Late wickets lift England on rainy first day

Australia's quest for another Ashes whitewash could well be washed away by Sydney's weather after just 46.5 overs were bowled on the opening day at the SCG with rain interrupting play four times and ultimately ending the day prematurely.

In between times, England put in an improved bowling performance on a good batting surface with Australia's top three all squandering starts. James Anderson, Mark Wood and Stuart Broad all picked up important scalps with Anderson and Wood producing a superb spell with a changed ball late in the afternoon to shift the momentum of the day.

More rain is forecast to fall over the coming days in Sydney. Australia will be left frustrated not only with the weather but the wasted opportunities. Marcus Harris got started for the third consecutive innings in this series and looked completely at ease but now has just one half-century to show for it after nicking Anderson to slip for 38. David Warner also looked in superb touch but fell to a loose drive off Broad, while England finally might have found a weak point in Marnus Labuschagne's game with Wood finding his outside edge for the second straight innings after he had compiled a composed 28 on one of his most prolific grounds in Test cricket.

Rain ruined the opening session of the day. The toss and the first delivery were both delayed by 30 minutes. Once the pitch was unveiled from under the covers a distinct tinge of green did nothing to deter Australia captain Pat Cummins from batting first after winning the toss. England skipper Joe Root said he would have done the same.

England didn't get much of a chance to test out that grass as just 12.3 overs were bowled prior to lunch with rain interrupting play twice. Warner and Harris were untroubled, reaching 30 without loss at the break.

Warner looked sharp post-lunch moving to 30 himself with six boundaries. He punished a number of deliveries overpitched as England's seamers had trouble finding a consistent length. He and Harris combined for their second successive 50-run stand and the pair looked well-positioned to add many more to that tally.

But out of nowhere, Warner's arch-nemesis Broad found a breakthrough in trademark fashion. From around the wicket, he offered up a full enough length to tempt Warner into a drive, but it wasn't a half-volley and it shaped away late to catch the edge. Zak Crawley held the catch well at second slip. Broad now has Warner 13 times in Test cricket, and given Warner's contribution in this series to date, England fans may lament that Broad has only played two of four Tests.

Another rain delay came just an over later and an early tea was called with Australia 1 for 56 after just 21.6. Harris and Labuschagne then cruised through the first hour of the evening session and England's bowlers barely threatened as Australia reached 100 for the loss of just one wicket for the third time in the series.

But the game changed with a ball change after the original ball went out of shape in the 30th over. Anderson and Wood came on from either end and made back-to-back breakthroughs. Harris was flat-footed nicking a good length away-swinger from over the wicket, having dealt superbly with the now customary around the wicket examination through most of the day.

It was the fourth time Harris had faced more than 100 balls in a Test innings and he had rarely looked more comfortable at this level. He was scarcely beaten and played some sensational shots off both feet. But he walked off with only 38 to show for it and the anguish on his face suggested he knew it was a golden opportunity missed.

Labuschagne fell in the next over with Wood's extra pace squaring him up on the back foot in almost exactly the same fashion as at the MCG. This time he nicked to keeper Jos Buttler who held the chance to England's delight.

It created an awkward period of an hour for Steven Smith and Usman Khawaja to negotiate, with Khawaja playing his first Test since 2019. But that hour was reduced to just six overs as rain fell again. There was enough time for Khawaja to unfurl a majestic pull shot, reminiscent of the one he played to get off the mark in his debut Test against England at the SCG 11 years ago.