- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR6.1 and he strikes first ball! Or does he? Yes, he does. This ball is six overs old, and turns a mile when tossed up by Herath. Watson pushes forward to defends this, the ball pitches short of a driving length, around off, and then breaks away and bounces to take the edge - a healthy one - through to P Jayawardene, who is the best wicketkeeper to spin bowling 28/19.4 What a pitch! What a beauty this Test could be. Takes off, explodes, from short of a length. It's close to off, and Hughes is committed to playing at it. The extra bounce means he has to fend at it, and it takes the shoulder of the bat before lobbing to slip. He didn't even run his fingers across this one. Let me remind you this is just the 10th over. Vicious bounce there from a length 36/236.2 Gone! Yet another start by Ponting left unconverted into a big one. Just like the last over, Ponting comes down the track and wants to go straight over Herath's head, doesn't quite get close to the pitch of the ball, this one turns more too, making him go inside out The mis-hit stands up in the air, the mid-off is deep enough to take a comfortable catch 112/424.5 Review time. Clarke is not picking the arm balls. Again pushes forward, plays for the non-existent turn, and is beaten comprehensively. Prasanna Jayawardene is so sure this is out he doesn't even look up and starts running towards the bowler. Umpire Kettleborough, though, still thinks it's not out. Sri Lanka go for the review this time, and replays show this is hitting the middle of middle stump, and Clarke hasn't even got outside the line of off. Couldn't have been plumber had he been fixing pipes. Strange he wasn't given out originally 91/386.4 Given leg-before! Again it's the straighter ball from an offspinner that has done the damage here. This pitched outside off, Hussey defended, playing for the spin, the ball went on with the arm, hit the pad, right in front of off. Kettleborough took his time, then raised the finger. Hussey reviewed it just in case. Replays say there is no just in case here 273/1053.2 Reverse swing! Timber! Khawaja's tentative stay ends. He has always shown the bowlers a tempting gap between bat and pad, and this time Welegedara sneaks through it. This is just short of a yorker length, Khawaja drives away from the body, and the late swing squeezes in to hit the stumps 157/567.3 Sharp offbreak, sharp catch! This is quick, turning in sharply, Haddin turns it around the corner... around the corner is Mathews at backward short leg who takes a smart low catch in front of him 205/676.4 soft soft dismissal after many much more menacing deliveries! This is short and wide, going wider, but Johnson goes for the pull as opposed to the cut, and gets a faint bottom edge through to PJ. It was so innocuous the slips didn't even realise he had edged it! 234/778.1 Finally they get an lbw out of Kettleborough. This takes a long internal deliberation, though. This is short outside off, Harris doesn't offer a shot, the ball seams back in sharply, and hits him just under the knee roll, just outside off. Because he was not playing a shot, the point of impact was irrelevant. To me, it looked like it would have the the top of off. Kettleborough takes his time before sending Harris on his way. Harris mulls a review, but doesn't ask for it. I tell you what, the ball projection shows this didn't come back in to hit the stumps! Even if Harris thought he was out, he should have gone for that strategic review 236/881.6 Sharp turn, simple bat-pad catch. This is flighted, draws Copeland forward, who looks to play this to leg, is not close to the pitch of the ball, gets an inside edge onto the pad, and an easy catch accrues for short leg 251/9Extras5 (b 3, lb 2)TOTAL273 all out (86.4 Overs, RR: 3.15, 347 minutes)Fall of wickets: 1-28 (Shane Watson, 6.1 ov), 2-36 (Phillip Hughes, 9.4 ov), 3-91 (Michael Clarke, 24.5 ov), 4-112 (Ricky Ponting, 36.2 ov), 5-157 (Usman Khawaja, 53.2 ov), 6-205 (Brad Haddin, 67.3 ov), 7-234 (Mitchell Johnson, 76.4 ov), 8-236 (Ryan Harris, 78.1 ov), 9-251 (Trent Copeland, 81.6 ov), 10-273 (Michael Hussey, 86.4 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB UWMBCA Welegedara 15 5 61 1 4.06 0 0 RAS Lakmal 17 2 55 3 3.23 0 0 HMRKB Herath 24 3 54 3 2.25 0 0 S Randiv 21 2 76 2 3.61 0 0 TM Dilshan 9.4 1 22 1 2.27 0 0
