11.18AM POLLOCK DOUBTS OVER CALL TO BOWL FIRSTFormer South African skipper Shaun Pollock says South Africa can create doubt in Australia’s minds if it reaches 15 overs with out dropping a wicket.
Pat Cummins gained the toss on the MCG and elected to bowl, presumably to attempt to expose a South African line-up nonetheless reeling from the Brisbane massacre.
Despite a pointy caught-and-bowled likelihood happening and the Australians contemplating a overview or two, South Africa hasn’t appeared wherever close to as troubled as on the Gabba on its approach to 0-23 after 9 overs.
The MCG pitch hasn’t supplied wherever close to as a lot help as Brisbane up to now.
“There’s been enough to maybe justify it,” Pollock mentioned on Fox Cricket.
“But we all know having played, you start to get that slip corden talk about ‘hmmm, I wonder if we should have batted first’.
“The longer the South Africans last here, you get the 15-20 overs without any damage being done, people start to question. Then you have to get your mindset around the fact (that), ‘OK, we didn’t get the start we’re after, maybe (it’s) not doing as much as we thought it would, but we still have to now go and bowl them out.”
11.12AM BOLAND INTO THE ATTACK
Scott Boland is on. This just isn’t a drill. The MCG is rocking.
Pat Cummins grasses a pointy return catch off Dean Elgar. South Africa 0-9. In the following over, Mitch Starc has two appeals in opposition to Erwee turned down and Cummins opts to not ship both choice for overview.
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10.45AM BOY THE FANS LOVE SCOTT BOLAND
Can you think about the scenes if they’d dropped Scott Boland for the Boxing Day Test?
So far he has bene cheered when his identify was introduced, cheered for working to nice leg after which there was an enormous roar when he fielded a ball within the first over.
There’s little doubt Victorians are a parochial bunch!
They’ll have to attend some time to see their hometown hero although because it’s Pat Cummins sharing the brand new ball with Starc.
South Africa has made a sturdy begin, reaching 0-6 after two overs.
10.32AM PLAY UNDERWAY
Mitch Starc has the brand new ball in hand with South African captain Dean Elgar and fellow opener Sarel Erwee on the crease. Ricky Ponting says on Channel 7 he wonders if Pat Cummins has given South Africa an opportunity to dictate the Test by bowling however understands the choice to bowl first when circumstances are most certainly to favour the Aussie quicks.
10.20AM SHANE WARNE TRIBUTES UNDERWAY
Both groups have floppy hats on and there and lots of of 1000’s within the stands because the MCG prepares to rejoice the lifetime of Shane Warne. David Warner’s three daughters are with him to mark his a hundredth Test. If you missed Warner’s tell-all interview with Ben Horne, catch up right here.
A tribute video of a few of Warnie’s finest moments is taking part in on the MCG scoreboards with Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’. It’s a reasonably superb second as gamers from each groups pause and switch to look at a few of the finest moments from Shane Warne’s legendary profession. The crowd, gamers and officers stand as one and applaud.
10.12AM TEAM NEWS
As we came upon yesterday, Australia is unchanged with native hero Scott Boland retaining his spot with Josh Hazlewood nonetheless not 100 per cent. Theunis De Bruyne is in to bat at No.3 for South Africa. As the vacationers hinted at on Christmas Day, they are going to once more go in with Marco Jansen listed at No.7. There was police applause all through the crew bulletins till Scott Boland’s identify was learn out and the MCG went wild.
AUSTRALIA: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar (c), Sarel Erwee, Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi
10:02AM AUSSIES WILL BOWL AFTER WINNING TOSS
Pat Cummins has gained the toss and despatched South Africa in to bat on the MCG. The pitch isn’t anticipated to be something like Brisbane’s inexperienced monster however there’s grass protecting which can supply help for the Australian bowlers early. It will likely be an enormous check of South Africa’s mettle after rolled cheaply twice in Brisbane.
9:50AM CONCERN FOR CRICKET FAN IN LEAD UP TO PLAY
A piece of the MCC members has been cordoned off with employees showing to take care of a patron simply earlier than 10am. Medical employees and police are in attendance on the extent 2 balcony.
LYON BRACING FOR ‘EMOTIONAL’ TRIBUTE TO THE REAL GOAT
Star spinner Nathan Lyon is bracing for an emotional Boxing Day Test as cricket farewells the true GOAT – his childhood hero, Shane Warne.
The Australian crew will likely be similar to most followers sitting within the stands on the MCG on Monday after they honour a sporting icon who impressed them to like the sport.
Fox Cricket has ready a stirring tribute video that will likely be performed on the large screens when the gamers, all sporting white floppy hats, are lined up on the sphere earlier than play to pay tribute to one of the crucial bigger than life characters Australia has recognized.
Warne’s son Jackson will be part of Fox Cricket’s protection throughout the day for what the community is looking ‘The Shane Warne Boxing Day Test’, in reminiscence of their beloved commentator.
Lyon, an all-time Test nice in his personal proper with greater than 450 Test wickets, has paid tribute to the cricketer he appeared as much as forward of a big day on the MCG.
“I’ve got the nickname of the GOAT, which is a bit ridiculous,” Lyon mentioned.
“That’s Shane. He is the greatest.
“It’s going to be a very emotional Test for everyone. It’s going to be very special that this is going to be the first Test since his passing at his home ground.
“For us to be out in the middle with everyone else who is honouring Shane Warne, it’s going to be special.”
Warne’s cap quantity 350 will likely be emblazoned on the MCG outfield at some stage in the Test and at 3.50pm on Boxing Day Warne’s picture will seem on the large display.
During the Test, the Warne spotlight reels will roll.
Lyon admits he by no means fairly obtained used to the fun of turning as much as a Test match and bumping into Warne out within the center earlier than play.
After play completed on day 4 of the primary Test of the 2019 Ashes tour in England, Warne requested to fulfill Lyon exterior the dressing rooms.
With Australia needing to take 10 wickets on the final day to take a 1-0 victory, Warne spoke to Lyon about how he should realise he had the ability because the spinner within the facet to “control the tempo” of the sport and make England play on his phrases.
The subsequent day Lyon took six wickets in a convincing victory which set the platform for Australia to reclaim the Ashes for the primary time in twenty years.
“When you think back at it now, it’s absolutely incredible,” Lyon mentioned.
“Mind blowing stuff.”
For Lyon, Warne made spin bowling cool, and the Australian star is dedicated to persevering with his hero’s legacy of inspiring a brand new era of younger Aussie youngsters to offer it a tweak.
“It’s all about trying to keep the legacy alive I guess,” Lyon mentioned.
“I think it’s a massive role and massive opportunity for myself to keep the spin culture alive and well inside Australian cricket.
“Warnie was obviously the biggest (influence) you could ever imagine. Especially as a young kid growing up in Australia, all I wanted to do was be like Shane Warne.
“If I can keep that dream going for a lot of kids, boys and girls out there in Australian cricket, then I’m doing my role.”
Warne’s son Jackson, who spoke so brilliantly on the public funeral on the MCG earlier this yr, will seem alongside his father’s outdated commentary sparring companions throughout the tea break on Fox Cricket.
Originally revealed as Boxing Day cricket: 2nd Test Australia vs South Africa from the MCG, all of the scores and evaluation
