Ind vs Aus: Crowd behaviour hampers day four, visitors set 407-run target

Australia have set India a target of 407 in the Pink Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday. The hosts declared their second innings on 312/6 at tea on the fourth afternoon after the dying minutes saw an unruly group in the crowd once again hurl abuses at Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj.

The second session saw Australia scoring 130 runs from 23 overs. Cameron Green played a knock of 84 runs while Tim Paine remained unbeaten on 39.

The second session on day four witnessed high drama after Mohammad Siraj along with India skipper Ajinkya Rahane had a word with umpire Paul Reiffel regarding the unruly behaviour of the crowd. Visuals on television indicated that there were some words spoken for Siraj who was fielding near the boundary rope.

Both the umpires then had a word with each other and the police then asked a group of men to leave the stand.

Resuming the second session at 182/4, Steve Smith started batting in an aggressive fashion from the very start and he was quick to capitalise on the loose deliveries. However, Smith (81) was adjudged leg-before wicket on the delivery bowled by Ravichandran Ashwin and Australia was reduced to 208/5. Skipper Paine then joined Green in the middle and the duo did not let the momentum drop for the hosts.

After bringing up his maiden Test fifty, Green changed the gears and especially took a liking towards Siraj and the batsman hit him for three sixes. In the second session, Australia managed to score runs from overs.

Earlier, Navdeep Saini had struck twice but Smith's unbeaten 58 kept the hosts afloat in the first session on day four. At the break, Australia had reached the score of 182/4, extending their lead to 276 runs. For the hosts, Smith and Green were at the crease batting on 58 and 20 respectively.

Before the tea break, Green was sent back to the pavilion by Jasprit Bumrah, but not before the all-rounder went on to play a knock of 84 runs.

(ANI)

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