It's stumps on day four!
I’m not sure why we couldn’t have come to that conclusion a little earlier but there you go. New Zealand end the 362 runs behind with 7 wickets in hand. Tomorrow they’ll be praying for more rain and when they do get on, hope that the likes of skipper Brendon McCullum, his old mucker Ross Taylor and the likes of Neesham and Watling can hang on for a draw.
That’s it from me but thanks for joining us for all the live action and inaction today. Make sure you stop by tomorrow for all the action from day five. Adios.
A crowd figure from the Gabba
Not great for a Sunday, is it?
6608 at the Gabba today, bringing the total after 4 days to 52199, a record for NZ Tests here. #AusvNZ
— Ric Finlay (@RicFinlay) November 8, 2015
Still no definitive call on the end of play
...but Sebastian Keim has kindly emailed in with musical salvation and it’s from a Brisbane band, to boot. “I note your post mentioning you’re running out of ways to describe the rain,” he says. “Pardon me if I missed a post while I was away from the computer screen, but surely a rain-interrupted Gabba Test, being played in November, and a call which has included an exploration the various titles offered up by Paul Weller’s discography deserves a mention of the Go-Betweens song, ‘Spring Rain’ which, on cue, has again started falling down in sheets (at least here in Nundah).”
They’re still not calling it a day but we’re unlikely to see any more cricket today
I’m running out of ways to describe rain, beside maybe delving into my old Alliance Francaise poetry repertoire. That Paul Verlaine one about it raining in his heart?
Il pleure dans mon coeur
Comme il pleut sur la ville.
Quelle est cette langueur
Qui pénêtre mon coeur ?
I don’t think there’s any danger of replacing ‘Under the Southern Cross I Stand’ in the imagination of Australian cricket fans, is there?
Updated
I wish I had something else to report other than “it’s still raining”
But to make up for it here’s a great Trans-Tasman cricket clash of the past – Mark Richardson vs Darren Lehmann in full-length bodysuits. Viewer discretion is advised.
As rain continues to tumble at the Gabba, this is the most exciting thing currently happening in the cricket world
Lots of love for Joe Root's new ODI shirt number pic.twitter.com/fgiojC3Eu7
— Gareth Copley-Jones (@garethcopley) November 8, 2015
Yep, it’s still raining
I’m increasingly doubtful we’ll get any more play in today but I could be wrong.
Martin Guptill is a creature of habit. His last six Test scores: 70, 0, 0, 70, 23, 23 #ausvnz
— Brydon Coverdale (@brydoncoverdale) November 8, 2015
Update from Brisbane: it’s still raining
Sorry I don’t have any more than that to add. Actually, here you go, have some Purple Rain to brighten up your Sunday evening.
We’re back...oh no we’re not
The players take their positions after the tea break but with heavy rain starting to tumble. Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth call them off before a ball’s even been bowled. That’s a bit of an anti-climax. The Aussies are very reluctant to walk off the ground at all but that they must.
David Gunter is back with an attendance guestimation from the stands. “I don’t know what the capacity of the Gabba is, but I reckon they’d be lucky to have 4000...”
Tea on day four - Australia are right in the box seat now
53rd over: New Zealand 142-3 (Taylor 20, McCullum 4)
With Marsh taking the ball for the final over, Taylor tasks himself with protecting his skipper until tea but there’s a heart-in-mouth moment when the ball glances his pad down the leg side and Nevill dives to grab it behind the stumps. The Aussies briefly think there’s a nick on it but decide against a review, so Taylor and McCullum do survive.
Anyway, the Aussies really toiled for their wickets in that rain-delayed session but with only minutes to go before the break Nathan Lyon has disposed of Kane Williamson. With his departure, the Kiwis are lot closer to defeat. I’m off to grab a snack from the cupboard but I’ll be back shortly to take you though the rest of the day’s play.
Updated
52nd over: New Zealand 140-3 (Taylor 18, McCullum 4)
The other great thing about that Williamson wicket for the Aussies was that Lyon was able to wriggle him out just minutes before the tea break, during which the Kiwi pair could have relaxed and regrouped. As it is skipper McCullum arrives at the crease with a game to save and an awkward amount of time to see off the Lyon threat. He starts well, belting a cut shot for four through point and otherwise getting back and across to defend. He’s going to have to suppress his natural instincts to attack here, McCullum. All things being equal we’ll probably have one more over before tea.
WICKET! Williamson lbw Lyon 59 (New Zealand 136-3)
Williamson is gone! The ball from Lyon was shorter and a little bit quicker and Williamson actually made an error, mistiming his pull shot and getting pinned right in front of the pegs. The review was a moment of desperation from Taylor, who knew that his partner needed to be there for New Zealand to save the game, but it’s to no avail. Lyon is coming up trumps again at Brisbane!
Updated
Review! Lyon thinks he's got Williamson but there's some doubt
Was there an under-edge before it struck him in front? Maybe.
