The first day of the second Test between Australia and India had it all in the most Aussie way possible, with the power going down in the sweltering heat and a beer snake stopping play. Day one in Adelaide was a successful one for the Aussies, with the side rallying from a horror defeat to India in game one, to be in full control of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar series.
Thanks to some Mitchell Starc heroics with the pink ball, India was bowled out for 180 and Australia’s under-fire batters largely survived under the most testing conditions – the swinging pink ball at night. But even still the day will be largely remembered for two of its interruptions.
About an hour before the end of play, the Adelaide Oval lights suddenly went out in bizarre scenes. “They’ve run out of electricity in Adelaide; it was pretty hot today,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket. Mark Howard added: “I don’t know if those around South Australia need to turn the air conditioners off or stop running the kettle – but hopefully we’re okay from here on in”.
But South Australian minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Energy and Mining Tom Koutsantonis quickly shut down claims it had to do with too many people running their air conditioners. “I can confirm there was no lack of power supply or availability in South Australia. Whatever caused the light towers at Adelaide Oval to turn off was not related to a lack of power supply from the Grid,” Koutsantonis wrote on X.
However, while the lights going down were out of anyone’s control, one Aussie fan’s actions drew a mixed response. As Marnus Labuschagne dug in heroically as he tried desperately to play himself into some form, he was forced to abruptly pull away in the 25th over, much to the anger of Mohammad Siraj.
As the Indian quick ran into bowl to Labuschagne, who was surviving on 13 off 39, one spectator decided to make a dash behind the bowler’s arm in thongs and holding a giant beer snake. The Aussie batsman pulled away pointing at the punter. But Siraj, who was already frustrated by failing to have much of an impact, pelted the ball in Labuschagne’s direction in a poor act of sportsmanship.
And while everyone was in agreeance that Siraj was out of line, whether the fan’s actions were funny or downright disrespectful was something nobody could agree on. “There’s a chap running behind the sight screen with a fairly elaborate setup,” Mark Howard said as the man was shown on screen.
“He’s had a good day,” former England captain Michael Vaughan laughed, eventually estimating it was “450 plastic cups”. “He hasn’t realised that he’s entered stage right at exactly the wrong time. C’mon mate, it’s the cricket.” But Channel 7’s James Brayshaw wasn’t seeing the funny side: “Seriously how does that happen? How aren’t there security people stopping that?” Online people were split whether it was a funny moment or just poor from the fan while also slamming Siraj for his overreaction.
Totally uncalled for by Siraj.
— Rishabh Wadhwa (@Cric_Rishabh) December 6, 2024
Mohammed Siraj clearly wasn’t amused by that moment!
— Muhammad Asim (@Asiim_786) December 6, 2024
Not a good look for Siraj or Indian cricket
— Courtney Lee (Eli Noah’s Mum) 💉x 5 (@CeeEllEss_33) December 6, 2024
A rouge punter with a beer snake and no feel for cricket sparks tension in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
This is ‘Straya #AUSvIND
— 🎙️QUENTIN HULL (@QuentinHull) December 6, 2024
Pathetic behavior from Siraj! Ignoring clear movement behind the sight screen, as pointed out by Marnus and the umpire, he responded with abuse and angrily threw the ball at Marnus. Shameful disregard for the spirit of cricket! #AUSvIND
— Asif Khan (@_asif) December 6, 2024
Beer snake guy and the bowler are idiots.
— Jayantha Dissanayaka (@jdissanayaka) December 6, 2024
He should be lobbing the ball at the idiot with the beer snake
— Nathan Blood (@nattasswfc) December 6, 2024
Marnus Labuschagne puts in defiant knock on day one
Labuschagne looked riddled with nerves as he walked to the crease on day one and was shaky with the bat early on. But bizarrely following the beer snake interruption, the Aussie first drop looked to bat far more freely. Straight after the disruption, Labuschagne cut a ball beautifully behind point for four prompting Vaughan to say the beer snake man should make an appearance again tomorrow because “it’s the best shot he’s played all series”.
Amid a stretch of low returns – eight scores under 10 runs in his previous nine innings – Labuschagne’s spot was under serious threat as he walked out to bat in the second Test against India. But he will return on day two with renewed confidence after finishing day one a gritty 20 not out, helping Australia to 1-86 in reply to India’s 180 all out.
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Despite losing Usman Khawaja for 13, Labuschagne and Nathan McSweeney (38 not out) got through the tricky night session to put Australia in a dominant position on day two. “It was a good way to finish the day,” said Australian paceman Mitchell Starc, who took a career-best 6-48 in India’s innings.
“The last session is arguably the hardest time to bat … for Marnie and McSweeney to fight through that sustained pressure from a quality bowling attack and come out the other end with a chance then to go on tomorrow (Saturday), it was fantastic from them.”
with AAP
