Australia took early charge of the second Test against Sri Lanka after bowling out the home side for a hugely disappointing 174 soon after tea on the opening day in Pallekele on Thursday. Fast bowler Ryan Harris led the way with three wickets and Trent Copeland, Mitchell Johnson and Nathan Lyon picked up two each in good batting conditions at the Pallekele International Stadium.
Australia, hoping to clinch the three-match series after winning the first Test in Galle by 125 runs, raced to 60 for no loss before bad light ended play 5.2 overs early. Shane Watson returned unbeaten on 36 with six boundaries and Phillip Hughes was on a watchful 23 at stumps. The hosts, electing to bat after winning the toss, never recovered after they lost half the side for 76 by lunch, the top three falling by the eighth over with the score at just 14.
Vice-captain Angelo Mathews cracked three sixes and six boundaries in an aggressive 58 to boost the total, but seven batsmen failed to reach double figures. Former captain Kumar Sangakkara chipped in with 48, adding 43 for the fourth wicket with Thilan Samaraweera and 52 for the sixth with Mathews.
The elegant left-hander looked set for a major knock when he lost his wicket to part-time bowler Mike Hussey, whose slow-medium delivery was driven to Hughes at short-cover. It was only the third wicket in 61 Tests for Hussey and compounded Sri Lanka's woes on a wicket that had rolled out well in favour of the batsmen.
Hussey also picked up a brilliant diving catch at gully to remove star batsman Mahela Jayawardene, who had hit a century in Galle. "It's pretty special that I had a hand in the dismissal of their two main batsmen," said a delighted Hussey. Opener Tharanga Paranavitana fell for his second successive duck and skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan was bowled for four.
Samaraweera was dismissed 20 minutes before lunch, caught behind off Harris for 18, while Prasanna Jayawardene threw away his wicket just before the break. The Sri Lankan wicket-keeper smashed off-spinner Lyon for a six and four, but holed out in the deep off the last ball of the over.
Dilshan lashed out at his batsmen, saying they needed to make significant contributions if Sri Lanka were to level the series. "The Australians bowled well, but we had no business to get out so cheaply," he said. "It is always difficult to come back into the match after making so few runs.
Australia made one change from the side that won the first Test, bringing in debutant Shaun Marsh for former captain Ricky Ponting, who has returned home for the birth of his second child. The left-hander received his baggy green Australian cap before the start of play from his father, Geoff Marsh, a former opening batsman who played 50 Tests and 117 one-dayers before retiring in 1992. Sri Lanka included leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna for his maiden Test match after both Rangana Herath and Ajantha Mendis were ruled out with injuries.
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Scoreboard Sri Lanka 1st innings:
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T. Paranavitana c Haddin b Harris 0
T. Dilshan b Copeland 4
K. Sangakkara c Hughes b Hussey 48
M. Jayawardene c Hussey b Copeland 4
T. Samaraweera c Haddin b Harris 17
P. Jayawardene c Harris b Lyon 18
A. Mathews c Haddin b Johnson 58
S. Randiv c and b Lyon 4
S. Prasanna b Harris 5
S. Lakmal not out 7
C. Welegedara c Copeland b Johnson 2
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Extras: (b2, lb4, nb1) 7
Total: (all out, 64.1 overs) 174
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Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-10, 3-14, 4-57, 5-76, 6-128, 7-133, 8-150, 9-166, 10-174.
Bowling: Harris 16-7-38-3, Copeland 12-5-24-2, Watson 10-5-17-0, Johnson 15.1-1-48-2 (nb1), Lyon 10-2-41-2, Hussey 1-1-0-1
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Australia 1st innings:
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S. Watson not out 36
P. Hughes not out 23
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Extras: (nb1) 1
Total: (for no loss, 17.4 overs) 60
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To bat: Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Trent Copeland, Nathan Lyon.
Bowling: Welegedara 5-0-27-0, Lakmal 2-0-10-0 (nb1), Prasanna 6.4-1-18-0, Dilshan 2-1-1-0, Randiv 2-0-4-0
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG) and Tony Hill (NZL)
TV umpire: Aleem Dar (PAK)
Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG).
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