Aussies loom large in Hobart, but bowling concerns are mounting

There must have been some periods either side of lunch on day three where Michael Clarke questioned his generosity in declaring well before pundits, commentators and viewers thought he might.

Clarke’s already shown that he will never die wondering as captain, but for good chunks of that third day, he must have been scratching his head.

His number two bowler was off the field and heading for scans on a side strain, his young left-armer couldn’t quite decide whether to deliver his half-volleys from around or over the wicket, and his all-rounder was barely cracking 130kph.

It was little wonder that his lead was disappearing, and Tillakaratne Dilshan and Angelo Mathews batted superbly to add 161 for the fourth wicket, aided, it must be said, by some generous lines and lengths from the Australian bowlers.

To say the Australians lacked penetration would be as big an understatement as saying Bellerive Oval lacked bums on seats.

On day four however, it was as if a complete reversal of fortunes had taken place.

David Warner and Ed Cowan’s deliberate watchfulness still produced runs throughout the first session, because of some similarly generous bowling from the Sri Lankans and no real evidence that their captain, Mahela Jayawardene, wanted to contain the scoreboard movement that the Australian batsmen were content to keep ticking along.

It should be said, though, that the Aussies made setting the target harder than it should’ve been in the hour or so of play around the lunch break, with some very disappointing shots being played by the top order.

Shane Watson said before the Test began that facing more spinners in preparation was going to be the major difference for his slide down the order to no.4, but on the evidence in the second innings, he’s going to need a whole lot more time in the slow net before Melbourne and Sydney.

He got a referral reprieve when initially given out LBW, but his eagerness in getting forward was ultimately brought undone when he played well around one from Rangana Herath and was out stumped. Why he tried to get so far forward without getting to the pitch of the ball is beyond me. Why don’t batsmen leave their crease anymore?

Clarke and Michael Hussey showed that you could still build a target without resorting to the risky shots that led to Warner’s, Phillip Hughes’, and Matthew Wade’s wickets.

Just by batting smartly, rotating the strike, and keeping the scoreboard ticking over, they were able to get the second innings score up to 278, even with Clarke retiring hurt with a hamstring complaint.

With Sri Lanka set 393 to win, and resuming today on 2/62, the underlying question going into the final day is simply one of where the wickets are going to come from. And will Australia have enough fit fieldsmen to defend the total?

There can be no questioning Peter Siddle’s attack-leading qualities, but nor can it be assumed that he will be the key wicket-taker in the final innings of this match. Strong as he’s already been this summer, Siddle cannot be the Lone Ranger if Australia are to win this Test.

Mitchell Starc bowled better last night, and needs to get himself sorted out, quick smart. The point of having a left-armer in the attack becomes meaningless if that left-armer insists on bowling around the wicket to the right-handers.

Starc simply needs to bowl to his strengths, and use his bounce and natural movement away from the right-handers, rather than just letting them play him on the angle back in.

Happily, he was back on song last night, getting good movement with the fuller ball that will no doubt be crucial today.

This looms as a big test for Starc, too, and the pressure cannot be more obvious: Mitchell Johnson was probably Australia’s best bowler in Perth, was unlucky to be left out for Hobart, and will be champing at the bit for another crack on Boxing Day.

Watson, especially, needs to lift his input in this Test, and there’s no better chance than in the final innings of the match on a deteriorating pitch. I didn’t feel like Watson was ‘getting through the crease’ in Sri Lanka’s first innings, and I was rather surprised to see his speed down as low as it was.

Whether that’s a lingering effect of the calf injury, I don’t know, but the point remains that his team needs more of what he showed last night, rather what he provided in the first innings, if they’re to win today.

This all said, today could well be the day for Nathan Lyon, too.

Herath was able to trouble the Australian bats not just with his spin and flight (and his variations), but with the assistance from the wicket.

Lyon’s flight and control was pretty good in the first innings, I thought, and he’ll need all that again today to ensure he gets maximum aid from the Bellerive deck. The Sri Lankans are among the best players of spin getting around, but even they could find the going difficult if Lyon can get it in the right areas.

It was somewhat speculative of me at the time to suggest the last day in Adelaide was set up for a thrilling finish (thankfully, it was), but I think Australia’s vulnerable bowling attack leaves this game ripe for a memorable and historic Sri Lankan victory, particularly if Kumar Sangakkara and Jayawardene can build on their overnight partnership.

Australia are still in the box-seat, but cricket has always been, and will always be a funny old game. Nothing would surprise me from this point.