Live: Beau Webster named as Australia 'pushed into a corner' by SCG pitch

[ad_1] 7m in the past Sat 3 Jan 2026 at 11:06pm <h3 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop24__mJJ8n Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop32__ceKem Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">Beau Webster comes into the Australian staff <h4 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop20___6qCS Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop24__Fh_y5 Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading"> So one change for the Aussies.

And it is an all rounder to return into the facet...

However Cameron Inexperienced survives.

There isn't any room for Todd Murphy within the facet.

"Yeah I hate doing it," Smith says of leaving out a spinner.

"However you realize, I've mentioned we preserve producing wickets that we do not assume goes to spin and seam's going to play an enormous half and cracks are going to play an enormous half.

"You form of get pushed right into a nook in a method. So yeah, that is the best way we're gone."

13m in the past Sat 3 Jan 2026 at 11:01pm <h3 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop24__mJJ8n Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop32__ceKem Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">England wins the toss and are going to bat <h4 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop20___6qCS Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop24__Fh_y5 Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading"> Ben Stokes calls appropriately once more and he's going to have a bat.

"It is as much as us now to, to go and put a very good rating on the board," Stokes says.

England have made one change, Shoaib Bashir misses out once more - a torrid tour for the one real spinner within the England staff - Matthew Potts is available in as one other seamer.

"It was a type of the place we needed to offer ourselves as a lot time as attainable," Stokes says of the choice.

"You realize you strive your hardest to to take a look at the pitch because it will get nearer and nearer to the sport.

"However yeah, we felt, you realize, getting that additional seamer in there was essential for us."

He says that England must construct on the victory on the MCG.

"The week we had in Melbourne was wonderful. You realize to to get that win out right here in Australia for the primary time shortly was was particular. And hopefully we will proceed that momentum into this sport right here in Sydney."

Steve Smith says that he would have had a bat.

"I might have batted," he says.

"It would be good to win one [a toss].

"Yeah, not superb, however no, we'll have a bowl on this."

15m in the past Sat 3 Jan 2026 at 10:58pm

<h3 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop24__mJJ8n Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop32__ceKem Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">Khawaja's on-field brilliance pales compared to his true affect <h4 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop20___6qCS Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop24__Fh_y5 Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading"> As Chris De Silva writes in his wonderful evaluation, Usman Khawaja was all the time set on being his personal man and enjoying his personal method.

However as an Asian participant, he has typically struggled about coming by means of the ranks - talking up about systemic points round cricket's pathways applications which have held again others like him.

By attaining what he has achieved within the sport regardless of having these obstacles in entrance him, he is already achieved extra than simply runs and caps.

Learn the total story right here.

17m in the past Sat 3 Jan 2026 at 10:56pm

<h3 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop24__mJJ8n Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop32__ceKem Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">Khawaja calls out racial stereotypes <h4 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop20___6qCS Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop24__Fh_y5 Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading"> (Getty Photos) Khawaja's goodbye got here as he known as out the difficulties he confronted as an Asian-born cricketer on this nation and needed to make life simpler for "the following Usman Khawaja".

The Pakistan-born batter hit out at racial stereotypes in Australian cricket, claiming he was a sufferer of it as just lately as this summer time.

"I might have copped it for 2 days, however I copped it for 5 days straight," Khawaja mentioned.

"It wasn't even about my performances; it was about one thing very private. It was about my preparation.

"The way in which that everybody got here at me about my preparation was fairly private when it comes to issues like: 'He is not dedicated to the staff, he was solely anxious about himself, he performed this golf comp the day earlier than, he is egocentric, he would not prepare exhausting sufficient, he is lazy.'

"These are the identical racial stereotypes that I've grown up with my complete life."

Learn extra right here.

20m in the past Sat 3 Jan 2026 at 10:53pm

<h3 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop24__mJJ8n Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop32__ceKem Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">Good bye Usman Khawaja <h4 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop20___6qCS Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop24__Fh_y5 Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading"> (Getty Photos) So immediately sees the 88th and closing Take a look at look of Usman Khawaja in a Take a look at match for Australia.

He introduced his retirement earlier this week, bowling out at his residence floor.

He scored 6,206 Take a look at runs and can look to exit on a excessive immediately.

25m in the past Sat 3 Jan 2026 at 10:48pm

<h3 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop24__mJJ8n Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop32__ceKem Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading">Welcome to Sydney <h4 class="Typography_base__sj2RP Heading_heading__VGa5B LiveBlogPost_heading__DVYV7 Typography_sizeMobile18__eJCIB Typography_sizeDesktop20___6qCS Typography_lineHeightMobile24__crkfh Typography_lineHeightDesktop24__Fh_y5 Typography_marginBottomMobileSmall__6wx7m Typography_marginBottomDesktopSmall__CboX4 Typography_black__9qnZ1 Typography_colourInherit__dfnUx Typography_normalise__u5o1s" data-component="Heading"> (Getty Photos) Hiya people and welcome every person to the gorgeous SCG the place the TV reveals me that the solar is shining and the gamers are warming up properly for the ultimate installment on this 12 months's Ashes sequence.

My title is Simon Smale and I'm on deck immediately alongside your common forged of merry males, Jon Healy and Dean Bilton right here with me in HQ and Henry Hanson and Chris De Silva on the SCG.