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Rahkeem Cornwall makes it to West Indies Test squad
He is an all-rounder from the islands of Antigua and is perhaps the heaviest cricketer ever. He stands at a towering height of 6’6” and weighs around 140 kg.

Cornwall made his first-class debut in 2014 and has since become a regular for Leewards Islands, even captaining them earlier this year. He has 260 wickets from 55 first-class matches and finished as the leading bowler in the most recent regional four-day tournament.

alfie wrote:In fact Warner hasn't made much difference today at all...chased one from Siraj and gathered at slip ...pretty poor shot actually. Not the start Australia wanted.

Good take by Pujara but, yes, poor shot - particularly after about only 15 minutes.

Always the danger with Warner. Likes to play his shots from the outset, but it carries a big risk. Very similar to Matthew Hayden in that regard.

Yes he does like to play his shots. But in Australia he usually does so pretty effectively right from the start. Generally takes his boundaries from anything loose and runs a lot of quick singles. Doesn't usually chase a wide one like that early on.
Probably a combination of wanting to get on with it after a prolonged lay off and some anxiety over the effects of his injury on his running. But I think he'll be disappointed with that effort.

Rain . Hopefully not too much around , as PJ suggested earlier.

Think he aggravated it when he took that last run off the 2nd over. Could see it cause him pain straight away. (for Goose)

Don't think it will be much of a rain delay. The usual pattern here has been a few light drops for a short amount of time... then you look up again 15 mins later and see patches of blue sky. On and off a bit though; more in the late afternoon and evening.

alfie wrote:In fact Warner hasn't made much difference today at all...chased one from Siraj and gathered at slip ...pretty poor shot actually. Not the start Australia wanted.

One of the Aussie pundits now saying that had Bob Simpson still been coach, Pucovski would have been told to have a trim. Quite right too!

More seriously, been impressed by Pucovski in his first 25 minutes or so of Test cricket. Sensible and calm, generally playing or leaving each ball on its merits. Sounds easy but we all know it ain't, especially on debut.

B*gg*r! Quote was meant to be my earlier post about Pucovski needing a haircut!

Pucovski's batting so far has been a lot tidier than his coiffure , indeed...

Guess if he makes a hundred even the Old Crusties won't complain about his personal grooming. Must confess as mine thins I am almost jealous of his capacity to grow extra locks

His moustache looks very thin... either like a prepubescent teen or a crusty old man... depending on the light.

I must have jinxed it - hardly any rain where I am but the SCG appeared to cop a bit more rain. Hopefully play will resume shortly. Radar looks clear.

Were off a bit longer than we were hoping then...but nice to be back on and hopefully good for the rest of the day.

Pucovski has started well and Marnus also seems more comfortable than he's been recently. Looks a pretty benign surface for batting - I reckon Warner will be kicking himself for missing out this morning on this.

Bumrah draws a nick from Labuschagne but it doesn't even carry to slip...think someone is going to score plenty , unlike the first two matches.

Good toss to win.

Ashwin has settled into a nice rhythm since he's come on. But nothing really happening for the bowlers so India seem to already be working on Plan B...starve the batsmen of runs and await the mistake.

So run rate has slowed : now 47/1 from 21. Drinks now. Game of patience to resume afterwards no doubt...

Drink rate nearly got the break: Pant can't hang on to a Pucovski edge from Ashwin ...he rather snatched at that . Bad miss.

Saha fans will say this is why you should pick the superior keeper...

Pucovski's lucky day and a nightmare for Pant...spilling him again when he makes a mess of hooking a short one.

India are doing a good job of maintaining pressure ...but if you don't hold your chances...

Don't think Ashwin can persist with a 3-6 field on this day one pitch...both batsmen ready to put anything remotely short away through the covers - there is no bounce - so he's leaking runs. Run rate taking off , now 84/1 off 30.

New man Saini getting a bowl at last.  India need something from him as Puvovski moves to his fifty.

Nice start for the young man. I guess if they give you two chances a lot of openers might fancy a result ; but he's played pretty well apart from those errors...and is looking confident now.

Pant is a hit or Miss....and is in Miss-Mode today
His secod dropped resulted in a visible drop in moral...and Indians started serving long hops.....saini was all nerves....momentum swings big time towards Aus.

