Third day’s play washed out in Sydney

Rain delayed the start of the third day of the third Test between Australia and the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Nathan Lyon bowled Jermaine Blackwood and, after the elements shortly returned, the off-spinner had Kraigg Brathwaite taken at slip before Joe Burns pulled off a stunning one-handed catch at short-leg to dismiss Jason Holder off Steve O’Keefe.

The West Indies, who are playing in their first Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 15 years, have not won a Test in Australia since 1997.

Earlier, Shai Hope, recalled for Rajendra Chandrika, who hurt his groin in the morning during warm-up, began well with some crisp drives but fell in the fifth over when Josh Hazlewood got him to poke outside the off stump and he was caught by Peter Nevill for nine.

“There is a lot of light (at the end of the tunnel) with the players and I think you can mention (Kraigg and Carlos Brathwaite) because they have got runs”.

And it got worse for West Indies seven overs later as embattled batsman Marlon Samuels was run out for four in embarrassing fashion.

West Indies were 248/7 in their first innings when the rain interrupted play for the third and final time half-an-hour after lunch in the wake of Brathwaite’s dismissal for 69.

Australia are playing two spinners for the test, with spinner Stephen O’Keefe joining Nathan Lyon in the bowling attack, in place of the injured seamer Peter Siddle.

The rest of the match is set to have rain, at least in short bursts, every day, and the Windies will hope this will aid them in avoiding a series whitewash.

An inexperienced and demoralised West Indies touring party succumbed by an innings and 212 runs in Hobart and 177 runs in Melbourne to hand their hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. “I was upset that once again I got a start and couldn’t carry on”, Brathwaite said.

Brathwaite was off the mark in style, clearing the ropes back overhead with O’Keefe off the second ball he faced and then twice swept the same bowler behind square for boundaries in later overs.

“I think anything is possible and I welcome the interest that everyone has in hosting test matches, it is a ringing endorsement of test cricket and day-night test cricket”, he added.

There is a lot there to work with, we have seen their enthusiasm in the past few days and I am very happy there is plenty to work with.

O’Keefe, 31, made one Test appearance against Pakistan in Dubai over a year ago, claiming four wickets in a 221-run loss.