Australia will return to the crease on day 4 of the New Year’s Test on the SCG after play was deserted with no ball being bowled.
A rain affected Test may show to be a blessing in disguise for the visiting South Africans and maintain the Australian’s from claiming a 3-0 collection whitewash.
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Usman Khawaja wants solely 5 runs to attain his first ever Test double century as he helped the Aussies climb in direction of 4-475.
It leaves a conundrum as as to whether Australia will declare in a single day to maximise the time to take the 20 South African wickets or permit Khawaja an opportunity on the milestone.
Cricket followers have been left cursing the gods after Khawaja was left stranded in a single day on a day when Steve Smith handed Donald Bradman’s century tally as he introduced up his thirtieth Test hundred.
Travis Head additionally introduced the leisure with a 58-ball 70 earlier than he was sensationally caught on the boundary.
4.10pm — Stumps known as
The day has been washed out on the SCG with no ball being bowled.
Hopefully the climate will disappear and there’ll be some cricket tomorrow.
It now marks the twenty sixth day a full day’s play has been washed out on the SCG.
2.20pm — Damning tweet lays Warney fact naked
There’s not a lot to write down about at this time with the rain set within the covers set to remain on for the rest of the day.
But as we head in direction of a twenty sixth full day being washed out the SCG, it’s laborious not to think about Shane Warne, who lengthy known as for Sydney to get a match at the beginning of the summer season, relatively than in the course of the moist season over the brand new 12 months.
The stats are damning with cricket statistician Ric Finlay posting the damning stats of days washed out in Australia, with the SCG having almost thrice the subsequent worst — which is Melbourne — in days washed out.
It’s much more than Manchester, which has additionally included two deserted Tests.
On Monday when dangerous mild and rain conspired towards the cricket all through the day, Warne was once more remembered.
The nice man lengthy grumbled in regards to the rain in Sydney, tweeting in 2017: “You know Sydney has the most overrated weather in the country & the most rain too H #Fact !!”
Last 12 months, Warne was once more pissed off.
“It’s better weather then than it is in the first week of January,” Warne mentioned on Fox Cricket on the time.
“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.”
While the thought is beginning to get some traction, Cricket Australia boss Nick Hockley shut down calls.
“It’s an iconic event on the sporting calendar, people plan their entire holidays around it. We saw over 30,000 people come out yesterday,” Hockley advised SEN on Thursday.
“Particularly now with the pink Test in its 15th year and the positive impact. There is so much going on around the ground but obviously we all want to see as much play as possible.”
1pm — Scratch that, the rains are again
Just when it regarded promising, the heavens opened again up and the rain obtained even heavier than it was coming down this morning.
It’s going to be a protracted shot if play will get underway anytime quickly.
12pm — The covers are off
Believe it or not the clouds have cleared and the covers are coming off on the SCG. With lunch typically taken at 12:30pm, followers are pleading for the break to be taken early and as quickly as the bottom is able to go for gamers to be prepared.
More showers are anticipated to hit within the afternoon so there could solely be a quick window to get some overs in on the day.
9:30am – Weather forecast paints grim image
Australia’s hopes of a collection whitewash are hanging within the steadiness with the rain clouds looming to be a large consider Sydney.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Sydney has an 80 per cent likelihood of rainfall with windy and wet circumstances forecast all through the day.
It comes after the opening two days have been closely affected by the climate.
Play is supposed to get underway at 10am (AEDT), nonetheless the heavy covers stay on the pitch on the SCG with the radar not offering loads of optimism.
9am – Steve Smith’s shock retirement trace
After surpassing Donald Bradman when he registered his thirtieth Test century, Steve Smith has left followers speechless by hinting at his retirement from the sport.
Speaking after the second day of the third Test, Smith mentioned he wasn’t positive if he’d play one other Test match in Australia in second of uncooked honesty.
Smith was heaping reward on 36-year-old Usman Khawaja’s gorgeous longevity when he was requested whether or not he’d be in Australia for future cricketing summers.
“I don’t know. We’ll see,” Smith mentioned.
“I’m enjoying it at the moment. I really can’t say how long I’ll play for. I’m not sure.
“Take it one tour at a time. Just enjoy it and enjoy training and trying to get better as well.
“Whilst I’m doing that I’m happy playing. But I don’t know how long it’ll last.”
Smith has beforehand flagged the potential of retiring earlier from the game than most would anticipate.
“No, I don’t have a plan, but I’m 33 now,” he advised The Daily Telegraph in November.
“I’ve been playing international cricket for 13 years. It’s a long time. I’m still enjoying it, but I’m certainly closer to the end than the start, that’s for sure.”
