Australia have been humiliated by Sri Lanka in the second Test in Galle, with a familiar batting collapse consigning the visitors to an innings and 39-run defeat.
Debutant Prabath Jayasuriya was the chief destroyer with the ball, the left-armer taking 6-59 in the second innings and 12 for the match to set a new Sri Lankan record for the best figures by a first-gamer.
The result sees the series tied 1-1, after Australia won the first Test by 10 wickets.
On a horror day for Australia, they conceded a 190-run first-innings lead as Dinesh Chandimal’s unbeaten 206 powered Sri Lanka to a record total of 554.
That left Australia fighting to hold on for a draw but their resistance lasted less than four hours as the tourists were bowled out for 151.
Jayasuriya then became the fifth bowler in history to take 12 wickets on debut as Australia’s issues with left-arm spin were again exposed.
Incredibly, Sri Lanka’s assault came a week after they lost the first Test in a little over two days and had three players ruled out with COVID-19.
For all the steps Australia had appeared to make in Asia in that first Test win and March’s victory in Pakistan, this was a return to darker times.
They had two separate collapses of 4-25 and 3-5, including the dismissals of Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith in the space of four balls to Jayasuriya.
Big question marks now loom ahead of next February’s four-Test tour of India.
Travis Head was caught on the crease as a delivery spun past his bat and took the top of off stump for the second time in this Test.
The left-hander’s scores on this tour now read six, 12 and five. And with a career average of 21.3 in Asia, it’s questionable if he can be taken to India.
David Warner is also emerging as a point of concern after he was the first to fall lbw for 24, with his last international century in January 2020.
Marnus Labuschagne (32) offered the best resistance after his first-innings century, while Cameron Green (23) and Alex Carey (16no) also soaked up some time.
But ultimately, it was nowhere near enough.
Australia’s bowlers were also unable to build the same pressure as the hosts on a far better batting wicket than in the first Test.
Mitchell Starc was the one major exception with 4-89, while Mitchell Swepson showed signs of improvement in his 3-103.
Nathan Lyon was made to toil hard for 2-194, sending down the most overs of his career with 64 while burnt by Australia’s poor use of reviews and missed chances.
Carey missed two stumpings off his bowling, including an extremely difficult chance with Chandimal on 10.
But the real turning point of the match was when Chandimal edged behind a ball of Starc on 30 day three, with Australia out of reviews and unable to overturn the on-field call of not out.
Good points
Keith Griffen
Guest
Yet South Africa have won here in 2008, 2012, 2016. They’ll be the first team chasing 4 series wins in a row here. It will be a hell of a series especially after the ball management incident. Rabada and co will lift.
To sum all this up....who cares about the home series versus Sth Africa. What you Aussies need is a team that is going to go to England and not suffer the bazzball fate of NZ and Ind. Don't laugh off the Poms as a one season wonder, it could easily turn into an embarrassment if the Poms win that all important first Test, which probably be at Lords (MCC put me right there), If McCullum and Stokes build on this thing that they can win even if 9 down with 120 left to win, or equally crazy stuff, then watch out. It is almost as if it's better to let the Poms have a first innings lead and see if their new psychology still works for them. I hate England, but I'm a fan of bazzball.
Brisbane 1985-86 was pretty bad. Hadlee 9-52, Crowe 188.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Enjoy man u match . You did pick one of the arch enemies of one my teams arsenal who I had a season ticket at when I lived in uk in 90s and 2000s. I don't think Melbourne will cause a suprise . Richmond will easily get the biscuits .
Pierro
Roar Rookie
just accross the road general should be a good expedition although man u are a bit of an enemy as in a huge arsenal fan after living there and going so often back in the 90s and early 2000s. Richmond should get up
TheGeneral
Roar Rookie
I think Warner is close to his use by date. Head - don't know. If not him who? Tassie fantastic, although expecting minus one overnight. Off to Melbourne tomorrow to see Manchester United play. Will take in the mighty Richmond team as well.
Keith Griffen
Guest
This is nothing short of miraculous for Sri Lanka as a nation. With a nondescript team, a nation suffering a social and economic disaster, they pulled off one of the best test wins you’ll see. This ranks a more important and seismic victory than India’s gabba 2021 heroics. What a fight by Sri Lanka. Australia on the other hand will be left to lick their wounds. With 700 plus test wickets on the field they failed to take 20 wickets. The win in Pakistan is an anomaly. Expect one way traffic in India.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Oh no, that’s still a far greater choke. Headingly was a South Africa grade choke I'd agree with this. I think you read too much into this loss. Australia hit an under par first innings, Sri Lanka batted extremely well, and then bowled even better. Australia didn’t play badly per se, they were just outplayed. It's not the losing that is disappointing and cause for alarm. As you say, we didn't get score enough in the first inning and they scored too many in theirs, it was clear we were going to lose by some point during day three. It's the manner of the capitulation that is the problem. Any time you collapse in two sessions and lose by an inning is very, very bad (hence why it hasn't happened since 2016). To not have been able to take it into a fifth day or have a single batsmen show real resistance is troubling. So I don't accept that Australia didn't play badly per se, I believe they did play badly, though Sri Lanka also played very well.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Your memory is too hazy - Ferguson's one test was against RSA in 2016, whilst Patterson got a shot in 2019 against Sri Lanka during Warner/Smith's ban, after we'd been beaten by India.
Nick
Roar Guru
I can see Warner getting gigs with the national T20 side (Brad Hogg played for Australia until 43 after all) if form shows it...but that's it.
Nick
Roar Guru
problem is hell get some Aussie pitch runs then repeat poor batting in india that's what people said against England and after the first couple of tests, he dropped off remarkably.
Nick
Roar Guru
I can't speak for others but I've never purchased a ticket just to watch him
Pierro
Roar Rookie
but who then is my point ? smith is best captain in side . might have calmed him down if leading . we’d get more out of Cummins if smith captained . didn’t bowl smith ,labs or swepo enough . sometimes you have to choose the best candidate even if it has conflicts with it . cracks will be covered as we will beat windies mate. next time we will have big problems is India tour. not good for lead up to ashes. get hunt and Maxwell in this summer but bet they won’t . head will make runs in aus back to square one
Pierro
Roar Rookie
no brainer micko but they won’t bin warner. they should tell him last summer at home phase hunt in at Perth and mcg. send warner off at scg swansong but doubt they will be smart enough to do it
Pierro
Roar Rookie
nick agree with you on warner head. my other concern is Cummins as captain again let him concentrate on bowling but half the audience won't let smith captain despite his wicket antics he's still best candidate. cracks will be covered up in aus though this summer as they will likely beat windies and boks and then struggle against india picking same team
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I just don't think that Smith should be Captain as he's too diffident. If he was good enough, sure, pick him. But it was his diffidence that brought him undone. He's done his time and that alone shouldn't stop him. If he was a good leader of men, tactically astute and knowing how to marshall a field, fine - give him the job. But he ain't.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
great points above bush
Pierro
Roar Rookie
glad to see all getting in board over warner they won’t drop him though . they love carrot top for his ticket sales. problem is hell get some Aussie pitch runs then repeat poor batting in india
Pierro
Roar Rookie
swepo just hasnt had the turning pitches he needs. they need to get specific for each venue and rotate said it for years