|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Thursday, 25 March 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Sports | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Lehmann century holds Aussies together by Sa'adi Thawfeeq South Australian left-hander Darren Lehmann scored his second century of the series and his fifth overall to take Australia to a first day total of 314 for six wickets at the close in the third and final cricket Test played at the SSC grounds yesterday. Lehmann (34) brought up his century shortly before the close with a cover drive off Rangana Herath and at stumps was unbeaten on 104 made in 246 minutes off 186 balls. He has so far hit 11 fours and a six. Australian captain Ricky Ponting missed out on joining Lehmann when he was dismissed in the last ball before tea for 92. The pair added 121 for the fourth wicket in 111 minutes after Australia, winning the toss for the third time in the series had wobbled at 96-3 in the afternoon. Ponting whose highest score in the series was 28, looked to be in fine fettle for a century as he repeatedly charged down the wicket to the spinners, but eight runs short of his 21st Test century he check drive only off Chaminda Vaas only ended in a catch to wide mid off. He batted fluently for 169 minutes, faced 138 balls and hit 11 fours and a six. The pair was severe on off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who conceded 66 runs off 20 overs before taking his first wicket of the innings. It came in the form of a brilliant return catch to his left given by Simon Katich who made 14. Muralitharan also picked up a second wicket before the close when he had Adam Gilchrist caught at slip for 22 to end the day with figures of two for 84 off 28 overs. Hard work in hot conditions "This century was pretty hard work all day for obvious reasons. The field settings and the ball spun a few bit and it was quite slow. It was hard to get into any sort of rhythm," said Lehmann, who was dropped at 20 by the luckless Mahela Jayawardene at slip off Muralitharan and was lucky to escape a run out decision at 62. "It was really hot in the pre-lunch and afternoon sessions, but it cooled down nicely afterwards. It wasn't too bad towards the end," he said. Lehmann said he was quite comfortable coming down the wicket to the slow bowlers. "You've got to have a plan that works and.you've got to back yourselves a little bit over here and not let the spinners dictate, I am playing well at the moment," he said. Lehmann was critical of Sri Lanka's 7-2 leg side field placing and said: "It certainly means they are not trying to get you out. It was more containment. The wicket had enough in it to bowl attacking lines and to back your bowlers," he said. "If they are going to bowl to you with those sort of fields you should be able to cope with it. You have got to come up with some sort of plan to overcome it, batting outside leg or running down the wicket and working the ones," Lehmann said. "The pleasing thing is I am quite relaxed these days and I suppose that comes with experience and confidence in your game." Vaas was successful of the Sri Lankan bowlers with figures of three for 76 off 20 overs. He picked up a wicket in each of his first three spells and obliged his captain with a wicket every time he was brought on to bowl. Sri Lanka did well to capture three Australian wickets for 96 despite losing the services of fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa through injury in the seventh over of the innings. Zoysa injured Zoysa whose 26-Test career has been plagued by injuries, broke down midway in his fourth over and was forced to return to the pavilion reducing the attack to just three front-line bowlers, which skipper Hashan Tillakaratne had to juggle around considerately to keep the bowlers fresh and going for the entire day. Initial reports said that Zoysa had a torn left calf muscle, but an ultra sound test and X'ray gave him the all-clear sign and he is expected to bowl sometime during the match. Sri Lanka manager Ajith Jayasekera said that Zoysa was in pain and was being treated with ice packs on his injured leg and painkillers. "We'll have to monitor his progress carefully and he may even have to undergo an MRI scan if necessary," said Jayasekera. In Zoysa'a absence part time off-spinner Tilan Samaraweera filled in the role admirably picking up the wicket of Matthew Hayden for 25 when the powerful left-hander got the leading onto a drive and was caught by substitute fielder Upul Chandana at mid-off. Vaas achieved the initial breakthrough when Justin Langer made an extravagant pull from off stump and was caught at mid-wicket for 19. Vaas also took the wicket of the prolific Damien Martyn for 14 in the second over after lunch with a superb off-cutter, which the batsman edged behind the wicket. Vaas' success on this SSC pitch which afforded a fair chance to both batsmen and bowlers showed much Sri Lanka missed Zoysa, who bowled so well in Kandy. Left-arm spinner Rangana Herath (26) returning to the Test fold after a four-year absence bowled 23 overs for 76 runs without making an impact. Herath played the last of his four Tests against Pakistan at Galle in 2000. Both sides made two changes, with Sri Lanka leaving out Avishka Gunawardene and Kaushal Lokuarachchi for Samaraweera and Herath, and Australia replacing Andrew Symonds and Stuart MacGill with Simon Katich and Brad Williams. Australia leads the three-Test series 2-0, and Sri Lanka are in danger of suffering their first 3-0 whitewash in a home Test series. AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS J.L. Langer c Dilshan b Vaas 19 M.L. Hayden c sub (Chandana) b Samaraweera 25 R.T. Ponting c Muralitharan b Vaas 92 D.R. Martyn c Sangakkara b Vaas 14 D.S. Lehmann not out 104 S.M. Katich c and b Muralitharan 14 A.C. Gilchrist c Jayasuriya b Muralitharan 22 S.K. Warne not out 7 EXTRAS (b-5, lb-9, nb-3) 17 TOTAL (6 wkts at close, 90 overs, 375 mins) 314 FALL OF WICKETS: 1-43 (Langer), 2-60 (Hayden), 3-96 (Martyn), 4-217 (Ponting)., 5-244 (Katich), 6-299 (Gilchrist). TO BAT: J.N. Gillespie, B.A. Williams, M.S. Kasprowicz. BOWLING: Vaas 20-3-76-3, Zoysa 3.3-1-23-0, Samaraweera 11.3-1-28-1 (2nb), Muralitharan 28-5-84-2, Herath 23-4-76-0 (1nb), Jayasuriya 4-0-13-0. SRI LANKA: M.S. Atapattu, S.T. Jayasuriya, K.C. Sangakkara, D.P.M. Jayawardene, T.M. Dilshan, H.P. Tillakaratne, T.T. Samaraweera, W.P.U.J.C. Vaas, H.M.R.K.B. Herath, D.N.T. Zoysa, M. Muralitharan.
|
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
