Australia v England, 4th Test, Sydney, 5-9 January, 2022

How does it 109 balls to bowl a ball to Harry in the nicking spot ...

Notice Broad tried to recapture his long-lost 'Shirley Temple' youth today, sporting the knotted white headband Roger Federer-style (and looking suitably ridiculous in the process). Fortunately he bowled reasonably well or the cartoonists would have already gone feral.

Seem to recall this was a 'fashion' trend also once followed by a local fast bowler, who had a couple of Tests around the time Roger was riding up the hit parade. Had Stuey's wonderful golden hair, but a hell of a lot more of it. I can't remember this bloke's name but he got tagged by the Forum of the day as the Flying Alice Band. Anybody got a better memory than me?

Bracken ?

beaten by WW by a nose

Had to get the whip out in the home straight or it would have been another second place!

Yeah that's the one. Syd 03-04, Tugga's last Test, the massively more experienced Lee & MacDill got absolutely disembowelled by Tendulkar & co & their home crowd booed them off the SCG, but he at least held his own (with Dizzy). Could have been his last Test too.

Honours just about even on the first day (three-way split between England, Australia and rain). In reality though the Aussies are on course for the 300 they need to win the match in six or seven sessions, though having to bat again could complicate the weather equation.

First time Harris has looked the part, however briefly.

WideWally wrote:

The memory of you blokes (WW, embee, lardy) never ceases to amaze me. Clearly I put snippets like this away in the "meh, nobody will ever need this memory" spot in my brain to save space for the more pressing stuff.

lardbucket wrote:First time Harris has looked the part, however briefly.

I thought exactly this during his innings, but thought if I posted it, it would Jonah him. I needn't have worried - he Jonahed himself.

Alas, his 76 + 38 will probably means we'll have to persist with this Meh opener for some time.

A trivia snippet.

Joe Root extended his record as the captain with most "top scores in both innings" to 5 in Melbourne. The next best is 3 (Snoozer John Reid, and Bannie E-Coli):

83 & 58* Eng (346 & 140) v Aus, Sydney, 2017-18
218 & 40 Eng (578 & 178) v Ind, Madras, 2020-21
64 & 109 Eng (183 & 303) v Ind, Nottingham, 2021
180 & 33 Eng (391 & 120) v Ind, Lord’s, 2021
50 & 28 Eng (185 & 86) v Aus, Melbourne, 2021-22

skully, it’s easier when you’ve been at the game, and I was at this one:

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-tour-of-australia-2003-04-62294/australia-vs-india-3rd-test-64061/full-scorecard

Bracken was easily our best bowler in this game.

Sehwag must still be regretting holing out off a Katich full toss.

Sure that's the right game? That was Melbourne. Tendles 200 (matched by Lee with the ball) was the next week, at the SCG.

Was only remembering Bracken, by his efforts. Sorry.

back to the game at hand, which I presume is being attended by JGK:

pitch looks a little easier today and not much movement yet, Wood working Smith over with the short ball interspersed with a full ball down leg hoping for a leg slip / gully catch

... and two out on the hook

And it's yet another heat of the Groundies Assistants' 100 Metres....on come the covers

There is a bit of a sense of England's best efforts coming to naught here.

(Hey Joe! Why the hell is Leach bowling at all, let alone the guff he's serving up (presumably under your instructions) in this spell?)

The weather radar shows bands of showers scudding in over the whole 64 kms radius

I was on Sydney Harbour on the day before Christmas Eve - it heaved down most of the morning but every time I checked the radar on the blower it showed sweet FA. Just like it was apparently* clear at the moment the umps sent everybody home yesterday.

Seems the Sydney radar machine would sometimes struggle to detect Niagara Falls.

Smith just moved past the coach on the all-time runs for Oz list

Fred Nerk wrote:Smith just moved past the coach on the all-time runs for Oz list

He loves the SCG.

Are SCG tests best summed up by a combination of flat tracks and rain breaks?

'Smith fails again'

Root having a nightmare in the slips.

Broad now level with Willis as England's second highest wicket-taker in Ashes, with only Lord I. B. ahead. Ussie deserves his fifty.

Fred Nerk wrote:Sure that's the right game? That was Melbourne. Tendles 200 (matched by Lee with the ball) was the next week, at the SCG.

That was the Test at which MrK started the "Warnie" chant after MacGoo's shit bowling and fielding efforts.