WTC Final: Carey’s 41 not out sees Australia increase their lead to 374 despite strikes from Jadeja, Umesh

London: Wicket-keeper-batter Alex Carey played a blinder of an innings to be 41 not out as Australia increased their lead to 374 on day four of the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against India at The Oval on Saturday.

At lunch, Australia are 201/6 in 70 overs, with Mitchell Starc keeping Carey company by being 11 not out. It was an absorbing session of Test cricket where Australia amassed 78 runs for the loss of two wickets, taken by Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav as India put up a fight with discipline in lines and lengths.

India had a bright start to the day as in the third over of the session, Umesh had Marnus Labuschagne caught at first slip. Umesh got the delivery to come in and swung away late to take the outside edge on Labuschagne’s defence to first slip, with the batter adding nothing to his overnight score of 41.

Cameron Green and Carey continued to add more to Australia’s big lead, playing slowly while finding a couple of boundaries as the ball got older, with the drives off the pacers being the standout shots. Jadeja broke the 43-run partnership as he got the ball to spin in from over the wicket and bounce sharply, hitting Green’s gloves and lobbing to hit the stumps.

Carey kept the reverse sweep, which caused his downfall in the first innings, completely away when facing Jadeja and went on to cut twice off Mohammed Siraj through the off-side to take Australia’s lead to 350.

Starc took a four off Jadeja through a late cut to swell the lead, followed by Carey driving a half-volley from the left-arm spinner for another boundary. The duo rotated the strike to perfection on a weary pitch as Australia took their lead to 374 till lunch arrived.

Brief scores:

Australia 469 and 201/6 in 70 overs (Alex Carey 41 not out, Marnus Labuschagne 41; Ravindra Jadeja 3-45, Umesh Yadav 2-32) lead India 296 by 374 runs

–IANS