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Australia win first match for the summer:
Lankans lose, but not disgraced
Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia
The Australians who were hungry for a win this summer, being beaten
by South Africa in the previous Test, enjoyed a sumptuous meal when they
beat Sri Lanka by 137 runs on the final day of the First of three Tests
at the Bellerive Oval, here today with 10.3 overs remaining.
Australia 450 for 9 declared and 278, Sri Lanka 336 and 255. When the
game began, a victory for Sri Lanka was out of the question. Survival
was the name of the game for them. By dint of some amazing defiance and
determination they tried their best, but ultimately the best was not
good enough to save face.
The Lankan batsmen did not lack for want of trying to stall the
Aussies who were on the rampage from ball one. With a depleted attack
missing Ben Hilfenhaus and skipper Clarke unable to bowl, the Aussies
had to huff and puff for victory.
When Sri Lanka were 87 for 4 on day two in reply top Australia’s 450
or 5, critics predicted a fourth day finish with a win for the home team
early by the fourth day. But they did not bargain for a fight back by
the Lankans.
After tea the Lankans lost the wickets of Angelo Mathews who was
struck a painful blow to his elbow from Starc went for 19, Thilan
Samaraweera who was showing good fight for 49, Prasanna Jayawardene or2,
Nuwan Kulesekera for 9, Rangna Herath for 8 and when Samindra Eranga was
caught by Wade for 6 off Starc, did not the Aussies celebrate.
For the Aussies, left arm pace bowler Mitchell Starc proved menacing
and was rewarded with the figures of 5 for 63, while Peter Siddle who
had a match bag of 9 wickets was made the man-of-the match for his
perseverance.
To recap: The Sri Lankan bowlers led by the most successful spinner
in world cricket this year, left arm bowler Rangana Herath did
creditably to bundle out the Australians for 278 with Herath bagging 5
wickets.
In the Australian innings after the two half tons by openers Ed.
Cowans and David Warner, skipper Michael Clarke who has been in
rollicking form this summer blazed his way to a half century in just 46
minutes and provided the thrills before retiring.
In the process he damaged his hamstring and played himself out of the
Boxing Day Test with Shane Watson tipped to lead the team. The
Australians could also miss seam bowler Ben Hilfenhaus with a side
strain.
Out of the question
With a victory out of the question what the remaining Lankan batsmen
had to do was to frustrate the Aussie bowlers and take the team to a
respectable draw, giving them the confidence to probe for victory in the
Boxing Day Second Test at the MCG.
It was not an easy ask.
The Lankans with 323 needed had to maintain a run rate of over 100
runs in each of the three sessions. That was not going to be easy. At
the wickets were two of the most clever thinking cricketers in the game
Sangakkara and Jayawardene.
Jayawardene out
The two batsmen did not find stroke making easy on a very slow wicket
and with the bowlers bowling a tight line and length to well set fields,
the batsmen had to keep their wickets intact, defend stubbornly and not
let the bowlers gain the upper hand.
Sangakkara and Jayewardene realizing the gravity of the situation,
cut out their usual aggressive stroke making and were playing for
survival and with victory out of the question to play for a respectable
draw.
After battling for 137 minutes and with the score on 112, Peter
Siddle who was bowling threateningly got one to move and Jayawardene
pushing tentatively edged to Clarke in slips who took a good low catch.
The situation was ideal for Thilan Samaraweera when he took strike.
Together with Sangakkara who was playing more positively, he battled on
gamely to deprive the Australians of any further success and go to lunch
at 144 with Sangakkara on 57 and Samaraweera on 11.
Other than for Peter Siddle who was bowling with a lot of pace and
troubling the batsmen and looking the only bowler who could get a
wicket, the rest of the bowling with seam man Ben Hilfenhaus missing,
the attack looked well below Test class.
Spinners Lyon off spin and David Warner leg spin could not get any
biting spin and bounce off the wicket, with Warner looking a clone of
the great leg spinner Shane Warne were innocuous.
Disaster strikes
Twenty two minutes after lunch and with the score on 151 disaster
struck Sri Lanka when Sangakkara on 63 was caught plumb in front by a
Siddle delivery that kept low. He survived a dropped catch early in his
innings on Monday and then referred an LBW out, survived again and this
time he referred again but the third umpire upheld the decision.
Sangakkara dropped anchor and defended for 277 minutes and 226 balls,
hitting 7 fours excelling with the square cut that brought him
boundaries. His was a big wicket and did not the Australians celebrate,
sensing that victory could be coming. In between stoppages for rain with
overs being reduced the Lankans continued the good fight after the
dismissals of Jayawardene and Sangakkara, Samaraweera and vice captain
Angelo Mathews partnered to frustrate the Aussies and enjoy a ‘cuppa’ at
186 for 4 with Samaraweera on 38 and Mathews on 11.
There was a bit of fun when, with Clarke running shot of bowlers who
could get him a wicket turned to wicket keeper Matthew Wade, asked him
to shed his pads and bowl the last over before tea. It was a harmless
maiden over. The previous wicket keeper to bowl for Australia was Rod
Marsh.
Bellerive Oval, Hobart, Tuesday.
S C O R E C A R D Australia 1st innings 450 for 5 declared
Sri Lanka 1st innings 336
Australia 2nd innings 278 for 9
Sri Lanka 2nd innings
(overnight 65 for 2)
D. Karunaratne b Starc 30
T. Dilshan c Wade b Watson 11
K. Sangakkara lbw b Siddle 63
M. Jayawardene c Clarke b Siddle 19
T. Samaraweera lbw b Siddle 49
A. Mathews c Wade b Siddle 19
P. Jayawardene c Hussey b Starc 21
N. Kulasekara c Wade b Starc 09
R. Herath b Starc 08
S. Eranga c Wade b Starc 06
C. Welegedara not out 00
Extras (b10, lb8, w1, nb1) 20
Total (all out, 119.2 overs) 255
Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Dilshan), 2-47 (Karunaratne), 3-112 (M. Jayawardene), 4-151 (Sangakkara),
5-201 (Mathews), 6-218 (Samaraweera), 7-235 (P. Jayawardene), 8-247 (Kulasekara),
9-250 (Herath), 10-255 (Eranga)
Bowling: Starc 28.2-7-63-5 (1nb, 1w), Siddle 26-11-50-4, Watson 27-6-54-1, Lyon 32-12-57-0,
Hussey 1-0-5-0, Warner 4-0-8-0, Wade 1-1-0-0 |
