2 days Ago By Tom Decent
A fiery exchange between Sam Konstas and Jasprit Bumrah in the final over of the day at the SCG ended with India’s star fast bowler staring down Australia’s young gun after dismissing Usman Khawaja with the last ball before stumps Scott Boland’s four-wicket haul gave Australia the upper hand on day one of the fifth Test against India, but a dramatic final few minutes has set the scene for a spicy day two. Australia’s quest to wrest the Border-Gavaskar Trophy from India’s grip went largely to plan on Friday thanks to another dominant bowling display. India’s total of 185 was the lowest by a touring team in the first innings of a match at the SCG since Sachin Tendulkar’s side of 2000 were bowled out for 150.
After officially becoming the youngest Australian to play a Test at the SCG, Konstas, 19, once again showed his fearless approach by charging Bumrah on the first ball of the Australian innings. The ball squirted away down the leg side for a boundary as Sydneysiders got their first proper look at the kid touted by many as a generational talent. Konstas and Bumrah were involved in a fiery exchange.
Credit: AP Konstas tried the shot again in the final over of the day but played and missed prompting an Indian reporter in the press box to howl with laughter. The teenager is certainly doing things his way. Bumrah, who posed for a photo with Konstas’ parents at Kirribilli House on Wednesday evening, didn’t take kindly to the teenager’s brash approach.
India’s strike weapon appeared to be annoyed at Konstas for what he believed were time-wasting tactics as scheduled stumps at 6pm approached. Konstas didn’t take a backwards step, exchanging words with Bumrah in a confrontation which sent the large SCG crowd wild. Umpire Sharfuddoula Saikat ushers Bumrah away from Konstas.
Credit: Getty Images When Bumrah had Khawaja caught in the slips for two runs off the final ball of the day, the veteran turned in Konstas’ direction and appeared to give the batsman a mouthful. Khawaja’s dismissal left Australia 1-9 at stumps with Konstas unbeaten on seven from eight balls. Earlier, Boland continued his lethal form, taking 4-31 to boost his series tally to 15 wickets at 15.
46. He was also on a hat-trick, removing Ravindra Jadeja (26) and Melbourne century-maker Nitish Kumar Reddy in consecutive balls. The hat-trick ball beat Washington Sundar all ends up, but didn’t gain an edge and was dropped by wicketkeeper Alex Carey in any case.
Boland should have been on another hat-trick earlier in the innings, outsmarting Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) before Virat Kohli survived when third umpire Joel Wilson ruled the ball had hit the ground as Steve Smith attempted a catch that ended in the hands of Marnus Labuschagne following an outside edge. Kohli perished cheaply not long afterwards, caught behind the wicket on the off side for the seventh time this series, for 17 off 69 balls. The day’s crowd of 47,566 was the highest for a day of Test cricket at the SCG since 53,001 turned out to watch Australia take on the West Indies on January 3 in 1976.
The 49-year high was due to high numbers of SCG members and the fact this is the first live Test in Sydney for the last match of a series since 2004. Mitchell Starc (3-49) and Pat Cummins (2-37) also had good days with the ball, while Beau Webster impressed on debut. In 2011, Nathan Lyon picked up his first Test wicket by removing Kumar Sangakkara courtesy of a wonderful diving catch from Michael Clarke low to his left at slip.
It was a similar scenario on Friday, with Lyon fielding in the gully as Webster charged in for his first Test scalp. However, Lyon couldn’t hold on to his chance. Webster, who had taken 0-3 from 7.
1 overs of metronomic medium-pace, watched Lyon put down a tough catch low to his left at gully with Jadeja on five. Webster will have to wait for his maiden wicket, finishing with 0-29 from 13. Webster bowled more overs than Mitch Marsh did in any innings during his past 28 Tests.
Marsh bowled more (5-46 off 18.2 overs) against England at the Oval in 2019. The Tasmanian first-gamer offered excellent support to Australia’s three frontline pace bowlers whose line and lengths were spot on and allowed them to maintain low economy rates.
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