Sri Lanka beat Australia after 17 years

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Sri Lanka celebrating the dismissal of Mitchell Starc

Sri Lanka recorded their second-ever Test win over Australia as the hosts’ won the first Test by 106 runs on Saturday at Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium.

Peter Neville and Steve O’Keefe delayed the win blocking 178 balls, scoring 4 runs for the 9th wicket but the rains which interrupted throughout the course of the game stayed away as Sri Lanka defeated the world no.1 Test team after 17 years. Sri Lanka’s last Test win against Australia came on 11th September, 1999 at Asgiriya under Sanath Jayasuriya.

    Photos: Sri Lanka vs Australia 1st Test Match – Day 5

Kusal Mendis’ exceptional 176 in the 2nd innings which turned the game on its head won him the man-of-the-match award while experienced campaigner Rangana Herath bowled his heart out to pick up 9 wickets in the match including 5 for 54 on the final day.

Earlier the morning showers delayed the start by an hour, the first session was scheduled to be a 90-minute affair, Herath struck gold when he dismissed Adam Voges for 12 in the 8th over of the morning through a return catch which needed the confirmation from the TV umpire. Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh looked to take the game away from the hosts’ with a positive 43-run stand for the 5th wicket.

Mathews used his off-spinners, Dilruwan Perera and Dhananjaya De Silva during most of the time Smith and Marsh were at the crease but he finally brought his ace spinner, Herath and trapped Marsh right in front of the wicket for 25.

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Smith was given caught behind off Sandakan but the Australian skipper opted for a review which showed clear daylight between bat and ball. In the very next over, Smith was caught plumb in front as Herath took his 4th wicket.

Smith made the only Australian half-century of the game, 55 off 125 deliveries with just one boundary off Sandakan. Just before the lunch break, Mitchell Starc was caught and bowled by Sandakan as the Aussies were at some serious trouble at 141 for 7.

In the post-lunch session, Nathan Lyon was struck by a massive-turning Sandakan delivery and ruled out LBW for 8. Lyon opted for a review but the replays showed it would not miss the stumps.

Sri Lanka v Australia – Tournament HUB

In the 79th over, O’Keefe survived a huge appeal  for a bat-pad dismiss off Dhananjaya de Silva but umpire Richard Kettleborough turned down the decision and Sri Lanka were out of reviews.

Two overs later, O’Keefe was given out lbw by Kettleborough. His own review showed an inside edge and he was saved but his luck was short-lived as Herath skid one through the bat and pad gate in the 89th over to end the game.

Full Scorecard

Batsmen Dismissal Runs Balls
Dimuth Karunarathne LBW b Starc 5 12
Kaushal Silva c Voges b Hazelwood 4 25
Kusal Mendis LBW b Hazelwood 8 7
Dinesh Chandimal  c Nevill b Hazelwood 15 54
AD Mathews  c Smith b O’Keefe 15  24 
Dhananjaya De Silva  c Burns b Lyon  24  38
Kusal Janith Perera  b Lyon  20  15
Dilruwan Perera  LBW b Lyon
Rangana Herath  LBW b Starc  10
Lakshan Sandakan  Not Out  19  15
Nuwan Pradeep c Smith b O’Keefe   0
Extras (1) TOTAL  117 (34.2 overs)

Fall of wickets :1-6 (Karunaratne, 4.1 ov), 2-15 (Mendis, 5.3 ov), 3-18 (Silva, 9.1 ov), 4-43 (Mathews, 14.2 ov), 5-67 (Chandimal, 25.6 ov), 6-87 (de Silva, 28.2 ov), 7-87 (MDK Perera, 28.4 ov), 8-94 (MDKJ Perera, 30.2 ov), 9-100 (Herath, 31.6 ov), 10-117 (Pradeep, 34.2 ov)

Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets
Mitchell Starc  11 1 51 2
Josh Hazelwood 10 4 21 3
Steve O’Keefe 10.2 3 32 2
 Nathan Lyon   3 12
Batsmen Dismissal Runs Balls
Joe Burns b Herath 3 15
David Warner b Pradeep 0 5
Usman Khawaja LBW b Herath 26 62
Steve Smith st Chandimal b Herath 30 53
Adam Voges ct Mendis b Pradeep 47 115
Mitchell Marsh b Sandakan 31 63
Peter Neville ct Perera b Herath 2 11
Steve O’Keefe ct Mendis b Sandakan 23 80
Mitchell Starc ct Perera b Sandakan 11  29
Nathan Lyon LBW b Sandakan  17 25
Josh Hazelwood Not Out 2 18
Extras (11) TOTAL  203 (79.2 overs)

Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Warner, 2.2 ov), 2-7 (Burns, 3.6 ov), 3-69 (Smith, 21.2 ov), 4-70 (Khawaja, 23.2 ov), 5-130 (Marsh, 45.4 ov), 6-137 (Nevill, 48.3 ov), 7-160 (Voges, 62.1 ov), 8-179 (Starc, 69.5 ov), 9-190 (O’Keefe, 73.6 ov), 10-203 (Lyon, 79.2 ov)

Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets
Nuwan Pradeep 16 6 36 2
Rangana Herath  25 8 49 4
Dilruwan Perera 14 1 43 0
 Lakshan Sandakan  21.2 58 4
 Angelo Mathews  3 1 6
Batsmen Dismissal Runs Balls
Kusal Janith LBW b Starc 4 5
Kaushal Silva LBW b O’Keefe 7 32
Dimuth Karunarathne LBW b Starc 0 3
Kusal Mendis c Neville b Starc 176 254
Angelo Mathews c Burns b Lyon 9 31
Dinesh Chandimal LBW b Marsh 42 100
Dhananjaya De Silva c Khawaja b Lyon 36 62
Dilruwan Perera LBW b Hazelwood 12 22
Rangana Herath c Henriques b Hazelwoood 35 34
Lakshan Sandakan  b Starc 9 7
Nuwan Pradeep Not Out 10 12
Extras (13) TOTAL 353 (93.4 overs)

Fall of wickets: 1-6 (MDKJ Perera, 2.2 ov), 2-6 (Karunaratne, 2.5 ov), 3-45 (Silva, 12.2 ov), 4-86 (Mathews, 27.1 ov), 5-203 (Chandimal, 58.1 ov), 6-274 (de Silva, 77.3 ov), 7-290 (Mendis, 82.1 ov), 8-314 (MDK Perera, 87.4 ov), 9-323 (Sandakan, 88.5 ov), 10-353 (Herath, 93.4 ov)

Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets
Mitchell Starc 19 4 84 4
Josh Hazelwood 18.4 3 59 2
Steve O’Keefe 16.2 3 42 1
Nathan Lyon 27 2 108 2
David Warner 1 0 10 0
Adam Voges 1.4 0 3 0
Mitchell Marsh 9 1 33 1
Steve Smith 1 0 1 0
Batsmen Dismissal Runs Balls
Joe Burns b Sandakan 29 57
David Warner  b Herath 1 4
Usman Khawaja LBW b Perera 18 26
Steve Smith LBW b Herath 55 125
Adam Voges c & b Herath 12 47
Mitchell Marsh LBW b Herath 25 37
Peter Nevill c Chandimal b De Silva 9 115
Mitchell Starc c & b Sandakan 0 3
Nathan Lyon LBW b Sandakan 8 16
Steve O’Keefe b Herath 4 98
Josh Hazelwood Not Out 0 7
Extras (0) TOTAL 161 (83.3 overs)

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Warner, 1.2 ov), 2-33 (Khawaja, 8.1 ov), 3-63 (Burns, 17.6 ov), 4-96 (Voges, 34.2 ov), 5-139 (Marsh, 47.3 ov), 6-140 (Smith, 49.4 ov), 7-141 (Starc, 50.2 ov), 8-157 (Lyon, 56.1 ov), 9-161 (Nevill, 85.5 ov), 10-161 (O’Keefe, 88.3 ov)

Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets
Nuwan Pradeep 6 3 16 0
Rangana Herath 33.3 16 54 5
Dilruwan Perera 13 3 30 1
Lakshan Sandakan 25 8 49 3
Dhananjaya De Silva 11 7 12 1