Steve Smith scored one hundred and Usman Khawaja nearly scored a double hundred. He might get there on Friday morning unless Pat Cummins determines enough is enough.
After two rain-affected days, Australia are in complete control of the New Year’s Test at 4-475 with Khawaja unbeaten on 195 and Matthew Renshaw new to the crease on five.
The only thing that looks like denying the home side of a series clean sweep is the annoying rain, which once again brought the day’s play to a sudden halt.
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Given South Africa barely scraped together 200 in the second innings down in Melbourne, and didn’t reach the mark in their previous seven innings, Cummins would be more than entitled to think they have enough in the bank.
But if they want to find out what Renshaw and Ashton Agar can do with the bat ahead of their team-defining tour of India, they could yet find reasons to bat on.
Usman Khawaja celebrates his century with Steve Smith after scoring his third straight century at the SCG on January 05, 2023. Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
After all, Australia’s spinners will be asked to bowl and bowl in India next month. The only difference will be the quality of the batters and the heat that awaits them.
Here are our talking points from an entertaining day at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where milestones were reached and the heavens once again opened.
Smith etches himself into greatness
Having moved past Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke into fourth spot on Australia’s all-time run-scorers list, there is no doubt Smith will be remembered as one of the country’s finest players.
If he can lead Australia to glory in India and/or England, he could well finish as Australia’s best since The Don.
By hitting his 30th century, Smith went past Bradman’s 29 centuries.
While Bradman finished with 29 from 52 Tests, Smith passed the legendary batsman by scoring 104 on day two of the New Year’s Test. It is just his 92nd Test.
Ricky Ponting, Australia’s highest run-scorer with 13,378 runs, hit 41 centuries from 168 Tests at an average of 51.85. Smith’s average is 61.21.
“Just understand the level of greatness that we’re witnessing at the moment,” former Australian captain Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket as Smith went past Hayden into fifth position on Australia’s list for the most Test runs and closed in on Clarke.
“What an average through 92 Test matches.
“For Sir Donald Bradman he’s in first and daylight second, the same could be said of [Smith] against that list there just by way of average – that’s extraordinary.”
Alyssa Healy added: “I was speechless then. The camera in here would have had me shaking my head. There’s some unbelievable names on that list and for Steve Smith to be there with 20-odd Tests to spare is remarkable.”
Steve Smith acknowledges the crowd after being dismissed by Keshav Maharaj for 104 at the SCG on January 05, 2023. Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Making his record all the more startling is that for a long time it was Smith or bust for the Australian team.
In 2019, upon his return to the national side following a year’s ban, Smith’s heroics in England where he scored 774 runs at 110.54 meant Australia retained the Ashes for the first time in almost two decades.
If Smith can lead Australia to drought-breaking victories in India and England, it will put him in uncharted territory since Bradman.
Dasher’s big test awaits
Travis Head has many things in common with his Australian contemporaries: he scores runs for fun in Australia.
But there’s something that sets him apart from David Warner. Head has scored runs on juicy wickets over the past 12 months.
While the SCG was anything but juicy, his dashing innings raised eyebrows ahead of Australia’s tour of India because of his footwork.
Head, who averages 57.4 in Australia, averages a horrific 21.3 from seven Tests in Asia – the lowest from an Australian specialist batter in Test cricket.
On the recent tour of Sri Lanka, Australia had more runs from extras (26) than runs off Head’s bat (23).
Once again, concerns were raised during his dashing 70 as he spin threatened to be his undoing once more.
The left-hander, who has struggled particularly against off-spin and will undoubtedly be tested by Ravi Ashwin, edged Simon Harmer just short of first-slip as he reached forward third ball.
It led to Mark Waugh and Gilchrist questioning Head’s methods.
“That front pad is going towards the leg side, not towards the ball,” Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“What you don’t want to do as a batsman is take too big a stride. It makes you get lower, for a start, so your hands are lower, your bat’s lower, and you don’t get your weight over the ball, you don’t get your head in the right position.”
