Key posts
Team line-ups
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon.
South Africa: Dean Elgar (c), Sarel Erwee, Theunis de Bruyn, Temba Bavuma, Khaya Zondo, Kyle Verreynne (wk),
Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi.
South Africa away
South Africa are off the mark after Elgar dabs Starc to square leg for two, and a massive roar goes up when Boland collects the ball. He is the new Merv Hughes. Victoria officially has a new cult hero – everything he does is cheered enthusiastically.
The Proteas are 0-2.
Play commences
Play is about to get underway. Starc is opening the bowling and Elgar is facing. Erwee is at the non-stiker’s end.
Boland gets ovation already
There’s absolutely no doubt as to who the crowd favourite is here today. Scott Boland walks towards the old Bay 13 to take his place at fine leg and the Victorian is getting a rockstar welcome from the fans at his home ground.
Sun smart fans pay their respects
By Carla Jaeger
At 10am, the two litre-bottles of sunscreen offered outside the stadium were all but empty, as sun-smart fans helped themselves to a couple pumps as they walked to the gates, prepping for the hot day ahead.
“Where’s the zinc?” a fan asks the customer service officer, eager to join the hundreds of fans wearing zinc and white broad-brimmed hats in Shane Warne’s honour.
No one will be forgetting Warney today, the first Boxing Day Test since the death of the cricketing great.
Small groups gather around his statue outside the stadium to take photos. Others arriving early get photos with Glenn McGrath, the paceman who formed a legendary bowling partnership with Warne, as he heads into the stadium.
Floppy hat tribute to Warnie
By Andrew Wu
Boxing Day is a special day in Melbourne. This year there’s added poignancy to the occasion – the first Boxing Day Test since the death of the great Shane Warne.
There’s plenty of floppy white hats around the venue to honour Warne, who, of course, preferred wearing them instead of the baggy green. The South Africans were all wearing them in their warm-up.
The pitch, if not the most valuable piece of real estate in Melbourne this week then certainly the most talked about, is not as green as what we saw at the Gabba, or what was presented 12 months ago for the Ashes.
Pat Cummins and the Australians have seen enough in the track to bowl first, though he said it was not a straightforward decision. This is a surprising move by the hosts, and no doubt a ploy to apply the pressure on the Proteas’ struggling batting line-up.
“I wouldn’t say it’s as green as the Gabba but it looks a good wicket,” Cummins said after winning the toss.
“The most is going to be in this morning so it gives us a good crack at it.
“Here at the MCG the wicket normally gets better and better. It doesn’t look like a ragging green seamer, we’ll see how we go.“
Proteas captain Dean Elgar said he was surprised with Australia’s call.
“I would’ve batted first as well, I just feel maybe the first session there’s a little bit in it but if we get through there should be a good day’s cricket,” Elgar said.
“[I’m] surprised a little bit. Generally, you want to bat first here but that’s his decision.“
The good news for the MCG fans is they will see local hero Scott Boland in action with the ball. Boland, who made a stunning Test debut in this fixture last summer, retained his place in Australia’s XI after senior quick Josh Hazlewood conceded he would not be ready as he comes back from a side strain.
There is some high cloud cover but no chance of rain for now. There’s about 30-35,000 in right now, but it’s early and the punters tend to come in gradually during the day.
Shane Warne tribute
This is the first Boxing Day Test without the great Shane Warne with us, and a moving tribute to the legendary Victorian is being played on the MCG scoreboard.
The Australian team is paying tribute to ‘Warnie’ today and the a round of applause echoes around his home ground at the conclusion of the tribute.
100-Test milestone ‘surreal’ for Warner
David Warner spoke to Channel Seven before the game…
Q: David, merry Christmas. How was yesterday?
A: Merry Christmas. It is all about the kids and opening up the presents to see what Santa brought them. I love seeing the smiles on their faces. It was a long day but we had a good sleep last night.
Q: Congratulations on your 100th Test.
A: 2009, T20 cricket against South Africa. Who would have thought playing my 100th against South Africa. You dream about playing a Test in the baggy green and now playing my 100th, it is surreal. I still pinch myself walking out every day. I absolutely love it. As I said in the past, I represent every single one of my friends and family that wanted to play cricket, had the ambition to. I’m representing them here today.
Q: This day has been coming for a while. Has it sunk in yet that this is your 100th?
A: Not really. For me, I look at it as just another day, come out here and mark centre and play cricket and it is game on. I will probably sit back and reflect upon it once I’ve finished my career, and I think when you – people talk about the names that you – or the club that you are joining. It is very, very special. And they are greats of the game. So, it is a special thing. But I’m sure once my time is done,
I’ll sit back and reflect.
Q: Test match cricket is very challenging. We all know that. Lots of highs and lows along the way. Mainly highs for you?
A: I wouldn’t say that. Have you got any advice for me now? I think you just have to keep on enjoying it. Mike Hussey said if you look at how many hundreds you score in your career, that’s how many good days you have. So that means you have a lot of bad days. But you get up and you put a smile on your face and get around your teammates. When you are winning, it is fun. I know when you are not scoring well or not doing as well as you like, it can be hard, but they are the best times to bring your energy and focus to the team and that’s what I try and bring all the time.
Q: Over the years, who have you leant on the most?
A: For me, my wife and my family is a big one for me, but amongst the group I obviously talk to Ricky (Ponting) a lot, (coach) Andrew McDonald, you, when I’m in town, we play some golf. The guys that have been here have done it. You have to pick their brains. It is a hard job to come out and face the red cricket ball that’s 145km/h brand new every time, it has its challenges, but you know what comes with it is a sense of fun. It is what I’ve always wanted to do. I’m still doing it and I love it.
Q: I’m interested in your preparation. This is obviously your 100th Test. Has it changed over the years, and sometimes players, if they are going through a bit of a patch, probably overtrain. How has your preparation been leading into this one?
A: You just hit it on the head. You think when you are hitting the ball so well in the nets, why aren’t I scoring runs in the middle? That’s the nature of cricket. You ebb and flow through your career. If you go and train more, you think of things that aren’t there. I basically go into the nets and if I’m hitting the ball in the middle of the bat, I feel great. I’ve been doing that the last couple of years. The hundred I scored out here against England was fantastic for me. My feet were moving. That’s the key to this game. If my feet are moving and I’m bouncing and dancing, I’m in for a good one.
Elgar surprised by Cummins decision to bowl first
South African captain Dean Elgar spoke to the broadcaster prior to the start of play…
Q: Dean, you are going to bat first. What would you have done?
A: I would have batted first as well. I feel the first session has a little bit in it but once we get through it, it should be a good day’s cricket.
Q: Are you surprised by Pat’s decision to bowl first?
A: Yeah, generally you want to bat first here, but I guess that’s his decision. We have Theunis de Bruyn in for us.
Q: Why that selection call?
A: We have been challenged for runs. We thought a change has been as good as a holiday. He is in good form and why not make that selection call.
Q: And what are you predicting about your batting performance?
A: I think it will be nice and hot and everything is in the favour of the batters. We have to apply ourselves. What happened in the previous game is done. We are in a good space with regards to the bat I feel. We have to apply ourselves and make the best of the conditions that lie in front of us.
Q: You couldn’t fault your bowlers in Brisbane. Do you think some of them have a mental edge over some of the Australian batsmen now?
A: I think so. They definitely brought it in the second innings. It is a pity we didn’t have more runs to defend. I think the result could have been different. But in saying that, we are in a good space with regards to the ball. Our big fast bowlers are a massive luxury and pleasure to have so hopefully a few of the mental scars are there.
‘Looks like a good wicket’: Cummins
Australian captain Pat Cummins spoke to the broadcasters before the start of play…
Q: What are you going to do?
A: We are going to have a bowl
Q: A bowl again?
A: Yeah, that’s today. I wouldn’t say it is as green as the Gabba, but looks like a good wicket. I think the most is going to be in this morning and it gives us a good crack at it.
Q: It is not as green as the Gabba as you say so how much did you toss and turn on this decision?
A: A little bit. Here at the MCG, the wicket normally gets better and better. It doesn’t look like a raging green seam, so see how we go.
Q: And an unchanged line-up?
A: Yeah, we had the one Victorian in the side. So Scott Boland is here.
Q: How close was it to making a call between Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland.
A: Really close. He (Hazlewood) had a couple of strong bowls but once it got closer, he said I’m not quite right and he put his hand up. Saved the case for the selectors.
Q: And how about remembering Shane Warne?
A: I go back to my childhood, waking up with my Christmas presents and then watching the Test. Hopefully we will have a wonderful celebration of him today.
Q: And how about David Warner> What do you think when you have another 55 tests to reach the same feat?
A: He has been such a stalwart of our team for so long. I would say he is the same now as he was 10 years ago. He is his own man, energetic and buzzing around. I’m sure he has a big game ahead of him.