51st over: New Zealand 136-2 (Williamson 59, Taylor 18)
Marsh gets another blast at Taylor, which is certainly a far better gig than bowling to Williamson in the kind of form he’s in. Phil Withall, meanwhile, agrees with my theory about the Gabba crowds so in the spirit of bolstering my own argument I’ll publish his email. “Given the fact that the Gabba holds around about 34,000 people to get the 14,000 figure I’d estimate that the bottom two tiers would need to be full,” says Phil. “I think either somebody is fibbing or the queues for beer are very long indeed.” Well, it is Queensland.
50th over: New Zealand 131-2 (Williamson 56, Taylor 16)
Lyon’s not getting much of an opening from Williamson so he starts bowling random pieces of fruit at him; first a watermelon, then a canteloupe and finally, a big and gnarly coconut. Well, maybe not, but it’s nice to at least imagine that something outrageous is going on out there.
49th over: New Zealand 129-2 (Williamson 55, Taylor 15)
Johnson is relieved of his duties as expected but again it’s Mitch Marsh who is asked to jag a quick wicket. A myth abounds that this is something of a forte for Marsh but let’s be honest, he’s taken 10 wickets in 8 Tests. Hardly Phil Simmons/Doug Walters/insert-your-own-favourite-partnership-breaker. It’s a maiden from Marsh, anyway.
48th over: New Zealand 129-2 (Williamson 55, Taylor 15)
Lyon’s relatively quick at the moment - 88-89kmph at times - and perhaps a little flat to Taylor, but the latter does have a tendency to step back in front of his stumps so perhaps it’s a wise move in the short term. A single to Williamson is the only major event of this over.
Brendan Brown doesn’t like the sound of the Gabba crowd control. “Under 10s chanting too loudly! At a cricket game! God forbid,” he says. “I guess the Gabba staff moving them on never spent their younger days in Bay 13 at the MCG. For those like me (and there are many) who once loved our cricket but are now indifferent, this kind of news confirms the spectacle has changed, not for the better, and is unlikely we will be enticed back.”
47th over: New Zealand 128-2 (Williamson 54, Taylor 15)
Johnson is just sort of banging it in at the moment. It’s an approach that works well when he’s hitting a threatening line and length but it’s a bit too wide and full in this over so Taylor drives him through cover for another all-run four. Fans of the all-run four have been well served in this Test, actually. Williamson settles for three to end the over. Time for some Hazlewood, I’d think. Johnson’s struggling.
46th over: New Zealand 120-2 (Williamson 51, Taylor 10)
Lyon’s really hit his stride now and even Williamson is having to play watchfully now that he’s nailed down his end. What’s needed now is a little more pressure from the other end, where Johnson’s not exactly firing in his last few overs.
Williamson brings up his half-century!
45th over: New Zealand 119-2 (Williamson 51, Taylor 9)
That’s 50 for Williamson, who somehow managed to stay calm as Guptill dug himself into a hole earlier. It’s only taken him 55 deliveries and featured five boundaries, too. Johnson’s still huffing and puffing, but not looking much like blowing Williamson’s house down.
Reader David Gunter is at the Gabba right now and he emails in with a truly disturbing development. “Boo to the Gabba!” he says. “Our cricket club kids (Mudgeeraba under 10’s) just got moved for chanting too loud! I wonder what they’d make of the barmy army?!”
Madness. You’d think they’d be happy to have people in there. I’ve noted the 14-16k attendance figures being bandied about for the last few days and, call me a cynic, I wonder whether the multi-coloured seats are again being mistaken for people. Can we get a head count today?
44th over: New Zealand 112-2 (Williamson 45, Taylor 9)
Taylor’s attacking at every opportunity here and sweeps Lyon savagely for a boundary out to deep square leg. Mike Hussey says he’s looking good out there but Mike Hussey also appears to be the most kind-natured man in cricket. Taylor’s a bit of a mess I reckon.
Scott Lowe, meanwhile, is back again. “If I had known it was going to get published, I might have gone with my story about going to the 1992 SCG test between India and Australia, and after an entire day of autograph hunting, I only ended up with the signature of minor Indian off spinner Venkatapathy Raju.”
Minor? I thought he was a gun. Which brings me to the point that the pronunciation of Raju’s name was Richie Benaud’s greatest moment of understated genius, one for which he didn’t get enough credit. It was rhythmical and – if I do say so myself – quite beautiful.
43rd over: New Zealand 105-2 (Williamson 42, Taylor 5)
There’s some pretty shaggy work from Usman Khawaja and Starc here when their flat-footedness allows Ross Taylor to get off the mark from a returning Johnson. He getsa single between point and cover that shouldn’t have been a run. That also brings up the hundred for the tourists.
Moments later Taylor has another close shave when Johnson whistles a bouncer past Taylor’s top edge as he’s ambitiously hooking. He makes better contact with a follow-up that flies out to the boundary at cow corner but there’s an air of desperation about Taylor’s batting right now, as though he’s trying to bludgeon his way back into form. I think there’ll be a few chances for the Australians in the next couple of overs.
