Tea Australia 9 for 432 dec and 5 for 136 (Hussey 23*, Johnson 0*) need another 5 runs to beat Sri Lanka 294 and 278 (Karunaratne 85, Chandimal 62*, Jayawardene 60, Johnson 3-34, Bird 3-76)
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The stage was set for Michael Hussey to steer Australia to victory in
his final Test as the hosts required only five more runs at tea on the
fourth day against Sri Lanka at the SCG. Hussey was on 22 and Mitchell
Johnson was yet to score and Australia had moved to 5 for 136, within
touching distance of their target of 141, and despite the umpires
extending the session by the 15 minutes allowed, Australia were not
quite able to close out the win in time.
For a while, it appeared Hussey would not get another opportunity to bat
for Australia as Michael Clarke and Ed Cowan chipped away at the target
in a 59-run partnership but the loss of Clarke, who lobbed a catch to
short leg off Tillakaratne Dilshan for 29, brought enormous cheers from
the Sydney crowd. It meant Hussey was needed, and he walked to the
crease to a standing ovation.
Full report to follow
Lunch Australia 1 for 13 (Hughes 12*, Cowan 1*) need another 128 runs to beat Sri Lanka 294 and 278 (Karunaratne 85, Chandimal 62*, Jayawardene 60, Johnson 3-34, Bird 3-76)
The wicket of David Warner for a duck gave Sri Lanka hope as Australia
betrayed some early nerves in their small chase of 141 on the fourth day
in Sydney. Dinesh Chandimal finished unbeaten on 62 and the 41-run
stand he put on with Nuwan Pradeep for the final wicket was critical in
giving Sri Lanka's bowlers something to defend. Pradeep was dismissed
nearly half an hour before lunch, leaving Australia's openers a short
period to bat before the break.
Sri Lanka opened with the offspin of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Australia
began shakily as Ed Cowan was almost run out in the first over, having
been sent back by Warner while attempting a single that wasn't there.
Had the throw from the leg gully area hit the stumps at the striker's
end Cowan would have been out, but he survived, avoiding the ignominy of
two embarrassing run-outs for the Test after his first-innings
brain-fade.
But from the first ball of the second over Sri Lanka did strike as
Warner edged Suranga Lakmal to Mahela Jayawardene at second slip.
Phillip Hughes was nearly bowled first ball when he failed to get the
bat down in time to a Lakmal ball that just missed off stump and at
lunch the Australians were grateful not to have lost any further
wickets, with Hughes on 12 and Cowan on 1. The total was 1 for 13 and
they required a further 128 runs for victory.
Every run was important for Sri Lanka as they resumed the morning at 7
for 225. Only ten runs had been added when Rangana Herath played on to
Jackson Bird while attempting to leave the ball alone, and when Lakmal
was bowled for a duck trying a hefty swipe off Mitchell Johnson it
appeared that the innings could be over quickly. But Pradeep offered
impressive support for Chandimal, who farmed the strike effectively.
Chandimal immediately lifted his tempo and struck three boundaries off a
Bird over and soon had his half-century from 75 balls with another
boundary whipped through midwicket off Bird. Pradeep got in on the act
with four down the ground but next ball was caught behind off Bird as
Sri Lanka were dismissed for 274.
Brydon Coverdale is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. He tweets here
Feeds: Brydon Coverdale
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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