- Australia 345-3 at stumps on day one of the Boxing Day Test
- Centurions Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns punish West Indies bowlers
Australia continued their dominance over the West Indies on a sluggish Boxing Day at the MCG. The day centred around a massive partnership between centurions Joe Burns and Usman Khawaja but a lifeless pitch and a dismal opposition blunted the occasion.
The decision to drop the in-form Shaun Marsh was always going to prove controversial but the two batsmen whose participation was most under threat repaid the selectors handsomely. Burns was patient, Khawaja stylish and both ensured the early loss of David Warner was never felt.
90th over: Australia 345-3 (Smith 32, Voges 10)
Kraigg Brathwaite is an odd choice to bowl the final over of the day. Voges cashes in with a lovely straight driven boundary.
89th over: Australia 341-3 (Smith 32, Voges 6)
Bay 13 has been decimated by ejections today. Bloody barren down there with a few overs left! #AusvWI#cricketpic.twitter.com/RNROtm8F2K
88th over: Australia 335-3 (Smith 31, Voges 2)
Holder charging in and hurling the newish ball down from a great height. The speed gun registers 125kph. That’s 20kph slower than Chris Woakes.
87th over: Australia 335-3 (Smith 31, Voges 2)
Shane Warne mentioned on commentary earlier that on drop-in pitches, particularly the MCG, he would never advocate bowling first on winning the toss. Jason Holder found that out to his cost today. A good toss for Steve Smith to lose and not be forced into making a poor decision. That said, you get the feeling ten West Indian wickets will fall much easier than a few Australian ones on any track right now.
86th over: Australia 331-3 (Smith 27, Voges 2)
The sun’s out again at the MCG, casting shadows across the square. Voges off the mark with a two behind square on the leg side.
85th over: Australia 328-3 (Smith 27, Voges 0)
Tiredness eventually did for Khawaja. He was grinding to a halt and offering chances with one eventually sticking. In this form though he doesn’t just score runs, he scores beautiful runs. A few years of his elegance in the international arena will do the game no harm.
Taylor finally gets his man. An innocuous delivery tickled down the leg side and claimed well by Ramdin.
Superb knock by Khawaja.
84th over: Australia 328-2 (Khawaja 144, Smith 26)
This game has unravelled a little since the dual centuries were achieved. Khawaja is fatigued, the West Indies are a rabble and there are still six overs left in the day.
That gets a "Dear, oh dear..." from Bill in the @WWOS9 comm box... LIVE: https://t.co/crPlBfWJkr#AUSvWIpic.twitter.com/5Pk3DnBOWu
83rd over: Australia 323-2 (Khawaja 143, Smith 22)
West Indies’ day goes from awful to abysmal. Khawaja mistimes a half-tracker from Jerome Taylor sraight to Samuels at extra-cover and the ball unforgivably goes to ground. It was a chest-high chance, straight to him. That was embarrassing. Samuels owes Taylor a year’s worth of Red Stripe for letting his paceman down there.
82nd over: Australia 318-2 (Khawaja 142, Smith 18)
The new ball has now been taken and Jason Holder has taken responsibility for its first use. Two wide off-side looseners give the impression the new rock will make little difference. This is reinforced with a no-ball and a long hop that Smith pulls disdainfully to the square leg boundary.
81st over: Australia 312-2 (Khawaja 141, Smith 14)
The new ball has been declined, for now, with Carlos continuing into the tenth over of his spell. Figures of 0/29 reflect the passage of play he’s been central to.
80th over: Australia 311-2 (Khawaja 140, Smith 14)
Kraigg with what may be the final over before the new ball is taken. It is nothing cricket with everyone involved going through the motions and Australia picking up a couple of sedentary singles.
79th over: Australia 308-2 (Khawaja 138, Smith 13)
Carlos charging in from the Members’ end of the MCG but there’s no assistance from this old ball on such a lifeless surface. One does jag back and Carlos makes an exaggerated display of disappointment.
78th over: Australia 306-2 (Khawaja 137, Smith 10)
I realise with a Brathwaite at either end things could get confusing. Kraigg is working the last overs of this Kookaburra with his right-arm darts with little happening as the evening cloud comes over.
77th over: Australia 302-2 (Khawaja 136, Smith 9)
Khawaja looks exhausted out there and he’s late to a Brathwaite delivery from around the wicket that crashes into his box. Clearly this is cause for much merriment to everyone but the poor batsman. If Glenn Maxwell was in the XI Khawaja would presumably retire out about now and give the Victorian a chance of a 12-over century late in the day.
