Tea Australia 5 for 450 dec and 278 (Warner 68, Clarke 57, Cowan 55, Herath 5-96, Welegedara 3-89) lead Sri Lanka 336 by 392 runs
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Sri Lanka will need to rewrite their own Test record-books after being
set 393 for victory with four sessions to bat in Hobart. However, they
will do so against a depleted Australian attack, with Ben Hilfenhaus
unable to bowl due to a side strain and more worryingly for Australia's
long-term plans, the captain Michael Clarke's involvement in the rest of
the match was uncertain after he retired hurt with an injury to his
right hamstring after scoring a brisk 57.
Clarke left the field with the team physio Alex Kountouris during the
second session, leaving Australia effectively 6 for 238, and he did not
bat again when the final wicket fell shortly before the scheduled tea
break. Michael Hussey remained not out on 31 at the interval as
Hilfenhaus was trapped lbw to Rangana Herath, who finished with 5 for
96, and with Australia's total on 278 at the time it meant they led Sri
Lanka by 392 runs.
Sri Lanka's highest successful fourth-innings chase in Test cricket was
the 352 for 9 they scored against South Africa in Colombo in 2006,
although they will take heart from the fact that at Bellerive Oval five
years ago they made 410 batting fourth in a chase of 507. Their
fourth-highest total in the fourth innings of a Test also came in
Hobart, a score of 348 back in 1989.
It was to Sri Lanka's credit that they fought back with the ball after
David Warner and Ed Cowan gave Australia a strong start with a 132-run
opening stand. Both men fell shortly before lunch and after the break
the Sri Lankans claimed the rest of Australia's wickets for the addition
of 132 runs, at least ensuring their chase didn't end up in the 400s.
Shane Watson (5) was the victim of a sharp stumping by Prasanna
Jayawardene off the bowling of Herath, before Phillip Hughes was bowled
by Shaminda Eranga for 16. Matthew Wade, promoted to No.5 in an attempt
to provide the Australians with quick runs, was on 11 when he holed out
to long-on from the bowling of Herath and that brought together Clarke
and Hussey, who so often this summer have rescued the Australians.
Again they proved a strong combination and Clarke was in typically fine
touch, moving the score along at a rapid rate with boundaries all around
the wicket. But on 57 from 46 balls, an innings that included five
fours and a six, he left the field with an injury that will concern the
Australian camp in the lead-up to the Boxing Day Test. Another 40 runs
came after Clarke's departure as Hussey did the best he could with the
tail-enders.
Chanaka Welegedara finished with 3 for 89 and six wickets for the match
when he had Peter Siddle caught behind for 4 and Mitchell Starc lbw to
an inswinging yorker for 5, and Herath cleaned up the rest. Nathan Lyon
struck a couple of boundaries through the leg side before he was bowled,
yorked by Herath as he tried another sweep, and the injury-affected
Hilfenhaus was lbw for an eight-ball duck.
Earlier, Warner and Cowan enjoyed their longest opening stand before
both fell after reaching half-centuries. They put on 132 together and
batted for 41.1 overs, the longest opening stand
by an Australian pair since the end of Simon Katich's Test career.
Warner had been watchful on the third afternoon but began to play a more
typical innings on the fourth day, culminating in a muscular switch-hit
for four off Herath.
Warner had also thumped Herath over long-on for six and brought up his
half-century with a powerful pull for four off the bowling of
Welegedara, from his 101st delivery, and he was clearly trying to lift
the tempo as lunch approached. However, on 68 Warner's innings came to
an end when he failed to pick a delivery from Herath that turned away
from him and the edge was snapped up by the wicketkeeper Prasanna
Jayawardene.
Cowan, who was characteristically calm and ticked the score along with
singles while waiting for the bad balls, brought up his fifty with a cut
for four off Welegedara from his 125th delivery. But it was Welegedara
who ended Cowan's stay with an excellent delivery that swung in and beat
the bat to have Cowan bowled for 55.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here
Feeds: Brydon Coverdale
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