42nd over: New Zealand 98-2 (Williamson 40, Taylor 0)
Ross Talor arrives on a pair and prods one nervously into the air where a short mid off would have gobbled a catch, but the other item of note in the Lyon over was Joe Burns again grassing a catching* chance that bobbed up perfectly into his hands. He’s having a ‘mare in there.
*replays revealed there was no edge and Guptill departed immediately anyway, but Burns knew neither of these things as he dropped it. He batted like a genius in this game but he’s got a bit of work to do under the lid.
WICKET! Guptill c Smith b Lyon 23 (New Zealand 97-2)
Lyon strikes! Finally a breakthrough for the Aussies when Lyon darts one in a little quicker and a muddled Guptill - neither forward nor back and with his bat positioned diagonally - sends a thick edge through to Smith at slip. That was a long time coming and Guptill hung in there for 133 deliveries, but in refusing to look for scoring shots and focusing solely on survival he’s worked himself into a knot.
Updated
41st over: New Zealand 97-1 (Guptill 23, Williamson 39)
Somewhat surprisingly it’s Mitch Marsh who appears now to replace Starc and even more surprisingly, he nearly takes Guptill’s edge with an out-swinger first up. And in actual fact, the drastically altered speed and trajectory of Marsh really messes with Guptill in this over because he needs to reset all of the default movements that he was relying on to counter Starc.
This is absorbing traditional test cricket. I need to be more careful what I wish for.
— Catherine McGregor (@CateMc3273) November 8, 2015
40th over: New Zealand 97-1 (Guptill 23, Williamson 39)
Lyon’s coming around the wicket now for something different and there’s a brief moment of celebration amongst the Australians when they think Guptill has nicked it down the leg-side to wicket-keeper Nevill, but again Lyon hasn’t the faintest interest in the appeal because it only brushed the batsman’s pad.
39th over: New Zealand 93-1 (Guptill 23, Williamson 39)
Scott Lowe has a truly tragic minor cricketer story to share, which if I’m totally honest is still more entertaining than the cricket at this point of proceedings, with Guptill stonewalling and Williamson being dragged into the mire with him. “Continuing the pathetic celeb spotting, I once played kick to kick with former NSW opener Steve Small when I was a young fella,” says Scott. “His daughter played netball with my sister, and at a netball carnival once he passed the time having a kick with a few of the other dads. Decent kick too.”
Want to know something even sadder than that story, Scott? I was the sad individual who uploaded this 1992 advert featuring Steve Small, his son and the long-forgotten bat brand Impala. The bar has now been set so low that I will be only accepting further submissions if they contain traces of David Freedman, Scott Kremerskothen or Shannon Tubb.
38th over: New Zealand 90-1 (Guptill 21, Williamson 37)
More incremental gains for the Kiwis as Lyon continues to work his way through the repertoire. Meanwhile, as of ten minutes ago former Australian Test opener Chris Rogers is now on Twitter and if his commentary is anything to go by he should provide plenty of value.
Thanks @chrisrogersfan. I'll take it from here.
— Chris Rogers (@BuckRogers55) November 8, 2015
37th over: New Zealand 87-1 (Guptill 20, Williamson 35)
Starc’s still not conceding runs but there’s a danger he’s wasting his energy, not to mention his greatest assets as a bowler, by banging it in short to Guptill. Right as I say that he jams in a yorker and after Guptill keeps it out well, the sweaty Australian paceman gives him an absolute mouthful. He’s probably just frustrated with himself more than anything.
36th over: New Zealand 87-1 (Guptill 20, Williamson 35)
Lyon soldiers on after the review disappointment but when he’s a little straight with his final delivery, Williamson plays a delicate and controlled sweep shot to pick up a boundary down to fine leg. That was lovely finesse from the New Zealander.
Not out! Guptil survives
The look on Lyon’s face as the original appeal dissipated was telling, I think. Spinners usually know when it’s going past leg, as this one was. Smith’s a little annoyed now, perhaps at Nevill for burning the review but they’re getting quietly desperate for a wicket here.
NOT OUT! A review from the Aussies against Guptill, but it's missing leg. NZ 1-82: https://t.co/o52TkG2knd #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/BFmvpMjcqn
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 8, 2015
Updated
Review! Lyon thinks he's trapped Guptill LBW
Well, Nevill thinks he might have. Lyon doesn’t look as sold, which is a worry. We shall soon see.
35th over: New Zealand 81-1 (Guptill 20, Williamson 30)
Starc’s cranking it up to the mid 140s again but the pace doesn’t equate to threat for now, especially while he’s too wide in pursuing a shorter leg theory to Guptill. Do they think he’ll flinch and bunt one to Burns at short leg? He’s not looking like doing so.
@rustyjacko what price that Rod.Marsh's obsession with pace has ended Peter Siddle's test career!
— scottprobst (@scottp1964) November 8, 2015
I’m not sure on this one. He’s only 31 years old, remember. And the pace obsession is more of a Lehmann thing from what I can gather. Siddle will play at some point this summer I’d assume. His state hardly helped him out there though...