76th over: Australia 299-2 (Khawaja 135, Smith 7)
Australia milking runs from Brathwaite’s spin and the poor energy in the field shows again with a sloppy misfield at point. For a professional outfit this West Indian side are amateurish at times.
75th over: Australia 295-2 (Khawaja 133, Smith 5)
Burns looked knackered by the end there and Khawaja doesn’t look too flash at the crease. It’s been a long slow day in Melbourne with plenty of runs needing to be run on the massive MCG outfield.
74th over: Australia 290-2 (Khawaja 132, Smith 1)
The drinks break and the bowling change pays dividends for the West Indies. Brathwaite bowling over the wicket to the right-handed Burns made one skid on past the outside edge with the batsman outside his ground and unable to scramble back in.
Warrican’s futile spell comes to a long overdue end with Kraigg Brathwaite brought on and there’s an immediate reward! Burns advances, misses, and Ramdin whips off the bails quick as a flash.
Drinks at the MCG with Usman Khawaja receiving some physio and painkillers for what looks like a back injury.
Updated scores for the #AUSvWI series with Australia at 1/272 @CricketAus - 5/855 @westindies - 20/371
73rd over: Australia 286-1 (Burns 128, Khawaja 129)
Brathwaite genuinely beats Khawaja to start the over but that seems to only sharpen the centurion’s concentration. Gaps on both side of the wicket are found as the left-hander once more overtakes his batting partner.
72nd over: Australia 281-1 (Burns 128, Khawaja 124)
After being ignored for much of the day Warrican is now in the 16th over of his spell. 0/71 tells you everything you need to know. Burns contributes to these ordinary numbers with a beautiful lofted cover drive that rouses the crowd for the first time in half an hour or so.
71st over: Australia 272-1 (Burns 120, Khawaja 123)
This is now the third highest second-wicket stand for Australia at the MCG. The partnership is slowing somewhat though with Brathwaite keeping Burns honest on a straighter line. Only four runs in the past three overs.
70th over: Australia 271-1 (Burns 120, Khawaja 122)
Warrican’s toil continues with Khawaja happy just to see him off and regroup.
69th over: Australia 270-1 (Burns 120, Khawaja 121)
Burns demonstrably frustrated by Brathwaite’s dry lines. Value of a smart partner now to keep him focussed and happy with the state of play.
68th over: Australia 268-1 (Burns 120, Khawaja 121)
You know the script by now. Warrican bowls, Burns and Khawaja milk runs. Partnership up to 239.
66th over: Australia 265-1 (Burns 119, Khawaja 119)
Another over of dry lines from Brathwaite, this time to the right-hander too. Eventually this forces Burns to slash hard outside his off stump and he looks a chance to be caught at third-man but Bravo doesn’t bust a gut and another cliche is given credence. Not easy for Bravo but his lack of awareness won’t help his cause in the video review session. Do cricketers have video review sessions?
65th over: Australia 264-1 (Burns 118, Khawaja 119)
As Warrican continues his penance you have to wonder if the Australian selectors were terrified Shaun Marsh would again cash in and make himself undroppable for the New Zealand tour. By deselecting him now, when they could without too much unrest, they allow Burns and Khawaja a chance to fill their boots and secure their places in the XI.
64th over: Australia 262-1 (Burns 117, Khawaja 118)
A loose over for a change. Both batsmen fancy Brathwaite and start swinging from the hip rather than nurdling ones and twos. A thick edge from Burns flies through the vacant cordon for four, he misses the next, then rotates the strike with a firm drive through cover. Khawaja just avoids a toe-edge through to the keeper.
63rd over: Australia 256-1 (Burns 111, Khawaja 118)
Warrican remaining in the attack like some form of Sisyphean punishment. He keeps bowling, the batsmen keep milking.
62nd over: Australia 252-1 (Burns 108, Khawaja 117)
Carlos Brathwaite into the attack but it may as well be a bowling machine for all the variation on offer in these conditions. He tries to shake things up a little, bowling wide of off stump from over the wicket to the left-hander but this dry line is eventually called for a wide.
Joe Burns & Usman Khawaja reached 100s same over (3 balls) MBevan & S Waugh in successive balls in an ODI at Melb, Docklands in 2000 #AusvWI
61st over: Australia 248-1 (Burns 108, Khawaja 114)
Warrican performing the role of metronome in this ensemble piece, keeping Burns and Khawaja ticking over.
60th over: Australia 242-1 (Burns 107, Khawaja 109)
Taylor keeps charging in, the ball keeps being worked to all corners. Can’t fault Jerome’s effort today but there’s been nothing doing.
59th over: Australia 235-1 (Burns 106, Khawaja 103)
Another Warrican over, another flurry of ones and twos. Feels like Burns and Khawaja are just gathering themselves for a late assault now they’ve passed their centuries.
