Only 46 overs have been bowled on day two at the SCG, with bad light and rain bringing and early end to play in the third and final Test between Australia and Pakistan.
Australia was 2-116 with Marnus Labuschagne (23*) and Steve Smith (6*) at the crease when the players were forced off due to poor light before tea, with the rain arriving soon after.
Australia remains 197 runs behind Pakistan’s first-innings score, having lost openers David Warner (34) and Usman Khawaja (47), the latter just 3.3 overs before the final ball was bowled.
- Five quick hits: Pakistan drops another sitter at slip and Warner can’t go big
- Scorecard: Check out all the stats in our ScoreCentre
Having survived a tough solitary over at the end of day one, Warner and Khawaja resumed at a sedate pace under cloudy skies.
Warner, potentially batting in a Test match for the last time, was far more circumspect than usual as Pakistan’s bowling altered between erratic and piercingly tight.
The retiring opener survived a massive scare on 20 when he was dropped at first slip — this time by 21-year-old debutant Saim Ayub, who became the latest tourist to drop a sitter in the series.
Warner could not capitalise on his reprieve though, falling on the stroke of lunch to a good ball from part-time off spinner Salman Ali Agha, who got one to straighten and catch the outside edge, with Babar Azam clinging on at first slip.
Khawaja crabbed his way to 47 off 143 balls before he gloved a short ball behind to Muhammad Rizwan — the not out decision overturned on review.
Labuschagne and Smith came together and gently cruised to 2-116 at a rate of just 2.46 runs per over before the umpires removed the players for bad light — Pakistan unwilling to only bowl spinners amidst the gloom.
The rain followed soon after, with no further play possible on another frustrating day.
Look back at how the half-day unfolded in our live blog below, and check out the full scorecard and stats.
Key events
Australia vs Pakistan at the SCG
STUMPS: Australia 2-116 (Labuschagne 23, Steve Smith 6)
Well, that’s that.
No more play for today so an early mark for us all.
Australia will resume 197 runs behind Pakistan’s first innings score on day three, with Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne back in the middle.
An ultimately frustrating day to be honest, with bad light first, then rain, stopping play early.
It wasn’t a great day’s cricket, with just 46 overs possible and the scoring at just 2.39 runs per over.
But Australia is still in a decent position.
Tomorrow will start early I’d expect, so 10am AEDT, and myself and Jon Healy will be here to guide you all through it.
Our other options
A Sydney test interrupted by bad weather, as is now tradition, is exactly why Cricket Australia was wrong to refuse the request to reallocate the New Year’s test to Adelaide.
– South Australian
It’s about time for my annual reminder during this game that the weather in Perth is absolutely perfect for cricket today 🙂
– LW
I’m sure it’s lovely everywhere else in Australia except Sydney because that’s what happens.
Here’s the forecast for the rest of the Test.
Under my umbrella, ella, ella, ey, ey, ey
Pakistan have been excellent
I must say, while they haven’t ultimately been up to stratch, I have been very impressed with the attitude of the Pakistan’s attitude this series. Masood’s comments on the MCG pitch, Aamir Jamal yesterday about his ‘milestone’, and the fielder (I’ve forgotten who it was now) who was entertaining the MCG crowd in the last test are all good examples of the spirit of this tour. They seem proud to be playing and there seems to be genuine respect between the teams.
– Daniel
That was Hassan Ali who was entertaining Bay 13.
And you’re right, Daniel.
They’ve been excellent tourists and, although you’d have been hard pushed to find too many people looking forward to this tour from a competitive aspect, they have even delivered that too.
It’s been great.
It’s not looking good
A long day
Well for once we can thank the Sydney weather for making a Test longer, rather than shorter
– Josh
I think the Aussies have been doing their best to prolong the Test in any case with their go-slow tactics.
2.46 runs per over the hosts are scoring at.
Aamir Jamal
While we wait for something to happen out there (although it’s not looking too good if we’re being honest, folks) let’s go back to the end of play yesterday, when Aamir Jamal spoke to Grandstand at stumps.
There were some moments
Simon, I remember some wonderful scenes in the blog of you all playing cricket in the ABC office hallway way back in the Covid days – all socially distanced of course.
– Kim
The cricket set does come out every so often, it’s true.
Sorry scenes in Sydney
Pat Cummins: ‘It’s frustrating’
Pat Cummins is speaking to Fox Sports.
“I think we’re starting to get used to it here,” he says of the rain delay in Sydney.
Cummins says the players are keeping themselves occupied in the rooms.
“It’s a bit frustrating,” he says.
“A lot of the guys are playing cards in there and some trivia questions.”
Cummins was also asked about the light and how bad it was out there, giving short shrift to any suggestions that have been going around for changing the ball colour to keep the game going.
“I didn’t actually chat to them to be honest,” Cummins says of Smith and Labuschagne, who he also says are likely to be keeping half an eye on the weather, while he is almost able to completely switch off.
“As soon as it’s in your mind [that it’s getting dark] you want to get off.”
Very much Dean
Best cricketer out of Jon, Dean and Simon?
– Box first
He did open, but not for that dog
Jon did you open the batting for Labrador?
– Stitches from green pitches
I asked him, but he said he opened for golden retriever.
Pink ball for the Pink Test?
I feel like I’m repeating myself on this issue every year. Play the Sydney Test as a day/night match and the pink ball would fit perfectly with it being the ‘Pink Test’. It would also combat the issue of bad light that seems to happen every year.
– Sean
HELP
The covers are on
Not great news.
The umpires were out in the middle taking a light reading – but now the ground staff have come on and dragged the hessian cover onto the pitch.
The main covers are not out there yet, but an umbrella has just gone up out there and Fox are reporting that it’s raining.
I think they were hoping for 30,000-plus today
And in the naked light I saw, ten thousand people maybe more…
– Mike
When was the last time the SCG held an uninterrupted Test?
When was the last year Sydney could have a full interrupted 5 days of Test Cricket and how many times has that happened in the last decade?
– Mick
I don’t think there were any significant interruptions during the 2020 Test against New Zealand.
Very artsy
Aussie stars up for ICC awards
Fresh off her 119 against India, Phoebe Litchfield is nominated for the ICC’s emerging cricketer award, while legend of the game Ellyse Perry is in the running for T20 player of the year.
You can vote for Litchfield and Perry on the ICC website.
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Sophie Anderson, a UK-based writer, is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, she explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture, keeping readers in the know about the latest online sensations.
