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May 19, 2023

World Test Championship final 2023: Australia vs India, cricket scores, updates, Day 2 session times, video, highlights, latest news from The Oval

Australia’s pace attack demolished India’s top order before a costly no-ball

Australia's pace attack demolished India's top order before a costly no-ball from captain Pat Cummins marred an otherwise impeccable bowling performance on day two of the World Test Championship final at The Oval.

Eleven wickets fell on an eventful day in London, with Australia's four quicks ripping through India's experienced batting cohort in a dramatic collapse of 4-41, where the wobble-seam delivery accounted for three scalps.

India was 5-151 at stumps in response to Australia's 469, with Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja combining for a crucial 71-run partnership in the evening session to give Rohit Sharma's men a glimmer of hope. However, Rahane should have been sent packing for 17 if not for Cummins’ front-foot misdemeanour.

"Obviously that hurt," Australian vice-captain Steve Smith told reporters at stumps.

"No-balls are costly and you want your bowlers behind the line as much as possible.

"Jinx is still out there so yeah, no-balls are never good."

Earlier, Smith brought up a 31st Test century moments after play resumed on Thursday morning. Unbeaten overnight on 95, the New South Welshman clipped his first two deliveries through square leg for back-to-back boundaries, saluting the London crowd and kissing the Australian coat of arms of his helmet.

It was his ninth Test century against India, equalling the all-time record, and his seventh in England, which among touring players is bettered only by Sir Donald Bradman.

MATCH CENTRE: Australia vs India scorecard, stats

Smith drew high praise from Indian rival Virat Kohli after play.

"When it comes to Test cricket, I don't think anyone is close to him in this generation," Kohli told the ICC.

"His adaptability, his ability to understand situations and play accordingly to the conditions in front of him is second to none.

"His record speaks for itself.

"To average almost 60 over a span of 85 or 90 games is unbelievable.

"He is the best Test player of our generation, there is no doubt about it."

Not long after Smith celebrated his third Test ton at the Kennington venue, fellow centurion Travis Head passed the 150-run milestone with a full-blooded late cut through gully. In response, India's quicks revisited their short-ball tactic against the South Australian, who miscued a pull shot that fortuitously bisected two fielders on the leg side.

Siraj finally unearthed the long-awaited breakthrough when Head walked across his stumps and flicked a regulation catch through to wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat, departing for 163 and ending his marathon 285-run partnership with Smith.

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The dismissal brought Mumbai Indians hero Cameron Green to the middle, and after waiting nearly five hours with the pads on, the young West Australian carved his first delivery through gully for an elegant boundary. But Green's stay at the crease was brief, flashing at a wide delivery from Mohammed Shami and edging towards Shubman Gill at second slip, gone for 6.

Smith chopped on for 121 shortly after the drinks break, fishing outside the off stump to give Shardul Thakur his second wicket.

The wickets continued tumbling when Mitchell Starc set off for a suicidal single after fending towards mid-off, with substitute fielder Axar Patal nailing a run out at the non-striker's end. Australia had suddenly lost 4-51 in less than 13 overs.

Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey, playing his first Test match in England, ensured there were no further casualties before the lunch break, picking up the tempo in the afternoon session with a trio of boundaries off Shami's 29th over.

The South Australian bludgeoned a six over long on before an unnecessary reverse sweep against spinner Ravindra Jadeja proved his undoing, trapped LBW for 48. Carey was initially gifted a reprieve from on-field umpire Chris Gaffaney before the not out decision was overturned by the third official.

Siraj wrapped up the innings by knocking over Nathan Lyon (9) and Cummins (9) in quick succession to finish with 4-108 from his 28.3 overs.

Rohit Sharma and opening partner Shubman Gill got India's innings off to a blistering start, smacking 22 runs from the first three overs as Australia's quicks struggled to find their length early.

But Cummins broke the opening stand in the fifth over, sliding a wobble-seam delivery into Sharma's front pad — he didn't bother calling for a review, gone for 15.

Gill joined his captain in the sheds the following over for 13 after the young opener horrifically misjudged a leave against Scott Boland, who had the Dukes ball on a string before the tea break. The Victorian's majestic delivery seamed viciously off a good length, and Gill was left looking foolish when it crashed into his off stump.

India's woes continued after the interval with Cheteshwar Pujara falling in almost identical fashion to Gill, leaving alone a wobble-seam delivery from Green that nipped back and struck off stump. It was Green's first Test wicket against India, having conceded 230 runs against the Asian nation before his breakthrough scalp.

Starc returned to the attack and made up for his forgettable opening spell, removing the dangerous Virat Kohli for 14 with a cross-seam delivery that generated some extra bounce, caught at second slip by a leaping Smith. India had lost 4-41 in less than 13 overs, desperate for the experienced duo of Jadeja and Rahane to stem the flow of wickets.

But India's fortunes turned in the 22nd over when Rahane was given out LBW, only for replays to show Cummins had marginally overstepped. It was the Australian captain's fourth no-ball of the afternoon, gifting Rahane a second life at the crease.

An irritated Cummins responded by striking Rahane on the glove the following delivery, forcing a stoppage as team medics attended to the 35-year-old.

Jadeja and Rahane began to slowly chip away at the deficit, with the former glancing Boland over the square leg boundary for a flamboyant six, the first maximum he has conceded at Test level.

Cummins’ frustration grew when the fifth-wicket partnership ticked past fifty, but Nathan Lyon's introduction in the final hour of play did the trick for Australia. The veteran off-spinner tempted Jadeja into prodding outside the off stump, with Smith accepting the regulation catch at first slip.

Bharat copped a nasty blow on the arm while facing Starc in the final over of the day, but finished unbeaten on four alongside Rahane (29 not out).