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28 March 2024

Australia vs India 2nd Test: Magic Johnson inspires Aussies to four-wicket win

Australia's unbeaten batsmen Mitchell Johnson (left) and Mitchell Marsh celebrates the team's victory in the second cricket Test match at Gabba in Brisbane on December 20, 2014. (AFP)

Published
By Cricket Correspondent and Agencies

Mitchell Johnson inspired Australia to a four-wicket win over India to take a 2-0 series-lead on the fourth day of the second Gabba Test on Saturday.

The ICC Cricketer of the Year condemned India to defeat with a hostile spell of three for 10 in the space of 11 balls, ripping the heart out of the tourists' top order in the morning session.

Johnson snared four wickets for 61 off 17.3 overs as Australia dismissed India for 224 and were left needing 128 runs for victory.

The hosts made getting the job done difficult despite veteran opener Chris Rogers' second half-century of the match.

At the close, Australia were 130 for six with Mitchell Marsh hitting the winning runs and finishing six not out with Johnson on two.

The victory continued Australia's formidable record at 'fortress' Gabba where they have not lost a Test since 1988.

Chase

Australia made a meal of it but successfully chased down 128 for a four-wicket victory and an unassailable 2-0 series lead after dismissing India for 224 on the fourth day of the second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday.

Mitchell Marsh hit the winning runs after Indian paceman Ishant Sharma had given the hosts cause for some nerves by removing David Warner and Shane Watson cheaply and bringing an end to a solid innings of 55 from opener Chris Rogers.

The nerves deepened when Shaun Marsh was caught behind off Umesh Yadav with Australia 14 runs from their target before Steve Smith was run out for 28 and vice captain Brad Haddin caught in the deep with victory in sight.
 
Injured all rounder Mitchell Marsh (six not out) ushered Australia over the line with a cover drive for four and Mitchell Johnson finished with an unbeaten two.

"It's nice to get home there in the end," stand-in captain Smith, who was named Man of the Match after scoring a century in his first innings, said in a pitchside interview.

"Unfortunately I wasn't there at the end to do it, but Chris Rogers came out and played positively and got the runs to get us over the line."

The day had started with the match still in the balance but a magical spell of fast bowling from Johnson (4-61) in the first 20 minutes of play triggered an Indian collapse and the tourists lost their last nine wickets for 153 runs.

India had resumed on 71-1 without opener Dhawan, who was injured warming up in the nets, looking to rub the last 26 runs off their first innings deficit and build another imposing tally to match their first innings 408.

Johnson, though, reprised the onslaught that drove his country to victory in the opening Ashes test at the same ground last year, taking three for 10 in 11 balls in the first 20 minutes.

"My job in this team is to get out there and get wickets and be aggressive," Johnson said.

"It's just nice to feel some rhythm and contribute to the team."

Backing up the pugnacious innings of 88 that brought Australia back into the match on Friday, Johnson summoned up pace and venom to remove Virat Kohli (1), Ajinkya Rahane (10) and Rohit Sharma (0).

Debutant paceman Josh Hazlewood, who took five for 68 in the first innings, then pitched in by trapping India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in front for a duck with the second ball of the following over to leave the tourists reeling.

India had crept passed Australia's first innings tally of 505 when Ravi Ashwin was dismissed for 19 and Dhawan's trip to hospital for X-rays on his injured right wrist was hurriedly cancelled so he could rejoin Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle.

Pujara had brought the only solidity to the innings but he too departed just before lunch for 43, giving Hazlewood his second victim of the day and sending India into lunch clinging on at 157-7.

Dhawan and Umesh Yadav, however, put on 60 for the eighth wicket to give India some hope but when the opener finally departed for 81, Australia soon mopped up the tail.

Australia won the first Test in Adelaide by 48 runs last weekend to take a lead in the series, which was rescheduled after the death of Phillip Hughes and concludes with matches in Melbourne and Sydney.

Australia 2nd innings

Australia took an unassailable 2-0 lead over India in the four-Test series after they won the second Test at Brisbane by four wickets on Saturday.

Mitchell Johnson rattled the Indians in the morning session to finish with four wickets.

