Australia had arrived in Sri Lanka as the top Test team with 118 points to play the three-match Test series.
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The tale was all too familiar as hosts Sri Lanka wrapped up a historic 3-0 whitewash against Australia, romping home by 163 runs against a side that was sitting at the top of the Test rankings when they landed in the country.
Australia had reached Colombo as number team with 118 points, but consecutive defeats of 106 runs in Pallekele, 229 runs in Galle and 163 runs in Colombo, they joined England on 108 points but is ranked above Alastair Cook’s side, while Sri Lanka has jumped to 95 points. While the pair took seven wickets apiece, Lyon had Partnership-Breaking Impact and was more economical.
Sri Lanka were as good in the second innings as they were in the first.
Set 324 for victory, Australia briefly dreamed of a consolation win while David Warner was moving briskly to 68.
Rangan Herath claimed a 13-wicket match haul to bag the man-of-the-match award. Before this series, Sri Lanka had beaten Australia just once – one single Test in 33 years of cricket between the nations.
It was a chastening experience for the Baggy Greens who have traditionally struggled in Asian conditions but were expected to cope with a new-look Sri Lanka team.
Herath, 38, recorded figures of 6/81 and 7/64 in the Colombo Test, which has helped him to move three places up to fifth in the latest rankings which were released on Thursday morning.
The One Day International series will begin on Sunday (21) at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with the first of five games. They returned to attack with spin from both ends but Warner played with characteristic aggression, underlined when he sent a de Silva full toss into the stands for a massive six. “He has been a great team man as well”.
India now is on the tour of West Indies and lead the 4 match test series 2-0.
The left-arm spinner has already called it quits in ODI and T20 cricket and has hinted that retirement from Tests is not far away but indicated on Wednesday that he wanted to add to his tally of 332 wickets.
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“I haven’t decided anything on Tests, we will go series by series”.
