The surprising way SCG Test pays tribute to Shane Warne – while overpowering Alyssa Healy

Numerous cricket commentators were shocked by the extreme condition of the SCG pitch ahead of the third Test against South Africa – but the wicket also paid homage to the late king of spin Shane Warne.

Australian women star Alyssa Healy called the deck “really dry”, felt it “could crumble pretty quickly” and that she “had never seen anything like it in her life”.

Fox Sports cricket expert Kerry O’Keeffe also tipped the spinners to dominate while the Aussies chase a clean win in the series.

In a nod to Warne, on matchday in Sydney, officials decided to expand pitch No. 3 for the first time since the king of spin left the January 2007 test.

The wicket is two to the left of the usual No. 5 test field and towards the Bill O’Reilly Stand.

Australian star cricketer Alyssa Healy called the SCG deck “really dry” and that she “had never seen anything like it in her life”.

Perhaps in a nod to the late Shane Warne, Sydney curators decided to relocate Pitch No.3 for the first time since the spinning king’s departure in January 2007

“As we conducted our investigation, we found that Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer had their final Test on Pitch #3,” said SCG Curator Adam Lewis.

“So we had that in the back of our minds when we were planning.

“We tried to get grass on field #5 as best we could, but with the amount of play we’ve had all season, it just couldn’t get there in time.

“Knowing that Shane Warne and the boys played their last test in 3rd place it just felt right so we put our energy into it.

“Shane was really good, not just for players, he was always good for curators. He always stood up for us and knew we wore our hearts on our sleeves.”

Ground staff are also hoping the pitch will bring the turn Warne has always hoped for and enjoyed at SCG, where he also made his Test debut against India in 1992.

Australian cricket legend Shane Warne died of a heart attack in Thailand last March, aged just 52

Australia named two spinners to face the Proteas, with Ashton Agar in the eleven alongside Nathan Lyon.

The Western Australian agar last wore its baggy green in 2017.

Previously, Australia had not picked two spinners on home soil since Stephen O’Keefe and Lyon bowled together in the New Year’s Test against Pakistan six years ago.

It has also been confirmed that recalled batsman Matthew Renshaw returned a positive RAT test for Covid before a ball was thrown on day one – but he will take his place on Pat Cummins’ team in the middle order.