It’s Sydney Test time!

(Post-production note: This is a concatenation of a series of live blogs originally posted separately on the pre-lunch session on January 2 2005, day 1 of the Sydney Test against Pakistan. RE – 2017-07-20)

A Test on steroids

With one day remaining in the Sydney Test, Australia needs 433 runs to win with ten wickets in hand. It shouldn’t be possible. Shouldn’t. But this Test – and indeed many Test matches lately – have been so unusual that it can’t be absolutely ruled out. We’ve seen an exhilirating four days of batting at […]

The curse of the retiring captains

It was nineteen years ago – January 1985 – when Clive Lloyd played his 110th and last Test, his 74th as captain, leading the West Indies against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. A world-beating team at the peak of its form, the West Indies was expected to trounce Australia as they had done throughout […]

Australia 2 West Indies 0: A dynasty disintegrates

Tuesday December 3, 1996: I visited the Sydney Cricket Ground and witnessed a great day’s cricket, but I have also witnessed the demise of a cricketing power that I have known and loved for over two decades. After an enthralling if tight first four days of the Sydney Test between Australia and the West Indies, […]