At the end of a slightly-curtailed day one of the second test between Australia and Sri Lanka, it looked as if the two teams batted on different surfaces: Sri Lanka, on a minefield and the Aussies, on a batting paradise. Australia was 60 without loss at stumps.
Sri Lankans folded up for a paltry 174 in a shade over 64 overs; while the Aussie opening pair put 50 on the board in 73 balls, and looked set for a repeat of the Galle test match. Shane Watson (36 n.o.), the man in a hurry who reminds one of a rampaging Hayden; and for once did not seem quite over-awed by the spinners including debutant S. Prasanna. In fact, Watson welcomed Prasanna to international cricket by pulling him in front of square for four runs.
Sri Lanka folds up
Earlier, the friendliest pace attack to step out of Australian shores in over a decade bowled out a panicking pack of Sri Lankan batsmen for 174 in under a day for a third time in as many innings on the first day of the second test here.
Sri Lanka won the toss and was off to a disastrous start with the pitch aiding movement till lunch. The bowlers kept a fuller length through the morning and the tentative Sri Lankans gifted them 5 wickets.
Australia has won the first of the three test Warne-Muralidaran trophy series, and, its captain Michael Clarke said he hoped to carry forward the momentum in this test too.
The initial shock came in the third over of the day. One of the better equipped Sri Lankan batsmen, T. Paranavitana (0), got a feather as an ordinary-looking Harris delivery moved away after pitching. Paranavitana attempted a drive, and only managed a nick. Wicket-keeper Haddin did not have to move to collect it right in front of his chest.
Two overs later, a strangely-subdued Dilshan (4), shouldered arms and found, to his horror, a Copeland special coming back sharply to nip the top of the off-stump. The score card read 2 down for 10.
The horrors did not end there. Mahela Jayawardene, the backbone of the Sri Lankan batting line-up in Galle, went for a drive to a fuller Copeland delivery. The ball took the edge and was, almost certainly on its way to the third man boundary. But there was Michael Hussey at gully. He dived to bring off a one-handed heart-stopper of a catch to send back Mahela. Score read 3 down for 14.
The last recognised batting pair, Thilan Samaraweera and Kumar Sangakkara, kept the scoreboard ticking thereafter, and refused to take any unnecessary risks. It went that way till Harris stuck again: Thilan, forced to play a ball that came in sharply from a length, got an inside edge that travelled to the wicket keeper. When Samaraweera’s 55 ball vigil ended, the score board showed 56 for 4.
Then came the Sri Lankan wicket-keeper who had bagged a pair in Galle. Here, he seems to have decided to make his stay count. So, he went after Nathan Lyon’s first over: after a 6, 2 and 4, Prasanna Jayawardene wanted more. He slog-swept once more. Only this time the ball ended in Harris’ hands at deep square-leg. Sri Lanka were 76 for 5.
It could have been worse had Watson held on to a Sangakkara nick at first slip. After lunch, Sangakkara (48) became Michael Hussey’s third victim in test cricket: in a career spanning 32 overs spread over half-a-decade, Hussey had earlier managed to take just two wickets. Sangakkara checked his shot and the ball stayed up long enough to get to the fielder at short covers. He improved his bowling figures too: from 1 wicket for 3 runs to 1 wicket for no runs!
The final eleven
Ajantha Mendis, who is nursing a back injury, and Rangana Herath, Sri Lanka’s most successful bowler in Galle who sustained a finger injury during practices yesterday, were left out of the Sri Lankan squad. That paved the way for Seekuge Prassana, 26, to make his Test debut.
A release from Sri Lanka Cricket said that "Minister of Sport Mahindananda Aluthgamage has approved the substitution of Dinesh Chandimal for Lahiru Thirimana who is nursing a minor ailment". Dinesh Chandimal's substitution is only for the second test currently underway at the Pallekelle Stadium.
For Australia, the only change was Shaun Marsh, son of former cricketer Geoff Marsh, replacing the unavailable Ricky Ponting. In a short ceremony ahead of the match, Marsh Sr. presented the baggy green to Marsh Jr. and wished him luck.
SCORE BOARD:
Sri Lanka batting (1st innings): T.Paranavitana c Haddin b Harris 0, T.M.Dilshan b Copeland 4, K.Sangakkara c Hughes b Hussey 48, M.Jayawardene c Hussey b Copeland 4, T.Samaraweera c Haddin b Harris 17, P.Jayawardene c Harris b Lyon 18, A.Mathews c Haddin b Johnson 58, S.Randiv c & b Lyon 4, S.Prasanna b Harris 5, S.Lakmal (not out) 7and C.Welegedara c Copeland b Johnson 2. Extras (b-2, lb-4, nb-1) 7: Total: 174 all out in 64.1 overs
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-10, 3-14, 4-57, 5-76, 6- 128, 7- 133, 8-150, 9-166
Australia Bowling (1st innings): R.Harris 16-7-38-3, T.Copeland 12-5-24-2, S.Watson 10-5-17-0, M.Johnson 15.1-1-48-2, N.Lyon 10-2-41-2, M.Hussey 1-1-0-1
Australia Batting (1st innings): S.Watson (not out) 36, P.Hughes (not out) 23. Extras (nb-1) 1: Total: 60 for no loss
Sri Lanka Bowling (1st innings): C.Welegedara 5-0-23-0, S.Lakmal 2-0-10-0, S.Prasanna 6.4-1-18-0, T.M.Dilshan 2-1-1-0, S.Randiv 2-0-4-0
