'Virtually non-existent': Security mocked over comical pitch invasion
Fans have flocked to social media in droves to take aim at the SCG security staff after a comical incident in Friday's opening one-day international between Australia and India.
The Australian summer of cricket officially got underway on a hot Friday in Sydney, with Australia winning the toss and electing to bat.
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Play had to be halted at the start of the seventh over, however, when several men were seen jumping the fence from the grandstands and racing out towards the middle of the pitch.
Security guards seem to take an age to leap into action and stop the pitch invaders from holding up the contest.
With Sydney experiencing some sweltering November temperatures, one security guard clearly wasn't interested in breaking any more than a casual stroll.
He was certainly in no rush to stop the men who had run out into the middle of the SCG to protest the Adani coal mine.
One of the protesters made it to the pitch, before whipping the bails off the stumps at one end.
The pitch invaders were eventually rounded up by other members of the SCG security team.
The comical scenes left fans in stitches on social media.
So many of us watching the game here at the SCG were absolutely stunned that nothing was done for so long. The protesters just stood out there holding up their signs....at least they stayed off the pitch! The ‘security’ was virtually non-existent. 🏏 🇦🇺 🇮🇳
— Martin (@hammersaint) November 27, 2020
That on field protest by the two idiot’s showed a disgraceful lack of security and urgency at the SCG.
In my Richie Benaud voice “pretty poor effort that”@FoxCricket @scg #AUSvIND— Ross Martin (@RossMartin1960) November 27, 2020
I thought they may have been protesting the lack of security urgency at the SCG. In which case they had a reasonable point.
— Darryl Poole's Good Eye (@CatDaaawg) November 27, 2020
OH BOY! We have a pitch invader at the SCG but it's taken security a while to notice them 😂 #AUSvIND #Cricket
— Cricket Central (@cricketcentral) November 27, 2020
Idiocy
— Lachlan Steele (@Lachy_Steele) November 27, 2020
The entire security team though: pic.twitter.com/gUTWx1jZO0
— Michelle (@TheCricketHook) November 27, 2020
The Covid-19 security guard. You know he is out there.
— John Fogarty (@fogzfg) November 27, 2020
the way he is walking screams ''not happy Jan'' :)
— Cathy Harris Norman (@33andme) November 27, 2020
Earlier, Aaron Finch won the toss and elected to bat after predicting some turn from the pitch later on Friday.
The Aussie skipper's decision paid dividends as he and David Warner got the home side off to a flying start.
Finch notched his 28th ODI half century for Australia before he saluted to the sky in honour of Phillip Hughes, whose tragic death happened exactly six years ago after being struck at the same ground.
The Aussie openers brought up their one hundred run partnership after 19 overs.
The hosts made one change to the XI that defeated England in Australia's most recent one-dayer, with Steve Smith replacing allrounder Mitch Marsh.
Smith missed all three ODIs in England because of concussion.
India's side was also as expected, with Mayank Agarwal opening the batting alongside Shikhar Dhawan.
Star pacemen Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami headline India's potent attack for Friday's clash.
Australia XI: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
India XI: Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli (capt), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah.
with AAP
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