He was well supported by Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon who all bagged two wickets each as India were bundled out for 224 in the second innings leaving the hosts to get 128 for victory which they did but not after some initial jitters when Ishant Sharma took the top three wickets and a middle order collapse.

But in the end the Indian didn't have enough on the board to defend the total.

India are making a match of it but they lack enough runs to defend.

Brad Haddin c Kohli b Yadav 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

Steve Smith run out 28 (39b 4x4 0x6) SR: 71.79                                 

Yadav strikes but Aussies need only 13 to win.

Shaun Marsh c Dhoni b Yadav 17 (17b 3x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Ishant bags his third wicket getting Rogers to top edge to slip cordon. But is it a case of too little too late as Aussies need just 42 to win.

Chris Rogers c Dhawan b I Sharma 55 (57b 10x4 0x6) SR: 96.49

Rogers pulls Aaron for four and that's his 50.

Rogers and Smith bring up 50-run partnership.

DROPPED! Kohli drops Smith.

Aussies are cruising towards victory.

Aus 42/2, need another 86 runs to win.

Rogers spanks Yadav for two boundaries immediately after tea. Aus 40/2 chasing 128 to win.

Tea

Ishant Sharma has given India an outside chance of victory by getting rid of David Warner and Shane Watson as Australia are 25 for 2 chasing 128 for victory at tea break.

Watson falls prey for the umpteenth time to Ishant Sharma. India are in with an outside chance as Aus are 22/2 chasing 128 to win.

Shane Watson c Dhoni b I Sharma 0 (8b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

A peach of a delivery from Ishant sees a struggling Warner edging it to Dhoni. Aus 18/1 chasing 128 for victory.

David Warner c Dhoni b I Sharma 6 (12b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

Aus 17/0 after 4 overs chasing 128 to win.

Rogers whacks Ishant for back-to-back boundaries. Aus 10/0 after 3 overs, chasing 128 to win.

Warner gets a nasty delivery on his left thumb from Yadav and calls for the physio.

India innings

Mitchell Johnson put Australia on the road to victory with four wickets, while Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon bagged two wickets each to bowl India out for 224 in their second innings in Brisbane leaving the hosts to score 128 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series.

Umesh Yadav c Haddin b Johnson 30 (42b 2x4 2x6) SR: 71.42

Yadav takes the fight to the rival camp blasting Lyon for two mighty sixes to prop the Indian total to 223/9 for a lead of 126.

Aaron gives Lyon the charge but top edges to Hazlewood. Ind 211/9, lead by 114 runs.

Varun Aaron c Hazlewood b Lyon 3 (9b 0x4 0x6) SR: 33.33

India 210/8, lead by 113 runs after 61 overs.

Australia finally break the 60-run partnership between Dhawan and Yadav when Lyon traps the left hander trying to play a cheeky shot over the keeper's head. Ind 203/8, lead by 106 runs.

Shikhar Dhawan lbw b Lyon 81 (145b 8x4 0x6) SR: 55.86

Yadav slashes his bat at Josh and gets four. India slowly increasing their lead to 106 runs.

Dhawan and Yadav put on 50 runs for the eighth wicket. Ind 197/7, lead by 100 runs.

India 189/7, lead by 92 runs after 55 overs.

Dhawan pulls Josh over mid on to move to 70. Ind 183/7, lead by 86 runs.

Ind 172/7, lead by 75 runs after 50 overs.

Dhawan seems to be taking on the challenge spanking Johnson for runs to get to his half century. Ind 169/7, lead by 72 runs.

Dhawan looks positive after lunch getting 7 runs off Watson. Ind 164/7, lead by 67 runs.

Lunch

Mitchell Johnson sent India hurtling towards defeat with a three-wicket burst in the morning session as the hosts had the visitors on 157 for 7, a lead of only 60 runs for India at lunch on day four of the second Test in Brisbane on Saturday.

Johnson was at his fiery best taking the wickets of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma and with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni falling to Josh Hazlewood it was curtains for the visitors as four wickets fell for 16 runs.