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR42.4 Watson continues to strike the pads, this time it is Para who has to depart, three wickets in three overs, end of Para's prolonged vigil, it kept low as it came in with the angle from round the stumps, he was caught in the crease and almost fell over as he missed the work on the leg side, that would have hit leg stump as Sri Lanka find on the review, two reviews against umpire Kettleborough off Watson, and both have been turned down 88/61.2 and he goes after the next one too, but ends up gifting Copeland his first Test wicket! Dilshan trying to take on the debutant and sticking to his way of going after pitched up deliveries outside off, this one was floated a touch wider, drew him out that much more and then moved away, the flailing drive from Dilshan flew in the air and Ricky Ponting at short cover snaps it up smoothly, that was screaming past him, Copeland roars, Dilshan walks 4/115.1 he has struck first ball, would you believe it! he has got Kumar Sangakkara, of all men, what a first Test wicket to have, off your first ball, flight from round the wicket, grip, turn, bounce, Sanga hangs out the bat away from the body, with a bit of an open face, Clarke snaps it up low with a lunge to his left at slip, superb catch, aye, aye, this is an attack being led by the debutants at the moment 24/223.1 Mahela is run out, what an absolute waste of a big wicket, shortish from round the stumps and slapped towards point off the back foot, they go for the single, but the fielder gets to the ball and lobs it off balance to Haddin who still manages to catch Mahela short of his ground, guess who it was, it was Copeland, and even if Mahela would have made it, Para could have been in trouble as he stood rooted mid-pitch watching Mahela get in to trouble at the other end, he just stood motionless, and then realised that he had to get to the other end as well 44/340.1 that is plumb, that is gone, Watto has struck with that incoming delivery, consistently getting that shape in to Thilan who was being troubled by it, chose to play from the crease, it zipped in sharply from a length, and caught him right in front, goner 87/440.5 and another one, that incoming delivery does it for Watson again, Prasanna pushes forward in defence but it comes in and hits him high on the pad, umpire Kettleborough gives him out after some thought, Sri Lanka go for the review, only to find that was hitting leg 87/547.1 bowled 'em! on the sweep, Angelo looks to sweep a very full delivery on off stump, goes down on his knee but misses the line completely, he wanted to connect on the full, couldn't, Lyon found the stumps as it turned in past Angelo, his debut just got better 100/749.1 Ponting is in the way of a screamer at short midwicket, and the ball is not going to get past him, Randiv down the track and hitting with the turn, he timed it well too, but Ponting gobbled it up easily to his left 103/947.3 another one goes, Lyon has three, Herath on the slog sweep, and finding deep midwicket, trying to hit his way out of trouble and finding it with precision in the deep 100/849.6 Lyon has five on Test match debut, and boy, has he earned the fifth one, tossed it up, it dipped and Welegedara went after it, it flew in the air to Lyon's right, but he went flying and got a hand to it, and ensured it din't pop out as he fell on the ground, almost immediately he stood up and raced away, holding the ball up 105/10Extras8 (lb 4, nb 3, w 1)TOTAL105 all out (50 Overs, RR: 2.1, 216 minutes)Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Tillakaratne Dilshan, 1.2 ov), 2-24 (Kumar Sangakkara, 15.1 ov), 3-44 (Mahela Jayawardene, 23.1 ov), 4-87 (Thilan Samaraweera, 40.1 ov), 5-87 (Prasanna Jayawardene, 40.5 ov), 6-88 (Tharanga Paranavitana, 42.4 ov), 7-100 (Angelo Mathews, 47.1 ov), 8-100 (Rangana Herath, 47.3 ov), 9-103 (Suraj Randiv, 49.1 ov), 10-105 (Chanaka Welegedara, 49.6 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB RJ Harris 8 5 6 0 0.75 1 0 TA Copeland 12 3 24 1 2.00 0 0 MG Johnson 9 1 26 0 2.88 0 2 NM Lyon 15 3 34 5 2.26 0 0 SR Watson 6 1 11 3 1.83 0 0
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR0.1 and he has the big one first ball, this match is going crazy, length ball angled across Watson, who bends the knee and goes after it, straight to a diving Thilan at gully, who snaps it up low to his right 0/115.2 Dilshan gets Hughes, who falls leg before on the sweep, Australia go for the review, it was flighted full around off stump, Hughes went down for the swing but missed, the ball seemed to straighten sharply on the replay, would that have missed off, but the ball tracker shows it going straight on with the angle and hitting leg stump, hmm, Hughes is gone anyways 61/33.2 Ponting loses his bat, and then his wicket, falls on the pull, not for the first time, another short ball, he was in better position this time, but the bat flew out of his hands as he went hard at the ball well outside off, it looped up for midwicket to settle under it, Ponting has to fetch his bat, Mahela picks it up and throws it to him,Ponting walks off, game on 5/229.2 the angle from over the stumps has worked for Herath, Clarke falls on the sweep, top-edges it as he tries to pick it from outside leg stump, it hits the rough and grips and turns, Prasanna settles under it as it comes down in front of square leg, Clarke has put Australia on top though 110/429.3 appeal for a catch at forward short leg, Hussey pushes forward, and it turns to loop off the pad in front of short leg who dives forward to snap it up low, Sri Lanka go for the review, replays show that the ball seemed to have brushed the glove on its way up after hitting the flap of the pad, Hussey walks off disappointed 110/550.1 and he has struck first ball! Full ball, swinging in late, beats his flick, pitched off, hits him in front of middle and leg. Aleem Dar has no doubt about this. Khawaja reviews the decision just in case, and he nearly gets it his way as this is a tight call on the no-ball. Just about makes it as a legal delivery. The rest is fine, though. No inside edge, hit him inside the line, would have gone on to peg the leg stump. Got to go, Usman, but an important innings, one that might just have put it beyond SL's reach 170/831.2 Herath has one more, straight to Mahela at slip, tossed up fullish on leg, Haddin presses forward, it turns sharply to take a feather on its way to Mahela 112/637.3 Johnson is gone. This one bounces a touch more than expected. Johnson went for the slog sweep, this pitched on a length, took a piece of the pitch with it as it bounced, and took the top edge for a simple catch for PJ 130/753.3 and immediately he gets the wicket! Flighted on middle and leg, Harris plays a scorching straight drive, but in the air, and straight into Herath's lap. That's a five-for for Herath. And a valuable hand from Harris 178/959.2 Lyon has found long-on! This was full, he charged at Dilshan and lofted down the ground. Doesn't time it well, and picks out Samaraweera. Dilshan won't be too excited because in ten minutes he has to start chasing 379! 210/10Extras10 (b 4, lb 4, nb 2)TOTAL210 all out (59.2 Overs, RR: 3.53, 240 minutes)Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Shane Watson, 0.1 ov), 2-5 (Ricky Ponting, 3.2 ov), 3-61 (Phillip Hughes, 15.2 ov), 4-110 (Michael Clarke, 29.2 ov), 5-110 (Michael Hussey, 29.3 ov), 6-112 (Brad Haddin, 31.2 ov), 7-130 (Mitchell Johnson, 37.3 ov), 8-170 (Usman Khawaja, 50.1 ov), 9-178 (Ryan Harris, 53.3 ov), 10-210 (Nathan Lyon, 59.2 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB UWMBCA Welegedara 6 3 13 2 2.16 0 0 RAS Lakmal 8 3 23 1 2.87 0 2 HMRKB Herath 23 3 79 5 3.43 0 0 S Randiv 14 3 61 0 4.35 0 0 TM Dilshan 8.2 1 26 2 3.12 0 0
