Due to heavy downpour, only 13.2 overs were played on Saturday and the tickets for the third test were sold out. As per CA rules, if a minimum of 15 overs is bowled during the day fans are not eligible for a full refund. CA is set to lose a million dollars after being 10 balls short of the requisite number.
“It turns out, a minimum of 15 overs is required to prevent fans being eligible for a full refund on tickets, meaning Cricket Australia was 10 balls away from potentially saving itself more than $1 million in refunds,” news.com.au reported. “The first day of the Test match was declared a sellout, with 30,145 fans given as the official attendance.
“But they were subjected to a largely miserable day, with a reported 40mm falling at the ground at one stage in just one hour,” the website added.
CHALLENGING WICKET ON DAY 3
The day belonged to Head and Smith, the former backing up his match-winning 140 in the pink ball test in Adelaide and the latter posting his 10th ton against India. Hitting Deep for a single off his pads, Smith ended his longest streak without a hundred, bringing the Gabba crowd to their feet. The 35-year-old threw an icy stare at the Australian team and kissed the crest on his helmet.
Head hurtled to three figures, hitting a Bumrah full toss for three in the final minutes before tea to bring up his ninth test ton, then flying past 150 at nearly a run a ball.
“Nice to come out and start again, build a nice partnership and be able to contribute to the day,” said Head.
“It is a nice wicket … It was challenging, they bowled pretty well.”
Siraj had late reward when he had Australia skipper Pat Cummins caught behind for 20 but appeared well short of his best.
Head and Smith batted throughout the entire middle session, unravelling India’s hard work in the morning.
Rohit Sharma’s men had shared the points up to lunch, grabbing early wickets after only 13.2 overs were bowled on a rain-hit day one.
Australia resumed on 28 for no loss and Bumrah struck with his seventh ball of the morning having opener Usman Khawaja caught behind for 21. He then removed Nathan McSweeney for nine in his next over.
Siraj, booed in Adelaide for his send-off of Head, continued to make mischief as he marched past on-strike batsman Marnus Labuschagne and switched the bails around.
Labuschagne switched them back defiantly but was soon caught in the slips for 12 by Virat Kohli after a loose drive at relief bowler Nitish Kumar Reddy.
The five-match series is tied 1-1.
(With Reuters inputs)
