Sri Lanka have capped a huge comeback to score a famous 106-run win over Australia in the first Test in Kandy, ending Steve Smith’s 11-match unbeaten streak as captain.
Veteran left-arm spinner Rangana Herath bowled the home side to victory on Saturday, taking 5-54 in just the second Test triumph for Sri Lanka in 27 matches between the teams.
As dark clouds lurked around Pallekele Stadium towards the end of day five’s second session, Herath bowled Stephen O’Keefe to end Australia’s resistance as they were bowled out for 161.
O’Keefe and Peter Nevill threatened to ruin the party, digging in for the ninth wicket in scoring just four runs off 178 balls, mostly due to the latter carrying a hamstring injury.
The disappointment for Angelo Mathews’ team was there were so few Sri Lankan fans at the ground, with travelling Australian fans potentially making up the majority of the paltry crowd.
The upset over the No.1-ranked Test side marks a big turnaround for No.7 Sri Lanka, who went into the match with an inexperienced XI – including two debutants – and followed a dismal tour of England, where they were thrashed 2-0.
Aside from Herath’s match figures of 9-103, 21-year-old Kusal Mendis was the hero for the home side when his stunning 176 on day three hauled them back into the game after they were rolled for just 117 in 34.2 overs on Tuesday.
His haul helped Sri Lanka to a second-innings total of 353 and set Australia a target of 268, which was a tall order given the visitors’ recent struggles on subcontinental pitches.
Australia’s poor record of chasing large totals in the region is stark – in 14 attempts their only successful Test run chase above 200 was when they made 307 against Bangladesh in 2006 in Dhaka.
That’s not to take anything away from Sri Lanka’s well-balanced slow-bowling attack led by 38-year-old Herath and complemented by exciting left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan, who took match figures of 7-107 on debut, and right-arm offie Dilruwan Perera.
Smith was out just before lunch for 55 when he was lbw to Herath to just about end any hopes of an Australian victory after they had resumed in the morning at 3-83.
Smith was given caught behind not long after he had become the first Australian to score a half-century in the match, but was reprieved on review.
However, the captain soon after played down the wrong line to a Herath delivery and was trapped in front lbw.
Mitch Marsh hit some powerful drives in his 25 but was also lbw to Herath.
The 71-Test veteran also accounted for Adam Voges (12) in a bizarre caught-and-bowled that at first looked like a bump ball but was shown to be a fair catch by the TV match official.
Poor weather became Australia’s friend after each of the first four days were affected by rain or bad light.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Where are all my fellow Aussie posters ??? Denial is a terrible affliction , but I told you so .
Jake
Guest
Yeh, bowling out a team on their home track for 117 is terrible. How is it the bowlers fault that the Aussie batsmen failed in the chase? #chippymikelogic You are also intimating that Mendis only scored his ton due to poor bowling. Highly disrespectful not to mention wrong - nothing new there hey mikey?
Sanjay Poojar
Guest
Is no surpryse for Aussie to lose to S Lanka. Jus imagin how badly they will loss in India when our spinners and pacers smash them !!! Aussie can not play outside Ausstralia inferior to all !!!
Brett
Guest
We shouldn't rest on our laurels, especially when a lot of those opposition teams were in a rebuilding phase and hardly competitive. It was a great win by Sri Lanka, and now we have to address our weakness against playing spin.
PeterD
Guest
You'd be surprised but word of mouth did alright before we ever had technology!Lol
Broken-hearted Toy
Guest
I love it when people address a nation on an anonymous internet forum
PeterD
Guest
Aussies are totally deluded and living in the past! You cannot justify calling yourself the best at this or that just because once you was the best, no matter how many times you keep lying to yourselves! I don't think it's going to get any better for Aussie sports fans as the rest of the world is obviously much better at most sports these days! Message to all Australians "it's over wake up and smell the coffee"!
Johnno
Guest
End of the day, Australia has a far better record away from home, compared to how foreign teams go in Australia. Wer'e hopeless in Asia, but the Asian teams have a far worse record than we do in Asia overall. Sri Lanka have never won a test in OZ, Pakistan if I'm going from 1989-90 have never won a series in OZ, we beat Pakistan in Pakistan in 1998 in the series Tubby got 300. We won a series in India in 2004 like 3-1. India haven't won a series in OZ ever I don't think. Windies last beat us in a series in OZ in 1992-92, NZ haven't won a series in OZ in like 30 years since the mid-80's. South Africa have done well in OZ in last 10 years, winning 2. And let's forget mentioning Bangladesh and Zims record in OZ. England since 1980 have played 9 times in OZ, Aust 7-2 head to head. We won4 straight in England 1989-2001.We beat South Africa in there own backyard in 2013 series. We haven't lost a series in the west Indies since 1991.