- BATSMENRBM4s6sSR0.1 appeal for lbw first ball, given! My first reaction was this might have pitched outside leg. Paranavitana seemed happy with the call, and walked off. Harris has got really close to the stumps to negate that angle, pitches this within the stumps, and the ball stays a touch low to catch Para on the crease and in front of off. So everything right with the decision, and Australia are on their way. In fact my first instinct was correct: replays show more than half the ball pitching outside leg 0/16.2 Timber! Seams back in between the bat and pad. That gap is accentuated with Dilshan because he doesn't like to get the front foot across. Length ball outside off, Dilshan shapes up to drive, but it seams back in, and he seems like a hare in the headlights. The bat comes down late, the front foot is in front of leg, and the stumps are disturbed 15/224.5 That's a brute! What do you do with this? Watson digs this in short of a length, it is the effort ball, but it also explodes off the pitch. It is angling in too from wide of the crease so he has to play at it. The ball takes the handle of the bat for an easy catch to gully. Yes the pitch played a part in the dismissal, but you have to also appreciate that Watson went wide of the crease and bowled the effort ball 52/386.1 Harris has found that wicket. He is thrilled. This is the wicket. Mahela is gone after an outstanding century. Harris has persisted - with old ball or new - at that fifth or sixth stumps line, getting the ball to either nip back in or hold its line. Mahela has been defending them solidly. This being the new ball, it nips back a touch more than he expects, and it takes the inside edge onto the leg stump 210/629.6 He has edged it while leaving it! Johnson's first wicket of the match, and it's a real gift. This is a regulation length ball, angled across, Samaraweera gets a stride in, and is late in starting to shoulder arms. The ball takes the edge, and Australia are pumped 63/434.3 There's the pair! The middle stump is out of the ground. PJ is tentative defending this shortish delivery outside off. It nips back in through the gate and takes the middle stump. It has actually taken the inside edge. PJ's second pair. Both have come against Australia 68/594.1 And Watto does it again! This is smart bowling. Not sure if this was intended to be a slower ball, but it comes at 124ks, Mathews sees a length ball, and thinks this is the ball to get to his hundred. He is well early into the shot, and the off stump is pegged back. Once again, he is dismissed in the 90s. The team-mates stand up and applaud him, but so gutted is he he doesn't even raise his bat on the way back. Even that last 90 came in a losing cause, perhaps he is saving the hundred for a win 249/989.1 Johnson finally bowls his perfect line and length, especially for a tailender. Short, into the ribs/chest area, around off, rising all the time, and Randiv fends it to second slip 221/792.3 Rangana has pulled this straight to short midwicket. Mathews on 93 stands alone at non-striker's and looks down at the ground. Harris gets a deserved Michelle. This is short, angling in, and the limp pull shot goes straight down Copeland's throat 242/895.5 There it is. A big win for Australia. Lakmal gives him the charge, never gets to the pitch of it, and heaves, seemingly over mid-on. Johnson, though, runs back, and takes it almost over his shoulder 253/10Extras3 (b 1, lb 1, w 1)TOTAL253 all out (95.5 Overs, RR: 2.64, 385 minutes)Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Tharanga Paranavitana, 0.1 ov), 2-15 (Tillakaratne Dilshan, 6.2 ov), 3-52 (Kumar Sangakkara, 24.5 ov), 4-63 (Thilan Samaraweera, 29.6 ov), 5-68 (Prasanna Jayawardene, 34.3 ov), 6-210 (Mahela Jayawardene, 86.1 ov), 7-221 (Suraj Randiv, 89.1 ov), 8-242 (Rangana Herath, 92.3 ov), 9-249 (Angelo Mathews, 94.1 ov), 10-253 (Suranga Lakmal, 95.5 ov)
Bowling O M R W Econ WD NB RJ Harris 20 5 62 5 3.10 1 0 TA Copeland 16 6 20 0 1.25 0 0 MG Johnson 19 6 56 2 2.94 0 0 NM Lyon 19.5 2 73 1 3.68 0 0 MJ Clarke 6 0 16 0 2.66 0 0 SR Watson 13 6 19 2 1.46 0 0 RT Ponting 2 0 5 0 2.50 0 0
Match Details
Toss
Player Of The Match
Series result
Match number
Season
Hours of play (local time)
Match days
Test debut
TV Umpires
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee
Close of Play
- Wed, 31 Aug - day 1 - Australia 1st innings 273
- Thu, 1 Sep - day 2 - Australia 2nd innings 115/6 (UT Khawaja 2*, MG Johnson 3*, 33.5 ov)
- Fri, 2 Sep - day 3 - Sri Lanka 2nd innings 120/5 (DPMD Jayawardene 57*, AD Mathews 32*, 52 ov)
- Sat, 3 Sep - day 4 - Sri Lanka 2nd innings 253 (95.5 ov) - end of match
Match Notes
- Rain: Sri Lanka - 126/5 in 55.3 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 58, AD Mathews 37)
- AD Mathews: 50 off 89 balls (7 x 4)
- Sri Lanka: 150 runs in 63.6 overs (384 balls), Extras 2
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 151/5 in 65.0 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 68, AD Mathews 52)
- 6th Wicket: 100 runs in 215 balls (DPMD Jayawardene 41, AD Mathews 57, Ex 2)
- Lunch: Sri Lanka - 187/5 in 78.0 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 90, AD Mathews 66)
- New Ball Taken: Sri Lanka 190/5 after 80.1 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 92, AD Mathews 67)
- DPMD Jayawardene: 100 off 229 balls (14 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Sri Lanka: 200 runs in 83.6 overs (504 balls), Extras 2
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 242/8 in 92.3 overs (AD Mathews 93)
- Sri Lanka: 250 runs in 94.3 overs (567 balls), Extras 3
- Wet Ground: Australia - 115/6 in 33.5 overs (UT Khawaja 2, MG Johnson 3)
- Rain: Australia - 115/6 in 33.5 overs (UT Khawaja 2, MG Johnson 3)
- Lunch: Australia - 115/6 in 33.5 overs (UT Khawaja 2, MG Johnson 3)
- Australia: 150 runs in 42.3 overs (256 balls), Extras 8
- Over 46.2: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - RJ Harris (Struck down)
- Drinks: Australia - 170/8 in 50.1 overs (RJ Harris 19)
- Over 50.1: Review by Australia (Batting), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - UT Khawaja (Struck down)
- Australia: 200 runs in 56.2 overs (340 balls), Extras 10
- Innings Break: Australia - 210/10 in 59.2 overs (TA Copeland 23)
- Sri Lanka 2nd innings
- Over 0.2: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - KC Sangakkara (Struck down)
- Tea: Sri Lanka - 34/2 in 19.0 overs (KC Sangakkara 11, DPMD Jayawardene 11)
- Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 23.1 overs (139 balls), Extras 0
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 63/4 in 32.0 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 34, HAPW Jayawardene 0)
- DPMD Jayawardene: 50 off 110 balls (8 x 4)
- Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 41.2 overs (248 balls), Extras 2
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 105/5 in 44.0 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 54, AD Mathews 20)
- 6th Wicket: 50 runs in 102 balls (DPMD Jayawardene 17, AD Mathews 31, Ex 2)
- End Of Day: Sri Lanka - 120/5 in 52.0 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 57, AD Mathews 32)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 24/1 in 15.0 overs (NT Paranavitana 6, KC Sangakkara 10)
- Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 27.6 overs (168 balls), Extras 5
- Lunch: Sri Lanka - 54/3 in 30.0 overs (NT Paranavitana 17, TT Samaraweera 7)
- Over 30.0: Review by Sri Lanka (Batting), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - NT Paranavitana (Upheld)
