‘Good luck Bazball’: Perfect reply to Ashes snub; Test bolter emerges — Talking Points

Australia has taken an unassailable 2-0 series lead over India after rising star Cooper Connolly guided the hosts towards a tense two-wicket victory at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.

Chasing a 265-run target for victory, Australia got the job done in the 47th over courtesy of a maiden ODI fifty from Connolly, who received support from No. 3 Matt Short and all-rounder Mitchell Owen.

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Earlier, India was restricted to 9-264 after seamer Xavier Bartlett terrorised the openers and spinner Adam Zampa ripped through the middle order.

The third ODI between Australia and India gets underway at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, with the first ball scheduled for 2.30pm AEDT.

‘GOOD LUCK BAZBALLERS’: HAZLEWOOD’S HUGE WARNING

England’s batters say they fear no one. Well, that could not be true if they were watching Josh Hazlewood bowl on Thursday afternoon.

The only member of Australia’s ‘big three’ excluded from BBC Sport’s combined Ashes XI, which was voted on by the English public, delivered a spell of the highest quality that left everyone in Adelaide dumbfounded as to how he went wicketless.

Hazlewood finished with 0-29 from his ten overs, including 43 dot balls, 21 plays-and-misses, six edges, and a false shot percentage of 45.

It was the most economical spell by an Australian seamer who went wicketless in an ODI since 2011 — a classic example of a statistic not telling the full story.

In a seven-over opening burst, Hazlewood conceded 22 runs and bowled two maidens, which came in his first two overs of the innings.

At one point he strung together 20 consecutive dot balls to Indian opener Rohit Sharma.

“He’s all over Rohit Sharma here,” Australian great Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket’s commentary.

“He’d love to get up the other end.”

Indian legend Ravi Shastri added: “Brilliant stuff. He’s been in the same area, ball after ball.”

Credit to the Indian veteran, he toughed it out as his outside edge was beaten several times — resisting the urge to play the kind of rash shots that might be expected of the English top order in Perth — but his inner thigh guard copped a hammering from Hazlewood’s famous nip-backers.

Sharma survived two chances in the process – the first for LBW, when Snicko showed a spike as the ball passed the inside edge during a frustrated swipe across the line, and the second for caught behind, but replays showed the ball brushed his back pocket.

Any other day, Hazlewood’s spell might have reaped three or four wickets, former Australian batter Michael Hussey said on commentary.

“How he’s not got a wicket today, I do not know,” Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard later added.

Later, Hazlewood found the outside edge of KL Rahul’s bat first ball after putting a slip in, but it evaded a diving Matt Short, who had to leave the field with a bloodied finger. Another delivery somehow missed Axar Patel’s stumps by a coat of varnish after it nipped back sharply.

“What a spell this has been,” Shastri said.

“He’s kept the pressure on the batting unit.”

Despite not getting the breakthrough, Hazlewood managed to put the clamps on the Indian middle order, conceding only seven runs from his three-over spell.

“In the modern one-day game, if you’re going at less than three an over, it’s a brilliant performance,” Hussey said.

Australian captain Mitchell Marsh added during the post-match presentation: “Hazlewood took the best none-fa I’ve ever seen. He was unbelievable.”

The Australians will be hoping that Hazlewood’s luck turns saves in the Ashes, while the English hierarchy might want to keep the vision of his ten overs hidden away from their batters.

‘DISAPPOINTED’: KOHLI’S UNWANTED CAREER-FIRST

Virat Kohli’s farewell tour of Australia so far hasn’t gone to plan.

Having retired from Tests and T20I, the Indian superstar almost certainly won’t play another international match on Australia soil following this week’s ODI campaign down under.

The 36-year-old, arguably the greatest white-ball cricketer in history, was dismissed for a duck during Sunday’s series opener at Perth Stadium, while a sold-out crowd passed through the turnstiles on Thursday to witness his final appearance at one of his favourite venues — Adelaide Oval.

