BATTING heroes Shaun Marsh and Matt Renshaw combined to produce one of the most resilient performances Australia has ever mustered on the sub-continent, but on a minefield pitch in Bangalore, India aren’t quite dead yet.
In the face of exploding tensions led by a vengeful Virat Kohli and a hurricane of pressure from the bowlers, the much-maligned Marsh (66 off 197) and rookie Renshaw (60 off 196) have conceivably given Australia a remarkable shot of pushing for the Border Gavaskar trophy on Monday, inside just six days of cricket with a lead already at 48 runs ahead.
One of Australia’s best ever in India, Dean Jones tweeted that this advantage could see India cooked.
However, so alarmingly perilous is this wicket, staying low and turning a mile, Australia will still be very wary and Steve Smith’s side simply cannot afford to be chasing anything of substance for victory in the fourth innings.
This though, was a landmark day for an Australian batting unit that has responded powerfully from the collapses that have crippled them in the past and history is beckoning.
The period after tea on day two may be looked back upon as the defining moment of the series, as Marsh and another much scrutinised figure Matthew Wade stood up to manufacture a critical 57-run partnership just when Australia were on the ropes at 5-163 and still no certainties of a first-innings lead.
ROBERT CRADDOCK: Australia would be lost without Renshaw
By stumps Australia were in control at 6-237 with Wade still at the crease, but when Marsh departed meekly in the final half hour it put plenty of responsibility on Mitchell Starc’s slogging ability to put the result beyond doubt when play resumes on Monday.
Australian opener Matt Renshaw scored an invaluable 60 in Australia’s first innings.Source:AFP
Only 197 runs were scored on day two, yet it was Test cricket at its most thrilling.
Kohli and India led a constant verbal attack on Smith and Renshaw, which the Australians refused to back down from.
Renshaw was at one stage involved in a physical clash with Ravi Ashwin, but simply smiled and batted on with the composure of a seasoned veteran.
“That’s what it’s all about in this Test is just trying to grind it out and try and beat the opposition at the long game,” said Renshaw.
“It was really challenging to score off both the quicks and the spinners and it was just a grind. We just needed to bat the whole day and we managed to do that.
“We know that fourth innings is going to be quite hard out there so hopefully we get a substantial lead and the bowlers can do a really good job for us like they did in the first innings.
“I think Pune we knew was going to spin. This one we don’t really know which ones are going to spin. That’s probably the hardest challenge.”
Marsh had his fair share of luck in a brilliant knock, but like Smith in the first Test, he made it count.
Justifying the faith of selectors in him as a sub-continental specialist, Marsh stayed calm even when Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and brother Mitchell disappeared around him before tea.
Ashwin’s insane juggling act0:52
Cricket: Ravi Ashwin holds onto a crazy catch.
India fought hard and bowled like demons on one of the most intense days of Test cricket in recent memory, but let themselves down by making a complete mess of their DRS referrals.
Marsh would have been out caught behind on 14 after gloving it through to the keeper, but India didn’t review.
They then burnt through both their reviews shortly after the second new ball was taken, with ludicrous referrals for an lbw shout on Marsh which had clearly hit his bat, and another on Wade, embarrassing the judgement of captain Kohli.
Shaun Marsh steadied the Australian ship with a very handy 66.Source:AFP
Marsh also escaped twice on 44, once thanks to a referral of his own that saved him from falling lbw by the barest of margins, and then again when Ishant Sharma committed the crime of a front-foot no ball when he was again trapped plumb in front.
Spot fires broke out constantly during the most intense first hour inmemory, but the main flash point occurred when Renshaw and Indian destroyer Ashwin collided.
Attempting to field a ball, Ashwin crashed into Renshaw standing his ground at the non-striker’s end, shoving the batsman before blowing up in a rage at umpire Nigel Llong.
But the 20-year-old from Queensland just smiled and soaked up the verbal barrage was to follow in the hours to come.
Renshaw at one point went 86 balls without a boundary, facing 196 deliveries for his 60.
At one stage Australia were scoring at just 1.9 runs an over – their lowest in a first innings since the late 1990s and it was shaping as one of the lowest scoring completed days of Test cricket in history.
Accused of being over aggressive on previous failed tours of the sub-continent, this was a patient and incredibly disciplined batting performance from an Australian top order unshaken by scoring just 47 runs in the first session.
Matthew Wade is 25 not out and Mitchell Starc 14 not out.
Originally published as Renshaw, Marsh heroic for Aussies
Sport | news.com.au — Australia’s #1 news site
