DOCSLIB.ORG

Patience Will Be The

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Patience Will Be The Thursday 29th March, 2012 Herath’s big day against world’s number one REX CLEMENTINE reporting from Galle ri Lankans’ hopes that Lasith Mahela a genius – Graeme Swann Malinga will fill the void created by Sthe retirement of Muttiah REX CLEMENTINE reporting from Galle Muralitharan from Tests may have been England spinner Graeme very pleasing,” Swann added. smashed by shady player agents, but Swann called Sri Lankan The off-spinner, who claimed today, on the fourth day of the first Test captain Mahela six wickets in Sri Lanka’s sec- against England, the fans could celebrate Jayawardene a ‘genius’ after ond innings, was confident that a new hero if left-arm spinner Rangana his brilliant 180 in the first England were capable of win- Herath can bowl their team to a victory innings enabled the hosts to ning the opening Test. “What against world’s number one ranked team call the shots in the opening we need is a little bit good old here at the Galle International Stadium. Test between the countries fashioned batting with your After England were set a stiff target of here at the Galle head down. The way KP 340 runs, they lost the openers with 48 International Stadium. (Pietersen) and Trotty batted runs on the board, but an unbroken 63 Swann failed to take a out till the end is exactly what run stand between Kevin Pietersen and wicket as Sri Lanka com- Graeme Swann we need to do tomorrow. They Jonathan Trott took their total to 111 for piled 318 in their first kept their heads down and kept two. England require a further 229 runs innings. In a game where there have out the good balls and scored off the with eight wickets in hand to pull off been only two half-centuries, loose ones and they made batting look what would be a memorable victory. Jayawardene’s 180 showed his expertise as serene as it is going to get on that The tourists are chasing a record tar- in these conditions. During his knock, pitch. I would say we are just get and if they get there, they would be Jayawardene completed 2000 runs at favourites. History is there to be rewrit- breaking a record that had stood for 84 this venue and he is the only cricketer ten.” years. England’s best chase to win a Test to have scored over 2000 runs at two England’s target could have been Rangana Herath took the two wickets to fall in England’s second innings to back up Match is when they scored 332 for seven grounds. much less than the eventual 340. With his six wickets in the first innings. Here he appeals against Alastiar Cook on day three against Australia at the MCG with “People who actually play them- Sri Lanka’s lead on 292, their innings Herbert Sutcliffe making a century. selves in and get their head down are looked to be over when Stuart Broad of the first Test at the Galle International Stadium. (AFP) Sri Lanka had a chance of dismissing very hard to shift on that pitch. If we took a return catch off Prasanna Pietersen when the total was on 81, but take one almost a genius 180 out of this Jayawardene, but the delivery was SCOREBOARD Kumar Sangakkara dropped a catch at leg game we would have probably won by ruled an illegal one after television slip off Randiv’s bowling. He was unbeat- now. But Mahela in the first innings replays showed that Broad had over- en on 29 at stumps with Trott on 40. proved that with the right technique stepped. Sri Lanka’s last pair then went Sri Lanka 1st Innings 318 all out 2-33-1 (nb 4) (w 1), Swann 30-5-82-6, Herath, who took six wickets in the and temperament it’s pretty easy to bat onto add a record 47 runs for the last England 1st Innings 193 all out Panesar 24-6-59-2, Patel 9-4-9-0. first innings bowling with admirable con- on it as well,” Swann told journalists wicket. Sri Lanka 2nd Innings (Overnight 84/5) England 2nd Innings trol, took the two wickets to fall in the sec- yesterday. “The first day was frustrating when A. Strauss ct Dilshan b Herath 27 ond innings and was eyeing a first ever “The strangest thing for me was the Mahela was milking us around, but L. Thirimanne b Swann 06 A. Cook ct P. Jayawardene b Herath 14 match bag of ten wickets. His career best period where Mahela was just toying that 40 minutes after the Broad no ball came last year when he took nine for 128 T. Dilshan b Broad 00 J. Trortt not out 40 with our bowlers. I felt like an 11-year- was hurting. You are looking at chasing K. Sangakkara ct Strauss b Swann 14 K. Pietersen not out 29 runs when Sri Lanka beat South Africa. old born at one stage. He was getting 285 or 290 and you are confident. But Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka’s tail- the ones and twos and farming the when it’s 340, it’s more of a 50 – 50 M. Jayawardene ct Anderson b Swann 05 Extras: (lb 1) 01 enders piled up the misery on England strike and we just didn’t know what to game. Those 40 runs were very hot and T. Samaraweera st Prior b Swann 36 Total: for two wickets 111 fielders in the scorching heat here in do for a while. To bamboozle him with bothering for all the fielders,” Swann D. Chandimal ct