Live: Australia vs India at the SCG
Readers split on the Kohli not out decision
Benefit of the doubt goes to the batsman
– Therese Gilfedder
I remember several of those last home ashes where if there was even a blade of grass touching the ball it wasn’t given. By the letter of the law you can’t give it. Also it’s not a DRS so no soft call applies
– LW
Smith’s catch was the 3rd out in the last 90 minutes of test cricket that Umpire J. Wilson has ruled against Australia and said not out. Unfortunately, this time he is the 3rd umpire.
– Steve
We have had many, many comments about the non-catch off Virat Kohli’s first ball.
Here are some of the views from our readers.
Lunch: India is 3-57
WICKET. GILL IS OUT ON THE FINAL BALL BEFORE LUNCH
Nathan Lyon strikes.
He bowls around the wicket and Gill charges. Gill tries to defend, but Lyon bowls the ball which goes straight on.
He catches the edge and Steve Smith takes the catch at first slip.
25th over – Lyon to bowl the final ball before lunch
Lyon will bowl to Virat Kohli for the final over.
The first three balls are dots, then a single.
Gill is on strike and fends.
24th over – Webster bowls another maiden
Webster bowls to Gill who punches to mid-on for no run.
Another ball from Webster outside off and goes through to the gloves of Carey.
Webster bowls on off stump and is defended by Gill.
Alex Carey is standing up to the wicket and Gill defends on the front foot.
Another front foot this time gets an inside edge onto the pad for no run.
Another front-foot defence ends the over.
23rd over – Nathan Lyon
Nathan Lyon is coming in for the customary over before the lunch break.
He is bowling around the wicket to Virat Kohli.
Lyon bowls six dot balls, all defended by Kohli.
22nd over – Webster bowls a maiden over
Webster bowls to Gill who defends a straight ball on the front foot.
Another full ball from Webster is driven by Gill to mid-on for no run.
BEATEN! Webster bowls outside off and Gill is beaten on the outside edge playing a defensive shot.
Webster bowls three more dots to bowl the first maiden over of his Test career.
21st over – Starc bowls to Gill
EDGE, FOUR. Gill throws his bat outside off and gets and edge of Starc. The ball flies over the slips and to the boundary rope.
Starc bowls again and Gill works a ball off his hip to mid-wicket for no run.
Starc bowls well wide of off stump and Gill is not tempted, leaving it alone.
A full and straight ball is defended by Gill on the front foot.
Starc bowls back of a length and Gill plays a cross-bat shot to mid-wicket for no run.
The final ball is played into mid-wicket, but this time India gets run.
20th over – Webster continues
Webster bowls to Gill and starts with a dot ball.
Gill gets a single off the second delivery.
Kohli is on strike to Beau Webster.
Webster bowls a tidy line and length, forcing Virat to either leave or defend. Four dot balls end the over.
Who has the benefit of the doubt?
“I’m not sure how the umpire can be certain any part of the ball hit the ground there.”
Shouldn’t the reverse apply:
I’m not sure how the umpire can be certain the ball didn’t hit the ground there.
What happened to benefit-of-the-doubt ?
– Tony
G’day Tony.
I think you make a great point.
But it is an interesting question. Does the batter get the benefit of the doubt, or should the fielder be given it?
With no soft signal made by the umpire anymore, I suppose the batter is given the benefit of the doubt.
19th over – Starc continues
Mitchell Starc is back into the attack and bowls his first ball to Virat Kohli.
The first ball is down the leg side and misses everything.
Kohli has 14 dots in a row.
Another ball down leg side goes for a dot. Make that 15 dots in a row for Kohli.
FOUR BYES. Starc bowls short and that ball sails well over Alex Carey’s head and to the boundary. The delivery was not that short, so that ball bounced HIGH.
Starc bowls across Kohli and the Indian batter leaves it.
Kolhi drives straight and it goes past Starc for two runs. That was a fuller ball from Starc and forced Kohli to play. Australia will be happy to give up a few runs if it forces Kohli to play shots outside his off stump.
NO-BALL. It was wide and left outside off stump. Kohli will have to face the final ball of the over — again.
The final ball is down leg side for no run.
18th over – Beau Webster bowls his first over in Test cricket
Here comes Beau Webster.
He has 148 wickets in his first-class career.
NO-BALL. His first ball was a nice line and length. But he overstepped.
Webster bowls just outside off. Gill drives to mid-off for no run.
A wider ball with a bit of way swing is hit by Gill to cover for no run.
Another full ball is driven again for no run by Gill.
Gill is on the front foot and defends.
APPEAL. Gill is struck on the pads from a full ball. Probably going down the leg side. Not out says the umpire.
The final ball of the over is fended for no run.
17th over – Cummins to Kohli
Cummins bowls back of a length to Kohli. Kohli punches to mid-wicket but cannot beat the field.
Australia’s captain comes in again and Kohli defends a ball outside off stump.
Cummins bowls a little wider and Kohli defends on the front foot to cover for no run.
A short ball from Cummins is ducked by Kohli.
A fuller ball from Cummins is punched to mid-on by Kohli for no run.
Another forward defence ends the over.
A maiden over for Pat Cummins.
16th over – Boland bowls another over
Boland bowls to Gill and it goes down the leg side. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey makes a diving grab to stop any byes.
Boland bowls again on the legs. It clips the pads and goes for four leg byes.
BEATEN! Great follow-up from Boland. He forced Gill to play at a ball outside off and beat the edge.
Boland to Gill who gets and inside edge onto his pad and goes to cover. Virat Kohli was half-way down the wicket looking for a run, but Gill screamed at him to go back.
The final ball is defended for no run.
15th over – Cummins continues
INSIDE EDGE. FOUR. Pat Cummins came so close to a wicket. He bowled full and got Gill driving. The inside edge flashed past the stumps and to the deep fine leg boundary.
The second and third ball of the over is outside off stump and left by Gill.
Cummins bowls wide and Gill leaves it.
Gill gets a ball on his pads and works it to the leg side for a single.
Kohli faces the final ball of the over and drives to the covers for no run.
14th over – Boland continues
Boland bowls to Kohli who defends the first ball of the over.
The second ball is outside off stump and left by Kohli.
Another ball outside off is left by Virat Kohli.
Boland bowls full and straight, and Kohli defends to mid-on for no run.
Kohli goes onto the front foot and defends to point for no run.
Another forward defence from Kohli for no run ends the over.
13th over – Cummins to bowl his fifth over
Pat Cummins will come in for his next over.
He bowls to Virat Kohli who leaves the opening ball of the over.
The second ball is on Kohli’s hip and the Indian great works it to short fine leg for a single.
Gill is on strike and Cummins bowls a dot ball.
Cummins bowls full, Gill drives and it is fielded by mid-off.
Gill defends on the front foot.
BEATEN. A terrific end to the over from Cummins. It was a litter shorter, moved away off the seam, and beat the edge of Gill’s bat.
Drinks: India are 2-32 after 12 over
12th over – Boland comes in again
Scott Boland continues and bowls on Gill’s pads, who works it to fine leg for a single.
Boland strikes Kohli’s pads as the Indian leaves it alone.
Another dot ball is followed by a nice flick off the pads and gets three runs.
Sam Konstas never gave up on that chase and stopped the boundary.
APPEAL. Australia got up after Gill is stuck on the pads. The umpire says not out and Australia reviews. Live it looked close, but Gill is a long way outside the crease. The ball pitch and hit in line, but was sailing over the stumps. Australia lose their first review.
The final ball of the over is left.