34th over: New Zealand 81-1 (Guptill 20, Williamson 30)
Lyon’s bowling to Williamson with Burns at short leg and he also brings Starc in closer at fine leg to prevent the single. Williamson was Lyon’s first Test wicket, in actual fact, but the New Zealander is currently having no such trouble and finishes the over by sweeping him out to the boundary at deep square leg. This pair is perfectly comfortable now.
33rd over: New Zealand 75-1 (Guptill 19, Williamson 25)
Starc is trying to cramp Williamson for room by sending it in short and fast at his ribs but the Kiwi is able to spin around off his back foot and tuck him down to fine leg for one, passing the test with aplomb. What a joy it is that world cricket now boasts such accomplished back-foot masters as Williamson, Joe Root and Hashim Amla. Brings a tear to the eye. Starc finishes the over by spearing one out wide trying to tempt Guptill into a rash stroke and though he does flay his bat at it, it’s a big fresh-air swipe.
32nd over: New Zealand 74-1 (Guptill 19, Williamson 24)
Spin time now with Nathan Lyon. That’d be a good name for a regional radio show, wouldn’t it? Lyon starts well if a little flat in his trajectory. There’s plenty of spin on offer though and he’s turning it in appreciably to Guptill. Lyon loves the Gabba; always takes wickets here. He’ll be granted plenty of bowling time this afternoon and if he can tie down an end and constantly threaten, it’ll allow Smith to rotate the three main quicks in 3-4 over spells at the other.
31st over: New Zealand 72-1 (Guptill 18, Williamson 23)
Mitch Starc is back for another blast now and with Williamson on strike, David Warner moves into a very short mid-off position a matter of two feet away from the strip in hope of a catch. Or maybe he’s just getting closer for a bit of verbal sparring. Anyway, Starc’s over is a little bit of a fizzer. He’s not quite giving it enough chance to swing.
30th over: New Zealand 70-1 (Guptill 18, Williamson 21)
It’s all too easy for Williamson at the moment. All Guptill has to do is stick with him. Hazlewood is still charging in but Batting Jesus has no trouble clumping him for three more through cover to start the over. It’s like he’s having a competition with himself to see how softly he can swing at the ball and still bring up a boundary.
Chris Langmead has a genuinely pathetic cricket story. “I played a game against John “The Dentist” Maynard around the time he was making noises about re-arranging the teeth of some of the England team,” he says.
“Frankly we were far too woeful a team for him to consider bowling against us... but he batted and he escaped a stumping chance off my bowling, which was the cue for him to mercilessly flog my flighted filth leg spin all around the park... no autographs ensued.”
This sounds like the time I had Trevor Gripper dropped off my bowling on the first delivery of a game and then got absolutely belted for the rest of the afternoon. Again, no autograph.
29th over: New Zealand 67-1 (Guptill 18, Williamson 18)
Johnson continues for another over but it’s Nathan Lyon who has been asked to limber up by his captain, so we’ll also have some spin shortly. Again Williamson leans into a drive and with that patented crisp timing of his it motors far enough towards the boundary at deep cover that he’s able to run four. Better still is a square drive next up when Johnson gives him some width, which the Kiwi seems to have ten minutes to crack to the left of the point fieldsman.
28th over: New Zealand 56-1 (Guptill 18, Williamson 7)
Guptill’s in a better groove now, which is to say he’s not even looking to score but playing Hazlewood with a lot more comfort and maintaining a clear sense of where his off stump is when he leaves. Might it be time for a quick blast of Mitchell Starc, skipper?
27th over: New Zealand 56-1 (Guptill 18, Williamson 7)
Does anyone else fear that Williamson might do a Faf du Plessis here or is it just me? I mean, he plays some glorious shots along the way but in this over against Johnson he also showcases his near-impenetrable back foot defence. He’ll bat all day and beyond at this rate.
Dr W Lancashire (real name? We’ll never know) has written in with a pathetic cricket tale. “ If you want really pathetic, I bowled with Imran Khan at school. We gave him the first over because, to be fair, he was a bit quicker than me! Although I did get the odd wicket from a relived batsmen happy to see my gentle medium pacers trundling down at them and justifiably tried to hit me out of the park.”
I had the same pleasure bowling in tandem with West Indian quick Gavin Tonge once. The batsmen were too traumatised from trying to lay bat on him that they practically offered up their wicket at the other end.
26th over: New Zealand 55-1 (Guptill 17, Williamson 7)
Gargh, Kane Williamson is just perfect at the moment. Hazlewood overpitches and the Kiwi ace leans into a crisp, perfectly-middled straight drive that races down the ground for the first boundary of the session. If playing against Jack Hobbs was like bowling to God on concrete, then Williamson must be getting close to the status of Jesus right now.
