Sydney [Australia], January 5 : Cricket Australia (CA) Chief Executive Officer Todd Greenberg on Monday expressed frustration over the loss of playing time after Day 1 of the ongoing fifth and final Test between Australia and England at the Sydney Cricket Ground was called off early due to a combination of rain interruptions, lightning and bad light.
After England opted to bat first, only 45 overs were possible on the opening day of the Sydney Test, with the third session called off as persistent rain showers and deteriorating light conditions forced players off the field.
Ahead of Day 2's play, Greenberg said he had opened up about finding a solution to prevent play being lost to bad light in future Test matches worldwide. For those unversed, play on the remaining days will begin 30 minutes early to make up for the time lost on Day 1.
"I share your frustration. There's a lot of things that I get frustrated with in cricket but bad light's one of them. Yesterday, maybe more so than ever with a full house and millions watching on TV. I sort of caution against the remarks of players who said they couldn't pick the ball up and it was really dark and those sorts of things, but I get frustrated that we don't have a solution to this problem," Greenberg told SEN Cricket.
Greenberg added that while he does not claim to have an immediate solution, there is a clear need for greater intent at the global level to address the issue.
"I'm always sort of mindful of being critical on issues where I don't have the solution either, but we've got to find a better way in cricket... where we try not to come off the field when it's bad light and show a greater willingness and intent to get back on. I don't have the answer for you this morning, but what you can take from my comments is a desire to push at the global level of how we get better at these things, because it felt like it wasn't good enough," he added.
Coming to the match, Australia opener Travis Head's brilliant half-century has helped his side to trail by 218 runs in response to England's first innings score of 384 at the stumps on Day 2 of the ongoing fifth and final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Monday.
At stumps on Day 2, Australia were at 166/2 in 34.1 overs with Head (91* off 87 balls, including 15 fours) and nightwatchman Michael Neser (1* off 15 balls) staying unbeaten at the crease.
Earlier in the match, England were bundled out for 384 runs in 97.3 overs after opting to bat first.
Openers Zak Crawley (16 off 29 balls, with the help of three fours) and Ben Duckett (27 off 24 balls, with the help of five boundaries) stitched a 35-run stand for the first wicket. Jacob Bethell departed after scoring 10 runs off 23 deliveries, including two fours.
Harry Brook (84 off 97 balls, including six fours and one six) and Joe Root's fantastic 160 off 242 deliveries, with the help of 15 fours, stitched a 169-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Root then stitched a 94-run partnership with wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith, who scored 46 off 76 balls along with seven boundaries as England went past the 350-run mark in the first innings.
For Australia, speedsters Mitchell Starc (2/93), Michael Neser (4/60) and Scott Boland (2/85) were among the wicket takers.
Brief Scores: England: 384 (Joe Root 160, Harry Brook 84*, Michael Neser 4/60, Scott Boland 2/75) vs Australia.
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