The Ashes: 5th Test, SCG, New Years Test, 2025. (aussie.zone)

submitted 1 month ago by No1@aussie.zone to c/cricket@aussie.zone

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Australia have already won The Ashes series after winning the first 3 Tests. The English won the 4th Test to make the series 3-1, with just this last game remaining.

Australia hasn’t been able to field their top team all series, and are without captain Cummins and top spinner Lyons again. Usman Khawaja has announced his retirement, and this will be his last match in front of his home crowd.

England can find redemption with another win, and arguably claim they could have won the series. Will Bazball continue to live, after seeming dead after the Aussies went up 3-0?

10am-12:30pm AEDT will be compulsory viewing for cricket nuts. Who wins the toss and whether the bowling team can break through in that first session may determine the result.

But a Test is 5 days, even though we seem to normally get 2 day Test Matches in this series.

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[-] No1@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

Let's see if the Aussies can bat a full day...

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

Australia officially takes the lead. How much further can we extend it? How much further should we extend it? If the second two innings go long like this there's a real chance of a draw.

[-] No1@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Bat for as big a lead as we can get and try and bowl them out so we don't need to bat again. Up until tea break tomorrow if you can. Still gives you 4 sessions to bowl them out.

Worst case for that is a draw.

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

Yeah true, I didn't even think of that. Will depend on if England can finally put aside the failure of Bazball and play for the draw. Or if they don't do that but have another lucky innings like the last one, despite the ageing pitch.

[-] No1@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Been spending most my life living in a batting paradise...

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

Don't suppose anybody got a screenshot of clip of that last DRS snicko? Am listening on radio and curious what it looked like.

[-] No1@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Another very green looking pitch.

But the ball is not really doing much off the deck. Yet.

[-] No1@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

Ended up fairly even for the first session.

Aussies held the upper hand at 3/57, and I was hoping another English collapse was on the cards. But England fought back well, and should have some prime batting time this afternoon.

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

I'm inclined to give the first session to England. A decent start, lost it in the middle, but fought back well towards the end.

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

I'mma take responsibility for that wicket. I was just thinking "is this the best opening partnership of the series?" Guess I jinxed it. (Incidentally, no, it was 3rd.)

Also: Channel 7 commentators said we lost a review? Did they misspeak, or am I misunderstanding? It was umpire's call.

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

Oh, the broadcast just showed a replay which clearly shows "review retained". So the commentator obviously misspoke.

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago

Why does the SCG—a cricket and Aussie rules football stadium—have a stand named after Dally Messenger—a rugby league footballer?

[-] No1@aussie.zone 2 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

All the NSW Rugby League semi finals and grand finals used to be played there up until around the 1980s when the Sydney Football Stadium was built.

The ground record for the SCG of 78,056 was set in the 1965 Grand Final. There were still 40,000 trying to get in and there are some incredible photos of fans sitting on the roof of stands. Madness!

If it rained, the centre pitch square would turn into a mudbath. This is how the famous Provan and Summons "The Gladiators" picture occurred that is now the NRL trophy.

Also, if the ground wasn't wet, the cricket square was still rock hard and getting tackled on that was like tackling on cement. It was often a tactic to head upfield along the sidelines if possible.