Sawt Falasteen - Rain prevents play up to lunch on day three of Sydney Test

It was a dismal scene with the covers on protecting the Sydney Cricket Ground pitch, the rain sheeting in off the nearby coast and the forecast of more to come.

The umpires decided to take an early lunch to help ground staff's attempts to get the pitch and surrounds ready if the rain relented.

Khawaja was unbeaten on 195 when rain ended play on Thursday, his highest Test score. Matt Renshaw, who tested positive for Covid at the start of the match, was five not out in Australia's 475 for four.

The pressure will be on skipper Pat Cummins to declare the first innings and get the Proteas in to bat to try and force a result with the playing time available over the remaining three days of the third Test.

Australia are 2-0 up in the series and chasing a clean sweep.

The Australians won the opening Test by a six-wicket rout in Brisbane inside two days and then hammered the Proteas by an innings and 182 runs in Melbourne.

Apart from the pursuit of a series whitewash, Australia are trying to seal a place in the ICC World Test Championship final in London in June.

K.AbuTaha--SF-PST