Australia v Sri Lanka – 2nd Test – 3rd Day’s Summary
Sri Lanka 174 v Australia 411/7 (132.0 ov) - Australia lead by 237 runs with 3 wickets remaining in the 1st innings
Australia after having ended the second day of the second Test against hosts Sri Lanka began the third day’s proceedings at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium aiming to add runs to their overnight tally of 264 for three wickets.
From the Aussies, it was http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MEK-Hussey-c1942 to take the field who had ended the second day with 87 and 76 runs. Both the batsmen looked well focussed to score a ton against the Sri Lankans.
On the other hand, the Lankans knew that they needed to break the partnership to get back in the game; however, the two batsmen were in no mood to give-up on an opportunity of a life time to score a humongous partnership against a team which is extremely
dangerous while playing at home.
However, the Australians showed that they were well equipped to play under the subcontinent conditions as they batted blatantly to reach their centuries.
It was veteran Michael Hussey who reached his ton first in the 102nd over of the innings followed by a century from Marsh in the same over as both batsmen managed to put 304 runs on the board.
After their personal achievements it was time to put the foot on the paddle as both batsmen sought to increase the flow of runs by hitting the odd boundary in almost every over.
Hussey was looking dangerous as he managed to reach boundaries more often than his partner at the other end.
The way things were going Australia were citing a mammoth total, meaning a possible defeat for the home side in another Test outing in the three-match series.
However, after being reduced to rubble by the Aussies, the Lankans finally struck in the 121st over when Hussey after playing a gigantic knock of 142 runs was caught by former skipper http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TT-Samaraweera-c2712.
With this wicket the partnership between Hussey and Marsh finally came to an end after posting 258 runs together.
The sight of Hussey’s back was a delighted moment for the Lankans as they desperately needed this wicket. At the time of his departure the Australians had posted 374 runs on the board.
It was then time for the young http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Simon-James-Marshall-c90362 failed to forge a befitting partnership with the new batsman as after clobbering an innings of 141 runs off 315 deliveries he was caught by Sangakkara at midwicket off the
bowling of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 by this time had posted 391 runs on the board for the loss of five wickets.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MG-Johnson-c1945 when the former was caught by Sangakkara at mid-on after scoring only a run, while Johnson had his stumps uprooted on a duck.
Rain then intervened causing the day to be abandoned as at stumps Khawaja was batting on 13 runs and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RJ-Harris-c2330 was on nine with Australia having posted 411 runs on the board.
Tags: