Welcome to foxsports.com.au's live blog of the first day of the Boxing Day Test!
Storified by FOX SPORTS Australia ·
Tue, Dec 25 2012 20:50:28
Bowling man asks: do other countires rotate there bowlers as much as the aussies does this mean pete siddle miss the SCG test due to tiredness?
Not that I'm aware of - Australia would like to think they're at the cutting edge of science with this new policy, but it's proving hard to please a lot of cricket fans. England, South Africa, India ... from what I've seen they've played their top guns when available.
Parko's back and how: @JN - in the 2009 Ashes Johnson blamed his poor performances because of his estrangement from his mother. In 2010 he blamed the Barmy Army chants "He bolws to left; he bowls to the right; that's Mitchell Johnson; his bowling is sh!te" of upsetting him. Face it, he's a namby-pamby sook and he only got back in the team and bowling to an opposition that The BLIND Cricket Association would dearly love to play, becasue of an injury list greater than my IQ.
Poor Nathan! : i was planning on going to the crickket on saturday so can u give me some help what ican do in melbounre on the weekend ... looks like you'll be out of luck! try #thingstodinmelbourne !
0342: FOUR! Warner goes bang. It's been a 'conservative' start, but he sends the ball right back past Eranga to mid-off. You get the feeling he knows if he can get in, there's a big - and entertaining - knock beckoning. All of a sudden he's 32 off 24 - he's off and running! AUS 0/41.
0340: Prasad has found a better length and beats Cowan with a good length ball that fades outside off. Most of his other deliveries have been shorter.
0335: Solid start by Warner and Cowan - no risks so far and doing it quite comfortably. Bowling hasn't offered a great deal yet, so Prasad is into the attack for an early bowling change. AUS 0/25.
Happy birthday, Matty Wade. And thanks You Tube. Here's a snapshot of some great keeping through the years.
Rippersportspro: Fantastic catch from Wade to give Johnson the distinction of being the first Australian left-arm bowler to take 200 Test wickets.
0310: Cowan and Warner will look to continue to grow their partnership by having Australia well on top heading into stumps. Welegedara and Eranga with the new ball.
0307: NEWS: The ball that got Jayawardene out looks like it might have busted his thumb. He's off to hospital for scans, which means Sangakkara, who hasn't kept wicket for almost five years, is back behind the stumps.
0300: So, a disastrous return to the MCG for the Sri Lankans. Sharp, clinical bowling and fielding by the Aussies sets the platform to post a substantial total in reply.
MCG hasn't been a happy hunting round for the Sri Lankans. They're about to bowl on the ground in a Test for the first time since this happened in the Boxing Day Test in 1995. You know the one ...
0249: ALL OUT! Dear oh dear - that's some meek resistance. Welegedara strokes Lyon straight down the throat of mid-on.
All out for 156 in just 43.4 overs.
While they take an early tea break, don't forget you can catch up on all the data, scores and ball-by-ball action at our Match Centre.
0246: WICKET! Another soft dismissal gets Lyon his first wicket of the day. Herath balloons a catch up to Ed Cowan while trying a little paddle sweep. Herath goes hard, or goes home ... that's for sure! 9/156.
Johnson's success brings us back to our rotation debate.
On the rotation policy, Marty Army adds: If this was the ashes would starc have played ... I tend to agree, Marty. I'm sure all this "player management" is to ensure the A-team is ready to fire come the Ashes.
And there's been a fair bit of chat on our FoxSportsAustralia Facebook page too - including: Michael Brindle, who asks: "bowlers can be in "form" and then be rested....?" and Barry Everingham: "Whole rotation and sports medicine management guff is a farce ... Selectors haven't improved. IMHO"
0240: Can anyone nominate a better wicketkeeper catch than that? Wow.
4/59 now for Johnson. Value of having a bowler who can buy a wicket, or deceiving against a weak batting line-up?