O'Keefe spins Aussies to shock win in Pune

Sports |  Suryaa Desk  | Published :

Steve O'Keefe has shattered records, streaks and a billion hearts in India, spinning Australia to one of their most famous and unexpected Test wins.O'Keefe finished with stunning match-figures of 12-70 in Pune, piloting the tourists to a 333-run victory on day three of the four-Test series opener.


It is Australia's first Test win in India since 2004, with the result also snapping their nine-Test losing streak in Asia.The 32-year-old O'Keefe's match haul is statistically the greatest performance by a visiting spinner in India, which has been hosting Tests for 84 years.A captain's knock of 109 from Steve Smith helped Australia set India an imposing target of 441 at lunch on Saturday.


India collapsed in a tick over two hours to be all out for 107.O'Keefe snared six wickets in the space of 38 minutes on Friday, when the top-ranked Test side were rolled for just 105 in their first innings after a staggering collapse of 7-11.


Of all the lessons cyclists can learn the hard way during their careers, celebrating a win too early would have to be one of the hardest.The left-arm spinner backed it up superbly, grabbing 6-35 on Saturday including the prized scalp of Virat Kohli. Kohli shouldered arms to a straight ball that hit the middle of off stump.O'Keefe, who started the rot in his first over on day three by trapping opener Murali Vijay lbw, now boasts the best match figures by an Australian in India.


Paceman Alan Davidson had held that record since taking 12-124 in 1959 at Kanpur.Smith made the most of chances on 23, 29, 37, 60 and 67 to play a pivotal role in ending India's 20-Test undefeated streak at home.


 


 


 








SURYAA NEWS, synonym with professional journalism, started basically to serve the Telugu language readers. And apart from that we have our own e-portal domains viz,. https://www.suryaa.com/ and https://epaper.suryaa.com