58th over: Australia 231-1 (Burns 103, Khawaja 102)
200 partnership for the pair who are knocking Taylor around like they’re in one of the numerous backyard matches taking place throughout Australia. Time for some tape on the ball or some one-hand-one-bounce rule changes for the visitors.
Not since October has Khawaja been dismissed for less than 100 in any format. Even allowing for injury, that's some sort of summer #ausvwi
57th over: Australia 228-1 (Burns 102, Khawaja 100)
An over of milestones for Australia and one of great smugness for Australia’s selectors. Neither Burns nor Khawaja were guaranteed to start this Test but both have accumulated Boxing Day centuries at the MCG. They have made it look easy but after David Warner’s early dismissal nothing could be taken for granted.
Like London buses, you wait all day for a century and then two come in the same over. A dab into the onside and a sprinted single gives Khawaja centuries in three consecutive (for him) Test matches.
Shaun Marsh isn’t crying, it’s just raining on his face.
The first delivery of Warrican’s over has Burns rocking back and carving him through point for a hard-run three, enough to take the opener to his century. Well done young man.
56th over: Australia 222-1 (Burns 97, Khawaja 99)
Burns strokes a three through the covers to start Taylor’s over, which leaves both batsmen on 97. A lusty swing and a miss is corrected by a dabbed two to third-man to bring Khawaja to 99. Two balls to make it this over but a good bumper and some sharp fielding hand the advantage to Burns.
55th over: Australia 217-1 (Burns 94, Khawaja 97)
Warrican being milked for runs as Australia’s batsmen rattle through the (not very) nervous nineties. The pitch is flat, the ball is doing nothing, the bowling is ordinary. This is already a case of ‘how many’ for the home side.
54th over: Australia 213-1 (Burns 93, Khawaja 94)
Khawaja matching Burns, stroke for stroke, like an elite rendition of the 12th Man’s swimming commentary. A brace of off-side fours off Jerome Taylor brings both batsmen onto 93. Runs everywhere, this could be fun for a while.
53rd over: Australia 204-1 (Burns 93, Khawaja 85)
The post-tea session begins with a Burns six straight back over Warrican’s head, followed by a powerful square drive for four. Australia not letting the West Indies just skip through overs in junk time without punishment.
Lovely moment to share with Mum and Dad. Splendid send off for @BuckRogers55@abcgrandstandpic.twitter.com/v0fnUMX3D0
Things to check off during the evening session:
Thanks Russell, sterling double shift. Enjoy the Members’ Bar.
Unsurprisingly it looks like I’m going to be narrating one way traffic for the next couple of hours. Australia dominant again. West Indies just not up to a stage like this, more’s the pity.
52nd over: Australia 193-1 (Burns 83, Khawaja 84)
Finally I’m granted mercy when Kraigg Brathwaite hurries his way through one last over of that insipid spin and the players walk off for tea. Australia dominated that session, to say the very least of it, notching up 123 runs for no loss from 33 overs. I’ll hand you over to JP now to take you on through the final session, in which both batsmen are on track to bring up a milestone.
Of the 78 legal deliveries Jason Holder (0-19 off 13o) has bowled today (1nb) he's only conceded runs from 9 of them, so 69 dots. #AusvWI
51st over: Australia 192-1 (Burns 83, Khawaja 83)
Jonathan Howcroft will be here soon to inject some life into this blog, I promise. I’ve just hit the wall here. Remember when I was crying out for some part-time bowling and relief from the four-man pace attack? Those were fun times. Warrican backs up Brathwaite’s maiden with one of his own.
@collinsadam@rustyjacko@danbrettig I did not where a jock strap just big undies
50th over: Australia 192-1 (Burns 83, Khawaja 83)
Kraigg Brathwaite has just bowled the least interesting over in the history of Test cricket. I’m not actually sure it even happened. I’ve hit a wall. Maybe I’ve actually fallen asleep and I’m typing this in the world’s most boring dream.
49th over: Australia 192-1 (Burns 83, Khawaja 83)
As Bay 13 unsuccessfully attempt to start a Mexican wave, it’s perhaps time to consider the fact that you might be able to muster a better Mexican-born bowling attack than this West Indies one. Warrican concedes just a single here but Burns and Khawaja possibly have one eye on the clock with tea imminent.
48th over: Australia 191-1 (Burns 83, Khawaja 82)
As Brathwaite continues with his ineffectual spin, patrons are reminded that there’s a $1138 fine at the MCG for unruly or offensive behaviour, in which you’d be tempted to engage if you were paying half a day’s wages to watch such an uninspiring touring side.