- Over 40.5: Review by Sri Lanka (Batting), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - HAPW Jayawardene (Struck down)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 88/6 in 42.4 overs (AD Mathews 0)
- Over 42.4: Review by Sri Lanka (Batting), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - NT Paranavitana (Struck down)
- Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 46.3 overs (281 balls), Extras 8
- Innings Break: Sri Lanka - 105/10 in 50.0 overs (RAS Lakmal 2)
- Australia 2nd innings
- Drinks: Australia - 47/2 in 12.0 overs (PJ Hughes 24, MJ Clarke 17)
- Australia: 50 runs in 12.5 overs (78 balls), Extras 2
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 64 balls (PJ Hughes 26, MJ Clarke 26, Ex 1)
- Tea: Australia - 0/0
- Over 15.2: Review by Australia (Batting), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - PJ Hughes (Struck down)
- Over 20.4: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - MJ Clarke (Struck down)
- Over 21.3: Review by Australia (Batting), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - MJ Clarke (Upheld)
- MJ Clarke: 50 off 54 balls (5 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Australia: 100 runs in 23.3 overs (142 balls), Extras 3
- Drinks: Australia - 100/3 in 25.0 overs (MJ Clarke 54, MEK Hussey 11)
- Over 29.3: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - MEK Hussey (Upheld)
- Rain: Australia - 115/6 in 33.5 overs (UT Khawaja 2, MG Johnson 3)
- End Of Day: Australia - 115/6 in 33.5 overs (UT Khawaja 2, MG Johnson 3)
- Australia 1st innings
- Wet Ground: Australia - 0/0
- Drinks: Australia - 36/2 in 9.4 overs (RT Ponting 2)
- Australia: 50 runs in 14.3 overs (87 balls), Extras 0
- Lunch: Australia - 76/2 in 22.0 overs (RT Ponting 21, MJ Clarke 21)
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 84 balls (RT Ponting 28, MJ Clarke 23, Ex 0)
- Over 24.5: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - MJ Clarke (Upheld)
- Australia: 100 runs in 30.3 overs (183 balls), Extras 1
- Drinks: Australia - 118/4 in 39.0 overs (MEK Hussey 15, UT Khawaja 1)
- Over 44.1: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - UT Khawaja (Struck down)
- Australia: 150 runs in 51.1 overs (307 balls), Extras 1
- Over 51.6: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - MEK Hussey (Struck down)
- Tea: Australia - 157/5 in 53.2 overs (MEK Hussey 34)
- MEK Hussey: 50 off 115 balls (5 x 4)
- Australia: 200 runs in 67.1 overs (403 balls), Extras 1
- Drinks: Australia - 206/6 in 69.0 overs (MEK Hussey 59, MG Johnson 0)
- Australia: 250 runs in 80.3 overs (483 balls), Extras 3
- Drinks: Australia - 250/8 in 81.0 overs (MEK Hussey 74, TA Copeland 12)
- Innings Break: Australia - 273/10 in 86.4 overs (NM Lyon 0)
- Over 86.4: Review by Australia (Batting), Umpire - RA Kettleborough, Batsman - MEK Hussey (Struck down)
- Sri Lanka 1st innings
- Bad Light: Sri Lanka - 0/0
- End Of Day: Sri Lanka - 0/0
Australia tour of Sri Lanka 2011 News
SLC gets official warning for Galle pitch
The ICC has given Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) an official warning for preparing a "poor" pitch in Galle for the first Test against Australia that was played from August 31-September 3
'My focus was on how I was going to score off every ball'
Mahela Jayawardene's recent fourth-innings hundred in Galle was one for the ages, produced over nearly four hours in conditions favouring the bowling side. He looks back at what went into the knock
Plane tales from the hills
Galle to Colombo? Our fearless correspondent takes an unconventional mode of transport and lives to tell the tale
The left-hand advantage in Sri Lanka
Overseas left-hand batsmen have been far more successful in Sri Lanka than their right-hand counterparts
Johnson 'hasn't lost his mojo' - Clarke
Australia's captain, Michael Clarke, does not believe Mitchell Johnson is past his best, but he has conceded the selectors will face a tough decision on which fast men to play in the first Test in South Africa