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Day one of New Year’s Test marred by four separate rain delays

Australia’s batters were cruising at the SCG before England star James Anderson added another victim to his tally of Test scalps.

Nic Savage and Andrew McMurtry
9 min read
January 5, 2022 - 6:51PM
We’d be in the foetal position too if we were Joe Root. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
We’d be in the foetal position too if we were Joe Root. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Day one of the New Year’s Test in Sydney was marred by four separate rain delays, frustrating players, officials and fans.

Only 46.5 overs took place at the SCG on Wednesday, with England bowler’s claiming three wickets between the rain breaks.

Australian openers David Warner and Marcus Harris both fell short of a half-centuries, while Marnus Labuschagne was once again removed by Mark Wood late in the evening session.

Play was scheduled to finish at 7pm local time, but some light showers forced a premature end to the opening day in Sydney.

Wet weather has been forecast for much of the fourth match of this summer’s Ashes series, but hopefully the clouds stay away for long enough to get a result.

After Australian batter Travis Head tested positive to Covid-19 last week, Usman Khawaja was recalled to the Test XI for the first time in two years.

Play will resume on Thursday morning at 10am AEDT.

Catch every moment of The Ashes live and ad-break free during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free now.

Harris falls short of half-century

Australia was cruising at the SCG before England veteran James Anderson dismissed opener Marcus Harris for 38.

Coming from over the wicket, Anderson got the Kookaburra to nip away from the left-hander, and the outside edge was caught by skipper Joe Root at first slip.

The Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph tweeted: “Jimmy Anderson is a dead set freak. Never gives up. Nearly always finds a way. So much admiration for the way he goes about it.”

The very next over, Marnus Labuschagne was removed in similar circumstances to last week’s MCG Test, with Mark Wood finding the Australian No. 3’s outside edge with a delivery that was short of a good length outside off.

The hosts were suddenly three down, with Australian vice-captain Steve Smith and returning batter Usman Khawaja at the crease.

Khawaja, playing his first Test match in more than two years, received a warm welcome from the Sydney crowd.

Another fifty-run stand

Marcus Harris and Marnus Labuschagne have combined for a fifty-run partnership at the SCG to push Australia’s total past 100.

Labuschagne currently averages 99.40 at the Sydney venue, while Harris is looking superb with the willow.

Former England captain Michael Atherton said on SEN: “He looks a transformed player, doesn‘t he?”

‘Careless’: England’s sloppy bowling

England’s bowlers have collectively bowled 12 wides in the first 28 overs of the SCG Test, including a couple of half-trackers that bounced over the batter’s head and past the wicketkeeper for five wide.

In comparison, Australia’s bowlers delivered seven wides during the first three Ashes Tests.

No-balls have also been a problem for England’s seamers – while the visitors have overstepped 29 times in the series thus far, Australia has only done so on six occasions.

Warner falls to arch nemesis

Stuart Broad has dismissed David Warner for the 13th time in Test cricket.

Coming from around the wicket, Broad found the left-hander’s outside edge and Zak Crawley held onto the chance at second slip.

The England seamer has now dismissed Warner in seven of the last eight Ashes Test he’s featured in.

“Stuart Broad where were you in Brisbane?” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

“We should have seen this three weeks ago.”

Warner returns to the sheds for 30, and Marnus Labuschagne is the new man in the middle – and just to rub salt into the wounds, the rain returned a few minutes after Warner’s dismissal.

Play is scheduled to get back underway at 4.20pm AEDT.

Most times dismissing David Warner in Test cricket

13 – Stuart Broad (ENG)

10 – James Anderson (ENG)

10 – Ravichandran Ashwin (IND)

6 – Umesh Yadav (IND)

5 – Neil Wagner (NZ)

Fifty partnership up for Aussie openers

Australian openers David Warner and Marcus Harris have put together a 50-run partnership, their third together in Test cricket.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes almost created the breakthrough in 18th over, but the outside edge flew through the vacant third slip area for a boundary.

Warne calls for radical Ashes overhaul

The covers are back on for the umpteenth time as rain falls on the SCG, and lunch has been taken. The afternoon session will commence at 1.30pm AEDT, weather permitting.

The New Year’s Test has become renowned for its weather delays – for whatever reason, Sydney is peppered with rain whenever Test cricket is in town.

The 2019 Test against India and 2016 fixture against the West Indies both ended as draws because of Sydney’s weather.

“This is becoming most frustrating,” Triple M commentator Dan Ginnane said.

“We’re two hours since the Test was supposed to start and we’ve had 12.3 overs.”

Former Australian Test batter Michael Hussey said on Fox Cricket: “This is frustrating for everyone really.

“For the bowlers they want to get into a rhythm, the batsmen want to spend some time in the middle, the ground staff having to run on and off, and, probably most of all, the crowd who just want to come and watch some good cricket.”

Sydney is becoming the weather capital of Australia. Photo: Getty Images
Sydney is becoming the weather capital of Australia. Photo: Getty Images

But at lunch, Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard revealed how wet it is in Sydney.

“Since 2014-15, this is the number of sessions lost due to weather in Australia. The Gabba, 3.5 sessions. Adelaide Oval, 4.5 sessions. The MCG, 6.5 sessions. The SCG … 16.5 sessions. 10 sessions more than anyone else in the country, Kerry!”

Kerry O’Keeffe replied: “That’s why we’re called Sin City, because you can get lost here.”

Howard: “And end up doing hours of fill where your life just disappears from you.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said: “You may as well play this Test match in Derby.”

But Howard added that the SCG had lost more in the last eight years than Manchester has.

Cricket statistician Ric Finlay also revealed Sydney had a complete day washed out every 4.36 Tests.

