The New Year’s Test at the SCG starts on Wednesday (10.30am AEDT) with Australia hoping to complete a series sweep of Pakistan to send David Warner into red ball retirement.
Warner will, however, be without his treasured Baggy Green which went missing in transit from Melbourne.
The retiring opener issued a desperate public plea for its return on the eve of the Test, saying: “That’s sentimental to me, it’s something I would love to have back in my hands.”
Live from 10:30am AEDT!
Watch Australia v Pakistan on Kayo Sports. Every Test match Live with no ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >
Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Cricket that the drama will serve as an unwanted distraction.
“Look, this is a distraction. Because your Baggy Green, it’s membership to an exclusive club.
“He’s had the capacity throughout his career to dismiss the outside noise but this is a distraction.
“He values that cap above any other and to be missing that cap on the eve of the Test match will hurt him.”
Nonetheless, O’Keeffe backed Warner to “rise above it” and perform in Sydney.
Follow the third Test between Australia and Pakistan in our live blog below!
Pakistan pulled a major selection shock by resting star quick Shaheen Shah Afridi for the clash, despite important World Test Championship points being up for grabs.
“I can’t recall any moment from Pakistan’s history where a player, as important as Shaheen Afridi, was rested from Tests due to workload management,” cricket statistician Mazher Arshad said.
Nonetheless, he added that it was a “clear” sign that Pakistan was favouring T20 cricket over Tests.
“A few years ago, such a move would have left us fuming but to be honest now it is understandable,” Arshad wrote.
“We can’t really blame Shaheen or the management for thinking this way because that’s the direction cricket is taking.”
Australia opted against playing a second spinner in the final Test against Pakistan at the Sydney Cricket Ground, naming an unchanged line-up for David Warner’s farewell match.
Skipper Pat Cummins confirmed Australia’s fast-bowling trio had all recovered well from the second Test in Melbourne four days ago after clinching the three-match series with a tense 79-run win.
Pakistan have made two changes. There is a Test debut for Saim Ayub, who will open the innings replacing Imam-Ul-Haq while senior fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has been left out for off-spinner Sajid Khan.
“You always have to look at the bigger picture after a game like the MCG. We’ve learned the lessons, at least we’ve put ourselves in those positions from where we could compete in or dominate games,” Pakistan captain Shan Masood said Tuesday.
“It’s now about not repeating mistakes, and if we can put in similar efforts to the one in Melbourne, we’ll be winning a lot of Tests.”
The SCG has a reputation for taking turn, but the hosts did not consider bringing a second spinner into the team to partner Nathan Lyon, Cummins said.
The pitch looked well-grassed on the eve of Pakistan’s final match of their Australia tour, which will also be opener Warner’s 112th and final Test.
“The weather looks pretty good this week and that’s not always the case in Sydney,” Cummins said ahead of the Test, starting Wednesday.
“The groundsman seems happy with where it’s at. It looks like decent coverage of grass, so it should be a good week ahead.”
The Sydney Test has a history of being rain-affected with 26 washed out days, the most of the Australian Test venues. But there is only a medium chance of showers this week.
Meanwhile, Warner made a public plea for the return of his baggy green caps after they went missing from his bag while being transported from Melbourne.
In a post on Instagram, the veteran said some of his possessions got lost in transit.
“Someone has taken my backpack out of my luggage from Melbourne to Sydney … inside this backpack was my Baggy Green cap,” Warner said.
“It’s something that I would love to have back in my hands walking out there this week.”
Warner’s plea for missing baggy green | 02:41
After months of speculation about his place in the team, Warner will get the send-off he desired in his home city after scores of 164, 0, 38 and six in the Pakistan series so far.
“Best-case scenario is a (Warner) hundred and maybe a leg-spinner to take the last wicket of the game out of the rough,” Cummins said.
“If he could score some runs and go off in style with a few fours and sixes, I think that’d be a pretty fitting end. ‘Warner Week’ has started.”
Warner, 37, goes into his final Test having plundered 8,695 runs at an average of 44.58, with 26 centuries and 36 half-centuries.
Discussion about this post