25th over: New Zealand 49-1 (Guptill 16, Williamson 2)
Mitch Johnson pairs with Hazlewood to start with and he’s also bang on the mark to start with, angling it in at Williamson at Guptill and giving them plenty to stress over. Guptill looks a little muddled, to be honest. He tends to be at the start of a new session so the key for him right now is survival. Johnson’s a little wide outside the off stump with the last few, which certainly helps the batsman.
24th over: New Zealand 48-1 (Guptill 16, Williamson 1)
Aaaand we’re finally back. Josh Hazlewood is tasked with first over following the rain delay and he’s right on the money to start with, forcing Guptill play around an off-stump line. Ian Chappell is so excited for the resumption of play that he’s talking about Colin Cowdrey’s stance during the 1962-63 season.
Hazlewood finishes the over with an absolute screamer that draws Guptill forward but indecisively, and with a bit of movement away from the right-hander the Kookaburra flashes millimetres past the outside edge.
The Aussies are back on the field
And by the looks of things they’re out there early to warm up and throw a ball around. Still, good news. We’ll probably have some play in the next 5-10 minutes.
Reader Phil Withall has emailed in with a truly average-average tale. “With an earth shattering average of 4 I have little to brag about,” he says. “However, those four runs, when given to Don Bradman, give us a combined average of over 100, an achievement that we would both be understandably be very proud of.” A legend walks among us, OBOers.
Also, here’s some shameless self-promotion if you’d like to come and hear me talk about sportswriting and the vitally important work I do telling you about my brushes with Gus Logie and Allan Lamb.
Join me, @rustyjacko and the great Gideon Haigh as we discuss the future of quality sports writing @SportsWritersAU https://t.co/Vyg9CNtXuA
— Kate Cohen (@KateCohenKCS) November 8, 2015
One more cricket celeb-spot from me
...This is January 1992, weeks after Warnie had made his Test debut and the story I’ve attached to the tweet is 100% true. You should have seen the look on my Mum’s face when I told her.
January 1992 - myself and bogan-mullet Warnie, just before he asked me for $2 for his autograph (true story): pic.twitter.com/m30OprS9RT
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) October 15, 2013
A note on your cricket celeb spotting stories
Only send me ones that I can actually publish. Brendan Brown has just written in with an absolute cracker relating to a certain mid-80s West Indian tourist, but as Richard Greco said in A Night at the Roxbury, “I just don’t wanna get sued”.
With that, Mark Nicholas has just alerted us to the fact that “Steve Smith is inspecting a wet patch”. Oi, quiet down the back. He’s talking about the outfield. That’s the issue right at the moment rather than the pitch. They’ve got super-soppers out there but it’s a little squelchy under foot at the edge of the square. It’ll be Smith’s call whether he wants to field on it in this state, with the risk being that the ball becomes water-logged and loses its lustre.
I called for pathetic cricketing celebrity spotting moments
...which you may remember is an extension of my ongoing segment, “I once sat next to Allan Lamb on a train” and its sub-segment “the time I had my haircut in the barber’s chair next to Gus Logie”, but this one is actually quite good.
@rustyjacko Phil Tufnell cadged a ciggy off me on the way to practice as I was standing outside the old member's bar at Adelaide Oval.
— Lord Not the Singer (@master_grundy) November 8, 2015
The covers are off
And hopes remain high that we’ll get some play in very soon. Nine’s Mark Nicholas does however note that there’s some cloud around and the tone of his voice is slightly exasperated, though he does spend most of his day with Michael Slater so that’s probably fair enough.
Reader Ian Belford has stopped by with a tragic cricket story. He doesn’t boast about his average, “…but I’ve been known (on the odd occasion) to claim as my highest score in cricket one I hit in a backyard test match when I was about 11...(playing against a 9 year old).” Shame on you, Ian, but to be fair the competition was probably of comparable quality to all those English varsity matches of the 19th century that count as first-class games.
Robert Wilson also fires back crying humblebrag about my story from before. “ONLY 69.5! You supremacist jock knob-end. I bet you bullied the Chess club kids to celebrate.” I dunno, I reckon there was a fair bit of Venn diagram overlap between the Chess club and the 1st XI cricket side at my school. We once got bowled out for 27.
As the covers remain in place at the Gabba, finally a reader email to tide me over...
And it’s Robert McLiam Wilson keeping me company. “Having boasted of my fictional batting average to you a couple of days ago, young Russell, it set me to wondering,” he starts. It’s always a worry when Roberts starts with his wondering but I’ll humour him.
“We’re all prone to sloppy universalism. If we think it or do it, then everyone thinks it or does it. But I’m right, aren’t I, that everyone has two batting averages? The real one and the hilariously made-up one. I feel that my claim to fame (and moral grandeur) is that my invented average is only 11.37. How humble is that! It’s Soviet-era realism, or 60s absurdism. I feel pretty sure that there’s no OBOer out there with a lower pretend average than me. And if I’m wrong, that person is a...legend.”
That is very humble, I agree. Is this an inferiority complex shining through? It’s like you’ve had a superhero dream in which you’re...Robin.
