Left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe picked up his maiden five-wicket haul, including three in an over, to trigger a spectacular collapse and help Australia bundle out hosts India for 105 in their first innings of the opening test on Friday.
O’Keefe finished with figures of 6-35 as Australia took a first-innings lead of 155 on a spin-friendly track against the world’s top-ranked side in the first of the four-match series.
Opener Lokesh Rahul’s 64 was the top individual score for the hosts, who are unbeaten in their last 19 tests.
India lost 7 wickets for 11 runs, prompting this smart tweet from one user.
Here’s a diagrammatical representation of India’s collapse. pic.twitter.com/yfhKzcf1B0
— Dennis O’6fer (@DennisCricket_) February 24, 2017
And in quick-time:
Gone in 38 minutes. #INDvAUS
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) February 24, 2017
A collapse that very few people saw coming clearly.
Indian team collapsed just after lunch, this is what happens when you don’t keep fast on #MahaShivaratri #IndvAus
— Virender Sehwag (@VirenderSehweg) February 24, 2017
6 for 7.
No, not the cost of half a dozen jam donuts. Yes, India’s collapse— Dennis O’6fer (@DennisCricket_) February 24, 2017
India’s collapse
94/4, 95/5, 95/6, 95/7, 98/8, 101/9, 105 allout. This will even put Pakistan’s world famous potential to collapse to shame!— Sawera Pasha (@sawerapasha) February 24, 2017
This is now a full blown collapse. And fair to say you will see lots of spin from now on!
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) February 24, 2017
Wow. This must rank amongst the top collapses for India at home.. Batters must be gutted. Not a fair reflection of this team.. #IndvAus
— Jatin Sapru (@jatinsapru) February 24, 2017
Who would’ve thought, Australia with a 155 run lead after the first innings. Hard to see India getting back into the game. #IndvAus
— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) February 24, 2017
India 105 all out. Steve O’Keefe has figures of 6/35. Asking for a spinning track from Day 1 can also backfire sometimes
— Sumanth Raman (@sumanthraman) February 24, 2017
India’s score reads like an FM radio station
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) February 24, 2017
That’s the most manic one hour of Test cricket I have seen in a very long time.
— Prem Panicker (@prempanicker) February 24, 2017
Indian team collapsed like it was made by Suresh Kalmadi. #IndvAus
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) February 24, 2017
And there was a political jibe too.
Did MCA outsource the preparation of this pitch to ShivSena?? !! 😬#IndvAus
— Sagar Walve (@im_drsagar) February 24, 2017
And a spin pun.
India lost 7 wickets for 11 runs in a 20-odd minute spell of play. Just the stat makes my head spin…
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) February 24, 2017
The man behind it all: Steve O’Keefe.
W 1 W . W . . . . . . . 1 W 1 . . . W 1 . . 1 W
Steve O’Keefe, take a bow! What a spell #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/77O33mOFwI— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) February 24, 2017
Indian batting collapsing against an unknown spinner is like a European nation beating us at Kabaddi at the Taal-katora stadium.
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) February 24, 2017
Maybe there was a well thought reason behind this after all?
Have to admire India’s strategy here, cleverly finding a way to avoid batting on this track on Day 5. #IndvAus
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) February 24, 2017
Featured image: BCCI