48th over: Australia 189-1 (Burns 82, Khawaja 81)
Warrican continues with a man stationed out at wide long-on but the Australian pair are licking their lips at the prospect of boundaries right now because his trajectory is flat and he’s pitching it short of a length most of the time. A couple of singles is the only damage this time around.
47th over: Australia 187-1 (Burns 81, Khawaja 80)
Holder finally takes a breather and throws Kraigg Brathwaite the ball for a bit of the part-timer’s gentle off spin, for which a man is sent out to deep cover to guard the boundary. Khawaja cuts a single out there and then there’s a dicey moment for Burns when he lofts out towards long off but the man out there for the catch is only half-way to the boundary, so it flies over his head. Not ideal, really. With that the Khawaja-Burns alliance is now worth 150 and there’ll be plenty more to come at this rate.
.@Uz_Khawaja and @joeburns441. What a partnership! It's currently worth 109 runs at the drinks break #AUSvWIpic.twitter.com/OlpMY64gPR
46th over: Australia 178-1 (Burns 76, Khawaja 76)
Warrican’s only hope of taking out an Aussie batsman at the moment is with the spring-heeled dive that almost takes Burns’ legs out from underneath him at the non-striker’s end when Khawaja punches a single. Burns gets back on level pegging with Khawaja by dancing down the pitch and lofting four runs through mid-on. It’s all a bit inevitable.
45th over: Australia 173-1 (Burns 72, Khawaja 75)
After 45 overs I’m starting to run out of ways to describe Jason Holder’s dot balls but for all of their similarity, I guess each one carries a kind of symbolism because most of his teammates have been glaringly incapable of producing similar stock balls. Holder steps up with his fifth maiden. Rinse and repeat.
44th over: Australia 173-1 (Burns 72, Khawaja 75)
Warrican returns with his 90s-style M-Frame sunglasses and thick gold chain but there’s something a little unconvincing about the bling, a factor that becomes abundantly clear when Khawaja – measured for most of the day – skips down the track and hoists him over the fence at long on for our first six of the day. He’s now passed Burns in their dual-pursuit of centuries.
43rd over: Australia 166-1 (Burns 71, Khawaja 69)
Holder’s starting to lose his temper just a little bit here when Khawaja flat bats him for four through mid-on and then plays and misses out stump the next ball. Holder’s got 0-19 off 13 now and zero reward for his sweat.
42nd over: Australia 162-1 (Burns 71, Khawaja 65)
Ooh, I spoke too soon. Jomel Warrican is on for a bowl of his left-arm spin now and his Test stats – 9 wickets at 31.88 – indicate that he probably should have been thrown the ball a little earlier. Confession: I’d sort of forgotten about him myself. There’s a single for both batsmen before Burns has a perhaps ill-advised dash at the final delivery but his hack out through mid-on bounces before it’s cut off by the man there. Comme ci comme ca from Warrican.
41st over: Australia 160-1 (Burns 70, Khawaja 64)
This is a real grind at the moment for Holder. In lieu of a spinner or any compelling part-time options he’s sort of forced to hammer away with the same plan all afternoon. The 12th man runs a few quick drinks out at the end of the over and the Windies skipper could be forgiven for requesting something strong.
40th over: Australia 158-1 (Burns 69, Khawaja 63)
There’s a nice reminder of peak West Indies here but sadly it’s the efforts of Usman Khawaja to flick Kemar Roach out to the boundary at deep mid-wicket with a Lara-like swivel and flash of the blade. It doesn’t actually reach the rope and a quicker runner than Usman might have made it back for five but instead the Aussie pair nearly make a real hash of it, finally deciding against the extra run. Three more runs follow when Khawaja carves a drive through the vacant cover region. The Windies are flagging badly now.
39th over: Australia 149-1 (Burns 68, Khawaja 55)
Suddenly the crowd on the Southern side of the ground is going wild but it’s not for anything that’s happening on the field as Jason Holder bounds in for a 10th over. Maybe the punters have located an iPad showing Fire in Babylon or something. There’s an anomalous no-ball from Holder but he’s angered more by the single Khawaja drops a few metres to his right from the next ball. Everyone was asleep there except for the Aussies.
KHAWAJA MOZZ ALERT: The last Australian to score a century in three consecutive Tests was Matthew Hayden in 2007-08 #AUSvWI
38th over: Australia 147-1 (Burns 68, Khawaja 54)
Roach continues to grind away and the only misfortunate for Khawaja here is that when he scores it’s only a single, leaving Burns to cash in on the inevitable bad ball when he steers four past gully.
