Mitchell Marsh (31) showed positive intent, running hard between wickets and helping himself to five boundaries before becoming left-arm Chinaman bowler Lakshan Sandakan’s maiden test victim. We now need to put in consistent performances, both at home and away, to continue to be successful and keep the number one ranking.
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Their overnight score of 66-2 quickly became 70-4, but Marsh and Voges restored some control with a patient partnership that took Australia past Sri Lanka’s meagre first innings total of 117.
“We’d like to turn that around”, said Smith, the world’s top-ranked Test batsman.
Australia was then well served by handy contributions from the lower order, with Steve O’Keefe (23), Starc (11) and Nathan Lyon (17) all hanging around to swell the lead, and make a significant dent in a match dominated by bowlers and affected by the weather.
The smaller island nation has won just a single Test against the larger in their playing history, and that when Australia’s friendly fire saw Jason Gillespie and Steve Waugh shoot off to hospital in a military helicopter.
Murali’s work as a spin-bowling consultant ended on the eve of the Test, as he did not want to be seen in Australia’s dressingroom during the series.
Pallekele: Australia will play two spinners in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Pallekele on Tuesday, captain Steve Smith said as the world’s top-ranked side eye a turnaround in their poor record on the slow pitches in Asia.
SL has been losing against Australia when they had many of their star players like Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Chaminda Vaas and Sanath Jayasuriya so now with the absence of these legendary players it’s surely not going to be easy for them to beat the Australian team.
That, says Warner, could lead to the series being a “big grind”, with the two captains employing “boring fields”. There was no let up from Australia and Sri Lanka’s first innings was wrapped up inside 35 overs, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon taking three wickets apiece.
“We don’t know much about these guys”.
Rangana Herath picked up key wickets at regular intervals.
Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera have been ruled out while Suranga Lakmal is also doubtful due to an ankle complaint.
“It has been a very frustrating few months”, Mathews said.
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Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (24) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, which has lost its last two Test series in New Zealand and England. “I thought we were quite patient and bowled the usual great lines and lengths”. The ball did go reverse (swing) a little bit and they’re probably the conditions we’re going to face here.
