Australia yesterday completed victory over a disappointing Sri Lanka by an innings and 40 runs in the first Test in Brisbane.
Led by a brilliant display of fast bowling from Pat Cummins, Australia dominated Sri Lanka, who never came to terms with the pace and bounce of the Gabba wicket in the day-night match.
They made 144 in their first innings and just 139 in the second in reply to Australia’s first-innings total of 323.
Photo: EPA-EFE
Cummins took a career-best 6-23 in the second innings and 10 in the match to lead the hosts to a win inside three days. He was well supported by debutante Jhye Richardson, who took 2-19 to go with the 3-26 he claimed in the first innings.
“If Pat bowls like he bowled in this Test match against anyone, he’s going to take wickets,” Australia captain Tim Paine said. “I thought he was just relentless with his line and length.”
After starting their second innings 179 runs behind, Sri Lanka’s batsmen never looked like making Australia bat a second time, slumping to 19-3 and 35-4.
Sri Lanka captain Dinesh Chandimal said the batting was simply not good enough to compete at this level.
“Our batting was below-par throughout the game, so that’s the one area we’ll have to improve,” he said.
NEW ZEALAND, INDIA
AFP, MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand
India’s opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan yesterday produced yet another century stand to set up a 90-run win in the second one-day international against New Zealand.
Sharma put their winning effort at Mount Maunganui down to “a great camaraderie” after the pair put on 154 for the first wicket at better than a run-a-ball. The flying start laid the platform for India’s 324-4 before Kuldeep Yadav weaved his magic with the ball to roll New Zealand for 234.
Sharma (87) and Dhawan (66) were rarely troubled in their stay at the crease.
Virat Kohli (43) and Ambati Rayudu (47) were unable to lift the run rate above run-a-ball pace with accurate bowling by New Zealand for most of the final 10 overs, but strike hitting by M.S. Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav pillaged 35 from the final two overs.
Although New Zealand matched the required run rate through the first half of their innings, none of the top-order batsmen settled. All-rounder Doug Bracewell top scored for New Zealand with 57 off 46 deliveries.
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