Kumar Sangakkara became the second Sri Lankan to reach the 10,000-run
milestone in Tests but there was little else for Sri Lanka to celebrate
as they were bundled out for 156 on Boxing Day at the MCG. It was a
terribly disappointing result for the visitors after Mahela Jayawardene
chose to bat and although Mitchell Johnson and his colleagues bowled
well, many of the Sri Lankan batsmen had only themselves to blame,
throwing their wickets away with loose shots.
Sangakkara's 58 was the only innings of note and while several of his
team-mates made starts none showed the patience required against good
bowling. Sri Lanka went to lunch at 3 for 79 and lost their final seven
wickets in the second session for the addition of only 77 runs as
Johnson rattled several players with his short deliveries and Peter
Siddle and the debutant Jackson Bird were rewarded for their accuracy.
The final two wickets went to the offspinner Nathan Lyon, who had
Rangana Herath caught off a top-edged sweep at fine leg for 14 and two
balls later had Chanaka Welegedara taken at long-on. It was a rapid end
for the Sri Lankans, who were relying heavily on Sangakkara to steer
them to a competitive score. However, when he top-edged a hook off
Johnson and was brilliantly taken by Matthew Wade, who sprinted
two-thirds of the way to the boundary and dived to reach the dropping
ball, Sri Lanka were in serious bother at 8 for 147.
That was Johnson's 200th Test wicket and he joined elite company as the
seventh Australian to the milestone of 200 Test wickets and 1000 runs.
He had provided some awkward moments for the Sri Lankans during a spell
full of quick bouncers and at one stage was on a hat-trick after he had
Prasanna Jayawardene (24) caught at third slip fending a snorter of a
short ball and Dhammika Prasad caught behind off another bouncer next
ball.
The hat-trick delivery was set up to be a bouncer, with a leg gully,
short leg, four slips and a gully, but Johnson instead went for a
good-length ball on off, which Herath defended. In any case, the bowler
overstepped and it was called a no-ball. But Johnson had certainly
provided some spark for Australia after a brief rally from Sangakkara
and Prasanna Jayawardene following the dismissal of Angelo Mathews.
Mathews flashed wildly at a Siddle ball outside off and his edge was
snapped up by Hussey at second slip. It was a catch that required
outstanding reflexes, but it was also one that arrived only because of
an atrocious shot from Mathews. Thilan Samaraweera was equally guilty
when he went for a hook off Bird straight after lunch and lobbed a
top-edged catch to midwicket for 10. It was uncharacteristic of
Samaraweera but characteristic of Sri Lanka's day.
Before lunch, Bird struck in his second over with the new ball when he
angled a ball across the left-hander Dimuth Karunaratne (5) and nipped
it away off the seam, and the thick edge was snapped up by the
wicketkeeper Wade. Bird was very impressive in his initial Test spells,
hitting a nagging line and length and offering few scoring opportunities
for the batsmen.
More runs came off Johnson, but he also picked up an important wicket
when Tillakaratne Dilshan stood flat-footed and tried to heave a
delivery from just outside off stump through the leg side. Dilshan, on
11 at the time, succeeded only in inside-edging the ball back onto his
stumps and it was a particularly ugly dismissal for a man who was fresh
from a century in the first Test in Hobart.
Siddle also broke through when Mahela Jayawardene, who had been tied
down, drove at a ball that moved away slightly and edged behind for 3
from 26 balls. It was a fine start for the Australians, who were led by
Michael Clarke after he was passed fit having suffered a hamstring
injury while batting in the first Test in Hobart.
The only highlight for Sri Lanka was when Sangakkara brought up his
10,000th run in the final over before lunch with a square drive for four
off Johnson and received a hug from Samaraweera and a round of applause
from the Australian players. Sangakkara was the equal fastest to the
milestone, reaching it in his 195th Test innings, the same as Sachin
Tendulkar and Brian Lara, and one innings quicker than Ricky Ponting.
Sangakkara began cautiously and had 12 from 36 balls when he decided to
take on Johnson's fuller deliveries, driving him for three consecutive
boundaries. It was an encouraging counter-attack from Sangakkara after
Sri Lanka struggled to 3 for 37 in the 13th over, but he struggled to
have the same impact after lunch.
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