Bellerive’s much talked-about wicket showed few gremlins as Australia reached 4-299 against Sri Lanka but batsman Phil Hughes says it could play a few tricks yet.
Australia will resume with captain Michael Clarke unbeaten on 70 and Mike Hussey 37 after the home side tamed the nation’s most talked about 22 yards on day one of the first Test.
“It was a little bit slow overall,” said Hughes, who top-scored for Australia with 86.
“There were a couple that kept low through the day so it could play tricks later on in the game which could make for a very good Test match.”
There were some anxious moments for the Australians as the Sri Lankan medium pacers bowled accurately, but nothing like the doomsday scenarios on a relaid pitch that has taken time to settle.
Sri Lanka will take some encouragement out of having Australia 4-198 at one stage and now hope to keep the locals below 400.
“Our bowlers will be fresh in the morning and if we can get (Clarke) out early, we can keep them to fewer than 100 more runs,” paceman Chanaka Welegedara said.
Hughes said Australia had the momentum for a big first innings total after Clarke and Hussey’s unbeaten partnership of 101 threatened to take the game away from the Lankans.
“Overall I think … the ball’s in our court,” Hughes said.
“Pup and Huss at the end out there putting on a hundred really gives us momentum going into tomorrow.”
Morning rain has been forecast for Hobart on Saturday.
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