Sad SCG truth exposed by snub for star spinner

2 years ago 349

With Australia's XI for the 4th Test present confirmed and Mitchell Swepson near out, it's wide that the SCG is nary longer the harmless haven for spinners that it erstwhile was.

Australian vice-captain Steve Smith powerfully hinted that Swepson would beryllium near retired of the team, erstwhile helium commented connected the authorities of the transportation yesterday.

"Looking astatine this wicket astatine the infinitesimal determination seems to beryllium a just magnitude of grass," Smith told reporters.

"I situation accidental it won't instrumentality excessively overmuch rotation precocious successful the game, which was the aged SCG that we utilized to see, and I would similar to see."

The SCG wicket was successful the past a crushed that Australia liked to play aggregate spinners on, but that enactment strategy present appears confined to history.

"They're trying to marque it hard from time 1 and not rather arsenic tacky arsenic it's been antecedently with the upwind around," Smith said.

Conditions passim the bid person been precise amenable to gait bowling, with the likes of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins consistently threatening, and Jhye Richardson and Scott Boland coming into the broadside and being arsenic disruptive.

The MCG wicket, successful particular, gave much to bowlers than Smith was utilized to.

"I've astir apt ne'er seen immoderate seam question similar that successful my life," helium said.

"One of those balls that [English opener Haseeb] Hameed near that evening, erstwhile it deed him, it came backmost similar an off-spinner. The shot was seaming arsenic acold arsenic I've seen successful my vocation connected immoderate wicket, truthful it was ne'er going to beryllium casual for the batters."

England skipper Joe Root agreed, but said it was nary excuse for his team's embarrassing collapse.

"All 3 [pitches] looked antithetic to erstwhile tours that I've been on," Root said.

"I'd accidental that Melbourne was evidently the astir challenging - it seemed to beryllium the 1 that was astir volatile and misbehaved much than the others.

"But you tin find yourself connected a fig of antithetic surfaces, yet you've got to grip them amended than the absorption and truthful acold we've not managed that."

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