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Sri Lanka
fight back after bad start against Queensland
BRISBANE—Sri Lanka fought back
after an early innings collapse to claim four Queensland wickets on an
eventful opening day of their three-day tour match at Allan Border Field
here.
The Queenslanders won the toss and had the tourists struggling at 81 for
six in the 27th over before wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene (58 not
out) and Malinga Bandara (43) mounted a rescue bid.
The pair put on a 71-run partnership for the ninth wicket to enable
skipper Mahela Jayawardene to declare at 210 for nine off 63.2 overs and
regain the initiative late in the day. Sri Lanka picked up four wickets,
including the valuable scalps of Test batsman Andrew Symonds (22) and
opener Jimmy Maher (4) to have Queensland a shaky 60 for four before bad
light forced an early end with 5.4 overs remaining. “We were taken by
surprise more than anything,” said Sri Lanka’s senior opening batsman
Marvan Atapattu, who scored 48 before being caught in the gully off
Mitchell Johnson with the last ball before lunch, leaving his side at 81
for six. “We expected the wicket to be harder and bouncier.
“But we shouldn’t have any doubts about our talent and our abilities
going into the Test match.” Earlier Ashley Noffke ran through Sri
Lanka’s top order taking 5-36 in a concerning effort for the tourists
ahead of next Thursday’s opening Test with Australia at the Gabba. Sri
Lanka were 139 for eight before Prasanna Jayawardene and Bandara stopped
the rot. Noffke’s figures included 3-2 from his first four overs. He
removed Sanath Jayasuriya for one, Michael Vandort for four and Mahela
Jayawardene lbw for a duck on a green-tinged wicket. Former Test fast
bowler Michael Kasprowicz (2-28) struck in his second over when Thilan
Samaraweera was caught behind for seven.
Chamara Silva was run out for a duck in the 19th over with Sri Lanka
reeling at 45 for five.
Noffke’s diving return catch to dismiss Chaminda Vaas for 13 after lunch
gave him his third five-wicket haul in three matches for Queensland this
season.
Sri Lankan slinger Lasith Malinga and seamer Farveez Maharoof bowled
fiery spells and claimed two wickets each late in the day. Maher and
Ryan Broad (12) were gone inside the first 10 overs before Symonds hit
Malinga for three consecutive boundaries in a quickfire innings of 22
off 20 balls.
Chris Simpson made a second-ball duck, caught at slip off Malinga, and
night-watchman Andy Bichel had yet to score with Clinton Perren on 19.
SCOREBOARD Sri Lanka 1st innings S Jayasuriya c Simpson b Noffke 1
M Atapattu c Noffke b Johnson 48 M Vandort c Bichel b Noffke 4 M
Jayawardene lbw b Noffke 0 T Samaraweera c Hartley b Kasprowicz 7 C
Silva run out 0 P Jayawardene not out 58 F Maharoof c Simpson b Noffke
20 C Vaas c and b Noffke 13 M Bandara c Noffke b Kasprowicz 43 Extras
b4, lb8, nb4 16 Total for 9 wkts decl 210 Fall of wkts 1-2, 2-12, 3-14,
4-41, 5-45, 6-81, 7-115, 8-139, 9-210 Bowling Johnson 13-3-39-1 Noffke
14-3-36-5 (4nb) Kasprowicz 13.2-5-28-2 Bichel 10-1-49-0 Symonds 5-1-22-0
Doran 7-1-21-0 Simpson 1-0-3-0 Queensland 1st innings J Maher lbw b
Malinga 4 R Broad b Maharoof 12 C Perren not out 19 A Symonds c P
Jayawardene b Maharoof 22 C Simpson c Samaraweera b Malinga 0 A Bichel
not out 0 Extras lb2, nb1 3 Total for 4 wkts 60.—Agencies |
