Key events
A tinge of green maybe, enough to make the Grinch a pair of socks. Looks decent for a bat first though doesn’t it?
The buildup to the match has been dominated by Usman Khawaja’s tussles with the ICC. The people that run the game at a global level covering themselves in glory once more…
Khawaja had hoped to use images of a dove holding an olive branch, as well as a reference to article one of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, on one of his boots and bat in the second Test against Pakistan at the MCG.
Cummins described the dove symbol as “pretty vanilla” and said it was “not really” any different to observant Christian Labuschagne’s eagle, which represents a Bible verse.
“We really support Uzzy. He’s standing up for what he believes and I think he’s done it really respectfully,” Cummins said.
“[His initial message was] ‘all lives are equal’ and I don’t think that’s very offensive, and I’d say the same about the dove. That’s Uzzy. I think he can really hold his head high with the way he’s gone about it.
“But obviously there’s rules in place and I believe the ICC have said they’re not going to approve that. They make up the rules and you’ve got to accept it.”
Beady eyes on the warm ups:
Good news from the MCG – after a day and a bit of rain lingering over Melbourne during Christmas Eve and Day it is currently DRY and relatively bright on Boxing Day morning. There might be a threat of storms later in the afternoon though.
What to do? The pitch has been sat sweating under covers for the last few days, the toss might be a decent one to lose.
Not that is is relevant, or interesting, but it is inky black where I am in deepest Sussex, Christmas Day coming to a soporific close for another year.
Preamble
James Wallace
Hello and greetings of the season, welcome to the OBO of the first day of the Boxing Day Test between Australia and Pakistan from the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
I hope you had a merry/bright/perfectly adequate day whether you were celebrating or not, and if you were then what better way to cope with the post Christmas Day comedown than by sticking your paw back into the trusty tin of Quality Street Test Match Cricket.
The Boxing Day Test match is now firmly established as an iconic fixture in the sporting calendar, with nigh on 90,000 revelling supporters due at the MCG to see whether Pat Cummins’ Australia can cap off a humdinger of a year in all formats.
For three days in Perth last week Shan Masood’s Pakistan side were well in the contest only to be rolled for 89 in the third innings to go 1-0 down in the three match Test series. It was a purring performance from Australia who fired in all departments, David Warner notching up a pugnacious and critic cornea jabbing 164 at the start and Nathan Lyon taking his 500th Test match wicket at the end. One of that pair is hanging up his boots at the end of this series, the other could go on and on … and on, longer than a Christmas lunch squabble or game of Monopoly*.
Can Pakistan get back in the series and blot Australia’s 2023 copybook at the last (the odds are stacking against after illness and injury have blighted their camp in the last few days) – or will the home side take the series at the earliest opportunity to cap off an Annus Bonzribilis**?
We’ll soon find out. I’ll be back about half an hour before play begins with news of the teams and the toss … and, crucially, which accompaniments I’ve chosen for my midnight turkey sandwich. Do join me for the first half of the action, drop us an email or tweet into the OBO mailbag and we can get stuck into Boxing Day together. Geoff Lemon will be grasping the tools for the second portion of the day and if I know The Lem*** he’ll be at the ground keeping a hawkish eye on proceedings.
Play gets under way at 10.30am AEDT time, 11.30pm UK time.
*Anyone else attempted to watch Maestro with the in-laws and a toddler jacked up on chocolate yet? Thoughts and prayers.
**Apologies, have been at the ginger wine. It’s still Christmas afternoon in England.
***No one calls him this.