Related to this: I’d always had it in my head that there was a season in which I averaged 90+, but rummaging through some boxes in my parents’ shed a year ago, I found the trophy in question and was chastened to note that I’d only averaged 69.5 that year. Now that’s still the high water mark of my batting career, don’t get me wrong (I think I averaged a negative total one year, somehow) but it wasn’t quite the Bradmanesque landmark that had gathered steam in my imagination. Anyway, this is veering dangerously close to Channel Nine territory without the redeeming feature of any of us having been...well...good at cricket.
Update: there will be a pitch inspection in ten minutes, then hopefully some play.
Play is due to restart in two minutes at the Gabba
But the covers are still on, so I doubt there’ll be anything for 20 minutes at the least. Here’s a nice picture of Curtly Ambrose to tide us over. Has anyone read his new book? I hate to diss the great man but I think there was a reason he never had anything to say during his career...
Ooh, and Wasim Akram too. I saw him waiting in line for a souvlaki in Melbourne a few months back. It was very hard to resist the temptation to have him sign my garlic sauce stained napkin. If you’ve got a more pathetic celebrity spotting story than that, send me an email on russell.jackson@theguardian.com
It’s been a terrible week for New South Wales ground staff
Here’s the suddenly infamous SCG outfield from the abandoned Sheffield Shield game between Victoria and New South Wales. Looks good from far, but clearly far from good.
#SheffieldShield game between NSW and Victoria abandoned due to unsafe conditions on day 3: https://t.co/dKh4dxKbiF pic.twitter.com/z2UM6O7UXB
— ABC Grandstand (@abcgrandstand) November 8, 2015
Okay, now I can’t stop scouring for Curtly Ambrose pics
And something else just popped into my head: could Victoria’s game against New South Wales - farcically abandoned yesterday due to the condition of the SCG outfield - not be transferred to Citi Field? Just throwing it out there.
A Warnie-Sachin update
So is anyone watching the old-timers from Sachin and Warnie’s teams? Must admit I agree with Chappelli on this one; there’s something slightly undignified about 45-year-old men asking that fans pay to watch them play, but the punters seemed happy to do so, to be fair. Anyway, Steve Brenner was there for The Guardian and you can read his report from the pre-game promotional activies here.
There was a lot of teeth-grinding about the ticket prices but having just read that the most expensive seat in the house cost $175 for a close look at Sachin and co, I’m wondering what these people think of the sickening prices paid for courtside seats to NBA game.
One final observation on this malarkey: Curtly Ambrose looks like he could probably still do a job for the West Indies in the upcoming Tests. I’m not sure he’d do any worse than the incumbents.
One other: call me a cynic, but this doesn’t look like a homemade sign to me.
Updated
Hello OBOers
Russell Jackson here to take you through whatever play the weather allows us this afternoon. It’s looking pretty dismal at the moment from the sofa at OBO HQ. We’re scheduled to restart in a little over half an hour, but that probably won’t transpire so in lieu of cricket action to describe, I’m currently scouring eBay to provide you with the strangest pieces of Trans-Tasman cricket memorabilia I can find.
First up: I got way too excited about this to start with but it turns out that 1990s Kiwi battler Murphy Su’a had a namesake in minor league baseball ranks. Here’s his trading card. Admission: I actually own the cricketing Murphy Su’a’s 1993-94 trading card as well because, well, why would you throw out a family heirloom like that?
I’m popping off. Thanks for your company.
Usual drill now – Russell Jackson will knuckle down and take you through till the end of the day or the end of the New Zealand innings – whichever comes first. His details are up there in the second red tab. Say hi.
Updated
That is lunch.
So rain and a bit of gloom have brought the morning session to an early close. Tom Latham and Martin Guptill had acquitted themselves well – Latham especially, looking very solid and balanced at the crease. He would be the man to fall, as Starc trapped him in front.
The current scene...
Torrential at the Gabba #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/YlXPn4CgR7
— John Townsend (@johnt237) November 8, 2015
Update...
Lunch will be taken at 12.50pm AEDT #AUSvNZ #WWOS pic.twitter.com/BptLzq6Wza
— Wide World of Sports (@WWOS9) November 8, 2015
Not sure if it’s the light or the drizzle that’s forced the umpires’ hands, but they’ve decided that the players need to leave the field.
They played in heavier rain yesterday – Steve Smith certainly isn’t happy – but the decision is final. There are some dark clouds about in the distance but I’m not sure if they’ll hit or pass by.
23rd over: New Zealand 48-1 (Guptill 16, Williamson 1)
A shame for Latham, as he goes LBW to Starc. He was looking very solid but had no answer to a typical Starc worldie of a yorker. Kane Williamson, who held the Blackcaps’ first innings together, is in again at number three. Gets off the mark straightaway with a tuck off his hip behind square on the legside. Full and wide and Guptill gets forward, back knee hits the floor and he throws his hands through the ball for three into the offside.
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WICKET! Latham LBW Starc 29 (New Zealand 44-1)
Starc does that thing where he bowls an unplayable yorker that takes a bit of boot with it. The umpire’s finger goes up and Latham, after a discussion with Guptill, decides against a review...
