Konstas’s joyous, impudent 65-ball 60, a debut innings like no other, gave Australia a grip on the game that they may not relinquish.India loosened it slightly during the last session, when they reduced Australia from 237 for 2 to 299 for 6, but overall it was Australia’s day.And it was undeniably Sam Konstas’s day.86th over: Australia 311-6 (Smith 68, Cummins 6) A swinging yorker from Bumrah is played well by Cummins, who clips it into the leg side for a couple.Those are the last runs of a terrific day’s play, one that will be forever associated with the audacious brilliance of Sam Konstas.

85th over: Australia 308-6 (Smith 68, Cummins 6) Cummins edges Deep wide of third slip for four.He was worried for a split-second and and snapped his head round to follow the ball, but it bounced well short.Deep gets a move on to ensure there will be time for one more over.84th over: Australia 303-6 (Smith 68, Cummins 1) Bumrah swings one back into Cummins and goes up for LBW.Too high, maybe leg side as well.

Cummins takes a couple of leg-byes later in the over before pushing a single to get off the mark.That should be Bumrah’s last over of the day; if so he’ll end with slightly unusual figures of 20-7-72-3.83rd over: Australia 300-6 (Smith 68, Cummins 0) A leg-bye brings up Australia’s 300.They’re still ahead in the game but India have done well to peg them back from 237 for 2.Deep ends an excellent over with a good delivery that Smith edges onto his inner thigh.

He felt that.Good lord, that’s unplayable! Akash Deep, given the new ball ahead of Siraj, starts with a monstrous seaming lifter that Carey tickles through to Pant.It’s Deep’s first wicket of the innings, deserved reward for some terrific bowling.He’s arguably been India’s best bowler today, even though Bumrah has three-for.82nd over: Australia 299-5 (Smith 68, Carey 31) Bumrah is taking the second new ball now.

Two late wickets would make this a pretty good day for India,Carey takes his innings in his hands by running down the track to chip over the leg side,The ball teases mid-on before dropping safely for a couple of runs,A square drive for two more brings up a busy fifty partnership from 76 balls,81st over: Australia 292-5 (Smith 68, Carey 24) No he’s not; Reddy is going to continue with the old ball.

I’m not sure what happened there because Bumrah looked ready to go,There are suggestions it might be because of the light but then Reddy is a seam bowler and I don’t think the umpires can distinguish between fast-medium and medium,Anyway, Reddy bowls another uneventful over that yields just a single for Carey,“A much earlier OBO post enthused about how young Konstas’ knock would be a thrill for the massive Greek community here, especially in my old hometown of Melbourne,” writes Gervase Greene,“It reminded me how remarkable it is that such a huge diaspora here, ridiculously abundant with gifted football and soccer stars, has somehow missed the top cricket tier.

For example, even the brilliantly intimidating Marcus Stoinis, I’m fairly sure, has never played an actual Test match.Go figure.”While I’m all for diversity and brilliantly intimidating cricketers, Stoinis isn’t a Test player, is he?80th over: Australia 291-5 (Smith 68, Carey 23) A maiden from Washington ends act one of this Test match.The second new ball is available and Jasprit Bumrah, back on the field, is going to take it.79th over: Australia 291-5 (Smith 68, Carey 23) We won’t get the full 90 overs in today, probably more like 84 or 85.

Jasprit Bumrah is still off the field but you’d imagine Deep and Siraj will take the new ball in his absence.Reddy has an LBW shout against Carey turned down.It was a nice delivery that jagged back off the seam but Carey got a thick inside edge onto the pad.78th over: Australia 288-5 (Smith 66, Carey 22) Smith has slowed down slightly since pulling Siraj for six, though it’s unlikely to affect his concentration.It feels like he’s taking a bit of downtime ahead of the second new ball, which will be available in two overs’ time.

77th over: Australia 286-5 (Smith 65, Carey 21) Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has bowled only two overs today, almost strikes with the first ball of a new spell when Smith plays a lazy shot that bounces just over the stumps.That was really close.76th over: Australia 282-5 (Smith 63, Carey 19) Washington has been tidy without really threatening.The wicket of Labuschagne came from an unforced error.But he is at least holding up an end to get India through to the second new ball.

“I’m going to claim providing Geoff with that Mr Smith Goes to Washington line a few years ago,” writes Ray Murphy.“He even replied at the time giving an ‘elephant stamp’ for creativity.”Bumrah had some treatment during the drinks break and is now leaving the field.He’s walking freely but that’s a concern for India; it looks like a calf problem.Might just be cramp.

75th over: Australia 279-5 (Smith 62, Carey 18) Carey sniffs at a good delivery from Siraj and is beaten.A misfield from Bumrah at long on – not his first of the day – turns one run into two, and there’s another misfield in the covers off the next delivery.Oh dear.Time for drinks.74th over: Australia 276-5 (Smith 62, Carey 15) Carey jumps all over Washington Sundar, slog-sweeping handsomely over wide mid-on for six more.

He has quietly had a terrific year with the bat, averaging just shy of 40.“Packing up the house for a move to the UK,” writes Don.“Not a single box was filled during Konstas’s fab knock.Since then we’ve done ten.I wonder how the cloning boffins at CA are going? A couple of Heads, a couple of Konstases and a handful of Cumminses should just about do it! That’s an Ashes series I’d like to watch.