37th over: Australia 142-1 (Burns 64, Khawaja 53)
Holder has more dots than a Dalmatian today but he’s lacking penetration and energy in this spell. The cordon are barely-interested extras at the moment, just milling about with little to do. Burns bides his time for four deliveries and then crunches an upright, forceful drive to the fence at long off but then out of nowhere Holder gets one to jump off the track and Burns is lucky not to feather it behind to Ramdin.
36th over: Australia 138-1 (Burns 60, Khawaja 53)
Glorious. Khawaja saves his silkiest stroke of the day – a wondrous late cut to the boundary at third man – to bring up his half-century, which came from 87 deliveries and featured just that and two other boundaries but has nevertheless been a mostly authoritative knock. His efforts mean he’s earned his drink as the giant Gatorade bottle appears.
35th over: Australia 132-1 (Burns 59, Khawaja 48)
Holder conceded only three runs in his first eight overs but Burns more than doubles the damage when he top-edges a short one down to the fine leg fence, a blow that also brings up the 100-run partnership off 181 deliveries.
A glorious drive from Khawaja takes him to 48*. The partnership with Burns is now worth 99 #AUSvWIhttps://t.co/5uWK5bqCjZ
34th over: Australia 128-1 (Burns 55, Khawaja 48)
In the absence of a front-line spinner there’s no other option here for Holder other than to throw Kemar Roach the ball and hope for the best. Remember when Roach briefly had Ricky Ponting for a bunny? That feels like about 15 years ago. With its single gear speed, this Windies attack is probably rocking half of the MCG patrons to sleep right now. Roch is solid enough here until he overpitches to Khawaja and gets slapped for a boundary through mid off. He’s another one of those away from a half-century and the partnership is now 99.
33rd over: Australia 122-1 (Burns 54, Khawaja 43)
Though a capable West Indian fast bowler and a Test captain, Jason Holder seems too kind-natured to be either and when Burns drives to cover off his bowling here, even the sight of his cover fieldsman performing the basic feat of not misfielding entirely, he’s enthusiastically clapping his teammate’s effort. His over is a maiden and not surprisingly so.
32nd over: Australia 122-1 (Burns 54, Khawaja 43)
Khawaja plays a thumping straight drive here for no run when Brathwaite gets a hand down to save a certain boundary off his own bowling but a little too predictably, Taylor falls all over the follow-up at mid-on and the batsmen run two on his misfield. Better is the effort of Blackwood at gully next up when he dives acrobatically to save a few. There’s not much energy elsewhere in the West Indian effort.
31st over: Australia 118-1 (Burns 54, Khawaja 39)
I think he’s genuinely under-bowled himself today but Jason Holder finally returns now for another trundle and he’s immediately more threatening than his colleagues when he almost finds a way through Khawaja’s forward defence. It’s not until his final delivery that he strays a little short and the batsman fashions a pull to leg for one.
30th over: Australia 117-1 (Burns 54, Khawaja 38)
Carlos Brathwaite keeps chugging in but there’s something a bit joyless and mechanical about his efforts as his spell wears on. When containment is your primary aim I guess it rather limits the chance of something magical transpiring.
29th over: Australia 114-1 (Burns 52, Khawaja 37)
There’s a lot of things I could watch Usman Khawaja do all day (okay, pipe down at the back) but the way he turns a straight one through mid-wicket for three is just blatantly erotic. Tell me he’s not teasing us with that twist of the hips as he guides it around the corner. That’s right, you can’t.
28th over: Australia 109-1 (Burns 51, Khawaja 33)
Brathwaite gets another over and somewhat surprisingly, though I guess Jason Holder has few other options to turn to and can’t bowl all day himself. It’s far better from Brathwaite, who strings together six dot balls for his first maiden of the day. He should do a lap of honour. Channel Nine should release a limited edition print. I think we’ve just experienced something.
27th over: Australia 109-1 (Burns 51, Khawaja 33)
Taylor’s back for more and his first delivery – overpitched outside off stump – is fashioned into a truly gorgeous cover drive for three by Khawaja, whose stroke has a timeless, heart-warming quality. A few balls later Burns also drives attractively to bring up his half-century from 86 deliveries, a knock that featured 8 boundaries. Taylor’s thrown a few punches but he’ll never be a real contender.
Not bad from Burns, I suppose. But how well does he bat with Adam Voges? That’s the true test of an Australian cricketer. #AUSvWI
26th over: Australia 103-1 (Burns 48, Khawaja 30)
Brathwaite hasn’t sent down as many of the buffet balls as Roach earlier but his bigger problem is his inconsistency in hitting the kind of line and length that’s required, so there’s always a single or two around the corner. There’s a brief heart-in-mouth moment for Burns when a firm forward defence almost results in the ball rolling back towards his stumps but a ball later he’s latching onto a half-tracker and thumping it for four between fine leg and deep square leg. Remember what I just said about Brathwaite not offering up gifts? Forget it.