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22nd over: New Zealand 44-0 (Latham 29, Guptill 13)
Marsh looks a tad innocuous. Reckon he could do with pitching a bit fuller and tempting Guptill to really engage his hard hands. As soon as I finish typing that, he dishes out an effort ball which takes off and surprises Guptill.
21st over: New Zealand 44-0 (Latham 29, Guptill 13)
Mitchell Starc starts on middle and leg, then wide of off stump. As soon as he’s on off stump, Guptill goes all the way back and plays a back-foot punch through extra cover for three.
20th over: New Zealand 41-0 (Latham 29, Guptill 10)
Mitchell Marsh, the right-arm seamer, on to replace Hazlewood. He drops his second ball short and Latham spins into a pull shot so well that he’s beaten Mitchell Johnson on the fine leg fence, for six! Much better line from then on, as Latham leaves outside off stump and then gets right behind the final ball to defend back to the bowler.
Save us, Pink Ball – you’re our only hope...
This red ball is too hard for fielders to see. #AUSvNZ
— Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) November 8, 2015
19th over: New Zealand 35-0 (Latham 23, Guptill 10)
Dropped! Extra bounce from Johnson and Guptill forces it into the offside, straight to Nathan Lyon at point. But Lyon reacts a touch too late and the ball pierces his hands and runs away for three. Next ball, Latham pops one just short of Burns at short leg. He then knocks Latham on the pad but it’s sliding down the leg. Single tucked into the legside gets Guptill back on strike, who defends to the final ball to mid off.
18th over: New Zealand 31-0 (Latham 22, Guptill 7)
Hazlewood beats Guptill first up: enticing a defensive shot only for the ball to seam away and past his outside edge. Back of a length and Guptill defends into the covers and gets a single. Latham gets bat on the last three but only to push to fielders in the offside.
17th over: New Zealand 30-0 (Latham 22, Guptill 6)
Johnson’s figures are 5-5-0-0. I believe they call that frugal. Barren’s probably a better description. Then again, he’s not been unplayable, he’s just given Latham and Guptill little to play at. The full balls are too wide, the bouncers a touch short. He starts this over around the wicket to Guptill and finishes it going back over. Finally, he gets Guptill to play, as the right-hander defends into the offside for no run. And finally, runs off Johnson: he bowls on Guptill’s leg stump and it’s worked to midwicket for three.
Rogers on technique. Warner stood with his bat up for the first half of his knock yesterday due to sweat: https://t.co/XTcNYwx6Qt #AUSvNZ
— ABC Grandstand (@abcgrandstand) November 8, 2015
16th over: New Zealand 27-0 (Latham 22, Guptill 3)
An appeal – the first one in a while – as Latham steps across his stumps to Hazlewood and the ball hits into his front pad. But there’s bat involved. Fuller from Hazlewood and Latham is more than a match for the late movement, clipping it through midwicket for four. Better, though, from the right-armer, who’s threatening the stumps. Drinks.
15th over: New Zealand 23-0 (Latham 18, Guptill 3)
Johnson has Guptill hopping with a bouncer that lifts off the pitch and clears him comfortably in the end. Tries the same again but it’s not as devilish and loops over the batsman this time. “Ooooos” from those behind the bat as the ball comes back it just as Guptill decides to leave it outside offstump, passing very close to the stumps. We’ll give that one to Guppy. Johnson’s final delivery of the over is around the wicket. Square leg has been brought up and Johnson sends it wide of off stump. Leave, no run and over.
14th over: New Zealand 23-0 (Latham 18, Guptill 3)
This over belongs to Latham. First, he plays an immaculate pull shot, rolling his wrists as he brings the bat square and across him, for four. Then, he edges Hazlewood behind, only for the ball to drop just in front of Steve Smith at first slip. Hazlewood can’t quite believe it but Latham seemed to be pulling out of the shot just as he nicked it which would have taken a bit out of the ball. He gets him onto the back foot and defending outside off stump before the over is out. Better.
13th over: New Zealand 19-0 (Latham 14, Guptill 3)
Starc’s off and Johnson is back on. Another maiden – another over wasted? A few too wide. Pitch flattening out?
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12th over: New Zealand 19-0 (Latham 14, Guptill 3)
Hazlewood over the wicket to Latham and he’s immediately clipped to the square leg fence for two. He corrects into the offside, but is wide enough for Latham to leave well alone. Gets a bit closer and Latham drives him to the man at mid off. The penultimate ball is shorter, but Latham gets in behind it and drops it at his feet. Just two from the over, as Latham ends with a leave.
11th over: New Zealand 17-0 (Latham 12, Guptill 3)
Starc struggling to engage Guptill in this over. He’s wider and too short, but you know that toe-crushing yorker is lurking around the corner. A maiden, but not a convincing one from Starc.