Tim Holt
Roar Guru
The real worrying aspect for Australia is 2 fold: Firstly, Sri Lanka achieved this result without receiving major contributions from their batting kingpins in Mathews and Chandimal Secondly, this pitch was conducive to spin but hardly a raging turner. One would hate to see how Australia's batsmen would go on a pitch that does support turn as well as misbehaving, like Galle is likely to be It was promising in the aftermath with Smith calling it how it was in regards to the batting lacking the discipline to get it done in the first innings. After dismissing a team for 117 and comprehensibly be beaten is embarrassing. Pointing to the batsmen, highlighted by Smith's howler in the first making the bed for Sri Lanka to lie in. All the needed was think, we have more than 4 days left, grind out 350 and this game is over. instead, we see Captains running down the pitch, others try hitting over the top and the rest just be all at sea SOK's injury was a blow but hardly decisive with the horse bolted by then. And Starc, his brainless bowling in the 2nd gifted 30 easy runs for SL. long way back for the Aussies from here and cannot see them being able
ak
Roar Guru
Sri Lanka will give a whitewash
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Oh dear........ My fellow roarers were proclaiming a few days ago that the Aussie bowling attack WAS: Elite Best in the world Incredibly well balanced Had massive depth Completely superior to Broad and Anderson As I noted , Australia do not have any world class quick bowlers and the Sri Lankans just reinforced that . As for the Australian batsman - an embarrassment and indictment to all our past greats who must be torn between laughing and crying .
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Australians have shown how poor they are playing the spin, a score of only 203 & 161! They do not have good spinner as well. Why Smith has not tried his Leg-spin when O'Keefe was injured? If they play like this, they will be in more trouble in the next two Tests.
Johnno
Guest
How would it be unfair Andy, as both teams would get 1-Sub replacement per series, you could use it either as a tactical replacement or an injury replacement, only 1 allowed for each team per series, like your reviews once you use them there gone. So the Sub would have to be well timed often. Subs in soccer according to your point are unfair, as some sides have more depth and better Subs. But you could for example have to nominate that Sub before the game(12th-man) and that's the only sub allowed to be used. Often then you'd get all-rounders as the sub(e.g. Andrew Symonds type who can bat/and bowl spin/medium pace, or a Lance Klusner type or Glen Maxwell). I don't see how it's a bad thing.
Andy
Guest
Yeah its a nice idea but i dont see how it could ever be fair. In sports that allow for a substitute there is an uncertainty about what the player is going to need to do and as there are 11 players on a field all doing the same thing any difference one individual can have on proceedings is limited, in cricket its a 1v1 most of the time. So adding a bowler when needed or a batsman when needed would just be too unfair. And as Casear has said we would lose the awesomeness of those moments where a guy is injured but comes out to win or save a game, players are so rarely injured in games anyways its a non issue really.
Caesar
Guest
Nice idea johnno, but if that were in place retrospectively we would lose some of the most iconic moments in test match history. How about Rick McKosker in the Centenary Test, Graham Smith at the SCG, who knows how many more... Plus, you open it up to exploitation ie in 4th innings Australia sub in Shaun Marsh for Lyon, hence an extra batsman. Just cannot do!!
Johnno
Guest
My view, great win by Sri Lanka, but I'd like a 1-person sub rule for test cricket. Each series each team can sub a player. So o"Keefe injured he should of been able to be replaced, just 1 time allowed per team per series. South Africa in Australia in 2012 , fafe du Plessis saved the test Aussies were one bowler short all 5th innings. Same in that match Kallis got injured and couldn't bowl in 1st innings after taking 2 early wickets and South Africa were 1 bowler short. But if a sub rule like mine happened, and aussies used there 1 in this series with O'keefe injury I doubt they would have lsot as they could replace O'keefe with a spinner etc. So yep no injury replacement rule is one of flaws of test cricket, most other sports allow injury replacements. And it would add exciting variable to test cricket too. But either way, aussies are hopeless against spin in Asia they always have been, and always will be.
Frederick the Englishman
Guest
Surprising result. England just smashed these guys.