Melbourne [Australia], December 29 (ANI): Australian pacer Mitchell Starc said that he is not bothered by his fitness concerns and is ready to bowl 20 overs of pace in his low 140 kmph speed if team wants him to on the final day of the fourth Test at Melbourne.
After day three of the ongoing Boxing Day Test, pacer Scott Boland had revealed that Starc had suffered a niggle while bowling. Starc delivered 25 wicketless overs, conceeding 86 runs at an economy rate of 3.40.
Speaking to ABC Sport after the match, Starc said, “We have got 98 overs tomorrow of cricket. We will see how that plays out. I am all good for second inning. It (his niggle) is not something that is bothering me. My pace is still up. I still bowl a spell after it.”
“I am still in the low 140s, so I am not concerned. If I need to bowl 20 tomorrow, I will bowl 20,” he added.
Coming to the match, Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. Half-centuries from Konstas (60 in 65 balls, with six fours and two sixes), Usman Khawaja (57 in 121 balls, with six fours), Marnus Labuschagne (72 in 145 balls, with seven fours) and 34th Test ton from Steve Smith (140 in 197 balls, with 13 fours and three sixes) took Australia to 474/10 in their first innings.
Bumrah (4/99) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/78) were the lead pacer and spinner for the team, while Akash Deep got two wickets and Washington Sundar got one scalp.
India lost two quick wickets and was reduced to 51/2, but a century stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (82 in 118 balls, with 11 fours and a six) and Virat Kohli (36 in 86 balls, with four boundaries) stabilised the innings. However, Jaiswal’s run-out and Virat’s outside off-stump woes made India end day two on 164/5.
Then it was a 127-run stand between Washington Sundar (50 in 162 balls, with one four) and Nitish (114 in 189 balls, with 11 fours and a six) helped India reach 369. Scott Boland (3/57), skipper Pat Cummins (3/89) and Nathan Lyon (3/96) were the top bowlers for Aussies.
In their second innings, Australia was reduced to 91/6, but Labuschagne (70 in 139 balls, with three fours) and skipper Pat Cummins (41 in 90 balls, with four boundaries) took Australia to 228/9. (ANI)
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