Gilchrist added: “Travis Head is a big striker, he likes to feel bat on ball, and so therefore you’re pushing out at the ball.
“You just start searching for the ball. No way if your head isn’t in line with the ball. You don’t know whether you can leave that. You’re just drawn to it. That is a big stride forward.
Waugh replied: “You don’t want to do that. You want to play it as late as you can, under your eyeline.”
Will rain hurt Australia’s bid to test depth?
Cameron Green’s revelation that he will be “touch and go” for the opening Test against India on February 9 has given Australian selectors plenty to consider.
Green, 23, had provided Pat Cummins’ side the perfect balance; competent batting and the luxury of a fifth quality bowler with plenty of strike power on offer.
Averaging 35.04 with the bat and 29.78 with the ball after 18 Tests, Green has a higher average with the bat than Steve Waugh and lower average with the ball than Mitchell Starc at the same point in their respective careers.
Cameron Green’s injury has given Australian selectors plenty to consider ahead of the tour of India. Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
England’s Ben Stokes currently averages 36.14 and 31.99, while former captain Andrew Flintoff finished with a career record of 31.77 with the bat and 32.78 with the ball.
It has Green on the path to greatness.
But on Thursday, the West Australian revealed he was in a race against the clock to be fit for the opening Test after requiring surgery to fix his fractured finger suffered during his fighting half-century against South Africa on day two of the Boxing Day Test.
“Obviously my first priority is the Test Series that’s beforehand,” Green added when asked about the IPL by SEN Sportsday WA.
“I think me and Starcy are maybe touch and go for that first one but obviously we’ll give ourselves the best chance.”
It leaves Australia’s selectors, headed by George Bailey, with plenty to ponder.
In Sydney, with conditions likely to favour spin bowling and the series wrapped up against the Proteas, they opted to recall Matthew Renshaw, a specialist batter, from the international wilderness.
In addition, with Starc ruled out, they recalled Josh Hazlewood while dropping Scott Boland for the left-arm spin of Ashton Agar.
Ashton Agar. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)
While Agar’s return was likely on the spin-friendly SCG surface, Ricky Ponting and Kerry O’Keeffe both pushed hard for Green’s WA teammate Aaron Hardie to be parachuted into the squad as a like-for-like replacement ahead of the New Year’s Test.
“The most recognisable like for like I can think of for Cam Green’s replacement for Sydney is someone like Aaron Hardie,” Ponting told Channel 7.
“Another Western Australian all-rounder. Very talented youngster, we’ve seen him make his mark on the shorter forms of the games so far, more so than anything else.
“He did get 100 in the Shield final last year and can bowl some handy overs. Bit of a smoky there, but I’m happy to throw it out there.”
O’Keeffe, meanwhile, added: “He’s behind Cameron Green as an all-rounder – but I’ve watched him for some time – I think he’s an outstanding talent,” O’Keeffe said on Fox Cricket.
“He bats like Cameron Green, very strong down the ground. He bowls quality outswing. He’s in their sights, I’m pretty sure. I think he’d be a good like-for-like.”
Hardie turns 24 on Sunday and has built an impressive CV in first-class cricket. From 19 matches, Hardie averages 44.57 with the bat and 30.8 with the ball.
For now, however, Agar has the inside run by being included in Australia’s side for the New Year’s Test.
He will bat at eight and his left-arm orthodox spin will be strongly considered for the Indian tour, particularly with several of the home side’s batters, including Virat Kohli, right-handed.
Agar’s performances with the bat could well prove decisive. Unfortunately, he will unlikely be given the chance to prove his worth with the bat after Australia’s dominant start to the rain-affected Test.
The left-hander averages 32.5 with the bat in Test cricket and a more than acceptable 28.38 at first-class level with three centuries. Whether those numbers can stack up on the subcontinent remains to be seen.
Regardless, with Green in doubt for the first Test, having someone who can bat and bowl will prove a tempting option.
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