Joe Root, Harry Brook resist Australia in rain-hit Sydney Test
In the 39th over of the day, with the partnership at 124, television cameras spotted England coach Brendon McCullum fiddling with a puzzle book, pen in hand, near the visitors’ dressing room.
After searching for answers on the field all summer and finally finding some with patient, old-fashioned Test batting, McCullum appeared to be doing the same on paper.
After Scott Boland sacks Jacob Bethell at the SCG.Credit: Getty Images
Former Australian coach Justin Langer couldn’t help but laugh in the Seven commentary box after he was caught peeking at the back of the book for help filling in the blanks.
“Come on Baz, you’re better than this, man,” Langer said. “He was caught red-handed.”
Puzzle clues aside, McCullum’s laid-back demeanor summed up the overall tone of the series. The intensity and ferocity that defined earlier Tests have waned since England cruised to victory in Melbourne.
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Even in the stands, Australian fans looked more subdued than usual; They were struggling to muster the same energy as they battled for World Test Championship points as they would have when chasing a demoralizing 5-0 Ashes whitewash.
Despite the light and rain delay, there was a feeling that a break in play might not be the worst outcome, especially after a wild two-day finish in Melbourne.
From Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg to SCG curator Adam Lewis, everyone has a vested interest in this Test, which stretches into the fifth day, for different reasons.
