Ashes 2021-22 fourth Test, day three: Australia v England – live!

The square is fully covered. We won’t have any cricket for a while.

Stuart Broad spoke to the press following his five-wicket haul yesterday.

Alistair Spooner has emailed in: “Perhaps other test tragics like me have noticed that ever since the big penalties over the sandpaper affair were doled out, the phrase “the bowlers aren’t finding much swing here” seems to crop up with considerably more regularity in Test cricket?”

And while this series has not seen an imbalance between bat and ball (thanks to some sporting pitches, and some risible batting) I think the game is poorer for the decline of lateral movement. Swing has long been part of cricket and presents a specific challenge and aesthetic that benefits the contest. Ball manufactures should be incentivised to design balls that swing more, and – in my opinion – players should not be penalised for “altering the condition” to aid swing. I’m sure I’m an outlier, but I have never seen ball tampering as a moral problem. Pitches are flatter, bats are bigger and thicker, but the ball has remained largely the same, it doesn’t seem to add up.

Speaking of the sounds of cricket, here’s The Final World Daily podcast for your ears.

“I am envious of Mr. Ineson’s ability to fall gently to sleep to the sound of cricket commentary (earlier),” emails Damian Clarke. Accustomed as I am at failure in the art of slumbering, I often listen to the sound of rain through my earphones as an aid to rest. This evening I can combine my two favourite aural relaxants, and listen to the patter of precipitation on the roof of the SCG. Lovely.” This would make an excellent sleep meditation story, wouldn’t it? Stephen Fry gently reading old match reports with the sound of rain falling on a corrugated iron roof in the background. Aahhh, I feel calmer already.

The late great Arthur Morris gave me one of the interviews I most cherish. Warm, patient and generous. If you’re heading to the SCG any time, check out his display.

The square is fully covered. We won’t have any cricket for a while.

Usman Khawaja’s century stole the show yesterday and it fell to Geoff Lemon to rhapsodise about a man so often a square peg in a round hole.

Charles Sheldrick knows there are no rainbows without rain. “We could be on for England’s longest partnership of the series if it keeps raining. We can’t lose with the covers on!” Don’t tempt fate Charles, this is the England cricket team remember.

Here’s what happened yesterday, through the eyes of Ali Martin.

Well Christopher, feel free to drift off at your leisure tonight, there will be no cricket to distract you for a while.

It’s raining in Sydney. Not heavily at the moment, and the radar isn’t too bad, but the covers are over the square and the start time remains a movable feast.