Sri Lanka vs Australia First Test Debate

The Lanka-Aus first test match is underway, on a turning track.
Trent Copland and Australia's latest spinner Nathan Lyon are having their debuts. Kawaja gets a game ahead of Marsh as well.

For Sri Lanka, Angelo Mathews is back, and they have left Ajantha Mendis and went for Herath and Randiv in the spin department.
Will Australia turn a corner in their redevelopment process? Will Sri Lanka remain the tiger at home?

Australia have already lost Watson and guess who? of course Phil Hughes.
but it has to be said, both of them got real good balls. Herath was into the attack as early as the 7th over and he struck first ball, getting Watson of a vicious turner.
Hughes got a brute of a ball from Lakmal that bounced on him to find the edge.

Ponting is looking solid though, and he is looking to be positive, trying to make use of every scoring opportunity. Not a bad approach on a track where the ball is turning a mile already, first hour, first day.

A good first session for Australia IMO given the variable bounce and sharp turn.There will also definitely be some reverse swing later on.

This is going to be a cracking Test Match.

Even session for me, but Lanka need a wicket very soon.
Clarke, although he has shown sound footwork, has been a bit edgy, and had Dilshan opted for a review on that Herath LBW shout, he would have been gone.
Ponting doing a good solid job though, Lanka need to pocket his wicket at the earliest.

Clarke gone, 2nd wicket for Herath. Plumb LBW to Herath, given out on review.

Clarke gone to a Herath arm-ball. Plumb lbw, by all accounts, yet was given not out by the umpire. Over turned on review. 95-3.

aussies struggling on 116-4, khwwajla first ball attempts a swish at one, and gets away with it

I was off for a while, and when I am back, Lanka have picked the big wicket of Ricky Ponting. Got a start, and then hold out to mid-off. huge challege for young Kawaja!.

randiv into the attack, and about time, why did dilshan bowl before him....

is hiflenhaus in the squad?

133-4, slow progress from the aussies

khwaajla gone, bowled 157-5

Australia in trouble, but the pitch is doing plenty, so if they can somehow scramble up to 275-300 from here they'll feel in the game. Great move by Jayawardene to stand up to the seamers to Haddin here, his footwork suddenly looking unsure.

Ausstralia 5 ddown for 179 now, Hussey is ffighting it out, and he's got Haddin for company. Herath has been the pickkk of the bowlers, but the seamers have given him good support so faar. Has Dilllshan overbowled himself a touch?? Randiv should have more overs under hiss belllt by now. And Angelo too.

aussies struggling spinners bowling well

A typical hardworking 50 from Mike Hussey on a dificult track. A very crucial innings indeed.

one has to ask why welegedra was in the attack as long as he was?

Should Lanka have played Ajantha Mendis ahead of Randiv?
Haddin trying to take the attack to Randiv, lofting him for a lovely 6.

Thought Welegedara bowled reasonably well, the ball that got Kawaja reverse swung, may be that is one reason why he was on the attack for an extended spel.

Have a feeling Angelo's cutters can be effective on this track.

Seems like a clear plan, they are targeting Randiv. Now Hussey hits him over the boundary!!.

Randiv comesback, Haddin gone!!.
Which version of Mitch J is going to turn up?

the aussies will get smashed around with the attack they have picked.

khwayjla failed again, so in 3 innings since coming into the side, his high score is 37, which the aussies went crazy about

Don't have much hopes from the Latest to turn up as a spinner for Australia, but I have a feeling the new seamer may go some way in Australian cricket.

Think its too early to judge Kawaja.

this pitch still isnt turning as much as cardiff did,

when the aussies couldnt get jimmy and monty out

Yeah you can't judge someone on just 3 innings, either against a world class bowling attack (England) or in very testing conditions (Sri Lanka).

CF, Khawajas only played 3 innings, give him a break. Talented player he'll come good

Looking forward to seeing how Trent Copeland will get on in Aussies new look bowling attack

Randiv has been pretty poor today I think. Hussey has really got after him. Been a lovely innings from Hussey, how did they ever come close to dropping him?

cricketfan90 wrote:khwayjla failed again, so in 3 innings since coming into the side, his high score is 37, which the aussies went crazy about

Nice to see the aussies were raving about that 37

Liam_Main wrote:CF, Khawajas only played 3 innings, give him a break. Talented player he'll come good

Mark Ramprakask was a talented player, some people just can't hack test cricket. Too early to tell though.

lol australia bowled out on day 1 on a flat pitch

nothing flat about this pitch cf, ball was turning a fair bit, and misbehaving a little off the pacemen too. SL won't want to chase too many in the 4th innings so will be looking for 400 minimum you suspect

sri lanka didnt use their reviews particuarly good today.

No way was it a flat track, but I am sure Australia will be disappointed. You can't judge a first innings total until the other team also bats. Sri Lanka should be looking for a strong first innings performance, anything above 400, so that batting last won't be a trouble.

sri lanka usually have the most flat batting pitches in world cricket.

be intresting to see how the aussie debutant spinner does

Nice first ball wicket for Lyon... only the 14th person in the history of the game

Watson is proving to be quite a handful!. Now we can see Hussey's knock in better perspective.
Also shows how Dilshan missed a trick by not bowling Angelo Mathews.
Now's Angelo's moment, will he step up??

Another one for Lyon. Yes, Watson has it on a string at the moment.

Can he finish with a 5fer on debut?

how many has lyon got?

Yes he can. Brilliant caught & bowled. SL all out 105.

Lyon 5/34 off 15 overs

Excellent debut performance from Lyon!!. Considering he only played 5 FC games before this one, this is a superb performance.
Too early to judge him either way, but the Australians at last have got something to hope for in the spin department. Now its up to the selectors, don't cast him aside after his first failure. Also realize he's not Shane Warne.

well bowled lyon, but a pathetic effort from the sri lankan batting line up.

Dredful batting from the Lankans though. Just like Australia's 273 was not due to the pitch alone, there is more to Lanka's batting disaster than the pitch. terrible shot selection, terrible running.