SEARING HEAT ON PLAYERS TO LIFT THE TEMPO

IF ever a team had good cause for dragging their feet and committing the latest sin to infect international cricket — the dreaded sluggish over rate — yesterday was the day.

Walking to the SCG felt like a feat of endurance – temperatures touching cruel levels and winds that sucked the air out of your lungs rather than gave a morsel of respite in the searing heat.

And yet here were 22 professional cricketers marching to the middle of the famous old ground, where the temperature was undeniably warmer than the 40C it was in the shade of the Members Stand.

The scorching conditions didn’t keep the fans away, with the second ODI of the summer a sellout of the COVID- reduced capacity, but some surely watched through blurry vision as sweat mixed with sunscreen to sting the eyes.

Want an excuse for falling behind the over rate? Here it was on a platter.

Which is why you felt at least a little sympathy as the clock ticked past the scheduled finish time of 6.10pm, with Glenn Maxwell still a long way from his 21st ODI half- century — which he brought up off 25 balls 18 minutes later, on the back of a series of audacious switch hits, ramp shots and one ugly drop by Mohammad Shami.

And yet when Australia’s innings was called at 6.31pm, it was proof that money talks and perhaps the ICC’s fines do too — India trimmed nearly 20 minutes off Friday’s mammoth four- hour- and- six minute fielding stint, for which each player was handed a 20 per cent fine, despite the oppressive conditions.

And as for the guilty parties when it comes to ODIs finishing after last drinks at your local have already been called? According to Shane Warne, they’re easily identified.

“I don’t think it’s so much bowling the overs, it is more or less in between overs fluffing around,” Warne told Fox Cricket before play yesterday.

The toss was going to be a dagger through the hearts of whichever fast bowling unit had to leave the comfort of the airconditioned team room and make their way out into the middle of the SCG.

And India, in their heatseeking dark blue uniforms, were the unlucky losers of that fickle coin.

But watching footage of Steve Smith waiting for inexperienced Indian quick Navdeep Saini to start an over – while the Indian brains trust had a chat — left Warne aghast.

“The batsmen is just about ready… why isn’t the bowler back to the top of his mark waiting?” Warne asked.

“That shouldn’t be happening, you should be running around to your spot. It’s a summer sport, it’s hot, it’s going to be hot and unfortunately you’re fielding first.”

Australian fast bowling great Jason Gillespie proposed a two- run penalty for every ball bowled by teams who run over time.

If he gets his wish, we’ll start seeing some worldrecord scores. Or at least some earlier finishes.