World Test Championship: All the news and talking points from day 1 Australia v India from The Oval
Travis Head presented his ‘Bazball’ credentials with a commanding century as he and Steve Smith put Australia in the box seat at stumps on day 1 of the World Test Championship.
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Travis Head has credited Steve Smith for allowing him to “stay under the radar” after the pair combined for an unbeaten 251-run stand to leave Australia in a commanding position at stumps on day one of the World Test Championship final at The Oval.
Sent in by India, and having slumped to 3-76 shortly after lunch, the Aussies wrested control of the match to end the day at 3-327 on the back of a brutal counterattacking knock from Head, ably assisted by a more sedate Smith.
Head posted his first Test ton away from Australia, finishing the day 146 not out from 156 balls, while Smith will resume on 95 from a relatively tortoise-like 227 deliveries.
While Head was the star of the day, he said the focus on all-time great Smith provided the South Australian an advantage.
“I‘ve always said I do really enjoy batting with Steve because of how much attention he receives,” Head said.
“He’s one of the best players in the world, probably our best player. He’s our best batter, he’s unbelievable in these conditions, and he receives so much attention from opposition in terms of plans and how difficult he is to bowl to, so I’ve always said going out to bat with him, it feels like you’re in the shadow of that, you can sort of stay under the radar and go about your business.”
Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey defended his side’s decision to leave out gun spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from its XI.
“It’s always a really difficult decision to drop a champion bowler like that. But I thought looking at the conditions in the morning I thought an additional seamer would definitely be beneficial. And it also had worked in the past,” Mhambrey said.
“But you can always look at hindsight.”
KEY TALKING POINTS
Khawaja’s English struggles
Only Joe Root made more runs than Usman Khawaja in the two-year World Test Championship cycle leading up to this final. But the elephant in the room for Khawaja heading into this tour was his poor record in the UK, where he entered this match averaging less than 20 in Test cricket. While Khawaja’s spot in the side is no imminent danger, that he was removed for a duck by Mohammed Siraj, having again been caught behind the wicket, could quickly become a major issue.
Jury still out on Warner
Heading into this match, one of the key questions was how many runs would David Warner need to score to ensure he made the first Ashes Test. The consensus seemed to be that as long as he could scratch his way to 25 he’d be given rope for Birmingham. Despite some nervous moments early, Warner was at his attacking best en route to 43. But a flukish dismissal down the leg side denied Warner the chance to effectively make him undroppable for the rest of the tour. The debate could yet linger.
India toss it in
Pat Cummins said at the toss that he too would have bowled had the coin landed in Australia’s favour. Well in that case he may have dodged a bullet. Rohit Sharma’s decision to send the Aussies in looked like a sound enough idea at the time given there was grass on the wicket, leaden skies and India had picked four seamers. When Khawaja was gone early it seemed even wiser. But as the life evaporated from the deck, the sun came out and India’s quicks felt the full brunt of Travis Head’s assault, it soon looked a very good toss to lose.
Lost at selection?
Horses for courses is a great idea. When it works. But sometimes selectors can outsmart themselves. Yes, picking two spinners may generally be overkill in England. But when the man you are leaving out is the world’s No. 1 Test bowler, it’s probably not a bad idea to make an exception. Ashwin has 474 Test wickets, and averages 28 with the ball in England. Would the Aussies have rather faced him, or Umesh Yadav?
Marnus misses out
Having said that, being No. 1 in the world at a particular discipline does not guarantee success. Marnus Labuschagne entered this match in that position in the ICC Test batting rankings and yet he played all around a seaming ball from Mohammed Shami to depart for 26 shortly after lunch. It wasn’t an altogether convincing innings from Labuschagne, who seemed to play within himself after copping a rising ball to the thumb from Mohammed Siraj.
WARNER DISASTER AS SMITH, HEAD FIGHT BACK AT THE OVAL
- Daniel Cherny and Richard Lamberton
12.45AM: DAY ONE, SESSION THREE
A huge opportunity for Australia to make India pay for not capitalising on its decision bowl first at The Oval.
Weighed down by a poor overrate, India is persisting with Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav after tea.
It’s a big risk against two set batsmen and the wicket starting to flatten out - and it could firmly steer the Test match in Australia’s favour.
If Australia can weather the tricky 20 minute period after the break, Justin Langer believes the Test match is there for the taking.
“If they are anywhere near 300 on day one and not lose a wicket they could be 3/300 or plus at stumps and if they do that Australia are well on top of this game of cricket.”
NOTE: our live coverage comes to the close but you can follow the live scores in the match centre above.