Kohli had accumulated 975 runs at 65.00 across format at the iconic venue, where he celebrated his maiden Test hundred in 2012. He boasts five hundreds in the South Australian capital, more than any other venue.

However, the right-hander only lasted four deliveries, trapped on the pads by Australian seamer Xavier Bartlett for another duck — the first time in his illustrious ODI career that he has been toppled without scoring in consecutive matches.

Kohli, who was repeatedly dismissed caught in the slips cordon during last summer’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in Australia, was perhaps expecting a wide outswinger from Bartlett considering the field setting — three slips and a packed off-side.

Instead, the Queenslander produced a nip-backer that evaded the inside edge and thudded into the knee roll; hook, line and sinker. The unsuspecting Kohli considered calling for a review but wisely chose not to — it was plumb.

“He thought the plan was going to be wide of off stump,” former Australian batter Michael Hussey said on Fox Cricket.

“It deceived Kohli.”

However, speaking to Fox Cricket during the drinks break, Bartlett confessed the plan was not to dismiss Kohli LBW.

“I tried to bowl an outswinger but it nipped back,” Bartlett laughed.

“He’s one of the best white-ball players of all time, I’m lucky to get him.”

Despite his undeniable talent and glittering resume, Kohli will be under mounting pressure to keep his spot in the ODI starting XI ahead of the 2027 World Cup, especially with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Abhishek Sharma waiting in the wings.

During the innings break, Indian legend Ravi Shastri acknowledged the next edition of the World Cup was a “long way off” for Kohli.

“He’ll have to get some form pretty quickly,” Shastri said.

“The competition for places is such in India in white-ball cricket, no one is going to relax, whether it’s Virat or Rohit or anyone in the team.

“It’s not going to be easy, there is competition.

“He’s missed out again today, he was a little tentative with his footwork.

“It doesn’t happen often, his record in one-day cricket is phenomenal, so for him to get two ducks on the trot, he’ll be disappointed.”

CAREER-BEST KNOCKS CREATES SELECTION DILEMMA

Matt Short and Cooper Connolly were desperate for runs ahead of Thursday’s second ODI in Adelaide.

The Victorian, who was dismissed cheaply during Sunday’s series opener against India, has averaged 16.46 with the bat when representing Australia across the last 12 months, managing one half-century from his last 15 knocks.

Similarly, Connolly’s highest score for the national side after 13 appearances was 13, with the young Western Australian yet to convert his impressive Big Bash form into the national side.

Another failure would have put them both at risk of slipping out of the ODI starting XI.

However, facing India’s world-class bowling attack at Adelaide Oval, Short and Connolly anchored Australia’s middle order after a scratchy start to the run chase, combining for a 55-run partnership for the fifth wicket in a match-winning performance.

After clobbering an early six over square leg, Short expertly picked the gaps and watchfully rotated the strike during his 78-ball 74; a career-best knock that was especially impressive considering he spent the second half of India’s innings off the field with a wounded hand, damaged while attempting a catch in the slips cordon.

“Timely knock ... what he does need to do in this cycle, getting ready for a World Cup, he needs to nail down this No. 3 spot,” Haddin said in commentary,

“He needs to take these opportunities, he’s been around this set-up for some time now.”

Hussey added: “He’s taken his chance, Australia’s been looking for a No. 3 for a while now.

“For his own confidence and belief, it’s a really important step for him.”

Meanwhile, Connolly produced a flurry of dazzling strokes during his unbeaten 61 from 53 balls, headlined by a stunning cover drive against Indian quick Mohammed Siraj that flew into the stands.

Following 12 months of mediocre performances in the national set-up, he had finally repaid the selectors’ faith.

“He hasn’t looked flustered at all,” Haddin said in commentary.

“He’s controlled the tempo of his innings, he trusts his own game.”

Indian legend Ravi Shastri added: “He made it look easy.

