T20 World Cup 2022: Australia coach Andrew McDonald answers Marvel Stadium question after MCG washout
Amid questions about the integrity of the World Cup, Australian coach Andrew McDonald has been quizzed about whether Marvel Stadium should have hosted games over the MCG.
Jos Buttler said that the integrity of the T20 World Cup had potentially been brought into question after England’s match with Australia became the third group one game in three days at the MCG to be washed out, but said that despite missing an opportunity to steal a march on their arch-rivals his team’s destiny remained in their hands.
England must now beat New Zealand in Brisbane on Tuesday and Sri Lanka a week on Saturday to have a realistic chance of reaching the semi-finals, but even then the likelihood is that teams may need separating on net run rate as it is not hard to see Australia and New Zealand also joining them on seven points. As the Sri Lanka game in Sydney is the last in the group to be played, England could have the advantage of knowing exactly what they need to do to finesse their net run rate accordingly.
“The way the weather is, it is going to be like playing a cup final every game,” Ben Stokes said.
“That is what these competitions are about. You are always under pressure to perform. We’ll be looking forward to the next two games. It is obviously a shame for the people who turned out tonight.”
England realistically need to win their final two games, against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, to qualify for the semi-finals
England last met New Zealand in a white-ball match at last year’s T20 World Cup semi-final when their death-bowling fell apart on a fraught night in Abu Dhabi.
Asked if he thought the integrity of the competition had been brought into question by bad weather producing four “no results” in 14 Super 12 matches so far, Buttler said: “It’s tough. Afghanistan have had two games washed out in a tournament where you potentially only play five matches. It’s naturally frustrating for all of us. Is it something you can look at? Would you have to elongate the tournament too much? I don’t know.
“It’s quite a ruthless format. We all know that and accept it. But if you have multiple games affected by the weather it doesn’t give you a true reflection of how you’d hope the tournament turns out.”
With rain falling for most of the day, there was little prospect of play in either the afternoon game between Afghanistan and Ireland, or the England game, but a crowd of 37,565 still came through the gate.
The rain briefly abated enough for a mopping up operation to begin and raise hopes of a short contest, but in truth conditions remained hopelessly damp and the second game was called off at 8.50pm. “It’s as wet as I’ve ever seen,” Australia captain Aaron Finch, a Victorian who knows Melbourne’s weather better than most, said.
While a “no result” could be considered an opportunity missed for both teams, equally it gave them a chance to fight another day. Defeat for either side would have been near-terminal.
The schedule for this tournament - which was originally slated for 2020 before Covid-19 led to a two-year postponement - was arranged by the ICC in conjunction with Cricket Australia as long ago as 2014.
Reasonable questions can be asked of Cricket Australia as to why they chose to play in what is effectively the country’s spring, and why the wettest areas such as Melbourne, Sydney and Hobart feature so prominently. These venues host 17 of the 33 games.
Before this year, Australia had never previously staged an international match at the MCG in October.
The few games that have been played in the city at this time of year were at the Docklands Stadium, which is used for the Big Bash (BBL) and has a roof.
Andrew McDonald, Australia’s head coach, said that allocating games to Docklands over the MCG would be controversial.
“Everyone likes to play at the MCG,” he said.
“You can’t predict the weather but what you do know is Melbourne fans generally turn out and when it’s England-Australia, there’s probably no better place you want to be playing.
“Whether we should play at stadiums with a roof, that would be up to those doing the scheduling. It is not a purpose-built cricket venue (though) it’s done all right for the BBL games.”
Buttler said: “I’m no weather expert on Australia at this time of year but we all want to play full games of cricket. Naturally we play a sport which is open air and the elements are a huge part of our game. They affect the surfaces, they affect conditions and it’s an intriguing part of what makes our sport unique. Unfortunately it can be affected by weather. You don’t want to be involved in those games but it can happen.
