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Australia begin their series against Sri Lanka with the first Test starting Friday at Hobart. We’ll bring you the live scores of the action throughout the match from Bellerive oval, starting at 10.30am local on December 14.
On paper and historically, Australia are a far superior side.
They have a few batsmen who are in the form of their life-time and others who can explode against an inexperienced bowling line-up. And they will be up against a side that has never won a Test in Australia.
Overall too, Sri Lanka’s record in Test matches is rather poor against the Aussies. Of the 23 Tests played between the two sides, Sri Lanka have won only one and lost 14 in the process.
The bad news does not end there. Only recently and on a surface that was more conducive to quicker bowling than most pitches back home, Sri Lanka went down to New Zealand. In the last three and a half years, they have won only one Test series.
Not that Australia are coming off a high, having lost to South Africa in the final Test match at the WACA in Perth. For one however, South Africa is ranked number one in the world. Secondly, Australia did have the better of their opposition in the first two Tests but were denied by the weather in one and lacked the killer punch in the second.
They will now welcome the return of their main pace bowlers, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle, both of who missed the last Test match because of exhausion. That should aid their cause against an opponent who may not enjoy pace and swing too much. They replace Mitchell Johnson and John Hastings.
There is also one forced change in the batting order; Ricky Ponting’s retirement from international cricket brings Phil Hughes back into contention.
Originally an opener, Hughes will bat at three, pushing Shane Watson down to the number four position in the batting-order. The last time he was in the side, he couldn’t stop nicking the deliveries to the slips and it will be interesting to see if anything has changed since.
Sri Lanka’s batting will have the usual suspects – T Dilshan at the top of the innings and Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara in the middle.
Add a new opener Dimuth Karunaratne and another experienced head in Thilan Samaraweera in the middle and their top five is decided. Captain in the waiting and all-rounder Angelo Matthews will bat at six with the keeper and the bowlers to follow.
Among those expected to bowl, only Rangana Herath has played a considerable amount of Test matches. The other three, Nuwan Kulasekara, Shaminda Eranga and Chanaka Welegedara have picked up a combined total of 99 wickets and will be tested despite bowling in helpful conditions.
We will bring you the live coverage throughout the game from Hobart and hope to receive your opinions as the action unfolds.
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