Lankans facing humiliating defeat?

Elmo Rodrigopulle reporting

CRICKET: Allan Border Field, Brisbane, Saturday: The Sri Lankans are up against it. Trailing by 85 runs, they lost 4 wickets for 62 and still need 23 runs to make Queensland bat again on the second day of their three-day game at the Allan Border Field, here today.

The visitors lost Sanath Jayasuriya for 2, Marvan Atapattu for 7, Michel Vandort 26 and Thilan Samaraweera for 3 and ended on 62 for 4 wickets. Queensland earlier made 295. It was a double failure for Jayasuriya after his heroics at Adelaide and must be causing the Lankan camp some worry. Noffke was once again the destroyer with 2 for 8. At the wickets were Mahela Jayawardena on 22 and Chamara Silva on 2.

The morning dawned bright and sunny, signalling that it was the ideal weather for cricket.

On the first day after early sunshine,the sun went behind the clouds and it was dull and gloomy for most of the day,and the game was called off 5.4 overs before the scheduled close. The crowd too was disappointing and that was expected because Muttiah Muralitheran who everyone here was waiting to see was not in action. Yet there was a fair crowd.

When play began on day two the exchanges were even with Queensland 60 for 4 in reply to Sri Lanka's 210 for nine declared.

To recap. Sri Lanka's early batting collapsed like a pack of cards and it was left to wicket keeper batsman Prasanna Jayawardena to stage a revival with Farveez Maharoof 20, Chaminda Vaas 13 and Malinga Bandara 43. Earlier Atapattu showed good form to make 48 when wickets were falling around him. Then the Lankans hit back to have the homesters at 60 for 4, with the prized wicket of Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds grabbed by Maharoof when wicket keeper Prasanna Jayawardena dived to his right to take a brilliant catch. Symonds made 22.

On day two, Chaminda Vaas was unlucky not to make it into the Aussie Test squad, because he is the inform bowler, showed that he can wield the willow as well. He made 34.

But the batsmen who really put the Lankan bowlers to the sword was former Australian pacie Andy Bichel. Bichel who last played for Australia three years ago,and coming back after injury got stuck into the bowlers and in a display of power hitting bashed 11 fours and 9 huge sixes. One six off Bandara landed in the car park at mid on and the ball was lost.

Bichel made his 9th first class hundred (125). However his innings was not without blemish and controversy,because the Lankans were convinced they had him before his innings blossomed.

Bichel reached his century during a partnership of 94 with Mitchell Johnson. Johnson who is tipped to sport his first baggy green cap against Sri Lanka in First Test at the Gaba next Thursday and who had to play second fiddle to Noffke with only one wicket to show for his trouble, showed that he is a more than ordinary batsman by making a gallant 50. He was particularly impressive with his cover driving and hit 8 fours and a six in his innings.

The Queensland innings ended shortly after tea for 295 a lead of 85.In the bowling Mahroof had 3 for 72,Malinga 2 for 54,Bandara 2 for 89 and Jayasuriya 2 for 25.

Sri Lanka 1st innings: 210 for 9 declared
Queensland 1st innings: (60 for 4 overnight)
J Maher lbw b Malinga	  		  4
R Broad b Maharoof	 		 12
C Perren lbw b Vaas			 25
A Symonds c P. Jayawardene b Maharoof	 22
C Simpson c Samaraweera b Malinga	  0
A Bichel c Silva b Bandara		125
A Noffke c Jayawardene b Bandara	 34
C Hartley c Jayawardene b Maharoof	  8
M Johnson c Jayawardene b Jayasuriya	 50
D Doran c Silva b Jayasuriya	  	  2
M Kasprowicz not out	  		  0
Extras (lb3, nb10)	 		 13
Total (all out, 79.2 overs)		295 
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Maher), 2-26 (Broad), 3-59 (Symonds), 
4-60 (Simpson), 5-89 (Perren), 6-169 (Noffke), 7-171 (Hartley), 
8-285 (Bichel), 9-294 (Johnson), 10-295 (Doran).
Bowling: Vaas 14-3-52-1 (6nb), Malinga 20-5-54-2 (2nb), 
Maharoof 20-7-72-3 (2nb), Bandara 19-0-89-2, Jayasuriya 6.2-1-25-2.

Sri Lanka 2nd innings 
M Atapattu lbw b Noffke	  		  7
S Jayasuriya c Perren b Noffke	  	  2
M Vandort c Hartley b Kasprowicz	 26
M Jayawardene not out	 		 22
T Samaraweera c Maher b Bichel	  	  3
C Silva not out	  			  2
Extras	  				  0
Total (4 wkts, 29 overs)	 	 62 
Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Jayasuriya), 2-11 (Atapattu), 
3-52 (Vandort), 4-55 (Samaraweera).
Bowling: Johnson 9-1-25-0, Noffke 6-2-8-2, Kasprowicz 6-1-17-1, 
Bichel 6-2-10-1, nds 2-1-2-0. (AFP)

Pacie Johnson certain to sport baggy green cap

CRICKET: Mitchell Johnson the Queensland pace merchant is set to become the 398th Test player for Australia and celebrate in style.Johnson was on tenterhooks not quite certain of playing in the First Test against Sri Lanka at the Gabba next Thursday.

But an elbow injury to another pace ace in the Aussie squad of 13 Shaun Tait, has left the door open for young Johnson to come into the Australian eleven.

The Aussies who are set to unleash terrifying pace at the Lankans have included another bowler with tremendous pace in Ben Hilfenhaus of Tasmania.

But what is inexplicable here is that cricket experts ask: why hasn't the Australian selectors slotted in Ashley Noffke who had a successful bowl against the Sri Lankans with figures of 5 for 36, bowling with great speed and unplayable swing.