25th over: Australia 98-1 (Burns 44, Khawaja 29)
There’s a bit of a delay here after Taylor’s second delivery when play stops to accommodate a change of ball, the third change such occurrence by my count. Taylor gets plenty of lift with the replacement but Burns is content to wait for the loose one and doesn’t force the issue, using soft hands to open up the face of the bat and guide the ball to the rope at third man. He’s entering the danger zone now, Burns. He’d be dearly hoping for a big one today.
24th over: Australia 92-1 (Burns 38, Khawaja 29)
Okay, I was a little harsh earlier. That would have been a screamer if Blackwood had reeled it in at gully. It really flew off Khawaja’s blade. It took the left-hander 51 deliveries to hit a boundary, by the way. Who said T20 cricket disrupt’s the modern Test batsman’s flow?
@rustyjacko Intriguing Give us the Boxing Day butter chicken recipe made from leftover Xmas ham pork turkey prawns???
23rd over: Australia 87-1 (Burns 37, Khawaja 25)
Usman Khawaja was deferential before lunch but he’s on the attack now, swivelling around in silky style to pull four out to backward square leg but he gets a let-off moments later when he slashes a wide one through the hands of the diving man at gully. That was a tough chance but not impossible. Was it Blackwood who put it down? I think so.
22nd over: Australia 79-1 (Burns 36, Khawaja 18)
Brathwaite is back and Burns is riding his horses all the way to the boundary, clanging him for a pair of fours – one a rasping pull and the other a crisp drive – to get his second session under way. That might be enough of Brathwaite for Holder. Warm up skipper.
21st over: Australia 71-1 (Burns 28, Khawaja 18)
Jerome Taylor gets us under way after lunch and his first delivery is right on the button – a fast out-swinger that Joe Burns allows to pass through to the keeper. The next is too straight, so the right-hander clips one around the corner. Taylor’s operating at 136kmph, faster than his colleagues but not by much. Still, his over is incisive and accurate and bursting with the kind of energy he’s going to need throughout the afternoon.
Okay that’s me fed and watered
And I sincerely hope that none of the players participating today wolfed down the same butter chicken I just did. With play due to to start in the next ten minutes that special time has finally arrived: spider-cam swooping about the empty playing arena like a demented spider monkey. Hopefully nobody is maimed.
.@shanewarne talks about the MCG as we come into the #BoxingDayTest. #AUSvWI#WWOShttps://t.co/T3dNcUSWv9
19th over: Australia 70-1 (Burns 27, Khawaja 18)
Lunch is approaching now and there might be a temptation to give something else a try but Holder sticks with Brathwaite and the bowler doesn’t exactly repay his captain’s faith when he slams one in short for Burns to crunch out over cow. Like Khawaja’s earlier that shot holds up in the turf so he only gets three for his lusty blow. The issue here for Brathwaite is that the pitch is barely giving him anything and he’s not exactly working wonders with any kind of trickery of his own. He’s making yer average gun barrel look curvy.
James Brayshaw just said ‘you can never be critical of Warner’. I’m yet to see a more perfect summary of #ChannelNineNonsense policy.
19th over: Australia 66-1 (Burns 24, Khawaja 17)
Wowsers. Roach finally produces a jaffa here, which pitches slightly backward of a good length, seems away to square up Burns and flies off the outside edge but Darren Bravo is perhaps a little deep at first slip and it skids along the turf a foot in front of his hands. Burns got a little lucky there.
18th over: Australia 66-1 (Burns 24, Khawaja 17)
Brathwaite continues with his military mediums, though there’s at least something jaunty to his approach to the wicket, whose early stages shares some similarities with the long-jumper’s run-up. Even a long-jumper would have fielded a ball that breaches gully to gift Burns a late single though. Eek.
17th over: Australia 64-1 (Burns 23, Khawaja 16)
What this bowling partnership is doing is to highlight the value of containment that Holder was bringing to the table earlier because both batsmen can just help themselves to runs now as the pressure valve is slowly released. Khawaja turns one to leg and then Burns drives firmly for two.
16th over: Australia 61-1 (Burns 21, Khawaja 15)
Brathwaite doesn’t get much help from the man at mid-off here when his skipper falls across for a save shaped like the Sydney Harbour bridge and Khawaja’s drive scoots past him for three, but the bowler only has himself to blame when the next arrows down leg around hip height and allows Burns to tuck four bits down to fine leg. It’s all a bit shaggy, that over.