Ravichandran Ashwin and Cheteshwar Pujara put up 30 runs for the sixth wicket to give India a glimmer of hope but it was only temporarily as Starc removed the off spinner.

Shikhar Dhawan, who didn't come out to open in the morning after suffering a hit on the wrist during nets, finally made his way into the middle and with Pujara ensured India kept the game alive. But that too didn't last as Pujara was sent packing by a superb delivery from Josh Hazlewood who too had a hand in India staring at defeat after he picked up Dhoni earlier in the day.

Umesh Yadav gets some quick runs as India are 157 for 7 with a lead of 60 runs at lunch.

Josh hits the deck and Pujara is caught unawares, pushes at it and the ball pops up to Lyon. Ind 143/7, lead by 46 runs.

Cheteshwar Pujara c Lyon b Hazlewood 43 (93b 7x4 0x6) SR: 46.23

Pujara and Dhawan try to take India slowly but steadly out of trouble with a 25-run partnership so far. Ind 142/6, lead by 45 runs.

Ind 139/6, lead by 42 runs after 43 overs.

Lyon replaces Watson and concedes just a single. Ind 124/6, lead by 27 runs after 40 overs.

Dhawan comes out to bat after suffering an injury on the wrist during nets in the morning. Ind 117/6, lead by 20 runs.

Ashwin plays an inside-edge defensive shot against Starc and Haddin takes a simple catch. Ind 117/6, lead by 20 runs.

Ravichandran Ashwin c Haddin b Starc 19 (28b 2x4 0x6) SR: 67.85 

Ind 115/5, lead by 18 runs after 36 overs.

Pujara takes a cue from Ashwin and plays a fluent drive off Starc through point for four. Ind 110/5 in 35 overs, lead by 13 runs.

Glorious cover drive from Ashwin against Hazlewood. Ind 106/5, lead by 9 runs. 

Starc replaces Johnson. Ind 97/5, scores level.

Dhoni seems a little unlucky here as he steps out and across to play Hazlewood down the leg side but is rapped on the pads. Umpire Erasmus' finger goes up without hesitation. Ind 94/5, trail by3 runs.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni lbw b Hazlewood 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00 

Johnson is too fast for Rohit Sharma's lazy-looking attempt at his back of a length ball outside off stump and and edges to Haddin. Ind 86/4 in 29 overs, still trailing by 11 runs.

Rohit Sharma c Haddin b Johnson 0 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

Johnson's at his best here. A good length ball which shoots up catches Rahane hopping on his toes and trying to fend it getting an edge to Lyon in the slips.

Ajinkya Rahane c Lyon b Johnson 10 (8b 2x4 0x6) SR: 125.00 

Ind 82/2 in 28 overs, trail by 15 runs.

Kohli, coming in for the injured Dhawan, never looked at ease and played a half-hearted shot which resulted in him dragging the ball onto his stumps. Ind 76/2.

Virat Kohli b Johnson 1 (11b 0x4 0x6) SR: 9.09

A snorter of a delivery from Johnson and Pujara barely manages to fend it off, the ball brushing his glove and going for four bringing up his 2,000 runs in Tests. Ind75/1 in 25 overs.

Virat Kohli has come out to bat along with Pujara as news comes in that Dhawan was struck on the arm while batting at the nets this morning. Watson begins with a maiden.

India begin their second innings on Day 4 of the second Test trailing Australia by 26 runs with nine wickets in the bag after first innings centurion Murali Vijay was out for 27.

But Shikhar Dhawan (26) and Cheteshwar Pujara (15) have added 30 runs since and will look to buid on that partnership and take India to a good total. 

Third day recap

Earlier, Skipper Steve Smith scored a controlled 133, Mitchell Johnson a game-changing 88 and Australia's tail wagged vigorously as the hosts barged their way back into the second Test against India on day three in Brisbane on Friday.

Australia took a first innings lead of 97 after being dismissed for 505 to bring up tea and India had shaved 71 runs off the deficit by the close of play for the loss of one second innings wicket.

Murali Vijay, who contributed 144 to India's first innings tally of 408, departed for 27, leaving Shikhar Dhawan (26 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara, who had made 15, to resume on Saturday, 26 runs behind.