LEGEND’S CASH CRY TO SAVE TEST CRICKET
New Zealand great Ross Taylor has called on cricket boards to pay players enough to keep them in international cricket.
Taylor - a member of the Black Caps side that won the first World Test Championship final two years ago - retired from international cricket last year.
His long-time teammate Trent Boult last year turned down a NZ central contract to become a freelancer, while Indian Premier League franchises are keen to secure top players on 12-month contracts.
With the game at a crossroads, Taylor said it was incumbent on national governing bodies to reward players properly.
“Players have to think of their futures and their longevity,” Taylor said at The Oval on Wednesday.
“I don’t see it being a mass exodus of players when they are young, but I think it will definitely start coming a lot more for the players who are getting towards the end of their careers.
“It happens in other sports, players leave to I guess give them some security. I guess it’s up to the boards to try to remunerate players as best as they can to keep them playing international cricket, because the carrot of international cricket will be there for a while, but at the end of the day some players are going to work out to look after themselves for the future.”
11.54PM: INDIA IN A SPIN
Australia is wrestling control back from India and Matthew Hayden believes he knows why the pendulum is swinging - a lack of spin.
The run rate has crept past four in the second session, with Steve Smith (32*) and Travis Head (52*) handling India’s four-pronged pace attack. And therein lies the problem - India abandoned its strength and Australia’s weakness.
India, in leaving Ravi Ashwin out of the side, overcomplicated its selection.
“For mine you think of the strength of India through this phase, it has to be through their spinners,” said Hayden. “You play your best batters and bowlers and Ravi Ashwin is your best bowler you have the option of selection.
“I think that you have to keep it simple when it comes to selection. You can overcomplicate it especially when you are playing abroad. You are looking to alternatives to what you are comfortable with.
“That is why sitting in that Australian dressing-room, they would love the fact India have played to their strengths. Four fast bowlers. Australians are never worried about fast bowlers. They are used to playing those their entire lives since they were boys.
“As men, spin has always been that one question mark, wherever Australian cricket team has travelled or toured to, always been that question mark around how each and every one of them plays spin.”
10.50PM: HEAD LCOKS AND LOADS
Any thoughts of Travis Head going into his shell have disappeared into the ether over The Oval.
With the Test match threatening to escape Australia, Head has brought his formidable strike-rate to England - and he’s found a nice foil at the other end in Steve Smith.
The pair have motored past 100 after lunch despite losing Marnus Labuschagne in the second over after the big break.
10.17PM: MARNUS FALLS TO PEACH
What did India say at lunch? Full and straight, probably.
World number one batsman Marnus Labuschagne falls to a seed from Mohammed Shami that crashes into the Aussie’s off stump. Full, straight, and spearing into Labuschagne’s stumps.
This has all the hallmarks of one of Australia’s ‘famous’ batting collapses we’ve become accustom to in recent times.
“Good piece of bowling,” said Channel Seven commenator Matthew Hayden. “His feet were like a sticky date pudding, he got trapped at the crease with a good length piece of bowling.”
Travis Head comes to the crease with plenty to prove in the English conditions: will he stray from the attacking mindset that has brought him so recent success or fall back into his shell?
What a beauty #WTCFinalpic.twitter.com/nM7X2SnMQ6
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) June 7, 2023
9.23PM LUNCH: WARNER DISASTROUS LACK OF JUDGEMENT
David Warner (43) will be absolutely kicking himself, throwing away his wicket after fighting his way to the cusp of lunch.
A proper fighter’s knock was undone by lapse in concentration, gloving a short ball down leg making KS Bharat’s smart catch even better.
While there’s still an innings to play, the question must be asked: has Warner done enough to cement his Ashes spot?
Channel Seven commentator Matthew Hayden believes Warner has staved off the vultures for now.
“We have question marks around David Warner,” said Hayden. “The way that he started here, you can tell that he’s right up for this challenge. He knows his career is really on the line. That’s what you want from players.”
The fiery opening session in which Usman Khawaja fell for a duck and Marnus Labuschagne was assessed after copping a blow to the thumb hangs in the balance after Warner defied India’s four-pronged pace attack for almost two hours before the faint touch of glove led to his dismissal.
A wicket for India!
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) June 7, 2023
Warner gloves one down the legside and Bharat takes a quality catch.#WTC23 | #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/WCkMgTKVEe
9.09PM: MARNUS’ TWO LIVES!
Marnus Labuschagne will be buying umpire Richard Illingworth a pint or ten at the end of play after surviving two big lbw shouts off the bowling of trundler Shardul Thakur.
Illingworth doesn’t want a bar of either as India waste a crucial review.