15th over: Australia 54-1 (Burns 17, Khawaja 12)
Khawaja finally gets something he can really latches onto when Roach digs one in short but his cross-batted slog out to cow corner pitches in the heavy outfield turf so he only gets three for his efforts. Roach is tidy enough either side of that but doesn’t really present as a major threat to either batsman. This cricket is probably in keeping with those watching it in the time honoured post-Christmas state; a little bloated and lazy.
14th over: Australia 51-1 (Burns 17, Khawaja 9)
We get a bit of Carlos Brathwaite now with Holder content to give something else a try in order to break this slow and steady partnership. Brathwaite’s sending it down from a similar trajectory and pace as his skipper but it darts through flatter and wider for the most part and there’s more opportunities to pick off runs, which Khawaja does with three out to fine leg to bring up Australia’s first 50 runs.
Warne: [many anecdotes of his whole high school experience] those were really the best times Chappelli: we’ve missed 3 wickets Shane
13th over: Australia 47-1 (Burns 16, Khawaja 6)
Khawaja doesn’t quite wake from his run-making slumber but he manages a single off Roach’s second delivery before Burns stirs the crowd with another handsome pull shot for three. They might have run four if Khawaja had put his skates on.
12th over: Australia 43-1 (Burns 13, Khawaja 5)
As we edge closer to lunch I can report that the crowd has improved somewhat, but it’s still far from the heaving mass we normally expect on Boxing Day. Even the Melbourne Cricket Club member’s stand has plenty of seats free as Jason Holder keeps collecting his dots. Bay 13 is becoming a little more boisterous but entire bays of the Southern Stand’s top tier remain empty. With this maiden done, Holder’s conceded only a single in his last three overs.
11th over: Australia 43-1 (Burns 13, Khawaja 5)
Kemar Roach is back into the attack now and hoping to improve on that disastrous first over and he does that well, swerving one away past the outside edge of Khawaja’s firmly thrusted blade. The two turned to leg from the over’s first delivery is the only score and Roach is hopefully into a groove.
@rustyjacko Jason Holder could do a Mick Malone - https://t.co/jWXe88WfBe. He reminds me a bit of him in style too.
10th over: Australia 41-1 (Burns 13, Khawaja 3)
Holder is rarely pushing the speed gun far past the 130km/h range here but his accuracy and control in hemming Burns in makes up for the lack of obvious penetration. The Australian pair is being forced to wait for the bad ball rather than expect a few per over, as they had in the opening five overs. It’s another maiden from Holder and that’ll be our first drinks break of the game.
9th over: Australia 41-1 (Burns 13, Khawaja 3)
Taylor is warming to this spell now and finding a decent rhythm slightly full of a good length and he produces a maiden here, forcing Khawaja to defend and defer to his better judgment. This is quite a contrast with the batsman’s rollicking hundred the other night here in the Big Bash.
8th over: Australia 41-1 (Burns 13, Khawaja 3)
This is another determined and stingy over from Holder and it’s not until his fifth delivery that he offers up a single, which Khawaja tucks to leg for one.
Can’t wait for Warnie to update us on how brilliantly Pup is doing in the Sydney-Hobart yacht race. #AUSvWI
7th over: Australia 40-1 (Burns 13, Khawaja 2)
Burns has been a little stodgier than Warner earlier but he gets moving nicely here by leaning into an uprights straight drive when Taylor overpitches and it races away to the fence at long-off. He’s even a bit streaky four balls into the over when he gets a short one and slashes it over gully for a boundary but one that could have gone to hand.
6th over: Australia 32-1 (Burns 5, Khawaja 2)
This side just looks a lot tidier and far more competent when Jason Holder is doing things, and this over he’s keeping it tight and forcing both batsmen to consider such quaint concepts as leaving and exercising patience. Pity he can’t bowl from both ends.
5th over: Australia 31-1 (Burns 4, Khawaja 2)
This is much better from Taylor, it’s safe to say. Khawaja’s arrived at the crease and he’s stretching to leave outside off stump before turning towards fine leg to get off the mark with two.
David Warner what are you doing? Oh dear, the Aussie opener was slaying the tourists in the first few overs and now he’s gotten himself out slogging it into the air at cover, where Samuels juggles the catch. That was unutterably awful, I can’t lie. What sort of missed opportunity will this represent? Oh dear.
West Indies succeed in dragging Warner down to their level
4th over: Australia 29-0 (Burns 4, Warner 23)
This is a slight improvement by Jason Holder, which is to say he’s not being openly lampooned by Burns like Roach was, but there’s two leg byes tucked down to fine leg. Off field the news is even more bleak for the Windies, whose squad member Nevendra Bishoo has a bad fall at practice and is now in hospital having scans on his left rotator cuff.