Pitersen b Panesar 31 Overs: 40 Galle as they batted for more than one my doosra the second time round was added. S. Randiv lbw b Swann 18 Fall of wickets: 1-31, 2-48. and half sessions pushing the lead to 340. Sri Lanka’s batting had slumped to 84 P. Jayawardene not out 61 To bat: I. Bell, M. Prior, S. Patel, S. Broad, R. Herath b Swann 07 G. Swann, J. Anderson and M. Panesar. for five in the second innings and with the morning session and a further 47 runs ished the innings with six for 80 in 30 the lead just over 200 runs, the match was for the last wicket with Suranga Lakmal. overs. C. Welagedara ct Strauss b Panesar 13 Bowling: Welagedara 5-2-16-0, Lakmal 3- still hanging in the balance as England The pair established a new record for the Stuart Broad took a return catch off S. Lakmal run out (Pietersen) 13 1-9-0, Herath 15-3-52-2, Dilshan 9-1-14-0, boasted of a formidable batting line up. last wicket in Galle breaking the record Jayawardene with Sri Lanka’s total on 167 Extras: (b 1, lb 4, nb 4, w 1) 10 Randiv 8-1-19-0. But remarkable application led by wicket- held by Muttiah Muralitharan and for nine, but the umpires checked the no Total: all out 214 Toss: SL keeper batsman Prasanna Jayawardene Mahela Jayawardene, also against ball and television replays showed that he Overs: 84.3 Umpires: Asad Rauf (Pak) and R. Tucker helped Sri Lanka to take their second England in 2003. had overstepped. Jayawardene then Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-8, 3-14, 4-41, 5-72, (Aus) innings total beyond 200. Graeme Swann bowled unchanged in rubbed salt into Broad’s wounds by 6-114, 7-115, 8-127, 9-167. Third Umpire: B. Oxenford (Aus) Jayawardene added 40 runs with all but the last five minutes in the morn- pulling him for a six to complete his half Chanaka Welagedara for the ninth wicket ing session sending down as many as 15 century. Bowling: Anderson 10.3-2-26-0, Broad 11- Match Referee: J. Srinath (Ind) after Sri Lanka had lost three wickets in overs and picking up two wickets. He fin- Teammates salute Rahul Dravid’s Patience contribution to Indian cricket BY DEBA PRASAD DHAR the ‘selfless’ tribe also includes crick- will be eters who may not have had great As Rahul Dravid’s India colleagues careers but played with the intention of spoke glowingly of what he meant to winning. them, the man himself seemed unmoved. He had special words for his longtime And then, finally, it was his turn to India colleague, Anil Kumble. “I’ll miss the key speak. He started with an honest confes- your intensity and desire. What I will sion that was quite un-like Dravid. “I’d not miss, though, is your vegetarian made a pact with myself that I won’t cry meals without mushroom, onion and in any of the functions on my retire- garlic,” said Dravid who had taken 55 – Prasanna ment. It’s been tested to the limit today,” catches off the leg-spinner’s bowling. he said. To Laxman he thanked, not just for Wicketkeeper batsman Prasanna He admitted that his “farewell to Kolkata 2001, but all the moments at slip Jayawardene celebrated his return to cricket” had started to sink in gradually. when the two discussed “why architects It’s been three weeks since he called it Test cricket by scoring his fourth half- and contractors weren’t doing well”. quits. It’s given him the space to reflect century that helped Sri Lanka to set The best tribute probably came from why he fell in love with the sport. “I was MS Dhoni who lauded his skills with the England a stiff target of 340 runs in the like any other fan, obsessed…” he said at gloves.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Cobbling Together the Dream Indian Eleven
    COBBLING TOGETHER THE DREAM INDIAN ELEVEN Whenever the five selectors, often dubbed as the five wise men with the onerous responsibility of cobbling together the best players comprising India’s test cricket team, sit together to pick the team they feel the heat of the country’s collective gaze resting on them. Choosing India’s cricket team is one of the most difficult tasks as the final squad is subjected to intense scrutiny by anybody and everybody. Generally the point veers round to questions such as why batsman A was not picked or bowler B was dropped from the team. That also makes it a very pleasurable hobby for followers of the game who have their own views as to who should make the final 15 or 16 when the team is preparing to leave our shores on an away visit or gearing up to face an opposition on a tour of our country. Arm chair critics apart, sports writers find it an enjoyable professional duty when they sit down to select their own team as newspapers speculate on the composition of the squad pointing out why somebody should be in the team at the expense of another. The reports generally appear on the sports pages on the morning of the team selection. This has been a hobby with this writer for over four decades now and once the team is announced, you are either vindicated or amused. And when the player, who was not in your frame goes on to play a stellar role for the country, you inwardly congratulate the selectors for their foresight and knowledge.
