Australia Cricket Team skipper Tim Paine credited his bowlers as the hosts crushed Team India to go 1-0 up in the four-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Joe Burns scored an unbeaten half-century as the Aussies easily cruised through the 90-run target set by India in the second essay at the Adelaide Oval.
With a lead of over 60, there were plans of taking it away from Australia who had to bat last coming into day 3 of the pink-ball contest. But then came Pat Cummins, and then came Josh Hazlewood, and there went those plans down the drain. It was of controlled seam bowling from the duo finding the nicks almost every other delivery to skittle the visitors for 36.
All credit goes to the bowlers – Tim Paine
It was India’s lowest ever Test score for India and for the first time none of their batsmen got into double figures. Cummins returned with four wickets but Josh Hazlewood who was completely unplayable on day 3. He returned with figures of five for eight from five overs and his tally included Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Hanuma Vihari, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
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He picked his eighth five-wicket haul and also joined the 200th Test wicket club to become only the eighth Aussie fast bowler to achieve the feat. Australia skipper Tim Paine was in all praise for his bowlers as Australia kept their good run in day-night Tests intact.
“No, not really. Said in the media both these attacks have the ability to take quick wickets. Didn’t expect it to come that quick. Was expecting a real dogfight. To hang in, give our bowlers a chance, and then turn up and start the day the way we did. Full credit to our bowling attack again. Nice to get off to a good start,” Tim Paine said.
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Furthermore, Tim Paine showered praise on opener Joe Burns, who looked unsettled coming into this game. He struggled in the warm-up matches and a couple of injuries forced the management to go with the right-hander. After struggling in the first innings, Burns fought back in the second essay with a match-winning fifty which will give him confidence ahead of the next tie.
“Burns is a really important part of our team. All cricketers know how hard it is to come out of a rut like that,” Paine added.