Welcome break for tea......india need to regroup calm down, get jaddu to hold one end and someone shud talk to saini to get him to be loose and calm

93/1 to resume after tea and the Indian attack is under serious pressure for basically the first time in the series...not much in the pitch for them , two batsmen well set and confidence , as KP_fan alludes , likely knocked down by those missed chances.

Testing time for Rahane's captaincy now. Can't rely just on Bumrah to do the job but sensibly he's brought him back straight after the interval to have a burst at them. I'd be trying Jadeja sooner rather than later too...

pitch is dry and flat and there isn't even as much bounce as you see on the bouncy Australian pitches

Draw could be a likely result...esp if rain takes out a bit more time.

Pucovski in stark contrast to the other Aussie debutant Green transfers his weight back very well...plays close to his body......is an impulsive puller/ hooker is about the only weakness I have seen so far

You hexed , him , KP_fan

Beaten for pace...wicket came rather out of the blue. But Saini will be delighted ...as will his skipper . Not to mention Pant

62 a good debut ...108/2

KP_fan wrote:pitch is dry and flat and there isn't even as much bounce as you see on the bouncy Australian pitches

Draw could be a likely result...esp if rain takes out a bit more time.

Pucovski in stark contrast to the other Aussie debutant Green transfers his weight back very well...plays close to his body......is an impulsive puller/ hooker is about the only weakness I have seen so far

Agree with you about the hooking. Not sure how he will fare on a pitch with a bit more life than this one. But otherwise he certainly looks the part.

There aren't many draws in Australia , so I'm not rating this one likely just yet. This partnership , if it prospers , could put Australia in for a commanding score and pile pressure on India when they bat ; so I fancy Rahane will ask Bumrah for a bit more and try and nip one out. Smith is looking happier today , driving nicely already , ominous for India.

Though given Smith has been Ashwin's bunny lately perhaps a bit of spin might be tried ?

Think the Aussie management might’ve been on the blower to the curator to ask for something a bit more pudding like...

India could be in for a long day or two here

Australia 126-2 with Smith and Labuschagne out there in the middle and looking in.
India haven't seem to be on top of their game, with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant missing 2 chances, one of Ashwin that he should surely have taken and a not the most difficult chance of Siraj that also should have been taken, both of Pucovski. Navdeep Saini was picked for his pace, Pucovski has his well documented issues against the short ball. But Rahane never challenged the youngster with Saini with the newish ball at all. And eventually, when he got the ball, Saini got the better of Pucovski, not with a short one though, but with one that came in and caught him plumb LBW. But by then, the opener had moved along to 62, having survived a run-out chance as well, besides the 2 drops on the way. India just didn't bowl enough short balls at Pucovski, they seemed a bit reticent if anything. Strange, and mistaken, in my view. The lad, if he gets over his issues with the short balls, could be a seriously good player. His game against spin didn't look the most organized and may struggle in spinning conditions, but he can still be a good overall player, has the right makings. The big if, is the short ball though, and India just didn't do anything near enough to challenge him on that front.

Smith is looking pretty ominous out there. Taking the attack to Ashwin, and has rattled along to 24. Not looking good for India...

Labuschagne gone pass 50, after falling short in the first 2 tests. And this time round, his first 20 runs didn't seem like coming from a struggling number 10. Very assured knock from the Australian number 3. This could be a very long first innings for India. And the Australians are scoring at a decent clip as well.

Last drink break 148/3 off 43 . Smith away , Labuschagne fifty and well set ...all looking pretty ominous for the tourists. Twelve overs left today and if these two make it to the close I reckon tomorrow will be a very tough day for the fielding team.
Pitch might be a bit quicker tomorrow I guess. But I think this is the sort of pitch on which Australia are very adept at running up 500 quite quickly ...and then using scoreboard pressure and a good disciplined and aggressive group of bowlers to bully their opponents into the ground.
India will be hoping the likes of Pujara and Rahane are in the mood for big scores...

Smith's on 26 of 32. He's been very proactive against Ashwin. Ashwin doesn't have much to work with from the track. Runs coming thick and fast. Think they should try Jadeja to lock an end up.

Jadeja getting a couple to turn. But this surely isn't the liveliest track... India clearly struggling. Australia's best, and his clone seem to be in for all the making up for the first 2 games.

