Australia had the better of a shortened day to open the third Test against South Africa, as Sydney’s traditional New Year cloud cover ensured only 47 overs were bowled. An early tea break was called for bad light, with rain to follow, leaving the score at 138-1, before four more overs late in the day finished at 147-2. Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne put on 126 of those in concert, with Khawaja ending on 54 not out and Labuschagne out from the last ball of the day for 79, having earlier survived a contentious umpiring decision.
Both teams rejigged their line-ups anticipating a turning surface. South Africa swapped pace bowler Lungi Ngidi for off-spinner Simon Harmer, while bringing in reserve wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen to bat at three after Theunis de Bruyn headed home early for the birth of his child. Josh Hazlewood replaced Scott Boland in the pace ranks, while Australia chose Ashton Agar not in an all-rounder’s position but as one of four bowlers in Mitchell Starc’s place, partnering Nathan Lyon as a second spinner.
The final replacement was Matthew Renshaw to bat at six for the injured Cameron Green, but that plan hit a snag before the toss when Renshaw returned a positive Covid test. Under current regulations he is still allowed to play while keeping distance from other players and officials, but can be substituted out of the side if he feels too unwell. Peter Handscomb was listed as an emergency player for this contingency, raising questions of how early team management knew there was a problem.
Ultimately Renshaw was not required on the first day, and given their bowling composition the Australians were glad to bat first. David Warner raced to 10 with a couple of boundaries before swinging at a wide ball from Anrich Nortje and top-edging it to slip. Khawaja and Labuschagne moved slowly thereafter, reaching 68 by lunch on a surface that offered no movement or zip for the bowlers, but made it difficult to score given its placid pace and low bounce.
Spin looked the danger either side of lunch, with Harmer tying Khawaja in knots before the break, then having him lbw after it, overturned thanks to a touch of glove. Recognising the danger, Labuschagne counterattacked with a series of sweep shots, then kept laying into the faster bowling once Harmer and Keshav Maharaj were taken off. Boundaries came in a sequence of eight overs out of nine before Jansen thought he had the breakthrough, Harmer going low at slip to take a catch in front.
Rulings on these catches have evolved, with umpires acknowledging that television pictures are inadequate and tending to side with the fielder. The soft signal on the field was out, the catcher was convinced, but the generally reliable Richard Kettleborough decided that one inconclusive side-on frame showed the ball touching the ground, when other pictures suggested that it most likely showed the catcher’s finger being pressed into the ground, something easily obscured given that turf surfaces are never flat. Compared to similar recent episodes with different outcomes, the inconsistency grated more than the logic.
In the end it didn’t cost South Africa much. While it took hours more to get Labuschagne out, most of that was spent off the field, the umpires giving the order three overs after the reprieve, then recalling play for four overs before he nicked Nortje to the wicketkeeper. In a rare instance of luck going against Labuschagne, Steve Smith had no sooner arrived in the middle than the light meters saw him ordered off again, this time done for the day.
Heavy cloud was the main culprit, with drizzle playing its part. With showers forecast over the next three days, it is a pattern spectators had better get used to. Take heart though: the Bureau of Meteorology mostly says the rain on those days will only be “in the morning and afternoon”. Perfect for Test cricket. At least people buying virtual seats to fundraise for the McGrath Foundation don’t have to worry about getting wet.