3rd over: Australia 27-0 (Burns 4, Warner 23)
Roach’s struggles might be contagious, because after starting creditably in his first over, Taylor is immediately whanging it down short for Warner to crunch him through extra cover for a boundary. Two balls later his second type of bad length emerges when he dishes up a half volley and Warner gleefully drives four. The over ends without further calamity from the tourists but they’re already punch drunk. Warner’s destroying them.
Warner seeing them so early he played this innings yesterday
2nd over: Australia 19-0 (Burns 4, Warner 15)
Kemar Roach pairs with Taylor but it’s David Warner’s preparation for his first delivery that most catches the eye; he squats down and leans back like he’s down the limbo before taking guard and tucking to leg for four. Roach’s dismal start gets worse when Warner clatters the next ball over cover for four and then makes it three in a row by pounding the paceman out to cow corner.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Burns 4, Warner 0)
Jerome Taylor will take the new ball for the tourists and he’s windmilling his arms as he prepares to unleash upon Joe Burns. Taylor’s first ball is a good one, forcing Burns to leave as it swerves away from his off stump at hip height and the next one is more of the same. Otherwise Burns is crouching forward to defend and then pulling expansively to spear a boundary out to the vacant deep square leg region. That’s Taylor in a nutshell that over; four perfectly decent balls and a bit of trash. We’re off and running.
The anthems are now done
They were as anthemy as ever and the sun is now beating down on the MCG. The crowd? At present I’d put it at about 15,000 and that’s perhaps slightly generous. The West Indies players are gathered at the boundary now receiving some final instructions from coach Phil Simmons. I’ll have the first ball coming your way very shortly.
We’re not far away from a start now
...and for fans of the 1992-93 summer in which the West Indies provided so much entertainment, you’ll be pleased to know that a link has been maintained with former Australian offie Greg Matthews crouching down in the centre and doing his pitch report. I prefer him in karate mode, personally.
Our teams for this Test
Australia: Burns, Warner, Khawaja, Smith (c), Voges, Marsh, Nevill, Pattinson, Siddle, Hazlewood, Lyon.
@rustyjacko Always dangerous to read too much into a pitch's hue, but is it a drop-in? They start flat and get flatter usually don't they?
The toss has been won by Jason Holder
... and the West Indies will have a bowl. Hmm, is it that green? We shall soon see. I’ll be back in a minute with the final line-ups.
The pitch looks very green
But then it would, wouldn’t it? It looks as though we’ll have an 11am toss and an 11:30am start to play, so an hour delay all up.
Would you look at that green pitch! #AUSvWIpic.twitter.com/t3RqjzwCCr
And the crowd goes wild!
The covers are coming off at the MCG, revealing a predictably green square surrounding the wicket. But it’s good news. We’ll have cricket a little sooner than I expected.
These men just received the first big cheer of the day!! @FOXSportsNewspic.twitter.com/nomYaKLjxI
Still nuthin
But the clouds are at least shifting out towards the south-east and the radar indicates that we’ll probably get some play in the next hour. There’s some movement by the umpires out to the middle by ground staff are still sweeping pools of water off the covers.
The big question: if Smith wins the toss, will Australia bat in swing-friendly conditions? #AUSvWI
The vibe at the MCG
...is...soggy. There’s a few hardy, poncho’d souls in position despite the rain, but most of the MCG’s patrons are huddled out the back where there’s shelter and warm drinks. As I type the drizzle continues unabated so my gaze is drawn to the various attendance figures for West Indies-Australia MCG Tests of summers gone by. Can you believe that 133,299 punters fronted to watch Colin Stuart, Daren Ganga and Ridley Jacobs in 2000-01? That’s 35,000 more than the 84-85 game, when the Windies were still great. Today? I reckon the weather and the match-up should conspire to keep us below 30,000 but happy to be proven wrong.
Wet Wet Wet
Sorry folks, but I’m here to report that the rain has returned. We were due for a toss at 10:15am and a delayed 10:45am start but that was contingent on clear skies and the drizzle has returned.
This begs the question: do Victorians really want or deserve Test cricket? pic.twitter.com/hsGYU1nzbv
Preamble
Hello OBOers and welcome to the MCG, where I’m sorry to say we’re currently sitting under gloomy skies and looking down upon water-logged covers rather than a belting Test match pitch.
Russ will be with you shortly but while you wait for his arrival, why not check out his essay on the baggy green cap and its rise to commodity status in high-end auction houses around the world. There’s also a cracking interactive too, in which you can flip over the card of each player to reveal the story about their cap.
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