It would have been galling for the Lankans
Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting
It would have been galling for the Sri Lankans to have been beaten by
an innings in the First Test at this level of cricket.
Sri Lanka's cricket has been on the up and up, and to suddenly nose
dive, is inexplicable.
When the Lankans arrived here, hopes were high that they were going
to pocket their first ever Test victory in Australia.
They had every reason to believe that way because the Australians
were without two of their stalwarts Glen McGrath and Shane Warne and
that the Aussies were on a team building process.
But as the Test unfolded, it was apparent that the Aussies were not
going to miss the influence of McGrath and Warne, because the newcomers,
put their hand up and performed magnificently.
Brett Lee took on the role of executioner, a role performed to
perfection over the years by McGrath.
Then Stuart MacGill who had always played in the shadow of Warne,
fitted in well although he had not much wickets to show.
Mitchell Johnson who made his debut was always menacing with his pace
and there was good support coming from Stuart Clarke.
As for the Aussie batting, three centuries from Phil Jacques, Michael
Hussey and Michael Clarke showed the depth in the batting.
As for the Lankans, they will have to raise their game phoenix like,
if they hope to compete in the Second Test.
Everything went wrong for the Lankans at the Gabba.
With the surprise leaving out of slinger Lasith Malinga on a wicket
that would have been very friendly to him and Mahela Jayawardena winning
the toss and asking Australia in and with the pacies unable to extract
seam and movement, it was not long before the Aussie batsmen went on the
rampage.
The dropping of three catches also went to add to their woes. At this
level there is no excuse for poor fielding, especially the catching.
When it came to the batting the frontliners found the pace too much
as how the wickets fell would show.
The batsmen were not getting in line, which is a fundamental in
batting and meekly surrendered. As Jayawardena said, it was the first
innings batting collapse that took them away from the picture.
But they rallied in the second and put up much better resistance, but
which was still not enough to save them from humilation and
embarrassment.
Muralidaran who was the cynosure of all eyes, did bowl well. He put
on show all his wiles, but the Aussie batsmen who are better players of
spin, did not let him have them in a flat spin.
He had only two wickets to show for his trouble and went for a lot of
runs, which would have been anathema to him.
Who knows had Jayawardena batted and Sri Lanka made a formidable
score and with the Aussies having to bat second, he would have
threatened the Aussies on a fourth and fifth day wicket.
But that is how the game goes. And it is hoped that the Lankans would
not repeat their listless show of Brisbane in Hobart in the Second Test
starting there on Friday.
Brisbane, Queenlsland, Tuesday
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