”Especially if England had a load of Brooks, Roots and Woods.73rd over: Australia 269-5 (Smith 62, Carey 8) Siraj replaces Bumrah, who took care of business in a short spell of 3-0-14-2.He’ll be back with the second new ball you’d imagine.Smith punches a nice drive for three; the loss of those three wickets has not changed his batting one iota.To prove the point, he pulls the last ball of the over mightily over square leg for six.

This is the best I’ve seen him bat in a long time.A couple of you have mentioned the Mr Smith/Washington line a few overs ago.I can’t take credit for that; Geoff (I think) referenced it during the 2020-21 series and it’s been burned in the memory ever since.Steal from the best and all that.72nd over: Australia 258-5 (Smith 53, Carey 6) “Packing up the house for a move to the UK,” writes Don.

“Not a single box was filled during Konstas’s fab knock.Since then we’ve done ten.I wonder how the cloning boffins at CA are going? A couple of Heads, a couple of Konstases and a handful of Cumminses should just about do it! That’s an Ashes series I’d like to watch.”That brief innings from Mitch Marsh continued a run of form that is becoming a concern.These are his scores in Tests this year: 54, 5, 21, 10, 40, 0, 0, 80, 6, 47, 9, 5, 2, 4.

71st over: Australia 254-5 (Smith 50, Carey 5) Bumrah is slightly too straight to the new batter Carey, who is able to work him behind square for a couple of singles,Smith pushes another into the off side to reach a serene, authoritative half-century from 71 balls,He’s looked terrific,A poor over by Bumrah’s standards ends with a wide delivery that Carey cuts for two,70th over: Australia 248-5 (Smith 48, Carey 1) Carey pushes Washington for a single to get off the mark.

I’m surprised Rohit hasn’t gone in for the kill and brought Siraj back at this end,I know the second new ball is due after 80 overs but if necessary you could leave it until the morning; this is the time to strike,69th over: Australia 246-5 (Smith 47, Carey 0) Since drinks Australia have lose three for 12 in four overs,Smith is squared up by Bumrah and gets a leading edge into the off side for a single,Again, India won’t mind that as it gives Bumrah the chance of five deliveries at Marsh.

That’s all he needs.Marsh drives nicely for four, is hit on the glove by a nasty lifter and then top-edges a lusty pull through to Rishabh Pant.He’s usually so good on the pull but that zipped off the pitch and was on him too quickly.I’m not sure it was short enough for the shot either.68th over: Australia 241-4 (Smith 46, Marsh 0) Smith carries on as if nothing has changed, rolling his wrists to collect a single off Washington’s first ball.

Marsh defends the rest of the over.67th over: Australia 240-4 (Smith 45, Marsh 0) Even on a day when he’s been nowhere near his best, Bumrah has taken 2 for 53 and is on the prowl for more.Bumrah returns in the hope of getting Travis Head early.Smith drives his first ball for three, the third run coming after a misfield from Siraj.I wonder if that was deliberate to get Head on strike.

If it was, Siraj is a twisted genius because Head has gone for a duck! He shouldered arms to an immaculate delivery from round the wicket that came back just enough to trim the off bail.Now then.66th over: Australia 237-3 (Smith 42, Head 0) The new batter is India’s Kryptonite.But if they can get him early they’ll be back in the contest.The drinks break has done for Marnus Labuschagne.

He charged the first ball of the next over and swished a drive towards mid-off, where Kohli leapt to take a good catch.Labuschagne leaves the field in a manner that almost redefines the phrase “trudging off”; he can’t believe he’s given his wicket away like that.65th over: Australia 237-2 (Labuschagne 72, Smith 42) Yikes.Out of nothing, Deep gets one to spit from a length and beat Labuschagne.It straightened a touch as well, which might actually have saved Labuschagne.

This has been an impressive old-ball spell from Deep, one that deserves better than figures of 6-1-26-0.64th over: Australia 233-2 (Labuschagne 69, Smith 41) Mr Smith goes after Washington, charging down the pitch to blast a straight drive for four.This is looking very ominous for India, not just in this game but also ahead of the Sydney Test.Khawaja, Labuschagne and Smith are all in a far better place than they were at the start of the series.63rd over: Australia 226-2 (Labuschagne 67, Smith 36) Labuschagne and Smith are the most prolific third-wicket partnership in Australian Test history, with around 2350 runs at an average of 60.

It’s been a while since their last century stand, though, which was at Lord’s in 2023.They may rectify that in the next hour.Smith mistimes a pull over midwicket for three to take the partnership to 72.“Is there any shade on the ground?” says Adam Humphries.“If there is, I’d be parking Bumrah in it and bringing him on late in the day.

Seems to be the Aussies’ day, but the visitors might get a bit lucky as the finish of play approaches with a rested strike bowler.”It must be so difficult to resist the temptation to bowl him, especially when you’re in as much trouble as India are here.I agree, though; I’d be inclined to let him rest until either the second new ball is available or Travis Head arrives at the crease.62nd over: Australia 223-2 (Labuschagne 67, Smith 33) Washington appeals unsuccessfully for LBW when Labuschagne misses a reverse sweep.Scratch that, replays show he gloved it