Sri Lanka bat all day to make 294:

Jayawardene, Thirimanne make half centuries

Jackson Bird bowls best with 4 for 41:

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting from Australia

Two good knocks from Mahela Jayawardene 72 and Lahiru Thirimane 91 helped Sri Lanka to perform creditably and bat out the day and make 294 all out on the first day of the final Test against Australia, here today.

Jayawardene and Thirimanne looked good for centuries but sadly could not go on. Dilshan and Chandimal made 34 and 24 respectively. Jackson Bird had 4 for 41 and Mitchell Starc 3 for 71.

Thirimanne batted with a lot of confidence and played some exquisite drives on either side of the wicket. Arriving only three days ago, he quickly found touch to make his highest score in Test cricket.

If the Sri Lankans could have got a score of anything between 350 and 400 they could have taken control of this game and although losing the series, and if luck played could even have won their first Test match on Aussie soil and given Jayewardene a fitting finale as captain. But that was wishful thinking.

Grassy wicket

With the amount of grass on the wicket, it was the consensus that if the Lankans were to bat first,they were going to find it a tough ask to stall the Australian speed foursome of Mitchell Starc, Jackon Bird,, Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson from running riot.

As the game began to progress it was obvious that the grass on the wicket was not going to be of any worry. The wicket played easy with the surface moisture drying out quickly as the frontline Sri Lankan batsmen, especially Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne showed by batting with ease.

The Sydney wicket over the years had been spin friendly and when the home team selectors added another off spinning all rounder Glenn Maxwell to the squad, it was obvious that the old order would continue.

Maxwell benched

But on the eve of the Test, the selectors probably fooled by the grass on the wicket decided to bench Maxwell and go in with four pronged speed attack. But it did not pay dividends.

Whatever the wicket looks, it is the norm for captains winning the toss to bat first. Eyebrows were raised when Clarke won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat. It was a good toss for Mahela Jayewardene to lose.

After tea, Angelo Mathews who was settling down and driving well made 15 and after adding 55 for the 5th wicket was taken in slips by Hussey off Starc. 222 for 5. It was the second half century stand, with the first one being 62 between Jayewardene and Thirimanne for the 3rd wicket.

Left hander Thirimanne went nine short of a well deserved first century in Test cricket when he drove Nathan Lyon uppishly for David Warner to run back and take a low diving catch. Hs 91 had 13 fours and a six in a 219 minute knock. 250 for 6.

Mistimed hook

Then followed Dhammika Prasad when he mistimed a hooked to Starc off Siddle 2. 256 for 7. Dinesh Chandimal played well for his 24 before being yorked by Starc. 271 for 8, Ranngana Herath skied Bird to Siddle for 5. 273 for 9 and Suranga Lakmal was caught by Hussey in the slips off Starc for 5. Prsadeep was unbeaten on 17.

There was grass on the wicket as two captains Mahela Jayawardene and Michael Clarke walked out to toss to loud applause from a crowd that had assembled to honour the late Tony Greig and farewell Michael Hussey. There was a moments silence for Greig who did so much for the game as a cricketer, television commentator and who in joining Kerry Packer formed World Series Cricket and initiated better wages for the cricketers.

The coin spun Clarke’s way and he was delighted to ask Sri Lanka to bat. The injury hit Sri Lankans made the following changes – Dinesh Chandimal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep came in for Kumar Sangakkara Prasanna Jayewardene, Shamindra Eranga and Chanaka Welegedera.

Sprained ankle

The fastest among the Sri Lankan bowlers Eranga who sprained his ankle, playing football failed to pass a fitness test on the morning of the match and was ruled out and new arrival Suranga Lakmal was togged to play. The injury to Eranga was inexplicable.

The anticipated ‘chin music’ was not on show with new ball bowlers Mitchell Starc and Jackson Bird pitching the ball up and looking for movement. Dimuth Karunaratne and Tillekeratne Dilshan made a slow start, but confident start.

With the score on 26, Karunaratne tried to hook a delivery that hurried on to him, mistimed and lobbed for Michael Hussey to run back from second slip and gobble the catch. He made 5 and it was another failure for the youngster.

Admirable

In the absence of regular one drop Kumar Sangakkara, Jayawardene elevated himself and it was admirable the responsibility that he was showing. He could have asked Lahiru Thirimanne. Thirimanne would have been still jet lagged and would not have wanted to risk and sacrifice him.

Dilshan obviously realizing the plight that the team was in, cut out his flashy stroke play and batted with responsibility.

He played some lovely cover drives and after adding 46 with Jayewardene got a ball

from Bird that moved, got his bat and flew to wicket keeper Matthew Wade. He made 34 with 5 fours. 80 f

Jayawardene who is taking strike for the final time as captain, had determination writ on his face and showing good concentration middled every ball and it was nice to see him playing those elegant drives that he is famous for.

Fine timing

He did not allow pace or spin to get the better of him. When the fast men pitched up he drove with fine timing and when they bounced, he either ducked or hooked to the boundary.

It was refreshing to see him in the run course again after a run of failures. After putting on 62 for the third wicket with Lahiru Thirimanne, he lunged forward, was not up to the pitch of ball and got a touch for Clarke to take the catch in the slips.

He made 72 with 12 fours and a six in 154 minutes of stubborn batting. 134 for 3. After the departure of Jayewardene, Thilan Samaraweera who has not been among the runs partnered Thirimanne who was going well and added 33 runs before being trapped plumb in front by Pete Siddle for 12. A lot more runs was expected from him. 167 for 4.

Vice captain Angelo Mathews joined Thirimanne who was looking solid and enjoyed a cuppa at 169 for 4 with Thirimanne on 37 and Mathews yet to open his account. Sydney Cricket Ground, Thursday.

 Sri Lanka 
 1st Innings 
D. Karunaratne c Hussey b Bird 		 5
T. Dilshan c Wade b Bird 		34
M. Jayawardene c Clarke b Starc 	72
L. Thirimanne c Warner b Lyon 		91
T. Samaraweera lbw b Siddle 		12
A. Mathews c Hussey b Starc 		15
D. Chandimal b Starc 			24
D. Prasad c Starc b Siddle 		 2
R. Herath c Siddle b Bird 		 5
S. Lakmal c Hussey b Bird 		 5
N. Pradeep not out 			17
Extras (lb8, w3, nb1)			12
Total (all out; 87.4 overs)		294
 Fall of wickets : 1-26 (Karunaratne), 2-72 (Dilshan), 3-134 (Jayawardene), 4-167 (Samaraweera), 
5-222 (Mathews), 6-250 (Thirimanne), 7-256 (Prasad), 8-271 (Chandimal), 9-273 (Herath), 10-294 (Lakmal)
 Bowling : Starc 19-0-71-3 (3w), Bird 19.4-10-41-4, Siddle 15-3-46-2 (1nb), Johnson 13-1-58-0, Lyon 19-2-69-1, Hussey 2-1-1-0