- Updates from the fourth day of play at the MCG
- Geoff Lemon on Australia’s supposed summer of improvement
- Any thoughts? Email or tweet @GeoffLemonSport
12.35am GMT
84th over: Australia 157-7 (Green 33, Starc 1) Now then, Starc against spinners. Always an interesting thing. He does hold the record for the most sixes in a Test innings at the MCG, when he cleared the fence seven times against Pakistan in that remarkable Test of 2016, setting up a run chase and then bowling them out. His finest all-round performance. So the long boundaries don’t worry him, given he hits most of his sixes over midwicket, which is a very long strike. But he starts differently today, defending out a maiden against Ashwin.
“If the Australians are finding it hard to increase their scoring rate against the Indians, I think there might be a player who could help. Has a Test century against India, can bowl some handy off spin, and is in pretty decent nick in the BBL…”
12.32am GMT
83rd over: Australia 157-7 (Green 33, Starc 1) Mitchell Starc to the crease then, with Australia leading by 25. He could probably make that 75 in quick time, but he’s less likely to stick around and make it 150. Which would probably make for a very interesting chase, later on the fourth day with the pitch likely to get less consistent. Bumrah comes around the wicket immediately and goes short at him, and it costs India a single as Starc flinches the ball around to fine leg.