Ashwin's into his 17th over of the day already, and Jadeja has bowled 3. More than a third of the shift has been put in by the spinners. Bumrah has had a long enough bowl for the day. Saini a bit under bowled.
The inexperience is beginning to show as the attack is coming under sustained pressure for the first time in the series. With 2 first choice quicks missing the first reserve also out, and with the seam bowling unit including Bumrah having a combined 20 caps among them, this is really beginning to look tough.
Unless someone can produce something special before stumps today or tomorrow first hour, the best India could hope for would be a draw, even before they start batting in the first innings.

Australia ends the day at 166-2. Both Smith and Labuschagne pretty comfortable out there, in the least demanding pitch of the series so far. Rough day ahead for India tomorrow.

India didn't bowl badly. But they caught badly, and Rahane's captaincy that was on top form last game, wasn't the greatest today.

35 overs lost in the day and yet they took a 20 min tea...Wow...so considerate for the ticket payer and sponsors advertising on TV

As flat a pitch as you would ever get in Aus.....in mid 80s and 90s I remember Adelaide being that flat belter.
Although towards the end of the day there was sharp turn with some bounce for both.
Its the seamers that have noting .....you can simply rock back and hit thru the line.

While Aus looks good at 160 odd for 2.....any score must be interpreted in terms of what's par for the pitch and that being 350ish for first inning here in my view......and if Ind can get the next 8 wkts within 200 runs...they would have done OK

rahane must use his two spinners more and with convention fields.,....rather than the leg trap used in first two tests.
Given the strengths of sides...Draw does remain in the equation as a 25% probability scenario

msp83 wrote:Australia ends the day at 166-2. Both Smith and Labuschagne pretty comfortable out there, in the least demanding pitch of the series so far. Rough day ahead for India tomorrow.

He tried using the  formulas from Melbourne here......and was a bit late in realizing that those formulas do not apply here....its a different pitch
A curtailed day is good in the sense that coaches and analysts would have seen enuf and will between now and start of game tomm have redrawn the right length, bowling combination and field placements

Strong chance that the weather could make the draw a strong possibility in this one? Theres rain forecast for tomorrow and it looks like the tamest pitch of the series to date. Scoring is slow and both teams have batsmen capable of playing long innings. Id say its a stronger chance than an India win, although that could all change n the morning session if India can conjure a collapse.

As Alfie says Aus are going to have to use scoreboard pressure coupled with their new ball attack to pressure India on this. At the moment though they are a long long way off that 500 score , which would also take then into day 3 to get, and will need India to crumble to force a result. Very early in the game but hard to see how India force a win other than through Australia having an absolute meltdown tomorrow.

Tend to agree with KP that the shortened day probably suits India. Increases their chances of escaping with a draw, they were behind the game from the toss. For the series and world champs rankings a draw probably suits them more too. Means their bowlers come back tomorrow fresh and the two set batsmen have to start from scratch, they also have that opportunity to assess plans.

Good start for Pukowski, especially with Warner failing. Australia will be very glad to see the Smith Labuschange partnership flourishing once again. Massive cliche but the next wicket really does matter, there two are capable of taking the game away from India batting over a session together but if one falls early India have chance of keeping Australia to middling total.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Think the Aussie management might’ve been on the blower to the curator to ask for something a bit more pudding like...

India could be in for a long day or two here

I did see speculation India would refuse to travel to Brisbane for the fourth Test due to quarantine regulations in Queensland. The cynic in me wonders if they might rethink that unofficial position if this pitch is as dead as it has looked so far...

Pretty tame day of cricket. Ashwin got his lengths wrong, but Bumrah found a consistently testing line and length. Pucovski will be kicking himself that he didn't ton up, especially with those two dropped chances against him.

If Smith and Labuschagne get set again tomorrow then it'll be a long day in the field for India.

Hope for pukowskis sake wherever they play there's an open hairdresser with a lot of spare time.

JDizzle wrote:

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Think the Aussie management might’ve been on the blower to the curator to ask for something a bit more pudding like...

India could be in for a long day or two here

I did see speculation India would refuse to travel to Brisbane for the fourth Test due to quarantine regulations in Queensland. The cynic in me wonders if they might rethink that unofficial position if this pitch is as dead as it has looked so far...

