Speaking of the state of Test cricket globally, the team on Around The Wicket, ESPN’s new TV show, discussed the issues on the most recent episode
Taimoor Hassan : “Why not simply slot Josh Inglis at the top, replace Carey, and include Green at number 7? This way, you’ll have a few overs from Green, and he’ll also get the much-needed rest. More bowling options mean greater variety. It’s rare to see any team with five genuine 135-plus pacers in the playing eleven. Additionally, on a square-turning pitch, Hazelwood can be omitted for an extra spinner, still leaving four fast options. “
Nauman: “Mitch Marsh finally fulfilling the expectations in his 30s gives me hopes that Faheem Ashraf might be world class in 3-4 years time.”
4.06pm The match is beautifully poised and it’s such a shame that we lost too many overs due to this prolonged rain interruption. There’s no activity on the ground and the squares are still under cover
4pm Still raining. Rvel to step into commentary.
3.45pm Lyndon: “I really don’t know why there is so much discussion about who should replace David Warner. It’s an absolute no-brainer, it has to be Cameron Bancroft. Leading run-scorer in the Sheffield Shield last season (945 runs @ 59.06, with four 100s and one 50), current leading run-scorer for the Sheffield Shield this season (512 runs @ 56.88, with two 100s and three 50s), plus a 50 in the PMXI game against Pakistan. The most consistent batter in Australia at the moment, and is also a specialist opener.” Here is a deep dive into the numbers of Bancroft, Harris and Renshaw. If Shield runs are the only metric, Lyndon, you are right that it’s a no-brainer. But the selectors don’t look at Shield numbers alone. Mitchell Marsh averages 29 in Shield cricket in his career.
Calum: “If they pick Green to open in a team with Marsh it will be trivial to reduce Green’s bowling workload to compensate if he bats big. Watson bowled few overs while opening but added a lot of value, Green can too.”
Nicholas Frankl: “I think the commentary around moving Green or someone else to open is overblown. Plenty of players have moved up the order to open. Off the top of my head” Khawaja, Watson, Katich, Langer are four Australian examples. Overseas, Rohit Sharma is another example.
Tom: “I’m not sure how Watson is relevant?Watson’s average of 41 as an opener is nothing special, so I’m not sure that’s a great argument for trying it with Green. Nor did Watson have Green’s health concerns.Why wouldn’t you just pick Bancroft? He’s been the standout batsman in Shield cricket for a few years while opening for WA. It’s a clear case of overthinking it when there’s an obvious candidate right there.” David Warner averages 45 across his career opening the batting and only 30 in the last three years. Watson’s 41 is very good by global standards for openers. Bancroft and Harris average under 27 in Test cricket, Renshaw averages 29 overall but 33 when he opens.
3.35pm Gnasher from the SCG: “Think there’s a very good chance that this is it for the day. Doesn’t seem to me any gaps in the rain. Forecast for the next three days is pretty good and we can make up time.”
Ahmed: “I don’t get legends of the game saying back in their game they prioritized test cricket, i mean sure they did, but did they have T20 cricket? like today T20 is being prioritized for league contracts or whatever ETC. Back in the day test cricket was prioritized for county contracts, you simply cant say what they would’ve done if T20 was there at the time, although i agree test cricket is the purest and best form of cricket, its semi understood why players aren’t prioritizing it.”
Earl: “Maybe there needs to stop being a Test in Sydney at the beginning of each year? If it rains around this time every year maybe either make the Sydney Test the 1st of summer or just don’t host any matches in Sydney?” That would be controversial Earl.
Tom: “Picking Green to open is madness. He’s got a health condition that impedes his recovery, but we want him to bowl 10-15 overs and also open the batting? Why do people think this is a good idea? Is it simply because McDonald and co have been sending signals that they want Green back in the side?” Watson has done it with some success. He averaged 41 with the bat and 27 with the ball in the 25 Tests he opened the batting. It’s a big workload and they would manage Green’s bowling a lot more with Marsh also in the team. But if the selectors didn’t think he could manage it then, or if Green didn’t think he could do it, then it would never have been raised by them and they have consistently said all options are open including Green opening.
