Australia reached 150-3 at the close of the opening day of the second Test yesterday, punishing Sri Lanka after the visitors had failed to build on Kumar Sangakkara’s landmark half-century to be dismissed for just 156.
Openers Ed Cowan and David Warner charged to 95 without loss, but Sri Lanka checked the hosts with three quick wickets following the drinks break in the final session at a sunbathed Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The mini-revival stalled, however, with two demoralizing dropped catches late in the day that allowed Australia captain Michael Clarke (20 not out) and Shane Watson (13 not out) to survive a watchful final hour to stumps.
Photo: AFP
Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first in glorious sunshine, but barring Sangakkara’s elegant 58, which saw him notch his 10,000th Test run, the tourists suffered a calamitous bout of stage-fright in front of a huge Boxing Day crowd of 67,000.
Only quick wickets in the morning session of day two may save Sri Lanka, with the MCG’s drop-in pitch expected to flatten out in the sun and offer less for bowlers.
“We’re definitely in a strong position. I think the two openers started exceptionally well,” seamer Mitchell Johnson, who took his 200th Test wicket and led the team’s bowling with 4-63, told reporters.
Photo: AFP
“We’re three down, we’re 150 and we’ve got a great wicket, but we’ve just got to move on from that and we have a big day ahead of us to put on some runs,” he said.
After dismissing Sri Lanka just before tea, swashbuckling opener David Warner got Australia off to a flying start, blasting eight fours and a massive six over long on off the bowling of seamer Chanaka Welegedera.
Warner despatched Sri Lanka’s pace trio to all corners of the ground before all-rounder Angelo Mathews ended his innings on 62 when he belted a pull shot straight to Dhammika Prasad in front of the rope at deep mid-wicket.
Photo: Reuters
That precipitated a minor collapse, with No. 3 batsman Phillip Hughes run out for 10 and Cowan caught behind for 36 six balls later.
Hughes fell in farcical circumstances, failing to leave his crease as Cowan charged through for a single after poking the ball to midwicket.
The misjudgement allowed Tillakaratne Dilshan enough time to fumble the ball before arrowing it back to the stumps where replacement wicketkeeper Sangakkara whipped off the bails.
Regular wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene had suffered a broken thumb.
Cowan soon brought about his own downfall with an indiscriminate swipe at a Prasad delivery that flew into the welcoming hands of Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene at second slip.
Sri Lanka failed to maintain the momentum, however, with Dilshan dropping a sharp chance from Clarke in close, with the in-form Australia captain on six.
Clarke, who became the first man to score four double-centuries in a calendar year during Australia’s lost Test series to South Africa, went on to notch his 1,500th Test run this year.
Watson, on five, edged a catch behind off the bowling of Welegedara, but Sangakkara spilled the diving chance.
It was all smiles for Australia, however, after their seamers reduced the tourists to 79-3 by lunch and took the last seven wickets for a paltry 77 runs.
Johnson, back in the side after being overlooked for Australia’s first-Test victory in Hobart, unleashed a mean spell of short-pitched bowling and missed out on a hat-trick straight after the drinks break in the middle session.
The mercurial left-armer captured his 200th Test victim with the prized wicket of Sangakkara, but had birthday-boy Matthew Wade to thank, the 25-year-old wicketkeeper bolting 50m behind the wicket to take a brilliant lunging catch after the batsman sent a top edge soaring into the heavens.
Sangakkara had earlier become the 11th batsman in Test history to reach the 10,000-run milestone and did it in style with a glorious cover drive for four off the same bowler in the final over before lunch.
The 35-year-old former captain bathed in a standing ovation and shook hands with the Australian team, but his dismissal left Sri Lanka 147-8, snuffing out their hopes of a more competitive total.
While Johnson showed venom, and enjoyed fine support from seamers Peter Siddle (2-30) and debutant Jackson Bird (2-32), Sri Lanka’s batsmen were culpable as they flashed carelessly on a wicket that deserved more respect.
“Pretty clearly we’re back to playing catch up unfortunately,” Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford said.
“We found ourselves doing that in the last Test and we’re desperate not to do it this time round, but that’s what it is.”
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely