‘Try and get in on the first two days’: NSW Premier’s brutal Ashes sledge

With an under-pressure politician now scoring runs off them, it’s probably safe to say England’s humiliated cricketers have hit rock bottom.

An innings defeat and the early surrender of the Ashes.

The lowest score in Australia in 117 years.

Just two batsmen managing to outscore the extras column in 2021.

There’s already plenty to belt England’s cricketers with after their humiliating capitulation at the MCG on Tuesday.

Now they have to cop a sledge from a bloke who is on a tricky wicket himself.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has assured Sydneysiders that the fifth Ashes cricket test at the SCG will go ahead from January 5 – though he can’t be sure that it will still be going on January 9. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and his management of the coronavirus crisis was parked for a brief moment on Tuesday morning when he gleefully swatted a half-tracker from reporters to the ropes.

When asked at a press conference at Wagga Wagga whether the state’s surging virus numbers – and NSW Health contact tracing rules – could threaten the Sydney Test match starting on January 5, Mr Perrottet was emphatic.

“Any speculation that the Sydney Test match is not going ahead is completely untrue,” he told reporters.

“The Sydney Test is a highlight of our state’s calendar. It is happening.”

However, the one thing that could threaten the match from going for the full five days, he said, was England’s abysmal form.

England's captain Joe Root looks on after Australia won the match and retained the Ashes at the end of the third Ashes cricket Test match in Melbourne. Photo by Hamish Blair/AFP

“I can’t assure you how long (the match) will last given what we’ve seen today,” Mr Perrottet said to the amusement of local journalists.

“So try and get in on the first two days to see some action.”

Mr Perrottet’s dig at the Poms came after they ensured the Ashes trophy would stay with Australia following a huge innings defeat in Melbourne.

The scorecard was damning, but not the only numbers to cause anxiety on Tuesday.

NSW recorded 6062 new virus cases and hospitalisations rose to 557 – with 60 people now in intensive care.

Wait times at testing clinics continue to blow out across the state as a stretched health system struggles to handle a surge in cases.

Mr Perrottet last week backflipped on his philosophy of “personal responsibility” when he reintroduced a number of mask-wearing mandates and social distancing measures to combat the spread of the omicron variant.

He had initially eased back Covid restrictions on December 15.

Originally published as ‘Try and get in on the first two days’: NSW Premier’s brutal Ashes sledge