3.25pm It’s still raining and it looks like it will rain for awhile based on the radar.
Fawad: “Cricinfo plz advise if we shud go to sleep or stay awake. ” Enjoy your sleep Fawad.
Mustafa Moudi : “Since the game is paused, lets come back to the important question – WHO REPLACES DAVID WARNER ??? My Answer would be Cameron Green. Head opens and Green replaces Head in the Middle Order!!” It won’t be Head Mustafa. But Green is a live chance to do the job and Shane Watson thinks he has the skillset to do it.
Tim: “Good debate on Fox about the state of Test cricket, and how the ICC and the cricket boards need to protect Test cricket. Here is a thought….Maybe the ICC and the boards in particular DON’T want to prioritise Test cricket. Money is in 20/20. WI and SA have proven that beyond a doubt. Test’s are an afterthought. The day will come when only AUS, IND, ENG and maybe NZ play Tests.”
AdnanKapri: “@Mustafa: My Answer is Renshaw (Proper Test Opener). Head and Green both should play in Middle order. “
3.10pm The large covers are on. There is drizzle. Here is the Sydney radar.
Dera: “Time to put this phrase out once again, ‘3 things that are eternal – death, taxes and rain during Sydney’s NY Test'”
3.05pm The hessian cover has being put on the pitch. It has started raining. It is only a drizzle. The bigger covers are being driven onto the ground and rolled onto the square now.
3.03pm Umpire Michael Gough is taking a light reading via is light meter at the moment. The umpires are now talking with Pakistan team director Mohammad Hafeez.
2.58pm Tea will end at 3pm but it doesn’t look like we will get back on straight away. The weather is closing very fast. The umpires are out in the middle having a chat to ground staff in the middle at the moment. The players are still sitting inside.
Andrew: “I’m no weatherman, but the radar is saying we might as well call stumps.”
Luigi: “These issues have been going on and on for years, and everytime people seem to get angry with it – but nothing changes. What will it take to make actual change occur? “
2.40pm Early tea taken. Some common sense shown at least with tea called while they are off.
Zia: “I am half an hour’s drive from the SCG and its raining pretty heavy here.” Here is the Sydney radar. The rain missed the SCG yesterday but we might not be as lucky today.
Viggo Pedersen: “Leave off the umpires!They are in the middle and if they think Jamal’s bowling is a danger to the batsmen in the existing light then they are right to give Pakistan the option they did.They have umpired 96 tests between them. I think they know their stuff.” It’s a fair point Viggo. They probably took a reading off the light meter and are just doing what the rules say. But it certainly looked playable. Labuschagne and Smith were not having any trouble with the light.
2.33pm The umpires have left the field. Gnasher reporting in from the SCG: “With the rain approaching it’s hard to see the light improving in the short term now the umpires have set their benchmark. With the health of Test cricket very much on the agenda, this stoppage will no doubt prompt the debate around bad light and whether more needs to be done to keep the game going.”
TotallyFair: “So bowling bouncers to tailenders as Umpire and fielders couldn’t see the ball yesterday was OK. But today isn’t ok. Right…..”
2.23pm The umpires have called Pakistan together and light is a problem! Even with the lights on they all head off for bad light! This is strange. There has been no danger to the batters. Fox Cricket are reporting that the onfield umpires offered Shan Masood the chance to bowl spin from both ends but he wanted to keep Jamal going and so they have gone off for bad light. Amazing. Rain is rolling in shortly anyway but they could be playing now.
Munro: “Cricket shoots itself in the foot, again.”
Mal: “There may not have been any danger to the batters, but there was a very real danger of bowling the allotted overs within the day, which obviously is a massive no-no.”
Caleb: “Bad light at 2:30pm in the afternoon in the middle of summer, is this some kind of joke?? I think every think of a time where it is too dark at 2:30pm to play cricket unless it was some massive tropical storm. “