    [Show full text]
  • AA-Postscript.Qxp:Layout 1
    THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013 SPORTS England eye redemption after Ashes surrender PERTH: The clouds drifting over the it was too late and Australia went on to The tourists’ main problem, and one of his career average of 47. He got a gem of a Ashes test match in his second test match, WACA on Tuesday produced an apt set- dish out what they were subjected to in many, remains that they could not get on delivery from Harris to be bowled for a under that kind of pressure, bodes well.” ting for the gloom that settled on English the 2010-11 series which England won 3- top of Australia’s excellent bowling attack golden duck in the second innings at Unfortunately for Cook, his bowlers have cricket as the tourists surrendered the 1. England’s fourth innings run chase at exploiting every bit of their home advan- Perth but had fallen tamely to off-spinner also been taken apart by the Australians. Ashes at their earliest opportunity at a the WACA was the third time in succession tage. England’s run-rate in this series lum- Nathan Lyon in the first after grinding out Senior bowlers James Anderson and sweltering Perth. Visiting captain Alastair that the tourists were asked to chase a bers around 2.7, compared to close to four early pressure. Graeme Swann in particular have been Cook had demanded introspection from 500-plus victory target which no team has per over they achieved in their last Ashes Cook has been one of many victims targetted for some harsh punishment, his team mates ahead of the third test but achieved so far.
    [Show full text]
  • NZ Cruise Past Sri Lanka
    TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2014 SPORTS MELBOURNE: Australia’s Chris Rogers (center) watches his shot fall short of India’s MS Dhoni (right) off the bowling of Mohammed Shami (left) on the fourth day of their cricket Test match. —AP Marsh sets India near record task to win Test MELBOURNE: An unbeaten half-century by we’ll assess it after we’re all out,” he said. Shami. But replays showed the ball hitting the Shaun Marsh put Australia in a strong position “It’s still a very good batting wicket. The key is ground in Dhoni’s glove and Rogers was given a SCOREBOARD yesterday, setting India a near-record task if they going to be to get that ball going a little bit and reprieve. India celebrated the important pyscho- are to win the third Test in Melbourne. dry up the runs and take 10 wickets.” logical wicket of Smith in one of their rare suc- Marsh produced one of his finest knocks for It was Marsh’s fighting innings which tilted cesses against the prolific Aussie skipper in the MELBOURNE: Scoreboard at the close on the fourth day of the third Test between Australia his country with 62 to steer Australia to 261 for the Test Australia’s way after India reduced the series. Smith was caught at leg-slip by Ajinkya and India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday: seven, giving the hosts an overall lead of 326 home side to 176 for five, claiming the key wick- Rahane off Umesh Yadav after playing a similar Australia 1st innings 530 (S.
