Sri Lanka v Australia at Colombo (SSC): CricInfo Report

Sri Lanka v Australia at Colombo (SSC)
30 Sep-4 Oct 1999 (John Polack)

Day1 | Day2 | Day3 | Day3 | Day4 | Day5

Day1: Australia's upper order unravels once more

In an innings which has rapidly begun to assume many similarities with their effort in the previous match of the series at Galle, Australia's batsmen have once again lost their composure to surrender a decisive early advantage on day one of the vital Third Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo today. By the end of an excruciatingly long day in enervating conditions, the visitors have progressed to the mark of 4/203 after winning the toss - essentially an unsatisfactory return given their openers had combined to register their second successive century opening partnership in this still delicately balanced series.

As in Galle, the Australians made a particularly productive start to their innings today. Although it was similarly based upon a grafting rather than a stylish association, their position of strength was again due to Greg Blewett (70) and Michael Slater (59), each of whom overcame the odd fortuitous escape to register deserved half centuries after the presence of a wet outfield had ensured the beginning of the Test was delayed by an hour. Of the two, Blewett was probably the more impressive today - the feature of his innings (one during which he battled persistent cramps) some characteristically expansive driving through the off side field. Slater, whose inability during recent years to score consistently for either New South Wales or Derbyshire strangely contrasts with the reliable nature of his scoring at Test level, nonetheless lost little by comparison as he capitalised on two dropped catches to join with his teammate to frustrate what had been, to that stage, a highly unimpressive bowling attack. But their half centuries again could not conceal the continuing collective frailty of their team's upper order batting - four wickets falling for 57 runs once the latter lost concentration and injudiciously charged part time spinner Russel Arnold (1/3) in the fifty-third over of the day to be comprehensively stumped.

As both Muttiah Muralitharan (2/83) and the rapidly improving Rangana Herath (1/64) gained in confidence for the home team the further the day progressed, so the Australians once more exchanged patience for rashness. Yet again, Muralitharan brilliantly exploited the breach in the visitors' defences offered by the departures of Slater and Blewett - whose vigil finally ended courtesy of a tired attempt at a lofted off drive against Herath - by removing Mark Waugh (13) and Justin Langer (32) in successive overs as this notion became more evident. Waugh was horribly unlucky to be given out by Umpire Francis (the Sri Lankan who is standing in his last Test) to a bat-pad catch, but notwithstanding the unfortunate nature of his dismissal, it was again a relatively mediocre overall exhibition from a player whose continuing lack of assurance does not seem to befit a player of his considerable experience. Langer, too, lost concentration unnecessarily and his departure to a meek edge to slip condemned Ricky Ponting (11*) and Steve Waugh (10*) to the unwelcome prospect of another arduous half-hour long battle with the Sri Lankan spinners on a slow pitch before bad light ensured that stumps were drawn three quarters of an hour prior to the revised finishing time.

Day2: Ponting hits back but Australia's series hopes remain clouded

The most junior member of his team he may be, but Ricky Ponting (90*) again exhibited maturity beyond his years to lead Australia into an unexpectedly strong position as its arm wrestle against Sri Lanka continued on a rain-shortened second day of the Third Test against Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo today. By the time that a blanket of snarling black clouds had descended upon the ground at just after 2:30 pm local time to force the players to scurry from the field for the last time for the day, Ponting had expertly guided his team to a score of 7/318.

Afforded considerable support by Damien Fleming (23*) in a vital unbroken partnership of 63 for the eighth wicket, Ponting wrested the initiative back for his team through the course of what had been another absorbing day (albeit one of only around two and a half hours' duration) of cricket. Perhaps it was fitting that he should have slammed his very first ball of the day to the long off boundary, for his was indeed a tremendous display of strokeplay and one during which he refused to allow himself to be tied down at any stage by the attack. In what already shapes as possibly the finest individual innings of the series, he played shots to all parts of the ground - his pulling off the back foot and his cover driving off the front foot especially authoritative. Fleming, too, had looked in control prior to the unwelcome interruption and had begun to capitalise well on some mediocre bowling from spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Rangana Herath (executing some uncultured but effective strokes) through the middle of the afternoon.

