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| Sunday, 4 July 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Seven-wicket Kasprowicz destroys Sri Lanka Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from Australia DARWIN, July 3 - Australia's firepower proved too much for Sri Lanka's batsmen as they capitulated to a 149-run defeat inside three days in the first cricket Test played at the Marrara Oval here today. Chasing 312 for victory on a pitch of variable bounce and movement against a quality bowling attack like what Australia had was always going to be a big ask for any team let alone Sri Lanka. That they failed to get there was no surprise. Shot out for 97 in the first innings Sri Lanka were eventually dismissed 37 minutes after tea on day three for 162. Australia scored 207 and 201 and leads the two-Test series 1-0. Although the pitch was less spiteful today, still it proved a handful for the Sri Lankan batsmen who succumbed to the pace on this occasion of Michael Kasprowicz who ended up with his second seven wicket haul with figures of 7 for 39 off 18.5 overs. The big made Queenslander who was Australia's most successful paceman on the tour to Sri Lanka early this year with 12 wickets, made the initial breakthrough by having skipper Marvan Atapattu caught at first slip by Warne for 10 in the 12th over and then came back 34 overs later to put an end to a promising fourth-wicket partnership of 79 between Mahela Jayawardene and Tilan Samaraweera. Kasprowicz forced Samaraweera to play a loose shot outside his stumps to be caught by acting captain and wicket-keeper Gilchrist who ended up with five catches in the innings and eight in the match to go with his top score of 80. However, the man-of-the-match award went to fast bowler Glenn McGrath for his first innings effort of five for 37 on his return to Test cricket after a year. For Sri Lanka to have any chance of getting anywhere close to the target, their top three batsmen had to deliver. But it turned out to be a disastrous morning for them when they lost them within the first 73 minutes for 30 runs. Jayasuriya, who nearly ran out Atapattu when he called him for a sharp single early in the innings, was not so successful in his attempt at a second suicidal run. His call for a run after hitting the ball to cover point saw Sangakkara run out without scoring as Martyn made a direct hit at the stumps. Sangakkara was the man in form with a double century scored on this ground a week ago. His departure without scoring was diabolical and ended any hopes Sri Lanka had of making a match of it. The two wickets fell within the space of seven balls without any addition to the total. It was all the Australians needed to get back into the game when they were desperately seeking their initial breakthrough. When McGrath trapped Jayasuriya lbw for 16 with a well-directed full toss at middle stump, the writing was on the wall. Jayasuriya was the only man who could have taken Sri Lanka to an unlikely victory but his departure in the 17th over ended any eventuality of an upset result. McGrath had said the previous day that the three key wickets for Australia were the top three batsmen whom they consumed without much trouble in the first session. The bright sunshine today as compared to the absence of it on the second day was to Sri Lanka's advantage because it dried down the wicket much faster than on the previous day. But Sri Lanka failed to capitalize on it. All they needed was to preserve their wickets in the first session and to play their natural game once the wicket had lost whatever moisture it had on the surface. Instead of making the Australians work hard for success wickets were presented to them on a platter. The Jayawardene-Samaraweera stand looked encouraging as long it lasted. Both batsmen played within their limitations and were constantly beaten by balls that left them on a good length. It was a matter of time before they edged one behind the wicket and that is what Samaraweera did with his score on 32. His departure put Australia back on track again. When Jayawardene finally fell to a 'beauty' from McGrath, which beat him all ends up to crash through his watertight defence, Sri Lanka's were once again on the run. Jayawardene batted the longest for his side in the Test for 152 minutes and top scored with 44. Kasprowicz then cleaned off the rest of the Sri Lankan batting with a second-spell burst of six for 26 off 10.5 overs. Leg-spinner Shane Warne who is in pursuit of off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan's world record of 527 Test wickets, was unsuccessful in the second innings going for 61 runs off 19 overs. Warne who said that the only chance he had of becoming the world record holder was during the present series, is still eight wickets shy of overhauling the Sri Lankan. He has the second Test starting at Cairns on July 9 to displace Muralitharan at least temporarily. AUSTRALIA - 1ST INNINGS 207
(Darren Lehmann 57, Chaminda Vaas 5-31)
SRI LANKA - 1ST INNINGS 97
(Glenn McGrath 5-31)
AUSTRALIA - 2ND INNINGS 201
(Adam Gilchrist 80, Lehmann 51)
SRI LANKA - 2ND INNINGS
M. Atapattu c Warne b Kasprowicz 10
S. Jayasuriya lbw b McGrath 16
K. Sangakkara run out 0
M. Jayawardene b McGrath 44
T. Samaraweera c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 32
T. Dilshan c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 14
R. Arnold c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 11
U. Chandana b Kasprowicz 17
C. Vaas not out 10
N. Zoysa c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 1
L. Malinga c Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 7
TOTAL (all out, 65.4 overs) 162
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-23, 2-23, 3-30, 4-109, 5-113,
6-132, 7-141, 8-152, 9-162.
BOWLING: McGrath 16-9-24-2 (W-1, NB-1),
Gillespie 13-2-37-0 (W-1),
Kasprowicz 17.4-3-39-7 (NB-3),
Warne 19-2-61-0.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Glenn McGrath (Australia)
SECOND TEST: July 9-13 at Cairns.
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