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'Embarrassment to the game': Fury over 'unacceptable' scenes at SCG

A former Aussie Test star has blasted umpires over ’embarrassing’ scenes at the SCG on Sunday.

India enforced the follow-on as they power towards an emphatic maiden Test series victory in Australia, snatching a first-innings lead of 322 runs after rolling the hosts for 300 on day four.

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Australia, who hadn’t been asked to follow on at home since 1988, reached 0-6 in their second innings on Sunday when bad light resulted in an early tea break.

But with the light not getting any better, the players never got back on the field.

Virat Kohli looks on after bad light stopped play. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Virat Kohli looks on after bad light stopped play. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

However former Test bowler Stuart Clark was left fuming by the umpires’ decision.

“This is an embarrassment to the game. This is embarrassing. It’s not dark,” he said on ABC Radio.

“Are you trying to tell me if we had a pink ball we’d keep playing? Seriously.

“There’s not a person in this ground that can’t see the ball.

“I’m all for when it’s dark and dangerous to come off but this is not acceptable.

Umpires assess the conditions before bad light suspended play. (Photo by Mark Kolbe – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)
Umpires assess the conditions before bad light suspended play. (Photo by Mark Kolbe – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images)

“The game cannot move forward until archaic rules like this are fixed.”

And Clark wasn’t alone, with fans also blowing up.

Aussies suffer embarrassing firsts at SCG

The dark clouds might boost Tim Paine’s hopes of salvaging a draw but they won’t stop India recording their first Test series win in Australia.

Australia, reeling from a record three-consecutive declarations this series, gave up their biggest first-innings deficit at the famed venue since 1936.

Showers provided a good deal more resistance than many of Australia’s batsmen, washing out Sunday’s morning session.

Play, delayed because of both bad light and rain, started at 1:49pm on day four.

Australia, resuming at 6-236, quickly lost 3-22 a day after their top order folded in a collapse of 3-24.

Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, who was dropped on zero, combined for a final-wicket stand of 42 that spanned 14 overs but only delayed the inevitable.

Recalled tweaker Kuldeep Yadav finished with figures of 5-99.

with AAP