Sydney has traditionally hosted the New Year’s Test for decades, but Australian cricket great Shane Warne believes it’s time for a change, calling for the NSW capital to host the series opener in the future.

“Imagine England arriving in Australia, beautiful Sydney coming here, have the 10 days lead up and make Sydney the first Test,” Warne said.

“It’s better weather then than it is in the first week of January. It just seems to always rain in the Test match. It’s such a beautiful venue, such a beautiful city that imagine if the tourists, and any opposition team, came here to Sydney and had 10 days on the harbour and loosening up, getting ready and then play the first Test in Sydney rather than the fourth Test always in the New Year, maybe it’s time for a change.”

Stuart Broad and Jack Leach of England soak up the rain. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
Stuart Broad and Jack Leach of England soak up the rain. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Openers survive first 10 overs

The England seamers are finding plenty of swing and movement off the SCG deck, but Australian openers David Warner and Marcus Harris have weathered the storm.

England’s bowlers have copped criticism throughout the series for bowling too short with the new ball, and during the opening eight overs on Wednesday, only four deliveries would have struck the stumps.

“This is already a bit of deja vu,” former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.

“It’s too consistently short of a good length.

“It really is the kind of morning you do just have to offer the half volley and if you (concede) 20 runs in the session more than you would have if you bowled short of that, then fine.

“But you might create more chances. You can play the negative or defensive game later on in the day.”

The hosts are 0/27 after 10 overs, with Warner unbeaten on 14 and Harris at the other end on 9.

David Warner of Australia. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
David Warner of Australia. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Rain returns

Bad news – it’s raining in Sydney. The players have rushed off, and the covers are on.

After a frustrating 30-minute delay, play got back underway at 12pm AEDT.

‘What a legend’: Gadigal Elder steals the show

Uncle Allen Madden stole the show on day one of the New Year’s Test in Sydney with “the best Welcome to Country ever”, packed with dad jokes and one-liners.

The Gadigal Elder performed the Welcome to Country at the SCG ahead of the fourth Ashes Test between Australia and England, and quickly won over the spectators.

Madden started his speech by stating: “For my first song …”

It prompted a laugh and round of applause from the Sydney crowd – Australian spinner Nathan Lyon was particularly amused.

Madden later said there were only three things surer than this being Aboriginal land: “Coming, taxation, and going.”

He finished with his best joke of the day: “There’s an old Aboriginal saying out there, and I think it’s very appropriate for you mob here today. They say where there’s a will, there’s relatives.”

The SCG crowd and Australian cricket team were left in hysterics.

Sports reporter Mark Gottlieb tweeted: “This guy is awesome. Love it. Just riffing a 5 minute stand up in the middle of a welcome to country. What a legend.”

Former Australian hockey player Georgie Parker posted: “This is the best welcome to country I’ve ever heard. I love Him.”

Aussies win the toss

Pat Cummins has won the toss and Australia will bat first at the SCG.

Playing in his 169th Test, England seamer James Anderson becomes the second most capped cricketer in history, sitting behind only Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar.

Australia XI: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitch Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon

England XI: Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonathan Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson

Cricket boss apologies over England’s Ashes shocker

Joe Root will want to get out of Australia as soon as possible. (Photo by Hamish Blair / AFP)
Joe Root will want to get out of Australia as soon as possible. (Photo by Hamish Blair / AFP)

England managing director Ashley Giles has said he “absolutely felt” the responsibility of an Ashes series loss in Australia but insisted a mass clear-out of the senior leadership would merely mask underlying problems.

With England already 3-0 down in the five-match series heading into the fourth Test, there has been speculation about the future of both captain Joe Root and head coach Chris Silverwood.

Giles’ role has also been questioned given it was the former England left-arm spinner who was behind the sacking of national selector Ed Smith and giving Silverwood sole authority for picking the team.

England are now in danger of suffering their third 5-0 series whitewash in Australia of the 21st century, having only previously lost an away Ashes campaign by that scoreline back in 1920/21.

“Being here now in this position, I absolutely feel the responsibility of losing this Ashes series,” Giles told BBC Radio’s Test Match Special and travelling English media at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

“Absolutely, we all do, and we can only apologise,” the 48-year-old added. “I know there will be a lot of emotion, a lot of anger about how we’ve lost it.”

Tom Harrison, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive, was already in the firing line regarding the governing body’s response to a racism scandal sparked by former spinner Azeem Rafiq’s revelations regarding his treatment at Yorkshire.

But Giles said changes at the top of the ECB would fail to solve the problems that saw 50-over world champions England lose the ongoing series in just 12 days’ play when they collapsed to a meagre 68 all out in Melbourne last week.

“You can change me, change the head coach, change the captain, but we’re only setting up future leaders for failure,” Giles insisted amid concerns about the quality of English first-class cricket.

“Four out of 15 (Test wins in 2021) is not good,” he added of a year that also saw England beaten 3-1 in India.

“In the 90s that was accepted as normal for England leaderships and they got away with it. We set our standards much higher than that.”

Giles said England’s struggles in Australia were simply a reflection of the players at their disposal, for all they aspire to be cricket’s number one Test team.

“At the moment do we think we are a better side than we are? We are sort of at our level. Fourth in the world is probably where we are,” he said.

“We’ve beaten the sides below us but, in these conditions, we’re not beating the sides above us.

“What’s important is that we don’t try to paper over the cracks. We could easily go to West Indies (in March) and win, then win this (English) summer.

“We could do ‘everything’s alright, rah, rah, rah’ but I think we still need to be truly focused on finding a way we can compete in Australia and in India.”

But former England Test batter Nick Compton was not impressed with Giles’ remarks, tweeting: “Come on Ash! Trying to put more spin on this s***show than you ever did on the ball!”

AFP

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