Legend with Clive Lloyd

By Pantherlike
January 11 2016

Pantherlike reports on 5th day Aus v W Indies from the SCG. Meeting one hero saying farewell to another. Then some intersting cricket with a Middlesex influence

The final day of the Sydney test had arrived and we all woke up to more steady rain. It had effectively rained for three and a half days which had gazumped any chance of a decent Sydney test match. The statisticians amongst us were revelling in brining up rain related stats: for instance, there's now been 30 days of test cricket washed out in Australia, 14 of them in Sydney.

However, the forecast for the day was brighter and by mid morning, not only had the rain stopped, but the ground was most impressively, was playable.

With some morning business to attend to, I was not able to get to the ground till 11:30am, a neat 15min before play would commence. Keith on the other hand had been at the ground since 8ish having gone to a breakfast with one of the GMs from Cricket NSW. Keith had some material he needed to get Clive Lloyd to sign for a friend and we got that dealt with as the players were making their way out to the middle. Meeting Clive was quite a moment for Pantherlike! (i'll keep the 3rd person references going...)

And I must rate Keith one of the great gentlemen of cricket. Here he is, flown half way around the world to watch it rain for three days! And didn't complain once! Mind you he'd become a minor celebrity that week in Sydney after his photo made page 5 of the Daily Telegraph (the city's biggest selling daily)! I almost needed a security jacket on myself in navigating Keith around his adoring fans! fabulous stuff! In all, I think he enjoyed his two weeks in Melbourne and Sydney and it was a privilege to have been able to have him down under!

But back to the day's action: News began to spill around the members and media that Steve Smith and Boof had offered the WI camp the arrangement of a sporting declaration that would give the Windies time to amass a lead of around 370 and then they'd offer the Aussies 70 overs or so to get them. The Windies declined the offer preferring to give their lads some more time in the middle and let the day unfold from there. A wise move probably, avoiding any unnecessary 'Hansie' style outcomes and one which would allow their lads the chance to 1) reach a 300 plus total for the first time in the series, 2) give Ramden time in the middle and 3) remove the chance to be soundly and embarrassingly beaten, again. That the thought of winning the test match didn't enter their considerations is a natural sign of the team's development. It would mean though that they'd avoid a series whitewash.

The decision was pleasant for the six or seven thousand that took advantage of the free entry and could just come along and watch a day's cricket played for cricket's sake. This was a rare opportunity in this glozing world of T20 immediacy, strike rates and confected cricket that does its darnedest not to be Boring!

With 80 overs to be played, the Windies duo of Ramden and Roach still not out from the middle of the 2nd day, took the crease. They were met with Lyon, and first Hazlewood who was soon replaced by O'Keefe. The two flicked the ball around a bit before Ramden fell for 62, his second half century in succession. Roach finally fell for 15 and on the stroke of lunch, Taylor a brisk 13, which left the big swinging Warrican undefeated on a test high of 21no. For those who braved their way through my last report, would have read of the monumental day 1 effort of Nathan Lyon; GOAT finally finishing with 3/120 off his 46 overs and O'Keefe 3/63 in his role of 2nd specialist spinner. The Windies all out for 330.

During the lunch break, yours truly maintained position in the queue, whilst Keith caught up with different ones, including Trent Johnson, the current NSW coach and the Aussie who hit the winning runs for Ireland against Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup and also the fella who was the Windies' coach in the 70s whilst Clive was captain.

The Aussies innings commenced after lunch and what would unfold over the next three hours would be one of the significant innings at the ground. funny game cricket! David Warner and Joe Burns who have both represented the Middle set off at their usual gallop, particularly Warner who had 'failed' in the series to date and had 'hundred' imprinted in every shot of authority and moment of domination that would follow. He was just not going to be denied today and was going along at a run a ball. Burns the forgotten other at the crease chimed in with the odd disdainful thwack of willow on leather sending a ball to the mid wicket fence, but this was the Warner show through and through.

Burns in action

The century stand came up in the 16th over, upon which Burns lofted a ball to mid on and was caught by Roach. Burns has provided the team with a very strong opening partnership and you'd think that the Aussie selectors would like to be able to stick with going forward.

Smith then elected to send in first Mitchell Marsh and then Peter Nevill for some much needed time in the middle. the two looked like they had not spent much time at the crease too, but Marsh looked solid enough in getting 21 and Nevill only had the chance for a brief stay (7no).

Warner though was the one everyone was watching. A brief, though heavy shower cut the middle session short a few minutes with Warner on 90, denying him the chance of a hundred in a session, however he didn't need long after tea to reach triple figures and post the fastest century at the SCG, off just 82 balls. His innings was one of his finest and reward for the fans who'd come along to watch an inevitable draw unfold. Test cricket though was the winner and it was a memorable experience being able to just watch good test cricket played regardless.

For what it's worth, the Windies bowling was okay. They have some big issues with the form of their pace attack in Taylor and Roach. These two just cannot stay on a line and length and serve up everything from unplayable to the juiciest pie (sometimes in the one over!). They also missed Bishoo this series and will have to find a better way to manage his workload.

Warrican, Holder and C Brathwaite show signs of being players who can improve with experience. As Bob Marley once sang: Time will Tell.

Presentations and meetups were the order of business from there. We met with Ambrose, Richardson and also David Moore (the GM Keith had breakfast with in the morning and who also coached the Windies around 10 years ago).

i also managed to meet with my kit-sponsor player Adam Voges who had just been awarded the Player of the Series and as it turns out the inaugural winner of the Richie Benaud medal!!

From there Keith and I moved on to the Opera House for one last celebratory drink along the promenade (along with David Moore and his family).