LONDON (AP) — Australia's lead grew to 374 against India at the expense of two more wickets on the fourth morning of the World Test Championship final at the Oval on Saturday.
Australia was 201-6 at lunch in its second innings after losing Marnus Labuschagne for 41 and Cameron Green for 25.
Labuschagne warned Australia would crawl thanks to a massive lead and time on its hands, and he wasn't wrong. Even though Labuschagne was out in the third over of the morning, Australia took its time to score only 78 runs from 26 overs in a low-key session.
The Australians were already way past the highest successful chase at the Oval, 263-9 in 1902 by England against Australia.
Alex Carey reached lunch on 41 not out with Mitchell Starc, the start of the tail, on 11.
Labuschagne was out to a great length delivery by Umesh Yadav, straight after he was struck on the thigh. Labuschagne edged and the ball flew to first slip. The Australian had endured 126 balls.
Carey came in and got off the mark with an edged four to push their lead past 300. He faced eight deliveries before India reintroduced spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who got Carey out in the first innings when the Australian reverse-swept.
Carey swept the first ball from Jadeja but didn't reverse sweep, as Jadeja attacked the footmarks outside the left-hander's off stump.
Jadeja got Green though, after he was softened up by a shot to the shoulder from a Mohammed Siraj short ball.
Green, after a 95-ball 25, tried to pad up to Jadeja but the ball straightened and bounced off his hung bat on to the stumps. He couldn't believe it.
Carey got in a couple of cuts at Siraj and drove Jadeja to the fence in defiance of the frustrated Indians.
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