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Aussies lucky to gain victory:
Mathews and Prasad in heroic 46-run last wicket stand
Lankans certainly not disgraced:
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE reporting from Australia
After dismissing Australia for a chase able score of 231, the Sri
Lankan batsmen failed miserably and suffered their second defeat being
beaten five runs in their second Commonwealth Bank Tri series game, here
today.
Sri Lanka made 226 failing by just 5 runs to record a memorable
victory. The Lankan bowlers and fielders inspired by some clever
captaincy by Mahela Jayawardena, did exceptionally well to restrict the
mighty Aussie batting, thus giving their batsmen a target that was
gettable.
But it was irresponsible batting that saw them collapse, until the
heroics of Mathews and Prasad.
The wicket was still playing well and all that the batsmen had to do
was play the bowling on its merits, push the singles and twos and put
pressure on the bowlers. But they did not seem capable of doing that and
victory that could have been easily achieved finally ended in defeat
which was inexplicable.
After losing Upul Tharanga early, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar
Sangakkara were motoring well taking the score to 61, when for no
apparent reason Sangakkara on 22 dashed down the wicket for single that
was unnecessary,on to the stumps.
That bit of poor thinking prompted the batting slump as Sri Lanka
kept losing wickets at regular intervals and with no batsman capable of
showing resistance, the Aussie bowlers made the batsmen look novices
pocketed their second win in the tourney.
Dilshan 40 and young Dinesh Chandimal who made 32 batted with
determination. But Tharanga, Sangakkara, Jayawardena, Lahiru Thirimanne
the big batting guns failed to fire and this second defeat
has disappointed their fans who were yearning to see defeat being
slapped on the Aussies.
Although the Lankans lost they were certainly not disgraced. Vice
captain Angelo Mathews and Dhammika Prasad tried their best with a
gallant 46 run stand in 33 balls for the last wicket. Mathews played a
gallant innings of 64 in 76 balls with 4 fours and a six. But his
innings was in vain as the batsmen who mattered failed. He tried to
hoist a six and was caught in the deep. Dhammika Prasad who gave Mathews
good support was unbeaten on 15.
Mahela Jayawardena won a good toss and asked the Aussies in and his
decision proved right because there was bounce, pace and swing on the
wicket and seamers Lasith Malinga,Nuwan Kulasekera and Angelo Mathews
used the conditions well to shock the early Aussie batting.
Openers Mathews Wade, David Warner and Ricky Ponting were sent
packing early for 1, 34 and 1 and at 50 for 3, the Aussies were in a
spot. Kulasekera moved one for Wade to snick to Kumar Sangakkara,
Ponting went when Malinga moved one in sharply to have him in front and
Warner the ruthless hitter was bowled through the gate when Mathews cut
one in sharply.
Warner who was threatening had 4 fours and a six in 29 balls. Clarke
and Michael Hussey seemed to be settling down, when Kulasekera grabbed a
great caught and bowled. Hussey one of the best
batters in all forms of the game went for 23. When Michael’s brother
David went caught by Thirimanne off a leading edge off a slower ball
from Malinga for 27 at 130 for 5, the Aussies were shaky.
Daniel Christian 33 went stumped Sangakkara off Sachithra Senanayake
at 186 for 33 and when skipper Clarke who was fighting a lone battle was
brilliantly held by Jayawardena off Mathews at mid
wicket for 57 in 88 with 4 fours, the Aussies were with their backs
to the wall at 190 for 7.
The Aussies finally made231 in 49.1 overs with Richard Harris making
2,Clint McKay 24,Mitch Starc 14 with Xavier Doherty remaining 2 not out.
The Sri Lankan bowlers – Lasith Malinga 2 for 48, Nuwan Kulasekera 2
for 39, Angelo Mathews 2 for 37,Dhammika Prasad 2 for 55 and Sachithra
Senanyake 2 for 45 shared the wickets.
The Sri Lankan cricketers who are looking for a new beginning, did
not seem to unduly worried that they lost the first game to India, nor
were they overawed when they took on the rampaging Australians in their
second game. The Sri Lankan selectors after having a look at the wicket
made one change bringing in off spinner Sachithra Senanayake and
dropping all rounder Thisara Perera who did not have a good run the game
against India.
The bringing in of Senanayake would have been prompted by the fact
that there was dry grass on the wicket and not the tinge of green grass
that is usually associated with the Perth wicket. Perth, Friday
SCORECARD
AUSTRALIA
D. Warner b Mathews 34
M. Wade c Sangakkara b Kulasekara 01
R. Ponting lbw Malinga 01
M. Clarke c Jayawardene b Mathews 57
M. Hussey c and b Kulasekara 23
D. Hussey c Thirimanne b Malinga 27
D. Christian st Sangakkara b Senanayake 33
R. Harris c Kulasekara b Senanayake 03
C. McKay c Thirimanne b Prasad 25
M. Starc c Tharanga b Prasad 14
X. Doherty not out 02
Extras (lb6, w5) 11
TOTAL (all out; 49.1 overs) 231
Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Wade), 2-26 (Ponting), 3-50 (Warner), 4-81 (M.
Hussey), 5-130 (D. Hussey), 6-180 (Christian), 7-190 (Clarke), 8-192
(Harris), 9-224 (Starc), 10-231 (McKay).
Bowling: Malinga 10-0-48-2 (4w), Kulasekara 10-0-39-2, Mathews 9-0-37-2
(1w), Prasad 9.1-0-55-2, Senanayake 10-0-45-2, Dilshan 1-0-1-0.
SRI LANKA
U. Tharanga c Clarke b Starc 05
T. Dilshan c Wade b Harris 40
K. Sangakkara run out 22
D. Chandimal lbw Clarke 37
M. Jayawardene c Wade b Christian 13
L. Thirimanne b Doherty 03
A. Mathews c Christian b Starc 64
N. Kulasekara c Wade b Christian 08
S. Senanayake st Wade b Doherty 09
L. Malinga c Wade b McKay 01
D. Prasad not out 15
Extras (lb3, w6) 09
TOTAL (all out; 49.5 overs) 226
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Tharanga), 2-61 (Sangakkara), 3-88 (Dilshan),
4-110 (Jayawardene), 5-119 (Thirimanne), 6-129 (Chandimal), 7-143
(Kulasekara), 8-175 (Senanayake), 9-180 (Malinga), 10-226 (Mathews).
Bowling: Harris 10-0-43-1, Starc 9.5-0-50-2 (2w), McKay 10-0-50-1 (2w),
Christian 8-1-47-2 (2w), Doherty 10-0-24-2, Clarke 2-0-9-1. |
