Former Australia captain Steve Waugh has called for more “commonsense” from the ICC, adding that Test cricket should move ahead with the times to not become a dying sport.
Not just Waugh, but everyone involved and watching the Day 1 of the Sydney Test between Australia and South Africa, which started on Wednesday, had similar sentiments after being left frustrated because of the bad light rule which stopped play on Day 1 before it was even 2.30 pm local time.
Only 47 overs were bowled due to bad light and rain, much to the dismay of the 31,000-strong crowd at the SCG.
Barely halfway through the day, the umpires asked the players to walk off due to bad light. And now this reading will be used for the rest of the Test, making it all but certain that more overs will be lost in the coming days. Under the rules, play cannot resume until the umpires’ light meter reading is better than what it was when play was first called off.
At 3.45pm, play was set to resume with the rain relenting, but the lighting proved to be worse than it was over an hour ago. Players were waiting on the sidelines having warmed up again, but the umpires turned around and waved them off. Play then resumed at 4.45pm, but only for about 15 minutes.
Steve Waugh took to Instagram to address his issue
The 1999 World Cup-winning captain, Steve Waugh, took to his Instagram to make his displeasure clear, saying that since the lights were on already, play should have resumed. Test cricket has entered the new phase of Day-Night Pink-ball era where two sessions are played under lights. But with the red ball, not much can be played under the lights.
“Test cricket needs to realise there is a lot of competition out there and not using the lights when the players are off for bad light simply doesn’t add up. Lots of unhappy spectators who can’t understand the rationale and reason for no play. #commonsense #movewiththetimes @icc @cricketaustralia,” Steve Waugh wrote on Instagram.
Steve Waugh’s twin brother and another legendary Aussie batter, Mark Waugh, voiced similar opinions.
“I’d like to change the rules. I’m saying once the lights are on we stay on, simple as that,” Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
“I really don’t understand. If it was a pink ball, we’d be on there, if it was a red ball, ok it’s not perfect, it’s an outdoor sport, sometimes the light favours one side over the other.”
He added: “The ICC need to look at the crowd here, there’s 30,000 people here. Did Australia look like they couldn’t see the ball when they were batting? I think they saw it ok. Lights are on, we stay on. Simple.”
