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Australia v India 3rd T20: Aussies hold nerve to pick up consolation win by 12 runs at the SCG

Mitchell Swepson and Adam Zampa stood up in the face of the runaway train that is Virat Kohli to ensure Australia had something to savour from a tough T20 series.

Ben Horne
7 min read
December 8, 2020 - 10:49PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 08: Aaron Finch of Australia speaks to Hardik Pandya and Yuzvendra Chahal of India before game three of the Twenty20 International series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on December 08, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 08: Aaron Finch of Australia speaks to Hardik Pandya and Yuzvendra Chahal of India before game three of the Twenty20 International series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on December 08, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Mitchell Swepson put down an early marker for a Test debut in Sydney this summer, taking three wickets to save Australia from a T20 clean-sweep at the SCG.

The leg-spinner, who was only called into the Twenty20 squad at the 11th hour, stood up in front of the first full house Sydney has seen since the onset of COVID-19 to stop India’s momentum heading into next week’s first Test blockbuster in Adelaide with match-winning figures of 3-23.

Swepson is in Australia’s Test squad and is in career-best form following three dazzling five-wicket hauls for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield.

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Mitchell Swepson proved the hero for the Aussies.
Mitchell Swepson proved the hero for the Aussies.

On Tuesday night in front of a welcomed sight of 30,436 fans back at the cricket, Swepson produced his finest hour in international cricket to help inspire a 12-run win, which was set up by dazzling knocks from Matthew Wade (80 off 53) Glenn Maxwell (54 off 36).

Swepson stood up in the face of the runaway train that is Virat Kohli, who in a worrying sign for Australia found top gear a week out from the first and only Test he will play this summer.

Kohli (85 off 61) went on a six-hitting rampage, and he and new sensation Hardik Pandya (20 off 13) looked poised to steal the show once again, until Swepson’s leg-spinning partner in crime Adam Zampa claimed the crucial wicket of Pandya in the 18th over to stop India in their tracks, after Australia had set a chase of 187 to win.

Swepson will play a pink ball tour match for Australia A against India on Friday night at the SCG in another golden chance to press his claims for a Test debut, but on Tuesday night the 27-year-old announced himself on the big stage.

Ultimately Kohli’s wicket was claimed by Andrew Tye in the penultimate over, thanks to a second spectacular outfield catch to Daniel Sams.

Adam Zampa picked up the valuable wicket of Hardik Pandya.
Adam Zampa picked up the valuable wicket of Hardik Pandya.

Earlier, Sams had hung onto a catch for the highlight reels to get rid of Shikhar Dhawan, although the Sydney Thunder quick had made the grab more difficult than it ought to be – spilling it, before nabbing it one-handed as he crashed to the turf.

Sams was injured in taking the catch and left the field, but returned to repeat the dose and send Kohli packing.

Steve Smith would have been the most relieved man at the SCG to see the back of Kohli, given it was a rare fielding blunder from him that let Kohli off the chain.

Kohli had been solid without spectacular so far in his hit-and-run tour of Australia, but the global superstar made the most of three missed chances by the hosts early – none as simple as Smith grassing a sitter in the outfield.

Smith’s blunder came on the boundary in front of the member’s stand when the Indian master was just 9.

Virat Kohli looked in superb touch.
Virat Kohli looked in superb touch.

Smith normally has some of the safest hands in world cricket, a point reinforced in the 13th over when the freakish former captain leapt athletically in mid-air over the boundary rope to save a certain Kohli six and restrict it to two.

Kohli will see next week’s first Test as his duty to lift India to victory before he leaves the country for the birth of his first child.

Australia were given a warning on Tuesday night into the damage that can be inflicted if Kohli is given lives.

Maxwell continued his brilliant white ball campaign, with another match-defining half century and then being thrown the new ball to claim KL Rahul from just the second ball of the innings.

Maxwell should have had Kohli in his second over if not for Smith’s error, and these six ODI and T20 matches have exhibited the very best of the freakishly talented all-rounder.

It may not have counted as a catch but this Steve Smith leap was still pretty special.
It may not have counted as a catch but this Steve Smith leap was still pretty special.

They’ve been some of his most consistent and brilliant performances in an Australian shirt, and with the batting crisis going on in the Test team, his name might not be a million miles from the conversation if dramas also open up in the middle-order.

Wade was brilliant but was embroiled in the most controversial moment of the match when he was trapped on the pads by Natarajan in the 11th over just after picking up his 50.

India only appealed belatedly, but Virat Kohli eventually went upstairs only for the third umpire to determine that they’d taken too long to refer and the appeal was cancelled.

Replays suggested Wade was probably out and Kohli was far from impressed, remonstrating with both umpires – but Fox Cricket’s timer showed the skipper had taken 17 seconds, when the allotment is 15.