Labuschagne’s use of the crease - and the bouncey deck - saved the Aussie on both occassions.
Down the other end, Warner has tightened up his defence and is freeing his arms, smashing four boundaries off a single Yadav over. The veteran may have just cemented his Ashes spot.
FOUR boundaries in an over for David Warner 🔥#WTC23 | https://t.co/z9V7Fz7qItpic.twitter.com/0jrfE6vTJN
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) June 7, 2023
8.55PM: INDIA’S BIG SELECTION MISTAKE
Did India get it all wrong? Channel Seven commentator Ricky Ponting believes India were fooled into leaving Ravi Ashwin, the game’s premier bowler, out of the XI.
After losing Usman Khawaja for a duck, fellow opening batter David Warner and first drop Marnus Labuschagne have seen India’s opening bowlers off.
And Ponting believes India misread the tantalising green wicket, a mirage that had Rohit Sharma drooling at the toss and ultimately selecting four quicks.
“I was interested to get her this morning and have a closer look at the wicket,” Ponting said in commentary. “When I got a closer look it was dry under the surface. India has picked a bowling attack for the first innings of this game only.
“I think the reason that Ashwin was left out the amount of left-handers that Australians have in the line-up. There is no doubt Ashwin would bowl better late in the game to left-handers better than Yadav. The decision between Thakur and Umesh Yadav. I was leaning towards Thakur playing because I thought he could be the workhorse-type bowler.”
8.25PM: HUGE ASHES SELECTION NEWS
Desperate England has sensationally talked Moeen Ali - who averages 65 with the ball against Australia - out of Test retirement to help solve its Ashes spin crisis.
The ECB announced on Wednesday that Ali, 35, had heeded a call to replace fellow tweaker Jack Leach, who was ruled out of the series with a back stress fracture.
All-rounder Ali last played a Test in September 2021.
“We reached out to Mo (Moeen Ali) early this week about returning to Test cricket,” said ECB men’s cricket chief Rob Key. - Daniel Cherny
8.08: MARNUS SMASHED BY BRUTE
Get the trainer immediately! Marnus Labuschagne cops a brute of a Siraj delivery that bounces off a length, cannoning into the Aussie’s left hand.
Labuschagne receives some treatment and passes the toughness test. Was it the magic spray that brought many NRL and AFL players back from the brink? Maybe. All we know is Marnus won’t give up his wicket that easily.
“Marnus Labuschagne is a tough, tough top-order batsman,” Langer says from the commentary box. “That really hurt. It hit him hard on that left-hand. It might be his bottom thumb actually. That’s very painful blow.”
“There will be a sense of relief there. He has been hit on the thumb, the doctor and the physio has run out and the fact he has got up and straight back into it. All the great batsmen, whether it is a play an miss and strike on the body. That has gone now and he is back. This next ball is all that matters for Marnus Labuschagne now.”
7.45PM: KHAWAJA GONE EARLY, WARNER SURVIVES
It’s not David Warner, but Usman Khawaja - the man Ricky Ponting believes holds the cards in Australia’s batting line-up - who falls first thanks to India’s perfect plan.
While Warner looks shaky at the crease, Khawaja, out for no score, again fell victim to a right-arm seamer coming around the wicket, with Mohammed Siraj edging the Aussie to slip. Khawaja averages just over 16 in England against quicks coming over the wicket, compared to 62 around.
Before the start of play Channel Seven commentator Ponting suggested Khawaja was the key for Australia winning the World Test Championship final.
“Some tough work has to be done at the top of the order today. I actually said coming into this game, I think Usman Khawaja holds the key to this Test match for Australia. He’s been in unbelievable form, 1600 runs in his last 16 games.”
Let’s hope the great man has missed on that one!
Usman Khawaja's most recent Test dismissals in England:
— Nic Savage (@nic_savage1) June 7, 2023
Caught WK
Caught 2nd slip
Caught WK
Caught WK
Caught WK
Caught WK
Caught WK#WTC23
pic.twitter.com/tYx5rCuK80
7.03: INDIA WINS CRUCIAL TOSS
Australia has lost a massive toss at The Oval, with David Warner and Usman Khawaja to face a four-pronged India pace attack on a green deck under overcast skies.
All eyes will be on Warner early with the legendary opener’s Test career on the line but he won’t be feeling too confident about Sami coming around the wicket early on... perhaps it’s time to bring back the Raging Bull and take it to India.
Former Test captain and Channel Seven commentator Ricky Ponting believes losing the toss isn’t a death sentence for Australia.