    [Show full text]
  • Dravid Says Murali, Vaas and Heat More Dangerous Than Mendis by Rex Clementine Journalists at the SSC, the Venue Big Issue
    Can Phelps better Spitz’s record? See page 14 Tuesday 22nd July, 2008 Dravid says Murali, Vaas and heat more dangerous than Mendis by Rex Clementine journalists at the SSC, the venue big issue. That’s a big factor that for the first Test. you have got to be aware of and “Sure, he is going to be one of you need to maintain your con- After all the euphoria about their four or five bowlers but you centration for long periods,” mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis can't just focus on Mendis. They Dravid said. leading up to the Test series have got a couple of other guys This time around, the Sri between Sri Lanka and India, vet- who have got 1000 wickets Lankan fans will see a full eran batsman Rahul Dravid between them. Murali is a big strength Indian side taking on spoke on the reality reminding impact in his own country while their team as India’s last cam- everyone that the bigger chal- Vaas is a clever bowler in these paign in Sri Lanka under Sourav lenge for the Indian batsmen dur- conditions,” Dravid only the Ganguly didn’t include V.V.S. ing their tour of Sri Lanka is sixth batsman to score 10,000 Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar as posed by off-spinner Muttiah runs said yesterday. both batsmen were injured. Hard Muralitharan, left-arm seamer Murali has claimed 67 victims hitting opener Virender Sehwag, Chaminda Vaas and Colombo’s in 15 Test Matches against India meanwhile, wasn’t a part of the scorching heat.
    [Show full text]
  • Page 01 Jan 11.Indd
    ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 11 January 2014 10 Rabial I 1435 - Volume 18 Number 5941 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY US seeks closure in spat with India WASHINGTON: The United States yesterday said it hoped that a diplomatic row with India was now over. Relations have been in crisis since December 12 when Indian consulate worker Devyani Khobragade was arrested in New York for alleged visa fraud and making false statements about the employment of a domestic servant she had brought with her from India. Khobragade was formally charged in a New York court, but was granted diplomatic immunity on Wednesday, allowing her to fly home. “We expect and hope that this will now come to closure, and the Indians will now take significant steps with us to improve our relationship.” But she confirmed that New Delhi had asked Washington to with- draw an embassy official in a fresh measure against the US diplomatic corps in India. See also page 14 Tunisia’s new PM takes office TUNIS: Tunisia’s new premier Mehdi Jomaa took office yesterday to lead a care- taker government until elections later this year after the ruling Islamist party’s premier resigned in a deal to complete its steps to democracy. Jomaa, a former industry minister, will head a non-par- tisan cabinet after compromise between the Islamists and secular opponents. “I am not a miracle worker, but I prom- ise I will do my best... we are doing eve- SMALL FIRMS, rything possible to overcome hurdles, to reform what we can reform, and bring back stability,” Jomaa told reporters.
    [Show full text]
  • SLC Stresses on Struc- Visitors to 115 Runs to Record Their First Out- Right Victory of the Season
    Thursday 21st January, 2010 CR’s Dhanushka and Mubarak to train in South Africa Under-19 Cricket by Ravi Nagahawatte According to Fernando the two players and will be in South Africa for eight Larker who are employed by the rugby Moratu Vidyalaya who have been picked by the club to weeks,” said Fernando who added that academy in South Africa. Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club receive the special training in South Perera and Mubarak would be available to Perera and Mubarak have had the record first win Africa are Dhanushka Perera (Gertha) wear the red jersey for CR&FC during the experience of representing Sri Lanka at (CR&FC) has made plans to send two of by Reemus Fernando its rugby players on rugby scholarships to and Reza Mubarak. 2010 rugby season. rugby. “The players will receive training at a Fernando said that CR&FC was able to Perera is an old Joe while Mubarak had South Africa, the club’s Director Sports All rounder Sudeepa Kelum completed a rugby academy. They’ll receive special send the two players abroad for training his education at Isipathana College, Dilroy Fernando said. match bag of nine wickets after cracking a training on game planning and fitness thanks to Darbie Syman and Norman Colombo. 95 balls 108 (2x4s, 5x6s) as Moratu Vidyalaya scored an innings and 62 runs victory over St. Sylvester’s College in their Under-19 match which ended at Moratuwa yesterday. Kelum and Avishka Peiris scored cen- New Zealand hand turies for Moratu Vidyalaya to post 341 for SL Under-19 seven seven wickets declared and restricted the SLC stresses on struc- visitors to 115 runs to record their first out- right victory of the season.
