England's captain Joe Root shakes hands with Australia's captain Steve Smith to end the fourth Ashes cricket test match in Melbourne. Photo: ReutersAustralia are expecting the unexpected from an Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) pitch that will shape, along with Mitchell Starc's sore foot, whether Ashton Agar plays his first Test on home soil. Starc suffered a bruised heel during the third Ashes Test, during which he helped Australia claim an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series. Australia hope the SCG pitch will not be anywhere near as flat as the docile MCG deck that earned criticism from both camps and many pundits. The most recent Ashes contest in Sydney ended in a flurry of wickets and a whitewash but coach Darren Lehmann was unimpressed with the pitch.
Source: Otago Daily Times December 30, 2017 21:56 UTC