“We know, to a certain degree, we have our destiny in our own hands. There is still a lot of confidence in the group. We have some great players who are determined to right some wrongs from the other night (in the loss to Ireland). This is what World Cup cricket and knockout cricket is about - these huge games and being able to perform in them.”
Buttler also thinks England playing the last match in their group offers some help. “It could be a small advantage but to make use of that we need to win the game against New Zealand,” he said. “We’ll travel up to Brisbane and get everyone rested and ready to go. There’s a lot of frustration because we wanted to right the last performance.”
— Simon Wilde
AUSSIES REFUSE TO BOW TO FINCH, NET RUN RATE PRESSURES
Russell Gould and Tim Michell
Australia won’t be tinkering with its line-up just to chase the big wins needed to keep its T20 World Cup defence on track after an abandoned MCG clash with England left the campaign on a knife-edge.
After three pitch inspections during 90 minutes without rain on Friday night, and the wicket uncovered throughout, the umpires declared the sodden outfield had not recovered enough for play in the must-win clash against England, leaving both teams to add just a single point to their tournament total.
The result leaves Australia fourth in Group 1 and needing to win its final two matches against Ireland, who defeated England this week, and Afghanistan and hope for results to go their way elsewhere to progress to the final four.
SCROLL DOWN TO RECAP OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF THE AUSTRALIA V ENGLAND FIXTURE
Australia was also denied the chance to boost its flagging net run rate, which could potentially decide their capacity to move to the semi-finals.
It’s a similar position the Aussies were in during last year’s World Cup, where they recovered with victories against Bangladesh and the West Indies, as well as boosting their run rate, to make the finals and ultimately lift the trophy.
Coach Andrew McDonald conceded the champions had come into the tournament knowing that run rate could decide who progresses beyond the group stages.
But the Aussies won’t go chasing numbers yet, nor would they alter their line-up just to achieve that goal, with McDonald adamant his team’s best was yet to come.
“I don’t think it will shift our selection too much,” he said.
“We’ve picked a very powerful batting line-up and we’ve got bowlers that we think in certain conditions against certain opposition can do the job. We feel pretty well covered for the options that we have.
“We’re probably where we were where we started (before the game) no-one has made any ground. That’s a disappointing fact. I think whoever came here and was able to take points that would have gone a long way to securing that potential semi-final berth.
“Net run rate is going to come in to it, we knew that at the start of the tournament when you only play five games, net run rate can influence who goes through to the final four
“We’ve been there before. First and foremost we have to improve facets of our game … get back to the cricket we are capable of, we probably haven’t done that the last couple of games.
“That excites me, there is still a lot of improvement in the group.
Captain Aaron Finch, who maintained the backing of the coach despite his own flagging form said winning against Ireland next Monday was his only focus.
“First and foremost you have to try and win the game. You have to earn yourself the chance to push for net run rate,” he said
“But you can read too much into it and overplay the situation, and that can take your focus off doing the job at hand.”
Despite baying from the expectant, and patient crowd, who watched as the covers remained off, with no rain, for more than 90 minutes during two pitch inspections, Finch said the outfield was as wet as he had ever seen it.
He and England captain Jos Buttler both wanted to play, but Finch conceded it wasn’t possible.
“The outfield has taken a drenching and that’s as wet as I have ever seen it. The run-ups were an issue and the inner circle at the members end, it was very, very wet,” Finch said.
“It’s more about player safety. It just comes down to what is safe to play in, if you were trying to run out there, and stop, it was a real issue.”
McDonald said keeper Matthew Wade was ready to play despite his Covid positive and that Finch, despite calls for him to either drop down the order or be replaced after two lacklustre efforts so far, was under no pressure to maintain his place in the team.
“He’s really important to us and his captaincy record in performance has been pretty good. So we feel as though that captaincy is a real benefit for us,” he said.
“So we don’t feel prepared to shift that and we feel as though he will come good.”
RUSSELL GOULD’S TAKE: RAIN DELAYS EXPOSE CRICKET’S GREAT FARCE
International cricket and it’s fussing about little things has always enabled the sport to shoot itself in the foot.
