LIVE - http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 v Australia- 2nd Test Match - First Session Recap
A supreme bowling display by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 saw them take five Sri Lankan top-order wickets before lunch on the first day of the match, played at the Pallekele International Stadium, today, September 8, 2011.
At the close of the first session, the hosts reeled at 76, with the crease occupied by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/KC-Sangakkara-c1779 and Angelo Matthews, batting on 29 and 0, respectively.
Choosing to bat first, supposedly on a track which expected to assist the batters, the hosts were pushed on the back foot as early as the third over, when Aussie pacer Ryan Harris dismissed opener http://www.senore.com/Cricket/NT-Paranavitana-c2132 for a duck.
The left-hander uncharacteristically fetched at an off-stump delivery, which made enough contact with the bat, and fell kindly into the gloves of wicket-keeper, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/BJ-Haddin-c1170, who took an easy catch.
A good start was made perfect when the youngster, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TM-Dilshan-c2691, with a scorcher of a delivery, which nipped back sharply to take the top of off-stump.
Dilshan, who had mustered four until now, opted to leave the ball, where the tall bowler got the better of him for the second time in the Test series.
This again brought the ever reliable duo if Kumar Sangakkara and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/DPMD-Jayawardene-c1397 on the crease and all hopes rested on their shoulders.
However, the two could not stay together for long as Copeland dismissed Mahela for four in his very next over. The right-hander flashed at another off-stump delivery, which flew between the vacant region of slips and gully, where a full-stretched Michael
Hussey stuck out his left hand, taking an amazing catch.
Stuttering at 14 for 3, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/TT-Samaraweera-c2712 joined the left-hander as the two resurrected the innings with some good shots.
There was drama in the 23rd over as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MG-Johnson-c1945, bowled a good length bowl around the player’s off stump, which took a health
edge, only to see the ball going right through the hands of the Aussie all-rounder.
However, in the next over, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RJ-Harris-c2330 struck with a superb delivery which jacked back sharply and took the inside edge of Samaraweera’s bat, falling kindly into the hands of Haddin.
Next to face the music was http://www.senore.com/Cricket/HAPW-Jayawardene-c1529 as he became the fifth and final wicket for the Kangaroos in a dominating session.
In an eventful 27th over, the Lankan wicket-keeper hit spinner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harris-c61739.
Sangakkara weathered the 28th over, without any harm as the umpires made the call for lunch.
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