Former Australian captain Mark Taylor says he was “surprised” to see the game end in a bad light on the second day of the first test at Galle, as Pat Cummins had just made 16 runs over.
The game ended early in farce scenes with Australia taking their first entry beyond the 100 as the players were forced to leave the field despite Sri Lanka having two spinners operating at the time.
The laws of the game state that referees may remove players from the field if conditions are dangerous. Although Galle’s field has no focus, Taylor expressed surprise that the game would end soon, especially since Cummins had thrown the last ball of the previous one just off the field.
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“I was watching it on TV and I was surprised to see them come out,” Taylor told Wide World of Sports.
“My wife told me it didn’t look so bad, and I know the cameras can make it look better than it is, but it can’t have been too bad because ‘Cummo’ just got 16 out of the last one.
“Sri Lanka’s fast bowling player Asitha Fernando was not playing bowling at the time. If she had been playing short bowling, it’s fair enough, but I don’t know who was in danger.
“I was surprised like everyone else when they left.”
The weather had been lost earlier in the day after the wild weather had swept across the ground, causing a grandstand to collapse, fortunately without injuring any spectators.
A grandstand at Galle International Stadium collapses before the second day of the first match between Sri Lanka and Australia. (Twitter)
“I’ve been a defender for years of four-day test matches, but if that idea is to have any chance of success, we need to maximize the amount of play each day,” Taylor explained.
“It simply came to our notice then.
“I can’t see how it was thought for my life. If it’s not dangerous in the opinion of the referees, well, keep playing. It should be that simple.
“When two spinners are playing bowling to two tailenders who are swinging the bat, the only people at risk are in the crowd.”
Only 128 of the 180 scheduled overs were played the first two days. On the first day we had the extraordinary view of the game stopped briefly while Australian goalkeeper Alex Carey was having a concussion test, after being hit in the helmet by a ball from spinner Nathan Lyon. Carey had an ironic smile on his face during the test, as if to acknowledge the stupidity of what was unfolding.
Carey is under 50
“I’m going to start sounding like a grumpy old man here, but that was extraordinary,” Taylor said.
“I know it’s the protocols, but we’re so aware of mistaking all the concussion that it sometimes gets a little silly.
“I saw Niroshan Dickwella also get one after the ball came out of his chest into the grid. Since he hit the grid, he also had to do a test.
“It’s just that OH&S has gone crazy.”
Taylor was full of praise for both Carey and Cameron Green, whose 84-year collaboration could prove vital in a field where a great fourth-innings chase could prove tricky.
Carey (45) and Green (77) joined with the score at 5-157 and took Australia beyond the total of Sri Lanka’s first entry.
Lyon’s first ball hits the goalkeeper with his helmet
“Carey was great, the way he went out and interrupted the spinners with sweeps and reverse sweeps, all he could to get them out of their line and length,” Taylor said.
“Green used his feet well, he played with soft hands, I think we are already seeing an improvement in his game. He is already a very good player, but to be a great player you have to keep improving, and he is showing signs. “.
Taylor agreed with another former Australian captain, Ian Chappell, that Steve Smith’s reaction to his escape on the first day was unnecessary.
“I was disappointed to see this,” Taylor said.
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“He’s the team’s vice-captain, a former captain, and as frustrating as it is to be finished, you have to be better than that.
“Of course, you can show initial frustration, but continuing to shake your head and gesture all the time you leave is a disappointing reaction.
“You have to be able to leave behind individual disappointment for the benefit of the team. His initial reaction was good, but it lasted too long.”
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