More than an hour spent fussing over a few minor wet spots in the MCG outfield on Friday
night was another example of officials unable to grasp of a public salivating over the prospect of a World Cup contest between the oldest enemies in the game, with their future in the tournament at stake.
There was no rain from before 7pm, the scheduled start time, through the initial pitch
inspection at 7:30, which, after third umpire Aleem Dar insisted there were spots on the corners of the pitch square which he felt were too wet, only served to push a second inspection back a further 45 minutes,
Why 45 minutes? Who knows. There were enough ground staff, players, and associated support staff wandering around said square, without wearing gumboots or sinking in to the turf, to suggest it was time to play on.
It remains a mystery why the umpires, and not the players, who trod the safe turf, and
know what they are in for, don’t decide whether they want to play.
It’s a World Cup for crying out loud, and both teams, after losses in one each of their
opening two games, England to Ireland in a rain-interrupted game, wanted to get on with things as fast as possible.
More walking at 8:15pm, not a minute earlier or later either, after work by MCG curator Matt Page’s staff to try and dry out the limited areas, not in the bowler’s run-ups
at either end it must be said, but at point, or mid-off, by Dar and the two officiating umpires took more time out of the evening.
Still it wasn’t raining. Still 90 per cent of the outfield was perfectly playable. The pitch had been uncovered for nearly 90 minutes by this stage.
They had until 9:46pm, local time, to get at least a five-over-a-side game in.
English opener Alex hales was in his playing kit, ready to go. No-one else, at least on the field, had made the effort.
The umpires spoke to the respective captains, Aaron Finch and Jos Buttler, on the field, because it still wasn’t raining.
Minutes passed as they explained, Joel Wilson, he of Ashes infamy in 2019, did all the talking. The MCG was, maybe, 40 per cent full of fans, hopeful, confused. It hadn’t rained for a long time.
Another pitch inspection, at 8:50. The boos rung out around the ground. Lots of them.
But this time, no work by the groundstaff, just hoping the ground’s famed drainage it would do its job.
It seemed farcical. It was farcical.
ROLLING MATCH COVERAGE
8.50PM MATCH ABANDONED
Word is through from the MCG that the blockbuster group match has been officially abandoned.
“The outfield has taken a drenching … that’s as wet as I have ever seen it in this stadium,” Australian captain Aaron Finch says on Fox Cricket.
Finch says “plater safety” had to be a priority.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain said the best-case scenario was always likely to be a five-over match.
English skipper Jos Buttler says he’s incredibly disappointed the match couldn’t go ahead.
Buttler was set to play his 100th T20 for England in the MCG blockbuster.
8.24PM UPDATE: PITCH INSPECTION AT 8.50PM
After a second discussion between the umpires and captains Aaron Finch and Jos Buttler, another pitch inspection has been scheduled for 25 minutes from now. A wet outfield is the issue, the pitch has been without covers for more than an hour.
8.22PM UPDATE: UMPIRES IN DEEP DISCUSSION
This match needs to get underway in less than 90 minutes for a result to be possible. The three umpires have been in deep discussion on the ground for several minutes after stamping down a few areas of concern.
7.54PM UPDATE: NEXT PITCH INSPECTION IN 20 MINS
There will be about 90 minutes for a play to start for a game to be possible when the next pitch inspection takes place at 8.15pm local time.
Gutted about this rain! Really hope they get on in Melbourne! #AUSvENG
— Jonny Bairstow (@jbairstow21) October 28, 2022
Ground staff have stopped work. Any further delays will be met with a lot of anger from a decent MCG crowd. No need to delay now let's get going #AUSvENG#T20WorldCup
— Geoff Koop (@GKoop93) October 28, 2022
7.34PM UPDATE: UMPIRE INSPECTION TAKING PLACE
With just over two hours before play has to start for a five-over match to be possible (9.46pm) the umpires have been checking the ground at the MCG.
