3rd Test at the SCG, Sydney, 7 Jan - 11 Jan 2021

[Coronis]

Since when were you allowed injury subs for keepers?

Also is Pant still going to be allowed to bat if he's fit enough to? Because if so it seems that an injury is a convenient way to get the batting skills of Pant and the keeping skills of Saha. Seems like it's something that could quite easily be taken advantage of. For example a keeper plays a long innings and then feels like a rest so claims a calf strain...

Think theres some provision PEWS mentioned where its up to the umpire’s discretion regarding keeper subs to prevent abuse. Also iirc its only regarding external injuries i.e being hit by the ball.

 

[Coronis]

Dammit Wade.

 

[Gnske]

Haha that big three runs graphic. A moment of silence for Joe Root.

 

[Starfighter]

Wade was better when he was opening.

Now for the scoring rate to decrease even further.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Sub Saha already taken 2 catches that Pant would have dropped #cheatingindians

 

[morgieb]

Australia playing Saini into Brisbane, high IQ play (though in fairness he's bowled well today and that was an excellent ball).

 

[Gnske]

Travis Head would have cut that for four

 

[morgieb]

India get Smith out in the next half an hour and it could well be game on. Wouldn't want to chase 300 on this though.

 

[Coronis]

Just need Green or Paine to stick around and Smith should take the rest. Fingers crossed.

 

[Gnske]

Smith is causing all these wickets batting too slow, what a selfish player wow

 

[aussie tragic]

Highest successful run chases at SCG

1. Aus 2/288 in 2006
2. Aus 4/276 in 1898
3. Aus 8/275 in 1907
4. Aus 6/260 in 1985
5. Aus 4/219 in 1980

 

[hendrix]

Think theres some provision PEWS mentioned where its up to the umpire’s discretion regarding keeper subs to prevent abuse. Also iirc its only regarding external injuries i.e being hit by the ball.

Hmmmm. Always worry about these umpire discretion things as it's pretty amenable to political pressure.

 

[Prince EWS]

Part of me biasedly feels like a lot of stuff tends to run Marnus’s way, but another part feels like he (and Smith) seem to get out in ‘unlucky’ ways a lot? Feels like a lot of strangles, leg slip or leg gully catches, very rarely getting genuinely ‘bowled out’.

They have unorthodox techniques designed to limit their weaknesses against conventional bowling plans, so it makes sense they get out in kind of weird ways. You're also more likely to for your dismissal to be fluky or unlucky the longer you stay out there, and they both tend to stay out there for ages quite a bit.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Decent nut from Saini.

 

[Gob]

Mathew Wade

I rest my case

 

[Son Of Coco]

With the uneven bounce coming into play, the big question is will India have enough players left to play the 4th test after they complete their 2nd innings?

 

[TimAngas]

Wouldn't mind if Saini keeps his spot for the next test to be honest.

 

[Gob]

Paceman Pat could be a handful on this

 

[Prince EWS]

Hmmmm. Always worry about these umpire discretion things as it's pretty amenable to political pressure.

I don't like the rule change at all - players are selected for their wicket keeping every game just as they are for batting and bowling, so if you can't sub out a batsman you shouldn't be able to sub out your keeper either. It's quite different to just regular fielding IMO.

The rule change did anticipate total pisstakes whereby teams just don't select a keeper at all but decide their #7 batsman is injured and sub him off for a keeper and as such allowed for umpire discretion, but I reckon if Vihari had to keep instead of Saha we might have seen Pant keeping today instead, which is an interesting thing to think about. Pant was clearly injured so it's not just a tactical ploy but I think they may have taken advantage of it slightly, and even if not there's clearly room to do so in this way.

 

[Starfighter]

Can someone tell Green to just pretend he's batting for WA or Aus A?