Australia v Sri Lanka – 2nd Test – Match Recap – Pacers put Australia in dominant position on day one

Australia v Sri Lanka – 2nd Test – Match Recap – Pacers put Australia in dominant position on day one
Led by Mitchell Johnson, Australia’s bowling attack enabled the team to maintain a firm upper-hand over the
touring Sri Lankan team, skittling them out for a paltry first innings total of 156 on the first day of their second Test, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground today on December 26. The home team’s batsmen, in turn, barely stumbled during their first innings, as they reached 150 for 3 by stumps on day one, trailing by just 6 runs, with 7 wickets still in hand.

The match kicked off with Sri Lanka winning the toss and choosing to bat first – however, Johnson and co did not allow them to do justice to the decision. Launching a fierce attack, Australia’s Johnson (14-2-63-4) led the charge, and was supported by the efforts of debutant Jackson Bird (13-5-32-2), Peter Siddle (8-1-30-2), and Nathan Lyon (5.4-0-23-2). Shane Watson remained wicketless, but managed to bowl an extremely economical spell, conceding just 3 runs in 3 overs.

Kumar Sangakkara remained the only batsmen who succeeded in offering some resistance to Australia’s attack, while the rest of the batsmen remained disappointingly lacklustre. Opener Dimuth Karunaratne was the first to go, snapped up by Bird in the 4th over as his first international Test wicket, after a mere 5-run contribution.

Sri Lanka had barely recovered when Johnson swept in to take Tillakaratne Dilshan (11) out of the game, and Siddle followed it up with the dismissal of skipper Mahela Jayawardene (3), reducing the tourists to a shaky 37 for 3. Having come in at number 3, Sangakkara made valiant attempts to get the team’s innings back on track with a 58-run contribution – however none of the remaining batsmen succeeded in joining him for a lasting partnership.

Thilan Samaraweera (10), Angelo Mathews (15), and Prasanna Jayawardene (24) all managed to reach double figures, but failed to convert them into sizeable contributions. Samaraweera and Mathews were sent packing by Bird, and Siddle respectively, and Johnson added to the Lankans’ woes by snapping up Prasanna Jayawardene and Dhammika Prasad (0) in the 39th over.

Sangakkara was dislodged by Johnson two overs later, leaving the visitors at 147 for 8. Lyon mopped up the tail by sending both Rangana Herath (14) and Chanaka Welegedara (0) back to the pavilion in the 44th over, and Sri Lanka finished all out for a first innings total of 156.

Australia then stepped up to the crease for their first innings, and openers Ed Cowan (36) and David Warner (62 off 46) got them off to a steady start with a 95-run opening partnership. Warner was eventually picked up by Mathews, but Cowan powered on. He was joined by Phillip Hughes (10) and the two batsmen got their team total up to 117, after which both were dismissed in successive overs – Hughes via run out, and Cowan off Prasad.

However, Australia did not appear at a disadvantage at any point, and by stumps on day one, with Shane Watson (13*) and skipper Michael Clarke (20*) at the crease, the hosts finished at 150 for 3, perfectly poised to start building a substantial lead on day two.