Steve Smith and Aaron Finch score centuries as Australia kicks off the season in style

Steve Smith was eccentrically brilliant and Aaron Finch more measured, the Indian batsman lit up the late evening but the home side prevailed by 66 runs.

Steve Smith celebrates a century full of tricks, taunts and terrific timing

Steve Smith was eccentrically brilliant and Aaron Finch more measured, the Indian batsman lit up the late evening with an entertaining attempt to chase down a record score of 6-374 but the home side prevailed by 66 runs in the opening one-day match of the men’s summer.

What a strange game of cricket, as remarkable for the endeavour and enterprise of individual batsmen as it was for the utter haplessness of the fielding teams. Measures to ensure cricketers did not catch Covid-19 appear to have had the unintended result of ensuring they do not catch

anything, the Kookaburra included.

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Smith’s faster than a run-a-ball effort, was showbiz, thick with tricks, taunts and terrific timing.

Another side effect appears to be tardiness. India took 40 extra minutes to complete their overs and Australia was not much better in a game that finished an hour late.

Some of the time was spent retrieving balls which should have been caught and a little lost to a protest against India’s Queensland coal mine, but the tardiness was trying.

Adam Zampa spilled an easy high ball from Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell schlepped a straightforward chance from Shikhar Dhawan and appeared later to drop one from his own bowling. Pat Cummins lost sight of a chance from the same batsman.

Pretty it wasn’t.

Earlier Dhawan wandered under a high ball in front of the Trumper Stand that should have been caught, Hardik Pandya did the same in front of the Brewongle and Mayank Agarwal was nutmegged by one near the Members that should never have reached the boundary.

When Kohli misfielded a mundane ball late in the first innings there was officially a cluster.

Bowlers had their moments too, most notably Mitchell Starc who sent down 11 deliveries in a first over which included five runs from a no-ball, eight runs from wides and 20 from the over.

Smith and Finch scored hundreds and Warner a half century on the way to a record ODI score against India

Finch’s 114 from 124 balls was all business, but Smith’s 105 was show biz, thick with tricks, taunts and timing and earned him man of the match honours.

It was, as far as Australia was concerned, not bad for openers. Pretty damn good in fact.

Finch, who was so out of form in the IPL he found himself out of his franchise, proved he had spent the time in quarantine well. He and opening partner Warner put on 156 wickets before the latter was given out, somewhat controversially, caught behind for 69.

The Australian white ball captain went on to his century, gaining in confidence and control as India lost it in equal measure. Finch was dismissed in the 40th over by which time the score was pushing toward 300.

Smith’s strange stroke play and erudite placement saw him race to 105 came from just 62 deliveries — the third fastest by an Australian in an ODI. Maxwell’s 45 from 19 balls was him at his entertaining best. A switch hit for six and a reverse ramp/glance down to third man were the choice inventions of the cameo.

Pandya (90) and Dhawan (74) threatened with a century partnership and some lusty hitting, Kohli blew hard and fast but was gone for a run-a-ball 21.

Pandya’s innings alone was worth the price of admittance. Josh Hazlewood picked up the first three wickets of the innings to ensure the visitors were never comfortable in their chase.

India is missing its brilliant ODI opener Rohit Sharma. The only player with two double hundreds in the format went AWOL when the players left the IPL for Australia. There has been rumours of tensions between he and Kohli and they were compounded when the Indian captain went out of his way to speak about the mystery in an internally recorded question and answer video.

“Before we had the selection meeting in Dubai, we got mail before that saying he was unavailable for selection having picked up an injury during the IPL which would require a two-week rest and rehab period and it said the pros and cons and the explanations of the injury had been explained to him and he understood that,” said Kohli.

“That was the information before the selection meeting. He then played in the IPL so we all thought he’d be on that flight to Australia.

“And we all received no information whatsoever … the only other information we’ve received officially is he’s at the NCN (in India) and he’s being assessed and further assessed December 11.”

“We’ve been playing the waiting game on this issue which is not ideal at all. It’s very confusing and a lot of uncertainty and lack of clarity around the situation.”

Not long after the words were uttered the BCCI said Rohit faced a fitness assessment at home but may still make the tour — presumably after Kohli has gone home to be at the birth of his first child.