Key events
Match report? Fancy a match report? I can testify in court that Simon Burnton was at The Oval yesterday writing down everything. I saw him with my own eyes.
Preamble
Geoff Lemon
Day four? Day four! A stonker in London, it’s tipped to reach a mighty high of 29C, so get ready to see locals frying eggs on the bonnets of their cars. The World Test Champs final heated up yesterday – India are still well behind in the match thanks to the first two days, but they did compete fiercely on day three, first with Rahane and Thakur smashing enough runs to bring Australia distantly into view, then taking four top-order wickets.
India scored 296 and now trail by 296, which is neat.
So they would need to dismiss Australia for less than another 100 runs to have a prayer in the match, but it would be a small one. Chasing 400 doesn’t happen more than once in a blue moon, and this pitch has offered assistance, especially to fast bowling throughout, as Marnus Labuschagne learned during his bombardment yesterday that saw him smashed on the gloves multiple times. Siraj especially has got some heat out of the surface.
Australia will resume on 123-4, which is also neat.
