It wasn’t more than half a day at the office for the Proteas when they returned to action in the third Test against Australia, but it had been a busy day as the home side reached 147/2 at the worst. weather stopped play at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Only 47 overs could be played before the umpire controversially took the player off, for the second time, at 17:50, before turning it off at 14:17 local time. In the second time, the rain came, but the referee’s reluctance to continue playing in the gray, cloudy clouds did not anger.
That was far from the most controversial decision-making on the opening day. Shortly before play was stopped, Marnus Labuschagne edged left-arm Marco Jansen down to first slip, where Simon Harmer seemed to have scooped up a good catch.
Neither Labuschagne nor the referee was 100% sure, with third umpire Richard Kettleborough called on to play, a soft signal was out. After watching several replays, the Englishman felt that the ball had touched the ground, but the conclusive replay, zoomed in from the front, was strangely absent.
Labuschagne survived on 70, but five minutes later, a crucial replay suddenly appeared and showed that Harmer had got a finger on the ball. One wonders why the host announcer can’t provide replays when the TV referees need them.
Labuschagne added just nine more laps to the score before the cautious Anrich Nortje managed to drag some life out of the furlong, a phenomenal delivery with speed, bounce and distance. His fortunes would have changed as the referee took the player off the field immediately after the dismissal.
Usman Khawaja played the opening batsman’s knock with 54 not out, showing a lot of good judgment in his stroke selection, but also effectively removing anything while collecting six fours. Steve Smith has just arrived at the crease but has yet to face the ball.
Khawaja and Labuschagne added 135 for the second wicket in very efficient fashion, taking charge after lunch as they added 70 runs in 15 overs. In the morning session, Khawaja and Labuschagne have focused on entering and ensuring the advantage to win the toss and batting on a dry, easy-paced field that offers little movement, not squandered.
Northern suppliers
Nortje had been South Africa’s other wicket supplier on the first day, David Warner (10) edging high for Jansen at first slip when he played a slight slant outside the off-stump.
Pacemen Proteas did not give the new ball, but the task became more difficult for them. Spinner Harmer provided some anxious moments for the left-handed Khawaja and he and Keshav Maharaj could be the main players in the rest of the innings.
Read more: Time for Proteas to find steel
Harmer has replaced Lungi Ngidi in attack, while South Africa brought on Heinrich Klaasen for Theunis de Bruyn, who returned home for the birth of his first child.
Read more: Agar, Renshaw in Australia squad for third Test against Proteas