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Gilchrist affirms Aussie advantage

Friday, July 2 2004

Australia's stand-in captain Adam Gilchrist gave his side the edge with a superb 80 on a day in which 17 wickets fell, to set Sri Lanka an imposing 312 for victory. The hosts were all out late in the day for 201, restricted in part by impressive debutant Lasith Malinga's 4/42.

Sri Lanka began day 2 at the 'other' MCG - the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin - having been reduced the previous evening to a precarious 3/43. Much like the first day, the pitch was slow and the bounce markedly variable. Jason Gillespie struck in just the second over of the morning, removing Jayawardene for 14, leaving Sri Lanka in trouble at 4/47 having lost their top 4.

Glenn McGrath, after taking two wickets on day 1, was keen to further demonstrate his worth to the side in his first Test match since returning from injury. He found his trademark metronomic accuracy early on, and was rewarded with the wicket of Samaraweera in his third over, edging a legcutter to Gilchrist for 1. In a superlative spell of eight overs, he also accounted for Zoysa (12) and Arnold (6) as Sri Lanka plummeted to a disastrous 7/59. McGrath's haul of 5/37 - in which he surpassed Kapil Dev's 434 wickets to move to 4th on the leading Test wicket-takers list - erased any doubts as to whether his future at Test level is assured.

Tillekeratne Dilshan was the only Sri Lankan batsman to offer any tangible resistance, labouring 59 balls for an eventually unbeaten 17. He added 26 with Chandana (14), before Shane Warne skittled the tail with 3/20 to deny the visitors three figures. Sri Lanka finished all out for a dismal 97, giving Australia a lead of 110.

Australia's lead appeared less comfortable after losing both openers early, caught behind. Matthew Elliot's return to Test cricket after a five-year hiatus ended in disappointment, falling to Vaas for the second time in the match, this time without scoring. Darren Lehmann, Australia's top-scorer in the first innings, led the recovery with another decisive and aggressive display. He added 50 with Martyn, before the latter fell to Malinga for only 7, extra bounce causing him to glove one to Sangakkara.

Lehmann's knock ended shortly after bringing up his second half-ton of the match, edging a drive off Malinga to give Sangakkara his fourth catch of the innings. Lehmann scored 51 of the 63 runs made while he was at the crease from just 59 deliveries. Adam Gilchrist avoided the ignominy of a pair, a slightly miscued pull off his first ball fetching him two runs. After some initial difficulty against Malinga, Gilchrist asserted his authority over the bowlers with typically dominant strokeplay. Katich and Warne fell cheaply to reduce Australia to 7/127, but Gilchrist found foil in Gillespie then Kasprowicz, to lift the home side's total above 200.

Gilchrist's dominance was such that only a runout was likely to dismiss him, and indeed it eventually did. A sharp piece of close fielding from Jayawardene accounted for him on 80, the highest individual score of the match. Kasprowicz fell soon after, skying a pull to give Malinga his fourth wicket of the innings and sixth of the match, rounding off an impressive debut with the ball.

Australia's totals of 207 and 201 marked the first time in more than four years that they have been bowled out for less than 300 in both innings of a Test match, but they will nonetheless be strongly favoured to win this match tomorrow with 311 runs to defend. Sri Lanka's hopes will be largely in the hands of their experienced top four, but against a rejuvenated McGrath and Warne, victory from here would be a remarkable achievement indeed.

Scores: Stumps Day 2

Australia: 207 (Lehmann 57; Vaas 5/31)
and 201 (Gilchrist 80, Lehmann 51; Malinga 4/42)
Sri Lanka: 97 (McGrath 5/37, Warne 3/20)
and 0/0
Sri Lanka require a further 312 runs to win

Posted by Adam