The MCC boss has shot down any fears regarding the wicket for the Boxing Day Test while an absurd stat surrounding Usman Khawaja exposed one of Australia’s historic rivals.
Read more in Test Daily!
Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Comm box’s perfect reaction to No. 500 | 02:00
MORE COVERAGE
First Test Talking Pts: Lyon sledge reveals Warne truth; worrying Perth scenes explained
First Test Player Ratings: Warner act that was inevitable; Aussie Marsh call pays off
‘Know what real life is’: How $5-an-hour wage and tough love set Lyon on path to greatness
NEW FOLLOW-ON PODCAST – Face-to-face with Nathan Lyon
MCC BOSS SHOOTS DOWN MAJOR PITCH FEAR
Melbourne Cricket Club boss Stuart Fox has dismissed any concerns about the wicket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the upcoming Boxing Day Test.
A drop-in pitch was used for the first Test between Australia and Pakistan at Optus Stadium but it deteriorated rapidly as the match wore on.
The wicket being used at the MCG is one of 12 available, with seven inserted in the square for this summer and all of them unlikely to break up like the Perth pitch did.
“We had issues may years ago and we have addressed those issues and we have been very consistent for about four years,” Fox told SEN.
“We have renovated a number of pitches and we are renovating some at the moment. We have 12 pitches and we only have seven in at the moment and the Boxing Day pitch is just starting to be prepped.
“We’ve had two Shield game before Christmas and the pitch has performed well. We won’t get a pitch which cracks badly and opens up. We just haven’t got those characteristics.”
The Boxing Day pitch was rolled for the first time on Monday after a Big Bash clash at the MCG last Wednesday.
UNTHINKABLE KHAWAJA STAT EXPOSES TEST RIVALS
Over the course of 2023, Australian opener Usman Khawaja has faced 2689 Test deliveries.
That’s just fifty-five fewer deliveries than the entire South African Test team this year, who have faced 2744.
The incredible stat was first pointed out by Fox Cricket’s Nic Savage.
Should Australia bat first in the Boxing Day Test, Khawaja has a very real chance to eclipse the number of Test deliveries faced by South Africa.
Unfortunately for Khawaja, South Africa are also competing in a Test on Boxing Day against India, although that match begins at 7pm AEDT.
That means Khawaja might not even get a chance to beat the figure if Australia end up bowling first and South Africa bat first.
Regardless, the fact Khawaja is even within a sniff is absurd.
South Africa have played only three Tests this year — one against the Aussies as well as two against the West Indies.
PERTH’S $11M REALITY CHECK
A set of financial projections spells bad news for the future of Test matches in Perth as Cricket Australia continues to put together its schedule over the coming years.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, CA and state associations are locked in negotations in regards to hosting rights for future Test matches.
A key element that will shape CA’s thinking is the projected revenue it will make.
The SMH claims Melbourne’s Boxing Day Test and Sydney’s New Year’s Test will remain fixtures on the calendar as they are projected to generate $32 million and $27 million respectively over the next five years.
However, Perth’s projected revenue is worryingly low at an estimated $11 million.
That is significantly less than the revenue CA expects to make over five years from the Adelaide Test, which is projected to be $21 million.
The difference betwen the projected revenues in Adelaide and Perth will no doubt play a key part in CA’s thinking, especially after the low attendances at Optus Stadium during Australia’s first Test against Pakistan.
Although Optus Stadium has a capacity of 60,000, the highest attendance on any day of the first Test was 17,666 on the second day.
WILD THING OUT OF AUSSIE SQUAD FOR BOXING DAY TEST
Australia has made one change to its 13-man squad for the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan with Lance Morris axed.
Despite calls for Morris to be handed his Test debut in his home state, the familiar pace attack of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood took the game to Pakistan in Perth.
Chair of selectors George Bailey confirmed Morris’ absence but highlighted he “remains firmly” in Australia’s selection plans for the rest of the summer.
“Lance has been released for the Melbourne match but will stay prepared for Test cricket as he remains firmly in our plans for the summer, should an opportunity arise,” Bailey said.
The rest of the squad remains the same from the first Test in Perth.
