Overview
- Day one at the SCG stopped before tea for bad light, rain and lightning protocols and was abandoned at 5pm in front of 49,574, with fans booing the loss of play.
- ICC playing conditions give umpires, in consultation with the match referee, sole authority to halt or resume play and require a 30-minute delay after nearby lightning.
- Todd Greenberg pledged to lobby the ICC for updated conventions, arguing the game should better use lights and technology to keep playing when conditions are safe.
- Players emphasized safety, with England’s Harry Brook saying visibility was poor and Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne supporting the decision to leave the field.
- The disruption adds to a difficult summer for CA, which estimates two-day finishes in Perth and Melbourne cost about $15 million in gate revenue.