“Good signs for the future.”

Although the twin fifties would have been reassuring for national selectors, it does create a dilemma ahead to the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.

With the return of all-rounder Cameron Green and wicketkeeper Josh Inglis looming, two players will need to squeeze out of the ODI starting XI, leaving Short, Connolly, Matthew Renshaw and Alex Carey at risk of facing the axe.

The solution isn’t obvious.

‘NEXT CABS OFF THE RANK’: ASHES SMOKEY EMERGES

Xavier Bartlett’s ongoing white-ball brilliance has thrust him firmly into the Test conversation, according to Australian greats Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh.

India’s top-order was outclassed by the Queensland seamer at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, with captain Shubman Gill and superstar Virat Kohli falling to him in the same over during the Powerplay.

Bartlett, who finished with 3-39 from ten overs, later returned to the attack and removed all-rounder Washington Sundar, albeit with a half-volley on leg stump that was flicked towards deep square leg.

“He’s a proven wicket-taker,” Hussey said.

“He gets that new ball generally in the right area and always asks questions of the batsmen.”

Since making his international debut at the start of last year, Bartlett has 15 ODI wickets at 11.13, the second-lowest average in the format’s history, bettered only by Gary Gilmour’s 16 scalps at 10.31.

Only two Australians have taken more wickets across their first five ODIs — Ryan Harris and Gilmour.

Most wickets for Australia after five men’s ODI

17 — Ryan Harris

16 — Gary Gilmour

15 — Xavier Bartlett

13 — Glenn McGrath, Tony Dodemaide, Carl Rackemann

Bartlett’s white-ball success has put him in contention for a Test call-up, particularly considering Australia’s wounded bowling stocks ahead of the Ashes. Captain Pat Cummins is out of action, along with fellow quicks Lance Morris, Spencer Johnson, Jhye Richardson, Brendan Doggett, Sean Abbott and Ben Dwarshuis. Meanwhile, all-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster are nursing niggles that could limit their bowling during the blockbuster series against England.

“Bartlett could feature in red-ball cricket for Australia,” Gilchrist declared.

“He swings the ball both ways, he bustles in, he hits the bat hard.”

Waugh continued: “Him and (Michael) Neser would be the next cabs off the rank should there be an injury to the quartet.

“If someone else got injured, one of those two guys would be ready to step up.”

Due to international white-ball commitments, Bartlett hasn’t played any Sheffield Shield cricket this summer, taking 1-75 during last month’s Australia A match against India A in Lucknow.

Last summer, he claimed 18 wickets at 24.33 for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield, including career-best figures of 5-32 against Victoria at the MCG.

CAREY NEEDS TO PUT AWAY THE BROOM

Maybe it’s time Alex Carey finally listens to his wife.

The wicketkeeper, whose wife Eloise has previously advised him to shelve the sweep shot, was once again dismissed sweeping during the second ODI against India, a recurring problem for the South Australian.

During the 27th over of Australia’s run chase at Adelaide Oval, Carey botched an ill-judged stroke against spinner Washington Sundar and bowled for 9, which left the hosts in deep strife at 4-132. Had he played a regulation drive, it probably would have been a half-volley.

Carey was also dismissed sweeping during June’s World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord’s, one of his uglier dismissals in Australian colours, along with several wickets during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in India.

When the left-hander walked to the crease on Thursday, former Australian batter Mark Waugh acknowledged his tendency to bring out the broom.

“I feel like Alex Carey gets too reliant on the sweep shot,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket commentary.

“He’s a far better player than just having to sweeping everything, he’s a lovely driver of the ball through the off side.

“Sometimes he gets too premeditated with the sweep shot.”

Carey was quizzed about his love of the sweep shot two years ago, telling reporters: “It will be my downfall at times, I’ll have success with it at times. It’s finding the right balance, when is the right time to play like that. My wife’s been onto me quite a bit about it.”

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