Jasprit Bumrah delivered a remarkable performance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday. The India seamer took four wickets for 56 runs, including his 200th Test wicket, in the fourth Test against Australia.
Bumrah’s spell troubled Australia’s middle order. He dismissed Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, and Alex Carey relatively cheaply.
Australia finished the day at 228/9, leading by 333 runs with one day remaining in the Test.
Australia’s middle order faltered after lunch, losing four wickets for 11 runs in just 22 deliveries. They slumped from 80/2 to 91/6.
A 57-run partnership between Marnus Labuschagne and Pat Cummins helped Australia recover.
Australia recovered from their early and mid-order collapse to extend their lead beyond 250. Mohammed Siraj dismissed Labuschagne lbw for 70, with the score at 148 for 7.
Mitchell Starc was run out shortly after the Tea break for 5, leaving Australia at 156 for 8.
Cummins was caught at slip for 41, bringing the score to 173/9. India missed a chance to take their tenth wicket when Siraj dropped a caught-and-bowled opportunity off Nathan Lyon.
Lyon, who remained unbeaten on 41, and Scott Boland, not out on 10, added 55 runs for the final wicket. This further frustrated India’s efforts.
Bumrah almost had Lyon caught in the slips in the final over of the day when he was on 35. However, the delivery was ruled a no-ball.
Highest chases at the MCG
The highest successful run-chase in a Test match since 2000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is Australia’s 231/2 in 2013/2014 against England.
However the biggest successful chase at the MCG belongs to England who chased down 332 runs against Australia all the way back in 1928.
With Australia already leading by 333 runs, India would need to shatter that record if they are to take a 2-1 lead in the series.
For the record, India’s biggest successful chase at the MCG came in 2020 when they chased down a modest 70-run total.
Highest successful chases at the MCG
332/7 – England vs Australia in 1928
298/4 – England vs Australia in 1895
297/4 – South Africa vs Australia in 1953
287/5 – Australia vs England in 1929
282/9 – England vs Australia in 1908
260/9 – Australia vs West Indies in 1951
258/8 – Australia vs West Indies in 1961
237/3 – England vs Australia in 1962
231/2 – Australia vs England in 2013
219/2 – England vs Australia in 1911
