Day one of the fifth SCG Test between AUS vs ENG resurrected the argument that has long polarised Test cricket: player safety versus fan entertainment.
Former England skipper Michael Vaughan led vocal demands for a change in mindset from match officials and administrators alike after play was cut short in Sydney owing to bad light, rain, and lighting safety protocols. The fans were frustrated, though, as the cricket action got over long before the scheduled close despite a record-breaking crowd turning up.
Record Crowd Left Disappointed at Sydney Cricket Ground
A full house of 49,574 the largest attendance at the SCG for a Test match since 1975-76 – saw England reach 211 for 3 in 45 overs. Yet umpires Ahsan Raza and Chris Gaffaney took the players off the field 15 minutes before tea, with the light deemed to have deteriorated sufficiently.
Further lightning strikes in the vicinity of Sydney postponed the start of the final session, with rules stipulating that play could not be resumed until at least 30 minutes had passed since the latest strike.
Early Abandonment Triggers Crowd Reaction
Although it ceased raining by late afternoon, play was abandoned officialy slightly after 5:00 local time, about half an hour before its scheduled closure. The ground staff decided not to undertake drainage activities due to the high possibility of further rain. The reaction was booed by the SCG crowd, but not long after, a further short spell of rain resulted.
Michael Vaughan: Test Cricket Hurts Itself
Also speaking on BBC Test Match Special, Michael Vaughan has raised concerns about the ongoing alienation of ticket-paying supporters by Test cricket.
“We’ve probably short-changed the public by a couple of hours at least,” Vaughan admitted.
“You play under these conditions when you are playing T20 cricket. In Test cricket, we do whatever it takes to get us off the field. Why are we not thinking the same?”
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“What Vaughan wanted to get across is that administrators are always going on about protecting Test cricket, but examples such as this are what threaten the format,” said an ex-cricket chief
Jason Gillespie Echoes Criticism
Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie agreed with Vaughan’s opinions, as he said in an interview with ABC Radio:
“Our game is shooting itself in the foot again and again and again.”
His comments have added to the feeling that cricket officials need to come up with ways to improve the relationship between player safety procedures and crowd expectations, particularly when it comes to big international series such as the AUS vs ENG game.
Harry Brook justifies the Decision from a Player’s Perspective
England batsman Harry Brook, who top-scored with 78 not out, has a different take on the matter. According to him, visibility has become a concern for the batsmen towards the end of the day.
“We could hardly see the ball,” said Brook.
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“Everyone was in the same boat. It was dark, and then the rain came, so we were just waiting for it to be called off.”
Brook further added that they were already informed about the unfavorable weather conditions and thus were not expecting to play.
Australian Camp Reacts with Caution
Australia’s assistant coach, Daniel Vettori, confirmed that the Australian side was caught up in a moment of surprise over the abandonment of play just before the next spell of rain.
“We thought about it, and then it rained again,” Vettori said.
When questioned about how a better balance between safety and entertainment could be achieved at the SCG Test, Vettori was cautious in her reply.
“When the playing conditions are decent and we do not have an advantage, we look to play as much cricket as we can. But we also have to adhere to certain rules and regulations.”
New Start Time for Day Two
Because of the early finish yesterday on Day One, play is to begin 30 minutes earlier today, at 10:00 am local time, to give the teams an extra chance to cover the lost overs.
A Debate That Won’t Go Away
Wednesday’s events at the AUS vs ENG SCG Test have again brought to the forefront the need to strike a balance between player safety and giving value to supporters. With Test cricket struggling to retain its relevance amidst intense competition from other sports bodies, demands for more concrete guidelines and an active mindset have become more pronounced than ever.
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