Rain saves the day for Australia after second Twenty20 clash with India was washed out

Only Australia can win the three-match Twenty20 series against India but that's nothing to get excited about after rain stopped any chance of an Indian chase following another batting collapse from the home side.

Only Australia can win the three-match Twenty20 series against India after Friday night's MCG encounter was washed out before India faced a ball.

The Aussies fly to Sydney with a 1-0 lead with rain washing away any hope of an Indian victory.

The tourists can tie the series with victory at the SCG on Sunday night.

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Australia was 7-132 off 19 overs when rain started to fall at 8.20pm. The Aussies had big-hitter Ben McDermottt 32 (30) at the crease when play was abandoned.

LYNNSANITY OR LYNNBRIEFLY?

Chris Lynn has built a reputation as Australia’s six-machine with some brutal Big Bash knocks playing for Brisbane Heat.

But in the green and gold he is yet to catch fire. Friday night was Lynn’s 15th T20 innings for Australia and he is yet to face more than 33 balls.

Lynn averages just 14 balls per innings and has not struck a half-century for his country.

For a top-order batsman it is time to cash in on that raw hitting power he attributes in part to a childhood spent getting “bashed” around by some future rugby league stars in Queensland.

Over to the SCG.

Chris Lynn was dismissed for another low score. Picture: AFP

CLOUD CHAOS

The ground staff – and the calculators – received a healthy workout.

Play was due to recommence from the rain delay four times – and scuppered just as fast each time as the covers were pulled on and off like an insomniac’s dooner on a hot summer night.

The 8.43pm restart was called off three minutes beforehand, the 9.03pm restart was called off at 9.02pm and then India was set 90 runs to win from 11 overs at 9.37pm – which was abandoned at 9.36pm.

Finally, India was set 46 runs from five overs beginning at 10.02pm. When rain began bucketing once again at 9.58pm it was goodnight.

FOREIGN GRANDSTANDS

You could forgive Aaron Finch for feeling a little confused as he trudged off after making his first Twenty20 international golden duck.

Was Finch batting in his own backyard – the Melbourne Cricket Ground – or at the Mumbai Cricket Ground?

The non-stop noise from the excited Indian fans, and explosions of energy for early wickets, weren’t far behind the Collingwood army’s roars in the first quarter of the Grand Final day.

The tourists owned close to 85 per cent of the crowd of about 60,000 and the concourse was littered with giant flags in the build-up to the first ball.

The crowd sign reading: “Tonight’s special hot Kangaroo (road sign) curry” captured the flavour of the night.

Aaron Finch failed to fire in front of his home crowd. Picture: AP

WOOLLY WARMTH

Adam Zampa and his quirky fashion sense threatened to be upstaged.

The hipster leggie who brought headbands into the spotlight as he rolled the arm over last summer was no match for Indian Dinesh Karthik.

While fielding at deep point, Karthik charged in to coolly catch Marcus Stoinis while wearing a woollen beanie.

DK might’ve had a good reason. Friday was a balmy 30C in his home town of Tiruchendur while it was just 12C as he fielded in the outer at the MCG.

Dinesh Karthik sports a beanie at the MCG. Picture: AAP

And it was a fashion sense justified as the rain started to tumble down at 8.20pm, and after just 19 overs.

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