The fifth and final Ashes Test between England and Australia for the Ashes reaches Sydney. After the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch for the Boxing Day Test received an unsatisfactory rating from the International
Cricket Council (ICC), Australia legend Glenn McGrath is hoping that the Test match will be played at least till the third day.
Why?
Day 3 is known as Jane McGrath Day and is dedicated to spreading cancer awareness and raising funds for the fight against cancer through the McGrath Foundation.
The McGrath Foundation was established in 2005 by Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath and his wife Jane, who co-founded the organisation after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Jane McGrath passed away on 22 June 2008. The Foundation has partnered with many corporations, including Cricket Australia, which has hosted the New Year’s Test as the Pink Test since 2009, to support their mission.
England had won the fourth Test in Melbourne by four wickets in just two days. This was the second time in the current Ashes series that a match ended within the first two days, with the Ashes opener in Perth also concluding in two days. Meanwhile, Australia has retained the Ashes with a 3-1 lead in the series, having won matches in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Hence, McGrath wants the fifth Test to reach day three and is sure that the SCG pitch curator will take care.
“Fingers crossed the Test gets to day three,” McGrath was quoted as saying on 2GB.
“Which, I think it will, I think the groundsmen will be nervous after what happened in Melbourne and take a bit more grass off,” he added.
‘Happy With The Colour’
Adam Lewis, the Sydney Cricket Ground curator, is pleased with the pitch colour.
“I don’t scroll, I don’t have social media, so I try and keep all that negative energy away from me. We just put our own pressure on ourselves. We’re trying to produce the best pitch we can with the climate that we’re given. We’re happy with the colour of the pitch at the moment, we don’t want it to not have any green in it three days out from the Test. We’ll be able to take that colour out of it over the next couple of days. Hopefully, we see a little bit of sun, which will help draw the moisture out,” Lewis was quoted as saying on SEN Radio.
“Look, we’re hoping for a nice green tinge on Day 1 so the ball can get some good carry, but a nice and even surface. We’re looking like we’ve got good weather for the five days, and my gut feeling is that we will see some good batting,” he added.
(With inputs from Agencies)
