Forecast/radar suggests we might not get any more play today either if it's raining now.
Definitely going to make the last day fun if so.
80 overs yesterday, over rates are appalling. the powers that be definitely need to address time loss factors, would deter time wasting for starters.
Day 1 (81.4 overs) : England 54.4 overs, Australia 25.0 overs (2 overs for change of innings)
Day 2 (78.1 overs) : Australia 78.1 overs, no change of innings
Day 3 (80.0 overs) : England 80.0 overs, no changes of innings
Day 4 (27.5 overs)* : England 1.5 overs, Australia 24.0 overs (2 overs for change of innings)
*lunch, about as close to on track for the supposed 90 'minimum' as has been all Test, may as well aim for 75 'minimum' excluding changes of innings unless they intend to do anything about it other than fines and maybe ban after a while for the captain - not that you notice absences of captains much to show any reinforcement, much like the token FFP and racism fines in football
and before the predictable chorus of "England waste time blah blah blah..." as seems to be the way on this forum, this isn't about who does it, it is how to address the problem regardless of who does it, who benefits etc
- stop wasting time on drinks breaks, fielders can get a drink from 12th man at boundary and umpires can hold a flask for those not able to easily and want a drink
- cut the time down on reviews, don't need 15 (?) seconds to request IF it is an obvious error, and speed up reviews although they aren't that bad. I'd revert to the original set up on reviews and abandon the retention for "umpires call", if it isn't a clanger shouldn't be reviewing it - we know WHY they do, need a wicket, and really wouldn't want a side with no reviews not to miss out on a wicket lost, but ultimately they need to stop second guesses and review for the purpose intended
- speed over rate up, preference for me is batsmen choose bowler when rate is slow, but a timer and field changes minimalised and everyone has to be in position at elapsed time point
- time the bowlers overs, any behind rate get either "yellow card" and 2x equals miss next game or simply play in game, any bowler slow in bowling overs is taken out of the attack
- batsmen interfering with the over rate by delaying is warned and then given out next offence
- revise this nonsense about "artificial light" and also the end time cut-off, if light is good enough the they should play, under floodlights if it isn't, and start half an hour earlier for play lost to anything, rain or time wasted although enough other measures should make it only for rain.