    [Show full text]
  • The Big Three Era Starts
    151 editions of the world’s most famous sports book WisdenEXTRA No. 12, July 2014 England v India Test series The Big Three era starts now Given that you can bet on almost anything these most recent book was a lovely biography of Bishan days, it would have been interesting to know the odds Bedi – a stylist who played all his international cricket on the first Test series under N. Srinivasan’s ICC before India’s 1983 World Cup win and the country’s chairmanship running to five matches. (Actually, on wider liberalisation. Since then, the IPL has moved the reflection, let’s steer clear of the betting issue.) But goalposts once again. Menon is in an ideal position to certainly, until this summer, many assumed that – examine what Test cricket means to Indians across the barring the Ashes – the five-Test series was extinct. Yet, social spectrum. here we are, embarking on the first since 2004-05 – The Ranji Trophy has withstood all this to remain when England clung on to win 2–1 in South Africa. the breeding ground for Indian Test cricketers. Although Not so long ago, five- or even six-match series it has never commanded quite the same affection as between the leading Test nations were the core of the the County Championship, it can still produce its fair calendar. Sometimes, when it rained in England or share of romance. We delve into the Wisden archives someone took an early lead in the subcontinent, the to reproduce Siddhartha Vaidyanathan’s account of cricket could be dreary in the extreme.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa Vs England 2Nd Test Live Streaming
    PRLog - Global Press Release Distribution South Africa vs England 2nd Test Live Streaming Watch South Africa vs England 2nd Test Live Streaming at Durban . 26-30th DEC. 2nd Test match between South Africa vs England live score Dec. 26, 2009 - PRLog -- Watch South Africa vs England 2nd Test Live Streaming at Durban . 26-30th DEC. 2nd Test match between South Africa vs England live score, Free Match Coverage and time to time update news, results and highlights online. South Africa vs England , 2nd Test, Durban,26-30th DEC. South Africa vs England live TV South Africa v England, 2nd Test Live streaming @ http://www.betrepublic.com/cricket-betting South Africa vs England Match scheduled: Last updated: 26-12-2009 from 09:30 until 17:30 25-12-2009 on 10:53 South Africa v England at Durban, 2nd Test – day 1 Team news: De Wet’s demolition job in Centurion set a cat among the selectorial pigeons, and in any ordinary circumstances, he would surely expect a follow-up Test appearance as reward for the match-turning efforts he produced on debut. However, with Steyn set to return to the fold after his hamstring injury, the only other candidate to make way is the venerable Makhaya Ntini, and that – for innumerable different reasons – just isn’t going to happen. At least with Kallis expected to play a more rounded all-round role, South Africa will be armed with an extra bowling option. South Africa: (probable) 1 Graeme Smith (capt), 2 Ashwell Prince, 3 Hashim Amla, 4 Jacques Kallis, 5 AB de Villiers, 6 JP Duminy, 7 Mark Boucher (wk), 8 Paul Harris, 9 Morne Morkel, 10 Dale Steyn, 11 Makhaya Ntini.
    [Show full text]
  • England Seeking Hat-Trick of Ashes Wins for First Time in Over 30 Years Submitted By: Moneta Communications Tuesday, 9 July 2013
    England Seeking Hat-Trick Of Ashes Wins For First Time In Over 30 Years Submitted by: Moneta Communications Tuesday, 9 July 2013 Alastair Cook will lead out his England side on Wednesday morning with the weight of the nation on his shoulders as it is the turn of the cricket team to continue a marvellous summer of British sport. England will be bidding to retain the coveted Ashes crown for a third straight series, making it a hat-trick of victories over their old foes for the first time since 1981. Australia have been all-but written off by the media and cricket aficionados and it looks like England's urn to lose! For over a decade, the English cricketing public would head into a clash with their Antipodean rivals with trepidation and could almost sense achievement if they managed to gain a solitary win from the five-match series but along with the Australian demise in recent years, the English setup has grown in stature and become one of the most revered teams in test cricket. Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower galvanised the English side and captain Cook has duly continued the positive mindsets of the players and his ability at the top of the order twinned with the talent of the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and James Anderson has seen them create a magnificent spine to the test outfit. Whilst English cricket has blossomed since that epic Ashes win in 2005, the ‘baggy greens’ have become a mere shadow of their dominant past and the setup went into disarray as Mickey Arthur was handed his marching orders from the coaching staff only a couple of weeks before the start of the first test at Trent Bridge.
