Fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz took seven second-innings wickets yesterday as Australia beat Sri Lanka by 149 runs inside three days of the first cricket test.
Sri Lanka, set a target of 312 for victory at Marrara Oval, could only manage 162 second-innings runs before being bowled out shortly after tea Saturday. Australia had scored 207 and 201 runs in its innings while Sri Lanka opened with just 97, one of the lowest test scores in its history.
Kasprowicz took 7-39 -- his best figures in Australia and the second-best total of his limited test career. Australia has now recorded four straight wins over Sri Lanka after sweeping the March series 3-0 in Sri Lanka.
PHOTO: AFP
"Kasprowicz was great today," said acting captain Adam Gilchrist, subbing for Ricky Ponting, who did not play due to a death in his family.
"It just shows you what a great group of fast bowlers we've got to choose from," Gilchrist said.
The only resistance from Sri Lanka came in the form of a 79-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Mahela Jayawardene (44) and Thilan Samaraweera (32). The pair carried the score from 30 to 109.
But Kasprowicz wiped out any chance of a Sri Lankan comeback when he broke the stand by claiming the wicket of Samaraweera in the first over of his second spell.
He then worked his way through Sri Lanka's middle and lower order.
The match marked Glenn McGrath's return to the Australian lineup for the first time in nearly a year following ankle surgery. He took seven wickets in two innings and was named man of the match.
Gilchrist, who top-scored for the match with 80 in Australia's second innings, registered his second victory as Australian captain. Ponting will be back for the second and final test in Cairns starting July 9.
The match aggregate of 667 runs made it one of the lowest-scoring tests in Australia.
Gilchrist said that with 40 wickets falling in 2 1-2 days, Cricket Australia must do something about the state of the Marrara Oval pitch if it wants test cricket to thrive in northern Australia.
"I don't think the wicket was quite up to test standard," Gilchrist said.
"It's pretty obvious when a test finishes like that with the quality of batsmen around in both teams it's not quite up to standard."
Marrara Oval has now hosted two tests which both rank among the 25 lowest-scoring tests in Australia. A total of 682 runs were scored in the inaugural test in Darwin between Australia and Bangladesh last year.
Sri Lanka coach John Dyson also criticized the pitch.
"Australia don't get bowled out for 200 twice very often at all," Dyson said.
``When that happens it should tell you something about the wicket,'' he added. "When the test match finishes in three days that should also tell you something about the wicket. A good game of test cricket you would expect to go into the fifth day."
Sri Lanka was playing without Muttiah Muralitharan, the world record holder for test wickets, who decided not to come to Australia for personal reasons.
Captain Marvan Atapattu said veteran bowler Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga, making his test debut, were the stars for Sri Lanka, taking seven and six wickets respectively for the match.
"He has much to carry without Murali, but he came up to our expectations," Atapattu said of Vaas.
Malinga's total included four second-inning Australian wickets.
"With his slinging action, he is that much harder to pick," Atapattu said of Malinga. "He will be good in the coming years for Sri Lanka."
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and