Australia hint at Cricket world cup salvation
Coming at the tail end of a disjointed international summer when thoughts start turning to the football codes, this series initially shaped as an afterthought for many Australian cricket supporters. But that changed in the wake of the stinging series defeat to India, and heightened when there was more selection controversy on the eve of the first Test at Brisbane. The absence of suspended pair Steve Smith and David Warner continued to be felt, with their shadows lingering amid the fall-out of the India series when Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb and Shaun and Mitchell Marsh were all discarded in a dramatic shake-up heading into the two Tests against Sri Lanka. While the upheaval was understandable, there was bewilderment when 20-year-old Victorian batsman Will Pucovski, drafted into the initial 13-man squad, was usurped by Kurtis Patterson, the uncapped New South Wales youngster whose twin tons in a tour match against Sri Lanka propelled him not only into the squad but into the XI. All this after Cricket Australia had been at pains to point out the tour match had not been a “bat-of�. It prompted more calls for selectors Trevor Hohns and Greg Chappell to be discarded, although they were soon able to point to the scoreboard for refuge after the home side stormed to a 2-0 series win by an innings and 40 runs inside three days at Brisbane, ensuring an unbeaten run at the Gabba extended into a 30th year, and by 366 runs on debut in Canberra at the nation’s 11th Test venue. It provided a welcome injection of hope ahead of their Ashes tour but, to be truthful, only a fool would rate this series win as gold. The positive signs began in the Brisbane day/night Test. While there were still no centuries, continuing a home-summer drought not seen in more than 100 years, Pat Cummins, having become
Australia’s No.1 quick, claimed his irst 10-wicket haul, maximising a fast and bouncy deck that was as foreign to the tourists as ire is to polar bears. Balls lew of the shoulder of the visitors’ blades as they tumbled to 144 in their irst innings, Australia responding with 323. Sri Lankan spearhead Suranga Lakmal claimed a ive-wicket haul, impressing with his swing, but the Australians inally showed some ight in the middle order. Having stumbled to 82 for 4, new vice-captain Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne put on 166, the type of partnership that had largely been absent earlier in the summer and the type which will be needed if the Ashes are to be retained. Head, who delivered a breakthrough century at Canberra, and Labuschagne are cut from the same cloth as Langer. They train hard, are willing to listen and enjoy being in a scrap. Whether that is enough to help turn this team around in the long term is another question but it is the best that is on ofer now. As expected, the tourists crumbled in their second innings, and were dismissed for 139, with Cummins claiming a careerbest return of 6 for 23. This ended a run of nine Tests without victory for Australia, but what did it really mean? Sure, winning, no matter who it is against, outweighs losing but no one was reading too much into this breakthrough against cricket’s sixth-ranked nation. Captain Tim Paine was quick to put things in perspective. “For a young group it’s really pleasing, and no doubt it will do the conidence a world of good. But we’re not anywhere near the fi nished product, we’re a long way off where we want to be. And also you’ve got to take into account that for Sri Lanka to come to the Gabba is really, really tough,” he said. Mitchell Starc, while claiming his 200th Test wicket, struggled to control the pink ball but would come good a week later. Debutant Jhye Richardson impressed. The Western Australian claimed wickets in both innings and built pressure, having replaced an injured Josh Hazlewood. Canberra’s Manuka Oval was expected to suit the tourists more because of its relatively fl at deck. Instead, it only helped the home side, with Burns delivering his fourth Test century, while Head and Patterson had their first, against an attack that was in chaos after the three fast bowlers used in Brisbane were all out. Lahiru Kumara, Dushmantha Chameera and Lakmal were replaced by debutant Chamika Karunaratne, 22, who had arrived in Canberra only two days before the toss of the coin, while Vishwa Fernando and Kasun Rajitha had a combined five Tests to their credit. Burns’ opening-day century ensured a 136-year record was avoided, that being Australia failing to have a century-maker for the fi rst time in a home summer of three or more Tests. It highlighted the importance of a specialist opener and may also have booked his passage to England. Head became Australia’s leading run-scorer for the summer but the century which he dedicated to the late Phillip Hughes had greater meaning. Having tightened his technique, the ton rubberstamped his spot, and he shapes as a long-term plank. Cummins and Richardson intimidated with the ball, the former having Dimuth Karunaratne rushed to hospital after he was hit in the head from a short ball delivered from around the wicket. While Karunaratne returned the next morning, Richardson left Kusal Perera dazed and forced to retire hurt, also from a bouncer. It was symbolic of Australia’s hold on this series, in stark contrast to the 3-0 series win Sri Lanka had enjoyed at home in 2016. Starc produced his best spell of the summer, claiming his 10th fi ve-wicket haul, to torpedo Sri Lanka’s fi rst innings and fi nished an indifferent season with match figures of 10 for 100. While Paine celebrated his first Test series win, counterpart Dinesh Chandimal was a non-factor, managing
only 24 runs across four innings after elevating himself to No.3 his least productive Test series. Sri Lanka’s tour of discontent was also blighted by selection issues and an ongoing investigation by the ICC into matchfi xing. For Australia, the Ashes now await, and Smith and Warner – who have not lost their status as Australia’s two best batsmen – almost certainly will be back. Source: cricket world cup 2019 schedule pdf