RELIVE ALL THE ACTION

Australia win by 12 runs. India win the series 2-1.

Kohli goes ...

It won’t be a century for the India captain and the tourists look done.

Crucial wicket ...

Zampa comes back at the death and gets rid of Pandya. Sundar comes to the crease and needs to give his skipper the strike.

Six, Six, Six ..

Here comes India. Kohli has never scored a T20 century. Tonight could be the night. Daniel Sams has been taken apart yet again. Twenty runs off that over and India are right back in it. 56 off 24 balls.

Smith seeks redemption with some incredible hang time

If you are old enough you will remember John Dyson taking a spectacular catch in 1982. Well, Smith produced something similiar to reel in a Kohli shot that sailed over the boundary and then threw it back over the boundary rope to save a couple of runs.

Swepson has been the star with the ball. He takes 3-23 off his four overs, including this off the last ball.

50 for Kohli ....

Boundaries have dried up but the Indian skipper is still looking in complete control. Twelve overs gone and India need 91 off 47 balls. India losing wickets though around their skipper though as Dharwan and Samson departing

India making Australia pay a hefty price for dropping Virat Kohli cold. Aaron Finch mixing up his bowlers in a bid to break a very dangerous partnership.

Smith may have just dropped the game...

Kohli lofts a catch to Smith on the boundary but the Aussie star drops an absolute sitter.

Second ball wicket ....

KL Rahul has played a dreadful shot against a Glenn Maxwell half tracker and is caught on the boundary by Steve Smith. What a bonus!

Australia will be out to make early inroads into the Indian line-up. They don’t want India to have big wickets in hand if it comes down to a late chase.

Aussie innings

- Ben Horne

Glenn Maxwell set the cricket world alight over the past week with his switch hitting antics, but on Tuesday it proved his undoing as the Australian finisher was bowled trying to reverse one out of the SCG in the second last over.

Maxwell had a couple of lives on his way to another blistering 54 off 36 balls, including being caught for 19 only to be recalled because it was a no ball.

India burnt two reviews thinking they had Maxwell caught behind trying to switch it, but eventually he had his stumps taken out by T Natarajan attempting the audacious shot.

Matthew Wade was scintillating again with a superb 80 off 53 balls to follow up his impressive 50 in game two.

Glenn Maxwell got among the runs again.
Glenn Maxwell got among the runs again.

But Wade was embroiled in the most controversial moment of the match when he was trapped on the pads by Natarajan in the 11th over just after picking up his 50.

India only appealed belatedly, but Virat Kohli eventually went upstairs only for the third umpire to determine that they’d taken too long to refer and the appeal was cancelled.

Replays suggested Wade was probably out and Kohli was far from impressed, remonstrating with both umpires – but Fox Cricket’s timer showed the skipper had taken 17 seconds, when the allotment is 15.

Some of India’s fielding was absolutely atrocious with simple dropped catches and shocking outfield misses.

20th over ....

Australia scored 41 runs off the last four overs for the loss of three wickets - Wade, Maxwell and D’Arcy Short. Maxwell led a charmed life and was dropped three times. The 5-186 score is probably a little short of what they wanted after winning the toss and India can be well pleased with their bowling endeavours. Their fielding though, well, not so much.

15th over ... time to accelerate

Two sixes from Maxwell and Australia are probably looking at a score of 180-190. Not dissimilar to what India chased down on Sunday night.

Maxwell innings cut short ... but no..

Chahal bowls a no ball. Maxwell is given a life. Will Australia make him pay for it? They need to get a move on.

Australia reach 100, Wade powers on

Twelve overs in and Australia are 2-101 with Wade on 58 and Maxwell 11.

Washington Sundar is causing plenty of ptroblems
Washington Sundar is causing plenty of ptroblems

Smith goes ... eventually

Australia have lost their second wicket as Sundar deceives Smith with a slower one. He should have had his man three balls earlier but Rahul botched a routie stumping chance.

Wade is the key

The makeshift opener is setting an excellent platform for the Aussies. Seven overs in and the Aussies are 1-59 without really taking too many chances. Lots of runs on offer with some short boundaries.

Matthew Wade scoring at will
Matthew Wade scoring at will

Finch goes

May be it was the lack of match practice, but the skipper has gone, offering a simple chance to mid on.

Wade on fire

Two dots balls to start the innings before Wade finds his range with some boundaries off Chahar. He then smacks the first ball of the next over off off-spinner Sundar.

Australia have received a welcome boost as they look to win the final match of the T20 series against India at the SCG tonight.

Skipper Aaron Finch, who missed Sunday’s six-wicket defeat at the ASCG with a glute injury, is back and will take his place at the top of the order alongside Matthew Wade.

Marcus Stoinis has made way.

Originally published as Australia v India 3rd T20: Aussies hold nerve to pick up consolation win by 12 runs at the SCG

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