MELBOURNE: Steven Smith scored his fourth half century of the series to anchor Australia to 259-5 at stumps on the opening day of the third test against India on Friday.
After making a cautious start before tea, Smith upped the tempo in the third session and quickly brought up his 50 in emphatic fashion with six boundaries and a six en route to an unbeaten 72 and over 1,000 test runs for the year.
Coming after the loss of opener Chris Rogers, Smith offered both calm and confidence to the Australia innings as he produced another captain’s knock punctuated by some classy strokes.
Brad Haddin will resume the second day with Smith on 23 not out after an up and down day for the Australian batsmen.
Rogers and Shane Watson brought up their half centuries before being dismissed in the space of six balls after lunch.
Rogers reached 57 before he was caught behind while playing at a fullish delivery off Mohammed Shami (2-55) and Watson was out the next over for 52, trapped lbw off Ravichandran Ashwin (1-60).
Australia got off to a worst possible start to the match after winning the toss and electing to bat when Umesh Yadav (2-69) had opener David Warner caught at second slip for a duck in just the second over with the hosts yet to score.
Joe Burns made 13 off 27 balls in his test debut after he was beaten by a Yadav ball that offered a bottom edge to wicketkeeper M.S. Dhoni. Burns, 25, took to the field to a rousing applause from the Melbourne Cricket Ground crowd of just under 70,000 and looked confident at the crease during his brief appearance.
Shaun Marsh was out for 32 in the second over of the afternoon session, caught behind off Shami while attempting a cut shot.
Shami left the field in the third session with a slight limp after appearing to hurt himself while fielding. He returned several overs later after receiving treatment for an unspecified injury.
Rogers’ who shared a 115-run, second-wicket partnership with Watson, timed four boundaries off 126 balls. He has now hit a century and two half centuries in his three test innings at the MCG so far.
Watson will be under renewed pressure to retain his spot at No. 3 in the batting order after once again failing produce a substantial knock.
The allrounder survived a dropped catch when on 37 shortly before lunch off Shami when Dhawan dived to his left at second slip but was unable to hold onto a clear opportunity.
Australia can clinch the four-test series and reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy with a win or draw in Melbourne after a 48-run win in the first test and a four-wicket victory last week in the second test at Brisbane.PTI
