Australia v India WTC Day Three In-play Tips: Bowlers will have final say

• Australia in command

• Counter-attackers key

• New ball looks lethal

Australia v India
Friday 9 June, 10:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Team news

The World Test Championship Final is moving on at a pace fast enough to keep even Messrs Stokes and McCullum interested. Pivotal to the xx wickets to fall on day two nwas the wicket in Kennington.

There was audacious bounce and lift which kept batters nervous and guessing. The delivery from Mitchell Starc which removed Virat Kohli was an old-fashioned snorter. Kohli, sniffing for it off the front foot, almost had his nose ripped off, eventually talking his thumb from shoulder height to be caught at slip.

It was another important piece of evidence against the draw, which is beginning to drift significantly. From shortening ridiculously on day one, as we stated in our report, it is now out to 5.709/2. Australia are 1.331/3 favourites with India, trailing by 318 with five wickets in hand, out to an improbable 13.012/1.

We will still keep an eye on that stalemate price laying again at 4.003/1. Any sort of partnership and it will shorten out of line with probability. There's a massive amount of cricket to be played and with the low grubbers late on day on and the vicious steeplers on day two, it is hard to see a team batting out a day from this juncture. Uneven bounce is likely to be the deciding factor.

The weather forecast has also improved. For the hours of 14.00-16.00 on day three there is now only a high of 27% probability of rain. Sunday may be a stop-start affair with the high percentage chance of 21 for the duration. A sixth day is available for overs lost to rain so, in fact, a forecast like that is irrelevant. Remember that even if play does go into a sixth day the official result is paid out.

Top Australia second-innings bat

Marnus Labuschagne has a clear edge fort top Aussie bat on win rate in the last two years in their second innings. Although it's a significant trend or a batter likely to be priced around 3/14.00, it is hard to ignore a more significant trend right in front of our eyes.

New-ball batting at The Oval has been tricky in the extreme. The top score for the six batters in the respective top threes is David Warner's 43, and that was aided and abetted by a loose Umesh Yadav first spell. It is beginning to look like that there will be one with your name on along any second.

So we will be keen to be shorting Warner and opening partner Usman Khawaja when it is their turn to bat again. There are a couple of technical points to look out for with each batter to make sure they are particularly vulnerable.

For Warner, keep an eye on his back foot. When he is on song he's getting it across his stumps as his first trigger movement. If it's planted or moving to leg, then he's not at his best. Sportsbook are likely to offer low 33s over/under at 5/61.84. Khawaja only lasted ten balls in first innings before he was caught at the wicket off Mohammed Siraj. But in those ten his feet went nowhere.

It is difficult not to fear for Khawaja, despite a fabulous recent record. His Test career looked to have ended on his last visit to England when a lack of foot movement and vulnerability to a darting Dukes ball saw him dropped before the Headingley Test.

It could be that bad memories are playing a part and he will be desperate for a score. Still, the short is a strong option on his innings runs at a similar quote to Warner.

As for batters to go well, the counter-attack is key. Travis Head came at India in the first dig just when they were getting on top. He changed the game. And Ravi Jadeja had a dart on day two. Taking on the bowlers seems crucial with intent.

To that end Head is a decent option again at around the 9/2 mark. And likewise Cameron Green. Green mabe available at around 7/18.00. He was expansive in his stroke play in his limited crease time but we don't mind that on this pitch.