good cricket this week, shall we? On that note, India has a victory and a draw in their last two visits to the city of churches. Australia has won only one of its last four Tests here.
10.30am - Welcome to the fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval. Australian skipper Michael Clarke has won the toss and elected to bat first on what looks to be a very batsmen-friendly deck in sweltering conditions.
Mitchell Starc is carrying the drinks for the hosts while India has opted to bring back spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. Captain MS Dhoni, suspended for slow over rates, is replaced by Wriddhiman Saha.
Michael Clarke (captain), David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nathan Lyon.
Virender Sehwag (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.
Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK), Kumar Dharmasena (SRL).
Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia First posted January 24, 2012 11:55:48
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