SKIPPER’S TELLING COMMENT SPELLS BAD NEWS FOR BOLAND
Australian skipper Pat Cummins has all but shut the door on a recall for Scott Boland in the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan after stating he expects a “pretty similar” line-up in Melbourne.
The Aussies smashed Pakistan in a 360-run victory inside four days, giving the team a handy day off.
Crucially, it allows the bowling attack to enjoy an extra day of rest instead of toiling away in the Perth heat at Optus Stadium.
The iconic Boxing Day Test is seven days away and barring any of the bowlers sustain an injury between now and then, Cummins doesn’t think there will be too much change in the bowling rotation.
“We’ll take stock over the next couple of days, but I think all the bowlers are pretty fresh after that; it’s basically the ideal start to the summer,” Cummins said.
“We’ll get to Melbourne. It’s still a week or so until the next game, but I don’t think injuries are going to be an issue, so I dare say it will be a pretty similar line-up.”
Cummins’ comments means bad news for Victorians hoping to see cult hero Boland in action at the MCG.
Boland famously took absurd figures of 6-7 against England two summers ago and also played in the last Boxing Day Test against South Africa.
The Victorian is jostling with fellow fast bowler Lance Morris to feature in Australia’s bowling attack this summer.
QUESTIONS OVER ‘VOLATILE’ AND ‘RISKY’ PERTH PITCH
The “volatile” Perth pitch has to be fixed or the opening Test of the summer should be returned to the more “trustworthy” wicket at the Gabba in Brisbane according to Australian great Ian Healy.
Poor crowds and an extreme amount of deterioration which even surprised the touring Pakistan team has cast doubt over whether Optus Stadium should again be given hosting rights for the first international match of the summer.
A staggering 18 wickets fell on the fourth day, after just 12 across the opening two days, with Pakistan rolled for just 89 in the second innings as all batters, even the Australian’s struggled with the variable bounce and sideways movement.
Marnus Labuschagne was hit on the finger and sent for scans, and Steve Smith copped a nasty blow late on day three before Usman Khawaja was also hit on the arm and Mitch Marsh struck on the helmet twice on what was the final day.
While happy to take another victory for the Aussies at the new ground, which some have suggested could become the home team’s new fortress, even captain Pat Cummins conceded it was a “ probably a bit more challenging” than both teams would have liked.
“It probably broke up, today in particular, a lot more than I thought it would. There were big cracks and there was a bit more up and down than I was expecting,” he said after the swift conclusion on day four.
“But overall I thought it was a good wicket … It’s probably a bit more (challenging) than you ideally want for a day-four wicket.”
Former Test keeper Healy pointed to preparation issues and with his Queensland hat on suggested the Gabba, where Australia has traditionally begun the home summer and with great success, could be a better option.
“I think it’s a little bit volatile, quite a risky pitch,” he told SEN.
“Even though it was moist and green on day one they have real trouble keeping that moisture in the pitch then it cracks up way too early, on day three, the Aussies were having trouble, up and down bounce, and hitting the body.
“When you hear batsmen say you need a little bit of luck and take a few on the body and you might get through, that is day five stuff. I think they’ve got to find a way to retain moisture in that pitch it’s a more trustworthy surface.
“I think the Gabba is the most trustworthy surface you can start a season on. It bounces, it seams, it can swing and the spinners can bowl OK on and it and the batsmen make runs on it. I think Perth was a little too volatile for everyone’s liking.”
Simon O-Donnell also criticised the pitch as “too unpredictable” and unlikely to be “equipped” for a fifth day of cricket.
“When balls are dangerous, that’s my problem. I have no problem with a ball lifting out of the norm but not lifting to the extent of one or two feet. When you see a world-class batsman in Mitch Marsh get hit twice on the helmet by a guy bowling 123 kilometres an hour… I don’t think that’s acceptable,” he said on SEN.
Pakistan coach Mohammad Hafeez wasn’t happy with how quickly the wicket became challenging.
“The amount of deterioration we witnessed, I wasn’t expecting that much because on the fourth day the deterioration in the pitch was really high,” he said.
“We believe it was a good toss to the win for Australia. They managed to put runs on the board and then obviously batting in the fourth innings and on the fourth and fifth day is going to be a real challenge and we couldn’t do that, to be honest.”