Match officers with umbrellas examine the pitch throughout a rain delay on the third day of the cricket Test match between Australia and South Africa on the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 6, 2023
| Photo Credit: AP
Inclement climate threatens to derail Australia’s bid of a collection clear sweep towards South Africa and a confirmed place within the World Test Championship last because the third and last Test towards South Africa at Sydney Cricket Ground seems destined for a draw.
After rain and unhealthy mild delays throughout he first two days, constant, and at occasions heavy, rain meant no play was doable in any respect on Friday. It left Australia unable so as to add to its imposing first-innings rating of 475-4 and Usman Khawaja stranded on his in a single day rating of 195 and tantalizingly near his first double century.
Australia now has the dilemma of deciding what number of runs it wants after which how a lot time it must bowl out South Africa twice to win within the two remaining days on a pitch not but providing the anticipated help for the spinners.
Consistent rain swept by the Sydney space from early Friday morning and the gaps within the rainfall the place not enough for floor employees to arrange the sphere and the match to renew. Shortly after the scheduled tea break, umpires deserted the day’s play.
The forecast seems extra favorable for the ultimate two days of the Test, though some mild showers are forecast for Saturday.
Australia has already received the collection after two crushing defeats within the first two exams at Brisbane and Melbourne.
A win for Australia on this third Test would verify its place within the World Test Championship last to be performed at Lord’s in England in June this 12 months.
On Thursday, Khawaja scored his third straight SCG ton and handed his earlier highest Test rating of 174 — towards New Zealand at Brisbane in 2015 — and shared a 209-run partnership with Steve Smith to carry Australia to 475-4 when rain stopped play for the day.
Khawaja was given a life on 119 when he provided a pointy shin-height likelihood which Anrich Nortje missed at gully after dropping sight of the ball.
Smith made 104 to hitch former Australia opening batter Matt Hayden on 30 Test centuries. Only Ricky Ponting (41) and Steve Waugh (32) have extra amongst Australian males’s Test gamers.
Smith additionally handed Hayden (8,625 runs) and Michael Clarke (8,643) for profession runs and is now the fourth-highest Australian Test run scorer with 8,647 runs, behind Ponting (13,378), Allan Border (11,174) and Waugh (10,927).
Matt Renshaw, in his first Test since 2018 for the injured Cameron Green, returned a optimistic Test for COVID-19 simply earlier than play and was separated from the rest of his teammates and moved into one other altering room on the SCG. He batted as anticipated at No.6 and was 5 not out at stumps Thursday.
International Cricket Council laws state Renshaw is permitted to play within the match as lengthy he feels properly sufficient, with the choice for a like-for-like substitute if he was unable to play.
Renshaw might be seen Friday wandering alongside the boundary rope below an umbrella as he continues to isolate from his teammates in what’s a irritating return to Test cricket for the 26-year-old, with hopes of being chosen for the Australia squad to tour India subsequent month.