    [Show full text]
  • Sachin Tendulkar
    INDIAv ENGLAND Looking ahead to the Test and ODI series 2008 India will FIXTURES ODIs prove to be 1. Nov 14, Rajkot 2. Nov 17, Indore the making 3. Nov 20 Kanpur 4. Nov 23, Mangalore 5. Nov 26, Cuttack of skipper 6. Nov 29, Guwahati KP,says Lloyd 7. Nov 2, Delhi An Indian winter could be the making of England TESTS cricket captain Kevin Pietersen. 1. Dec 11-15, That’s the view of former England coach David Lloyd, who was impressed by the brilliant batsman’s Ahmedabad showing during the summer when he replaced Michael 2. Dec 19-23, Vaughan and Paul Collingwood as skipper of the Te st and One-Day International teams respectively. Mumbai KP took his team to aTest win in his only five-day game so far,and was then at the helm as England stormed to a4-0 ODI series win against the Proteas. But taking ateam to India –who have just beaten Australia –isamong the toughest challenges for any international captain, and that’s why Lloyd believes England fans will know more about Pietersen the skipper after the seven ODIs and two Te sts. Lloyd said: “Making him captain has been abrave decision and should be commended. “But he is not going to be judged as acaptain by winning the last Te st of ahome series that has already been lost. “He’s going to be judged at times when his bowlers are tired and they cannot get awicket. “When it is hot and Sachin Te ndulkar is 130 not out.
    [Show full text]
  • 2013 Sports Media and Event Management
    CS/BSM/SEM-6/BSM-604/2013 2013 SPORTS MEDIA AND EVENT MANAGEMENT Time Allotted : 3 Hours Full Marks : 70 The figures in the margin indicate full marks. Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable. GROUP – A ( Multiple Choice Type Questions ) 1. Choose the correct alternatives for the following : 10 × 1 = 10 i) Football Planet program comes in a) ESPN b) Star Sports c) Zee Sports d) Neo Sports. ii) The owner of NEO Sports is a) NIMBUS b) VIACOM c) ZEE d) none of these. iii) On May 8, 1999 the Prime Minister of India launched an Indian sports channel that later became a) Zee Sports b) DD Sports c) ESPN d) Sports Asia. iv) The founders of ESPN were a) Scott Rasmussen & Bill Rasmussen b) Kerry Packer & Subhas Chandra c) Pranoy Roy & Radhika Roy d) none of them. v) Ten Sports in a channel of a) Taj Television b) Doordarshan c) Numaro Uno d) none of these. vi) How many C's are there in event management ? a) 5 b) 6 c) 7 d) 9. vii) Goutam Bhimani is a a) Cricketer b) Sports Channel Owner c) Sports Reporter d) Cameraman. viii) Chris McDonald is a) Anchor of 'My Planet' b) Director of DD Sports c) Chief Executive of Ten Sports d) none of these. ix) Sports Star is a publication of a) The Hindu b) ABP Group c) Times Group d) none of these. x) Sunny Days is the autobiography of a) Gundappa Viswanath b) Dilip Vengsarkar c) Ravi Shastri d) Sunil Gavaskar.
    [Show full text]
  • Australia V England
    AUSTRALIA V. INDIA DECEMBER 26, 2018 BOXING DAY TEST FACT SHEET - DAY 1 Test Cricket at the MCG Boxing Day Tests at the MCG Beginning with the inaugural Test Traditionally, the Victoria versus New South Wales Sheffield Shield clash was played at match in March 1877, 110 Tests the MCG over Christmas and prior to the 1968/69 season only two MCG Tests had included have been staged at the MCG, 12 play on Boxing Day, the Second against England in 1950/51, which began on Friday 22 of which have involved India, the December (Boxing Day, a Tuesday, being the third day of the match) and the Second Test first in 1947/48. Australia has against South Africa in 1952/53 which commenced on Christmas Eve. The first Test to won eight of these contests and begin on Boxing Day at the MCG was the Second Test against the West Indies in 1968/69, India two, with the remaining two the 56th at the ground, when bleak conditions restricted the attendance to 18,786. During being drawn. The other sides to the following decade only two MCG Tests featured play on 26 December, the Second play Tests at the MCG are against England in 1974/75 and the Second against the West Indies next season, both of England (56), the West Indies which commenced on that day. (15), South Africa (12), Pakistan From 1980/81, however, only one season has not featured Test cricket at the MCG on (10), New Zealand (3) and Sri Boxing Day. This was in 1989/90 when, owing to the late arrival of the Pakistan team, a Lanka (2).
    [Show full text]