Day two of the Third Ashes Test is set to be played in furnace-like conditions with Adelaide forecast to reach temperatures of 39 degrees and extreme fire danger warnings expected across the surrounding regions.
While 39 degrees is a scorching 14 degrees higher than the December average for the South Australian capital, it’s not that unusual.
Temperatures on day one already came close, hitting 37 degrees during the final session of play.
According to the ICC’s Test Match Playing conditions, should the weather be deemed ‘too dangerous’ by the match referee and umpires play will be suspended with players leaving the field until conditions become safe enough for play to continue.
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Weather conditions are expected to ease by Friday, with the final three days forecast to see maximum temperatures below 30 degrees.
If the match lasts until the final day, Sunday’s forecast maximum is just 20 degrees—barely half what’s expected on day two.
In case you’re wondering, the hottest ever temperatures recorded during a Test Match in Australia happened in Sydney during the 2017-18 Ashes series, with air temperature readings near the SCG topping 43.7 degrees.
The playing conditions were even more brutal, with the Sydney Morning Herald reporting a heat stress ‘feels like’ temperature tracker produced a staggering reading of 57.6 degrees in the middle of the ground.