Aussies rout Sri Lanka by 10 wickets to take 1-0 series lead
Cameron Green the player of the match receiving his cash award from SLC Head of Administration Aruna de Silva at the presentation ceremony held at Galle International cricket stadium yesterday.
Cameron Green the player of the match receiving his cash award from SLC Head of Administration Aruna de Silva at the presentation ceremony held at Galle International cricket stadium yesterday.
Sri Lanka team led by Dimuth Karunaratne gave a very disappointing performance when they lost to Australia by ten wickets within two days and one session yesterday . It was all over before lunch as Australia won the first test played at Galle International cricket stadium yesterday to take 1-0 series lead.
On the second day three hours and five minutes was lost due to heavy rain and strong winds Otherwise it could have finished even more early yesterday with Aussie spinners continuing their dominance over Sri Lanka batsmen on this Galle wicket.
Australia continuing from 313 for 8 wickets were all out for 321 and paceman Asitha Fernando took last two wickets and Aussies added only 8 runs and were bowled out within 11 balls and they were ahead by 109 runs.
Sri Lanka came to the middle but that couldn’t work out their plan to get more runs to put pressure on the opponents. Aussie spinners once again got much turn on this surface to strangle Sri Lanka top order. Dimuth Karunaratne the skipper had a clear intention to attack and get a lead but experienced off spinner Nathan Lyon, leg spinner Mitchell Swepson and time part time off spinner Travis Head came to the front by making an early breakthrough to bundle out Sri Lanka for just 113 runs in 22.5 overs five minutes before lunch leaving Australia with an easy target of five runs to seal victory while David Warner hit a boundary and a six over mid wicket off Ramesh Mendis first over of the innings and only four balls was enough to win the game with Aussies taking a 1-0 lead of the two match series.
Nathan Lyon who took5 for 90 in the first innings once again took 4 for 31 while part timer Travis Head who bowled just 2.5 overs gave away 10 runs taking four wickets well supported by leg spinner Mitchell Swepson finished with 2 for 34 shared all ten wickets with the space of 20.1 overs. The paceman Mitchell Starc bowled only two overs during the second innings.
The Aussie spinners dominated the game but Cameron Green who stroked a fine knock of 77 on this turning track was adjudged the man of the match .
The second test between Sri Lanka and Australia will be played from July 8th at the same venue at Galle and Sri Lanka are under pressure with this big defeat with in two and half days.