“India will want to hope that cloud hangs around for a while, because if it blows over like it has been doing here - the last few afternoons by about 12:00, the sun’s been out - it’s going to be a perfect time to bat late in the day.”
“Now that they’ve won the toss and bowled, they want to do some damage with this new ball. Because I think as this game goes on, I think it will turn and they would’ve wanted Ashwin to spin this ball away from the Australian left-handers, and he’s not there.”
Reckon Rohit’s happy about winning that one!
Australia's XI for the World Test Championship Final.#WTC23#WTCFinal#AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/fpLSUE64io
— Circle of Cricket (@circleofcricket) June 7, 2023
Rohit Sharma wins the crucial toss and India invited Australia to bat first.
— Moiz Ali 🇵🇰🇵🇸 (@moiz__ali) June 7, 2023
📸: Star Sports#WTCFinal2023#INDvsAUSpic.twitter.com/8B449eGWQq
NOT MY CAPTAIN
This India fan might not want Rohit Sharma as captain but he may change his tune after checking out the master-blaster’s record with the ‘C’ next to his name in finals:
2013: IPL Final - Won
2013: CLT Final - Won
2015: IPL Final - Won
2017: IPL Final - Won
2018: Nidahas Trophy Final - Won
2018: Asia Cup Final - Won
2019: IPL Final - Won
2020: IPL Final - Won
Captain Hitman #WTCFinal2023pic.twitter.com/yTSsPZeq1T
— Priyanshu Rajput (@imPriyanshu_27) June 7, 2023
6.45PM: ASHWIN MYSTERY SOLVED
The speculation surrounding whether India will pick veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been solved.
While the tweaker warmed up with teammates on the ground, Rohit Sharma revealed at the toss the world number one bowler has been overlooked.
The swinging swordsman, Ravindra Jadeja, will be used as the primary spinner.
India's XI for the World Test Championship Final.#WTC23#WTCFinal#AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/0eXVbuAlff
— Circle of Cricket (@circleofcricket) June 7, 2023
WEATHER WATCH AT THE OVAL
Overcast skies, green deck, no rain forecast - could the winner of the toss bowl first at the Oval? Channel Seven commentator Justin Langer thinks so.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if someone bowls first,” the former Test coach reflected from The Oval.
The weather radar is clear despite the heavily overcast skies.
CONTRACT CALL LOOMS AS AUSSIE ASHES HINT
Michael Neser appears poised for an extended stay with the Australian Test squad with his county Glamorgan moving to extend the contract of his replacement Peter Hatzoglou.
Bowling all-rounder Neser was initially left out of the 17-man touring party for the World Test Championship final and first two Ashes Tests but joined the Aussies for a pre-series training camp before being formally added to the 15-man official WTC final squad after Josh Hazlewood was ruled out as a precaution following a minor side issue sustained during the Indian Premier League season.
While Australian captain Pat Cummins has declared Hazelwood will be right to go for the first Ashes Test in Birmingham, Neser – unlike fellow seaming understudy Sean Abbott – is set to remain with the Australian camp for the time being.
Even if Hazlewood is declared fully fit, Neser could remain with the Australian camp given the compact nature of the Test schedule, with six matches inside eight weeks.
Having starred early in the County Championship season with the Welsh side, Neser had also been due to play in the Twenty20 Blast tournament. Those plans were undermined when the Queenslander was summoned to the national squad, leading Glamorgan to sign Neser’s compatriot Hatzoglou, the tall Victorian leg-spinner who has played in the Big Bash League for the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers.
Hatzoglou was initially signed on what Glamorgan director of cricket Mark Wallace described as a “short-term contract,” however it’s understood the county is seeking to extend the leggie’s deal.
Neser, who has played two Tests, was praised by Australian teammate Steve Smith ahead of the match.
“(I’ve got) so much faith, he is a quality performer,” Smith said.
“I faced him against Glamorgan a couple of weeks ago and he bowled beautifully.
“He has got great skills and he’s added some of the inswingers we have seen him bowl when the wicket is a bit flatter.
“So he has got loads of skills and is batting nicely as well, so he is a great package. If he gets an opportunity he will certainly do a very good job.”
While Cummins said he is hopeful of playing all six of Australia’s Tests across the tour, he also flagged the likelihood of changes to the tourists’ pace line-up during the Ashes.
“That’s the luxury of having bench strength,” Cummins said.
“Hoff’s (Hazlewood is) really close to being available for this one so he’ll be available for the first (Ashes) Test. Nes, you see how well, he’s been doing in county cricket, Sean Abbott’s here, And you don’t want to finish off a Test match with something (left) in the tank knowing that you’ve got other guys fresh that you could bring in a few days later.”
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