This pitch will turn
And square by D4 and D5 if full cricket gets played for next 2.5 days

This rain is irritating - other than it stopping Green and Paine having a bat for KP-f in Joey's competition!

The two wickets India have picked up before the new ball this morning have - temporarily- stopped Australia from taking an unshakeable grip on the game. But they need to strike now with this new ball (preferably Smith !) if they want to keep Australia south of the 450 they will be looking for.

And as I type Bumrah has trapped Green lbw so at 249/5 the game is back on...

And that is lunch. Good session for India , keeping them in the game.

Incidentally , the fact that Green chose not to burn a review on that obvious lbw speaks not only to his level headed and unselfish nature but also the bias of some of the Australian commentators who were quick to suggest it might be a dodgy call and should be referred ... Green , like the excellent Paul Reiffel , sees reality rather than what they want to see

Really good session for India. Don't think they bowled well enough to earn three wickets, but the dismissals of Labuschagne and Wade were very soft. They're still well in this test, though facing Lyon on day four/five will be difficult.

Next task for India is to take the remaining five wickets in the next session, fully utilise the new ball. If they get Paine early they may even fancy keeping Australia below 300.

That's nice and early. Paine totally beaten and Bumrah clatters the top of off stump. Classic dismissal.

And Bumrah has done for Paine cheaply after lunch so India are roaring back into the contest !

Just the bowlers left to support Smith at 255/6 : remarkable change to the situation (perhaps demonstrating the very ordinary nature of this Australian batting lineup outside of Smith and his mini-me ). That 450 suddenly looking a long way off.

But while Smith is there anything is possible (as England found out a few times over the last couple of series). Cummins in particular can bat and the others aren't total rubbish , so India will need to keep up the pressure if they're to turn this into a real sub-par total. Means the back up pace men have to support Bumrah so it's not all left to him...

Duck for Cummins as the excellent Jadeja strikes again...278/7...

Meanwhile Smith is untroubled , 99 not out and seemingly playing on a different pitch from the rest. He is an amazing player - was surely almost certain to get a big score here after three low scores in a row ; and he does love batting at the SCG...but the total command he is showing while others struggle is really striking : not for the first time

Hundreds for Smith

Seemed more than usually excited about reaching the milestone too , judging by the extravagant triumphant gesturing. Guess he'd been feeling the pressure of a few low scores just like a normal human being

Team needs him to go on now. Starc has played pretty well so far so a significant stand here could re-establish Australian control of this game... 292/7

Hundred for Steve Smith, he really did celebrate it! The rough patch of sorts really seemed to have got to him. He's looked untroubled right through this innings, and handled Ashwin and Bumrah pretty well, never allowing the former to keep him quiet for too long.
Again, that batting capability of the Australian lower order coming in handy. For India, 7 out surely would have been allout within minutes, regardless of a propper batsmen being there or not.

Things beginning to slip away from India again.

Seems like Starc is settling in nicely with Smith.

338 all out. Australia still on top, but India have done well today (especially Jadeja and Bumrah) to make this test an interesting battle. Fabulous innings from Smith, as said above it was unlikely he would fail again.

Remarkable come back from India today I think. Pitch is by no means a bowler's surface at this time ...quickened up from day one , as expected ; but really one you'd like to bat on as opposed to those prepared for Adelaide and Melbourne.
I wouldn't say Australia are on top. Reckon that score is somewhat under par and they will need to bowl well to make it an acceptable one.

Of course they are a wonderful bowling group so I'm certainly not dismissing their chances of getting India out and taking an advantage. But from my viewing this is a situation from which India have an opportunity to bat long and dial back the danger of facing last day pressure as the pitch takes more turn.

In this fascinating series anything can happen ! Think Lyon will be important for Australia in this innings.

What a ridiculously soft dismissal that is for Rohit

Sharp return catch by Hazlewood gets Rohit for a fairly subdued 26...

Boy did Australia need that ! 70/1 and he and the quietly impressive Gill have produced a very good platform for India.

Drinks all round.

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:What a ridiculously soft dismissal that is for Rohit

Think he was chafing a bit at being tied down , Olly. He'd been patient enough but he really doesn't like having his runs cut off as consistently ...plus possibly a bit of mental fatigue in his first lengthy innings for a fair while ?

Only takes a momentary loss of concentration...