3rd Test: Rain Forces Early Lunch After Australia Bowl Out India For 260, Take 185-Run Lead

Brisbane, Dec 18: Rain and severe weather conditions have forced the umpires to opt for a lunch break on Day Five of the third Test between Australia and India at the Gabba here on Wednesday.

Before lightning and thunderstorms followed by rain at the Gabba took centrestage, Australia clinched a first-innings lead of 185 after bowling out India for 260 in 78.5 overs in their first innings.

Resuming from 252/9, after avoiding the follow-on, Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah were at it again to reduce the deficit.

Akash and Bumrah added eight more runs in four overs and took their last-wicket partnership to 47 before Travis Head snapped the final wicket of the Indian innings. Coming from round the wicket, Head got a slider to move across Akash and beat his outside edge after drawing him forward.

In this process, Akash’s back foot came out of the crease and Alex Carey completed a sharp stumping to end India’s innings and give Australia a big lead, as the batter was dismissed for 31 off 44 balls.

The 47-run stand for the last wicket between Akash and Bumrah also sets a new record for India in terms of tenth-wicket partnerships in Tests against Australia at the Gabba, surpassing the previous record of 33, set by Manoj Prabhakar and Javagal Srinath in 1991/92.

Just as Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja, who turned 38 on Wednesday, were ready to come out and bat, a lighting alert near the Gabba meant everyone was forced off the field.

"Severe weather is expected at any moment. Please seek shelter from exposed areas of the venue and follow the directions of the event staff,” read the announcement from the big screen at the Gabba.

Rain then came in, and with dark clouds still prevalent, everything looms towards a drawn affair at the Gabba. The series scoreline is 1-1, ahead of the big Boxing Day Test at the MCG, starting on December 26.

Brief scores: Australia 445 lead India 260 all out in 78.5 overs (KL Rahul 84, Ravindra Jadeja 77; Pat Cummins 4-81, Mitchell Starc 3-83) by 185 runs.

(IANS)