Australian head coach Andrew McDonald has suggested next week’s New Year’s Test in Sydney feels like a minor event, saying: “The Ashes were done at 3-0”.
The Baggy Greens claimed a series win within 11 days of wins in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, but saw their hopes of a 5-0 whitewash vanish as the tourists finally bounced back in a two-day finish in Melbourne.
The teams meet for the final time at the SCG on Sunday, with the hosts looking to secure an emphatic 4-1 victory while their opponents look to limit the damage by making it 3-2.
But McDonald believes the stakes were lower once his side laid claim to the urn, citing World Test Championship (WTC) points as the main objective rather than bragging rights against the old enemy.
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(Robbie Stephenson/PA)
Certainly
“The Ashes is safe, that’s done. The Ashes are done,” he said during a net session for his side’s batters after their loss at the MCG.
“There is a Test match against England which contributes to the World Test Championship and that is what we are craving, to get more points for that.
“The score just means more WTC points or less; I know that sounds simplistic and that’s probably not what people want to hear.
“It’s England and Australia, it’s an Ashes test but the Ashes were done at 3-0.”
(Robbie Stephenson/PA)
Parting
Speculation continues to mount that the fifth Test will serve as a farewell for veteran striker Usman Khawaja, who turned 39 earlier this month.
He was removed from the side midway through the series, but was given a late reprieve when Steve Smith withdrew on the morning of the third Test, and has since been shuffled from opener to the middle order.
With Australia not playing red-ball cricket again until they play Bangladesh in August, Khawaja is likely to say goodbye at his home ground.
McDonald expects the New South Wales faithful to behave this way even if there is no formal announcement before the start of the match.
(Robbie Stephenson/PA)
Supportive
“Using Davey Warner as a test case, I think he got kicked out of the SCG three years in a row because everyone thought it was going to be his last Test match,” he joked.
“I’m pretty sure if he doesn’t make a statement about his future before the Test, the crowd will still be very supportive and will clap and cheer.
“There’s no indication on my end that he’s calling it off in Sydney. We’ve got eight months until the next one, so we’ve got a lot of time as a selection group to make that decision… we’ve got a lot of time to think about that if we push through.”
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