NEW DELHI: A gritty partnership of over 50 runs for the final wicket between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland left India exasperated as Australia extended their lead to over 300 runs on day four of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In a day packed with enthralling Test cricket, India bowlers had removed Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins during the final session, raising hopes of starting their chase before stumps.
However, Lyon and Boland stood firm, frustrating the Indian bowlers with a resilient stand at the iconic MCG. Their partnership not only defied India but also turned the tide of the match.
This marked just the second instance in Test history where a 10th-wicket pair batted for over 50 balls in both innings.
The first instance occurred in 1961, when Pakistan’s Afaq Hussain and Haseeb Ahsan faced England in Lahore, lasting 9.2 overs in the first innings and 18.1 overs in the second.
Lyon and Boland batted for 8.3 overs in the first innings and a pivotal 17.4 overs in the second.
Drama unfolded late in the day when Lyon was caught in the slip cordon by Jasprit Bumrah during the last over. However, replays confirmed it was a no-ball, keeping the partnership intact.
- 10th wicket pairs surviving 50+ balls in partnerships in each innings
- Afaq Hussain and Haseeb Ahsan vs Eng Lahore 1961 (9.2 & 18.1 overs)
- Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland vs Ind Melbourne 2024 (8.3 & 17.4 overs)
Earlier, India seemed on the verge of wrapping up the innings when Ravindra Jadeja bowled a superb delivery, pitching on off stump and turning away to edge Pat Cummins’s bat, dismissing him for a determined 41 off 90 balls. But with the bowlers tiring and the ball softening, Lyon and Boland capitalized on the opportunity to mount a defiant stand.
India’s desperation showed as Siraj dropped a caught-and-bowled chance off Lyon and later lost their final review on an unsuccessful lbw appeal. Boland’s cut off Siraj brought up Australia’s 300, while Lyon showcased an array of strokes, including sweeps, lofted shots, and edges that kept the scoreboard ticking.
In the day’s final moments, KL Rahul’s tumbling leg-assisted catch off Lyon was overturned due to Bumrah overstepping. Lyon then edged the last ball for a boundary, bringing up the 50-run partnership and closing out a remarkable day of Test cricket on a high for Australia.
