India bowled incisively and with more purpose in the morning session on the second day of the World Test Championship final at The Oval. However, at lunch, Australia still held the aces, having moved to 422 for 7 on a track that continued to offer just enough seam movement and variable bounce.
Australia began the day with their two overnight batters, Travis Head and Steven Smith, eager to push on. Smith clipped two over-pitched deliveries off his pads to get to his 31st Test hundred, and ninth against India, in the first over of the day. On his part, Head continued to play with some bravado as he essayed the cut and a couple of pulls while facing Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj.
By then, it was also quite clear that India’s plan against Head was to tuck him up for room and try the short delivery, especially as he stayed slightly leg-side off the ball. Eventually, the plan worked as Head gloved a short ball from Siraj to KS Bharat behind the stumps after making 163 (174 balls, 25×4, 1×6). Siraj’s partner-in-crime, Shami, then dislodged Cameron Green with a fuller delivery that was bowled in the one-square-foot window outside off. Green edged it to Shubman Gill in the slip cordon.
Smith continued to look dangerous though, until Shardul Thakur, in the 99th over of the innings, shaped one away a touch to take the inside edge on to the stumps. Smith had seen off 268 balls while making 121.
Mitchell Starc had a torrid time, beaten on several occasions while facing Siraj, Umesh Yadav and Shardul. Ultimately, he was run out on the back of a stunning piece of fielding by Axar Patel, who threw the stumps down at the non-striker’s end after diving to stop the ball at mid-off.
Pat Cummins and Alax Carey, however, ensured that Australia didn’t lose another wicket in the session while adding 20 runs to the total. Carey, in particular, showcased some batting nous, looking to steer the ball into the gaps wide of the cordon.
During the course of the session, there was also some variable bounce on offer. To illustrate that point, in the 105th over, Shardul got some awkward bounce from a good length, with Cummins fending an edge towards the gully region. A couple of seam bowlers in the Australian ranks – Scott Boland and Cummins himself – would have watched that with some interest.
Brief scores: Australia 422/7 (Travis Head 163, Steve Smith 131; Mohammed Shami 2-102) v India