It will be interesting to see if the BBL games this summer pull bigger crowds than the International T20 games… it will show if Australians are over cricket in general or if this is just a reflection on the behavior of the Australian men’s team.
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MCC are forecasting 70,000.
Meanwhile in Sri Lanka, the hosts need 77 runs to clinch a victory over the Poms with 3 wickets in hand. I would back England from this position but it could be a pretty close finish. Play starts at 1515 AEDT.
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I doubt it will get that many to the game though.
More than half the crowd no matter what the announced crowd is will be Indians.
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Thanks for the heads up will give this a watch.
Massive Indian diaspora in Melbourne and the mcc are usually pretty accurate with their attendance forecast. That said, weather isn’t looking great at this stage.
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Which is why I haven’t bothered getting a ticket as yet.
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New Zealand have just done what Australia couldn’t do recently - beating Pakistan in a Test in the UAE.
Though by the slimmest of margins - just FOUR runs.
Pakistan had themselves to blame, losing their last 7 wickets for 41 runs.
It was an exciting last half hour though - Pakistan crawling along at 1 run an over inching their way before Azhar Ali, who had been commanding the strike, was given out for 65 - LBW, upheld on DRS review.
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Sounds like someone found a bookie at the lunch break…
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The Bureau of Meteorology has said that there will be cooler than expected temperatures with a top of just 15 degrees.
Cricket australia has announced that it will uphold the suspensions handed to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron bancroft. Cameron Bancroft’s ban will conclude at the end of 2018 and will make him return to playing Big Bash League for Perth Scorchers. Meanwhile, Steve Smith and David Warner will return to playing cricket in late March 2019. They have learnt their fate from the ball tampering saga.
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I think it was the right decision too.
My phone says differently.
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As the 12th Man’s version of Tony Greig would say, it’s stinking f***ing hot, it’s stinking f***ing humid and the forecawst is for stinking f***ing hot and stinking f***ing humid although there’s a chawnce of some stinking f***ing rain to completely ruin play.
In English, weather.com.au suggests around the time of the game that it will be 50-60% chance of rain, over 70% humidity and temps in the 20’s.
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Yeah there is no way I am booking tickets.
Australia survived an Indian fightback to win game 1 of Twenty20 series tonight at The Gabba by just four runs. The Aussies were sent in to bat and scored 3/153 after 16.1 overs when the rain came. After a one-hour interruption the match was reduced to 17 overs per side, so the home team finished at 4/158 at the end of its innings. Chris Lynn and Glenn Maxwell scored several massive sixes but failed to reach 50. India’s target was adjusted upwards to 174 under the Duckworth-Lewis method. During the run chase, Shikhar Dhawan hit the ball all over The Gabba on his way to 76, while Adam Zampa took 2/22 but dropped a caught and bowled chance and Andrew Tye’s second over went for 25 runs and nearly cost his team the game. In the end it was Marcus Stoinis’s two wickets in the final over which guided Australia to victory.
Tonight’s game was the first time I went to any cricket match in person (I have never been to an MCG game in the past 30 years I lived in Melbourne). 31,183 attended the game, a great figure given it was a work and school night. I estimated more than 60% of the crowd was Indian fans. On the day of the game, Robert Craddock wrote in The Courier-Mail that The Gabba desperated needed an upgrade and I agreed with him. Mobile reception at the ground was poor despite having a clear sight with two office buildings with mobile towers nearby, meaning I could not post updates on social media during the game. There were limited food choices in the outlet. The toilet reminded me of the one at the Olympic Stand of the MCG. And what is this stupid policy that you cannot bring your own water into The Gabba, you must empty it at the gate and fill the bottle inside? It is NOT an international airport!
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Worst thing about cricket being on Foxtel is I didn’t even realise it was on last night. Would have watched. I still think this has been the worst thing for Cricket in Australia.
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Yes I only knew about it because a friend text me to tell me to watch. There will be ongoing issues with this woeful rights deal.
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