There appeared to be some concern about certain damp patches near the wicket area.
Fingers crossed the drainage can work its magic and we get a start soon!
Opposing captains Aaron Finch and Jos Buttler are speaking to umpires.
The outcome was that the earliest possible pitch inspection will be at 8.15pm.
7.11PM UPDATE THE RAIN IS CLEARING
This video and picture tell you all you need to know for now.
The covers are coming off at the MCG and the chances of play are growing.
We’ll have the latest once we know the revised match conditions!
Take off those covers #AUSvENGpic.twitter.com/jUTcVc1eZs
— Morelle (@MsMorelle) October 28, 2022
Looking good and dry at @MCG for #AUSvENG 😊 pic.twitter.com/lmjreyHV8B
— Amy 😎 (@amymur92) October 28, 2022
WADE TIPPED TO PLAY DESPITE COVID DIAGNOSIS
Wicketkeeper Matthew Wade is at the MCG wearing a mask as he interacts with teammates waiting for a decision on play.
Wade became the second Australian in as many World Cup games to be diagnosed with Covid on Thursday.
A recent ICC rule change means the gloveman can play despite testing positive, as Irishman George Dockrell did earlier in the tournament.
Adam Zampa was ruled out of the match against Sri Lanka in Perth after testing positive.
Glenn Maxwell was pictured practising wicketkeeping at training this week.
Back-up wicketkeeper Josh Inglis was ruled out of the World Cup after a freak golfing accident and replaced by all-rounder Cameron Green in the Australian squad.
THE BEST WAY TO KILL TIME UNTIL PLAY STARTS …
Is by signing up for KFC SuperCoach BBL.
Here’s how simple it is …
Head to supercoach.com.au, enter your team of Big Bash League stars and then set up a league to take on your mates.
My advice? Start by picking Rashid Khan, Daniel Sams and Glenn Maxwell.
After that, it’s up to you.
MELBOURNE RAIN THREATENING TO RUIN BLOCKBUSTER
Melbourne’s rain is threatening to ruin the MCG blockbuster between Australia and England.
More than 70,000 fans were expected to pack Melbourne’s home of cricket, but heavy downpours throughout Friday have already caused one match to be abandoned.
The match is likely to be much shorter than 20 overs with the first pitch inspection not taking place until 7.30pm — 30 minutes after the scheduled start.
The Ireland-Afghanistan match which was due to be a curtain raiser was called off about 4.30pm without a ball being bowled.
The Bureau of Meteorology has recorded more than 20mm of rain in parts of Melbourne’s CBD in the past 24 hours.
Weather was predicted to derail the India-Pakistan showdown on Sunday, but a break in Melbourne’s persistent rain allowed one of the great T20 games to be completed.
Three of the last four games at the T20 World Cup have been rain-affected and weather looms as a major wildcard in the fight to progress to the semi-finals.
An abandoned match would leave Australia and England on three points after three matches in Group 1 and leave both countries in danger of missing the semi-finals.
Australia in particular badly needs a win and to improve its net run rate after being hammered by New Zealand in its tournament opener.
New Zealand already has three points and will have a game in hand on both Australia and England, while Sri Lanka (two games) has two points.
Ireland has three points and a better net run rate than Australia.
The forecast is much more encouraging for New Zealand’s clash with Sri Lanka at the SCG on Saturday night.
Rain across much of the metro area! Flash flooding possible! How is it out there folks? #melbweather#melbourneweatherpic.twitter.com/nE5zJxDWpU
— Victorian Storm Chasers (@VicStormChasers) October 28, 2022
Yeah and I flew into melbourne just to watch #AUSvENG and I’m sat here in my apartment praying the rain stops ! pic.twitter.com/VvhasQ4obz
— Sam Saleh (@Sam_Saleh) October 28, 2022
#AUSvENGpic.twitter.com/qq0AcsdpNk
— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) October 28, 2022
Every ball of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is available on Fox Sports and Kayo.
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