Prior to the formation of their association, this had been yet another steamy, humid day on which Sri Lanka's bowlers had forced consistent errors from the Australian middle and lower order. After another late start had been necessitated as a result of more overnight rain, the Sri Lankans indeed stole a critical early initiative when a defending Steve Waugh (14), who was comprehensively beaten by a beautiful delivery from Herath which pitched on the line of off stump and spun away, was adjudged by Umpire Willey to be caught behind in a decision that evoked noticeable displeasure from the Australian captain. The home team's position was then further strengthened as left arm paceman Chaminda Vaas struck twice in successive overs after the lunch break to remove Ian Healy (7) and Shane Warne (0) and consign Australia to a score of 7/253.

Healy (7), who continues to wage a losing battle to rediscover any semblance of form with the bat at Test level, was dismissed four balls into the session when he pushed forward unconvincingly at an outswinger from the left arm paceman and offered Mahela Jayawardene a simple catch at silly point. That meant the Australian wicketkeeper was forced to trudge from the field in the discomforting knowledge that he has compiled a damning 97 runs in his last fifteen Test innings. Warne (0) followed after only another four balls from Vaas, perishing as he played down the wrong line to be trapped straight in front of his stumps.

In an exhibition which may ultimately lose some of its significance the further that Colombo is subjected to the regrettable intervention of poor weather, Ponting then made the rest of the afternoon essentially his own. He raced toward what would ultimately be his fourth Test century with some imperious shot making, striking nine powerful boundaries in the process. And, whilst the Australians (trailing as they are in the series) should certainly feel far less happy than their opponents about the premature cessation of the day's play, such has been the impact of his effort that he has clearly steered his team into a strong position from which to resume, weather permitting, on the third day.

Day3: Ponting raises century but more rain dampens its impact

The scheduling of cricket matches in Sri Lanka at this inter-monsoonal time of the year is regarded a difficult exercise, and some of the reasons became all too apparent again at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in the nation's capital, Colombo, today. Notwithstanding the fact that Ricky Ponting (105*) was able to bring some colour to another grey day by completing a wonderful century, any prospects of a result in the Third Test between Sri Lanka and Australia literally seem to have been washed away after the arrival of yet more drenching rain ensured that only forty minutes of play were possible on the third day prior to an official abandonment at around 2:30pm.

In a deserved reward for what was an outstanding innings from him, Ponting (105*) raised the first century by a batsman in this series to continue to hold the Australians together through those ten overs and two balls of play that were possible. Although he lost his last three partners in quick succession to remain stranded, his effort indeed ensured that the Australians were able to reach a position of relative strength at the end of their innings at a score of 342. The right hander's fourth Test century, which came a brisk 214 minutes into his stay as he drove Muttiah Muralitharan wide of mid on for his eleventh boundary, was a tribute to his concentration, discipline and his willingness to again trust his attacking instincts even as teammates were falling around him. Although he was a little unsettled at the very outset of his innings, and again for a brief time in the nineties, this was generally a hand of great quality, and one which confirmed the Tasmanian's growing stature at this level.

At the other end this morning, the Sri Lankans were able to wrap up the tail comparatively quickly; Chaminda Vaas (4/54) and Muralitharan (who claimed 3/150 off a marathon if slightly more disappointing than normal 52 overs) the only men pressed into service by captain Sanath Jayasuriya today. After Muralitharan finally ended a stubborn liaison of 80 for the eighth wicket by encouraging Damien Fleming (32) to loft a chance to mid on, Colin Miller (0) and Glenn McGrath (0) each came and went quickly - Miller trapped lbw and McGrath lobbing a simple catch to point.

As it stands, Sri Lanka's players and supporters will probably not be unhappy that the heavens opened again today to all but kill the hopes of any result other than a draw - for such an outcome will not only compensate them for the fact that poor weather almost certainly denied them what would have been a series-clinching win in the Second Test at Galle but will also guarantee them their first-ever series win over the Australians. Whatever one's loyalties, though, it is hard to imagine that the persistence of this precipitation (and the apparent absence of a super sopper at the SSC) will generally be regarded as welcome by anybody wishing to witness more of the absorbing cricket which has hitherto been played in this series.