10th over: New Zealand 17-0 (Latham 12, Guptill 3)
A single to Guptill as Hazlewood strays onto the top of his pad and he works it around the corner to the man out at fine leg. Latham has set himself to LEAVE for now. Hazlewood tries to engage him but can’t quite get the ball to come into the left-hander.
9th over: New Zealand 16-0 (Latham 12, Guptill 3)
Starc continuing on. Lyon soon, maybe? Guptill finally gets off the mark, pushing his 24th ball into the covers for three. It’s the final ball of the over, too, so he’s on strike for Hazlewood.
8th over: New Zealand 13-0 (Latham 12, Guptill 0)
Hazlewood to take over from Johnson and the extra time from a slower pace allows Latham to play around the corner for four. He’s getting some movement but Latham looks pretty well set now (famous last words).
7th over: New Zealand 9-0 (Latham 9, Guptill 0)
Guptill gets the strike for the first time in a while and decides to keep it for the over. No runs off but a precarious leave third ball – Guptill goes forward and shoulders-arms with immense confidence as the ball tails in a touch towards his stumps.
The unnecessary black piping on Australia's whites is the biggest threat facing cricket today. #AUSvNZ
— Russell Jackson (@rustyjacko) November 8, 2015
6th over: New Zealand 9-0 (Latham 8, Guptill 0)
Latham is squared up and there’s a sound through to the keeper. It looks like an outside edge but it isn’t – Hot Spot and Snicko shows it’s just pad. The umpire knew it first time – brilliant decision.
Gabba crowd today a good advocate for trying something new with Test cricket. No-one there on a Sunday!
— Matt Somerford (@somerfjord) November 8, 2015
5th over: New Zealand 9-0 (Latham 8, Guptill 0)
Latham maintaining a strong base at the crease, obviously helped by the fact that he’s basically a cuboid in human form. Seriously, he seems to be made of six separate blocks of lego. Pushes solidly between cover and mid off for two, before he tries to work one fine but can’t get bat on ball. Does get a bit of pad though, as Nevill gathers down the legside. There’s a muted appeal but that’s all. Leg-bye past Burns gets him the strike for the next over.
4th over: New Zealand 6-0 (Latham 6, Guptill 0)
Guptill’s looking very tetchy but he does really well to clamp down on a Johnson yorker that was threatening middle and off stump. Ends the over leaving well, too.
3rd over: New Zealand 6-0 (Latham 6, Guptill 0)
And now an ALL RUN FOUR. First shot of worth from Latham, who picks up a ball on middle and off and puts it through midwicket for an all-run four.
2nd over: New Zealand 2-0 (Latham 2, Guptill 0)
Mitchell Johnson to Martin Guptill, who cracks the ball off his hip but straight at Burns at short-leg... it’s straight into him and he has a couple of goes... but it’s grounded! Next ball there’s an appeal for LBW but the ball’s going down leg. Good shape from Mitch-Jo – squares Guptill right up. There’s an inside edge onto his pad and Burns collects. However, Guptill has no idea and strays out of his crease... Burns underarms but misses. It’s all happening...
1st over: New Zealand 1-0 (Latham 2, Guptill 0)
All over today? The first delivery from Mitchell Starc to Tom Latham gets the left-handed bat playing forward and missing completely as the ball hoops past the outside edge. Off the mark with a thick inside edge which goes well wide of Joe Burns but spends enough time in the air to draw gasps from the Australian fieldsmen.
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Australia have declared
New Zealand require 504 runs to win. Australia, 10 wickets...
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OBO stalwart Gary Naylor tweets in...
@Vitu_E Radio interview with Joe Burns at the close. EVERY question about his feelings and his family's feelings - none about the cricket.
— Gary Naylor (@garynaylor999) November 7, 2015
Maybe they got bored with skillsets?
“That’s all well and good Joe, but how have you family been looking in the nets?”
Cricket Australia have done a quite excellent video summary of day four’s events, with Chris Rogers and Damien Fleming. Worth a watch...
Before day four begins, catch up on all of yesterday's action in #Stumps with @bowlologist and Chris Rogers. #AUSvNZ https://t.co/tLWTmYmxDn
— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 7, 2015
Morning John-Boys and John-Girls – Vish here to help you on your way into day four.
Bad light forced the players inside early yesterday evening, by which point Australia had already amassed a second digs lead of 503, with David Warner and Joe Burns notching a century each at the top of the order. It was a first in Tests for Burns, while Warner’s effort meant he’s hit two hundreds in a Test for the third time. Absurd, really. OK, New Zealand’s bowlers were knackered, but Warner’s appetite for destruction was relentless. It’s not runs he craves, it’s devastation.
The scene from Brisbane at the moment is a bit grim (though not from a Kiwi perspective).
No rain, but pretty gloomy. Provided it stays dry, perfect bowling conditions. #AUSvNZ pic.twitter.com/23eMU4ZoYb
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) November 7, 2015
Vithushan will be along shortly to bring you day four’s first session in Brisbane, before Russell takes over the controls later on. In the meantime, check out what went on yesterday in the day three match report.
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