Vaughan, Gillespie Criticise Early Finish as Rain Halts Day 1 of Fifth Ashes Test

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged cricket’s decision-makers to rethink their approach after the opening day of the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground was brought to a premature end by a mix of poor light, rain interruptions and lightning safety protocols.

A packed crowd of 49,574—the largest to attend a Test match at the SCG since the 1975–76 season—saw England reach 211 for three in just 45 overs before umpires Ahsan Raza and Chris Gaffaney halted play 15 minutes ahead of the scheduled tea break.

Lightning strikes in and around Sydney, followed by intermittent showers, delayed the start of the final session. Under safety regulations, play could not resume until at least half an hour after the most recent lightning activity in the vicinity.

Although the rain eventually eased, the match was officially abandoned shortly after 5pm local time—around 30 minutes before the planned close. Ground staff chose not to begin drying the outfield due to the threat of further showers, prompting loud boos from frustrated spectators, though another brief spell of rain soon followed.

Speaking on BBC’s Test Match Special, Vaughan expressed concern that fans had been short-changed. He suggested that Test cricket too often errs on the side of caution at the expense of entertainment.

“From what we saw with the rain, the light and the conditions over the last hour, it feels like the paying public lost a couple of hours of cricket,” Vaughan said. “Test cricket is always talked about as a format that needs protecting, yet it’s the one where we seem quickest to leave the field.

“In T20s, matches continue in far worse conditions. In Tests, we seem to do everything possible to get off the pitch. I just don’t understand why the mindset is so different.”

Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie echoed that sentiment during a radio appearance on ABC, claiming the sport repeatedly undermines itself by failing to maximise playing time.

However, England batter Harry Brook—who finished the day unbeaten on 78—said players on both sides were comfortable with the decision to stop play, citing visibility concerns and the looming weather forecast.

“It was incredibly dark when I was batting near the end,” Brook explained. “Joe Root and I told the umpires that we could barely see the ball. The Australian players were asking the same thing, so everyone was on the same page.

“Once we came off for bad light, we pretty much knew the rain was coming. We were just waiting for the inevitable call.”

Australia assistant coach Daniel Vettori admitted there was brief surprise within the home camp when play was abandoned before the later showers arrived, but that feeling quickly disappeared once the rain returned.

“I think there was a moment of surprise, and then it rained again, so that ended the debate,” Vettori said.

Asked whether cricket could do more to balance player safety with the expectations of large crowds, Vettori urged caution.

“As a former player, rain was sometimes your best friend,” he said. “So I have to be careful not to contradict myself too much. Ideally, when conditions are fair and there’s no advantage either way, you want to play as much cricket as possible.

“But there are rules, safety protocols, planning issues and the unpredictability of weather. It’s not an easy situation. In the end, you have to follow the regulations.”

Due to the early finish, play on Day 2 will begin 30 minutes earlier than scheduled, with the first ball set to be bowled at 10am local time.