Green, one has mentioned before, is the colour of deceit. Having won the toss, Stokes took one look at the piebald pitch, alternately viridian and straw-coloured, refused to believe a word of it, and elected to bat. He was vindicated. This is a typical Sydney wicket: easy-paced, offering a little to the new ball, and settling down into a batting paradise. All that was needful was for their top order to restrain themslves, see off the new ball, and make hay. Restraint? As well expect Duckett to ride out to the centre wicket on a penny-farthing bicycle. Starc beat him repeatedly with late swing; he shrugged it off; whacked five quick boundaries and edged behind to Carey. 27 off 24 balls may well work in white ball cricket, but it was not what his team needed. Crawley got a beauty from Neser which seamed in and trapped him in front. And Bethel was worked over by Boland and edged behind.
At 3/53 England faced embarrassment. Again. Yet that was all she wrote for the home side. The two Yorkshiremen made light of proceedings thereafter. Root was his sublime self, and rarely looked troubled. Brook rode his luck, as usual. At one point he threw his hand away by slogging Starc into the middle distance; but the ball landed safely between three converging fielders. It was a terrible stroke; but perhaps he has earned a little good fortune. By tea England had reached 3/211. Thereafter thunderbolts and lightning, very very frightening threatened, without really inconveniencing the ground. The SCG was packed with fans, all waiting for the umpires to call a resumption. And yet they never moved, save to call off play for the day.
It was yet another needless demonstration of Test cricket’s genius for shooting itself in the foot. The home side were doubtless grateful. The twin Yorkies had exposed their threadbare attack. For reasons best known to themselves the selectors had omitted Murphy. Was Webster to be the spinner after all? Nope. His two overs were both seam-up. Is he in the team as a specialist number 8? It looks that way. If so this is timid in the extreme. To those who might have feared rough handling for the bespectacled off-spinner, consider the following fact. Green and Webster combined have figures of 10/0/68/0. One doubts that Murphy could have done worse. He is a competent spinner who asks awkward questions of the batsmen.
Tomorrow will see an early start. The pitch will flatten out still further. It is likely the home side will be chasing plenty. Maybe that is why they have packed the eleven with batsmen. All to often this does not pan out as hoped. Tomorrow is another day.