Day3: Ponting raises century but more rain dampens its impact

The scheduling of cricket matches in Sri Lanka at this inter-monsoonal time of the year is regarded a difficult exercise, and some of the reasons became all too apparent again at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) Ground in the nation's capital, Colombo, today. Notwithstanding the fact that Ricky Ponting (105*) was able to bring some colour to another grey day by completing a wonderful century, any prospects of a result in the Third Test between Sri Lanka and Australia literally seem to have been washed away after the arrival of yet more drenching rain ensured that only forty minutes of play were possible on the third day prior to an official abandonment at around 2:30pm.

Day4: Australia's fate sealed by more poor weather

The intervention of rain in the middle of the fourth afternoon of the match looks to have definitively ensured that the Third Test between Sri Lanka and Australia will finish in a draw at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. Despite the fact that the visitors mounted a determined bid to set about winning this game (and hence levelling the series) in the ninety minutes of play that were possible today, it seems that the general state of the weather and the lack of remaining time have frustrated any flickering victory hopes.

Notwithstanding the notion that this was the third successive day on which less than three hours of play were possible as a result of the combination of a saturated outfield, heavy afternoon rain and bad light, today's was possibly the most action-packed phase of the match. In particular, a productive sixty minutes of bowling at the beginning of the day added more excitement to proceedings than possibly anyone may have imagined at its outset. In the space of just thirty-one balls following another delayed start, Damien Fleming (3/14) and Glenn McGrath (1/25) indeed struck three incisive if unanticipated blows on the slow pitch, using the combination of speed and swing to prosper in dramatic fashion. Barely had the small crowd had time to gape in astonishment at the rare sight of play getting underway in bright conditions before McGrath conceived almost a carbon copy of the Sri Lankan captain's first innings dismissal in the Second Test at Galle (also the first ball of that innings), inducing Sanath Jayasuriya (0) to edge a low catch to first slip. Then Fleming complemented his partner's breakthrough superbly (in suffocatingly humid conditions which afforded the Australians prodigious swing), finding the outside edge of the bat of Marvan Atapattu (2) and trapping Russel Arnold (0) lbw in the space of seven balls.

After plunging to the mark of 3/10 at that stage, the home team was revived for a period by a partnership of 50 between Mahela Jayawardene (21) and Aravinda de Silva (19*), but the former's capacity to lose concentration at an inopportune time again raised the scent of triumph for some of the Australian fieldsmen. The right's hander dismissal came as he prodded at a straight delivery from Fleming, presented wicketkeeper Ian Healy with a regulation catch and left his team at 4/60. But, in a scene which might well have served as a metaphor for the Australians' entire series (which they now appear destined to lose 1-0), the Colombo skies took on a charcoal-coloured complexion almost immediately upon Jayawardene's departure. There followed a downpour sufficiently heavy to put another premature end to a day's play with the home side at 4/61, some 82 runs short of avoiding the follow-on in response to Australia's 342.

Day5: Sri Lanka notch historic series win as final day abandoned

Sri Lanka have completed their first Test series win over Australia, after the Third Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo finished in a draw.

No play was possible on the final day Monday. More overnight rain, making over 21 inches (530mm) falling on Colombo in the past eight days, left the field in little condition for play. Umpires KT Francis and Peter Willey made the decision to call it a day shortly the scheduled 12.30pm lunch break.

Australia held the upper hand in this Test with Sri Lanka still in a position where a follow-on was a distinct possibility. Interruptions to all five days meant, however, that only 9 hours and 58 minutes of play were possible in this match.

But with no action out in the centre, the star of the day was without doubt umpire KT Francis. Sri Lanka's answer to Dickie Bird retired from umpiring today. The veteran of 25 Test matches, including Sri Lanka's very first in 1982, Francis has been feted by those few people present at the ground today. Photographed with officials, awarded with an stump signed by the players of both teams, Francis' farewell to cricket is being honoured in a manner that only Dickie Bird has received among umpires. And like Bird's farewell in 1996, this finale was ended prematurely by the weather.

(Day 5 report by Rick Eyre)

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