 |
| Shaminda Eranga dismisses Ed Cowan for 4. |
There will definitely be one person not enjoying his repast. Dave Warner, adding to the unconventional ways he has been dismissed by running himself out on the last ball before lunch. How will this affect the game? Play will get underway in a few minutes time with new no. 4 Shane Watson joining new no.3 Phil Hughes at the crease.
27th over: Australia: 2/98 (Hughes 27, Watson 0) Some picturesque views of Bellerive Oval (I refuse to call it by its other name) greet us for the start of the second session, although if you have ever toured around that part of Hobart you would now that appearances can be deceiving. A bye through the legs of the keeper Jayawardene is the sum total of the scoring.
28th over: Australia 2/98 (Hughes 27, Watson 0) More tight stuff from Kulasekara gets things started from the other end, although Hughes is looking comfortable in defence. Is it just me or does Shane Watson's pads seem abnormally large? Every ball looks in danger of hitting them.
29th over: Australia 2/104 (Hughes 27, Watson 6) Uncharacteristically tight start from Welegadera, although he ruins the effect by over-pitching twice, allowing Watson to caress the ball through the covers to get off the mark. It's flat out there.
30th over: Australia 2/105 (Hughes 28, Watson 6) Ian Healy has flown in to join the commentary team, could almost have done without him for mine. Hughes gets one that keeps low before pushing one to point to get off strike. Cue talk about deep point as a fielding position in the modern game.
31st over: Australia 2/107 (Hughes 29, Watson 6) Sri Lanka are attempting to get Hughes out by feeding him balls in his hitting area. It's not working so far. Watson meanwhile plays and misses at a short, side one from Eranga. No sign of Herath, the leading wicket taker in tests this year yet.
32nd over: Australia 2/112 (Hughes 30, Watson 10) Both batsmen playing as if the ball is keeping a bit low. Apart from one or two though the pitch has been pretty consistent. They seem to be bowling much better to Hughes than anyone else.
33rd over: Australia 2/113 (Hughes 31, Watson 10) Ian Chappell on his high horse about the need for a proper no.3 in the Australian batting line-up, which is a bit hard on Hughes who has been bating first-drop for South Australia and is certainly doing a better job than some of his predecessors.
34th over: Australia 2/118 (Hughes 32, Watson 13) Kulasekara changes things up directing a few at the helmet of Hughes who just manages to keep them controlled. Watson's trying to get after the bowling but has been unsuccessful so far.
35th over: Australia 2/120 (Hughes 33, Watson 14) Both batsmen struggling to play the ball square of the wicket, more as a result of the pitch rather than the bowling. One thing you have to say though, the Australian bowlers could take a leaf out of the Sri Lankan's book, their discipline has been exemplary.
36th over: Australia 2/121 (Hughes 34, Watson 14) Herath is finally into the attack. He's taken 55 wickets this year at a tick under 21, not too shabby. He might find playing in Australia a different challenge though, he's not getting much assistance from the wicket.
37th over: Australia 2/126 (Hughes 39, Watson 14) As Hughes gets tied down, a few bad habits start creeping in. He feels for one outside off this time and it runs along the ground through the slip cordon to the fence. He's really slowed down after a bright start.
39th over: Australia 2/131 (Hughes 44, Watson 14) Hughes breaks the shackles with a pull shot in front of square. There's two men out for a top edge, but at this pace Hughes is untroubled. Hughes then almost gets bowled around his legs, as the Sri Lankan's have also noticed how far across he gets while batting.
40th over: Australia 2/136 (Hughes 48, Watson 15) Herath finally bowls a bad one and is immediately cut to the fence by Hughes. There is absolutely no margin for error on this pitch. Herath would love to get more balls at Watson who is looking a lot less certain against the offie.
41th over: Australia 2/136 (Hughes 48, Watson 15) I wish Tony Greig was back, if only to stop the other commentators doing impressions of him
43rd over: Australia 2/140 (Hughes 48, Watson 19) Watson strong-arms a ball from Mathews to the mid-wicket boundary, the ball wasn't quite there to hit but Watson seems to be a getting a little toey.
44th over: Australia 2/145 (Hughes 52, Watson 20) Fifty on return for Hughes, making room outside off to glide one to the point boundary. He may be a reformed man, but his best shots are still between point and cover. Both batsmen have come out with more intent after the drinks break.
45th over: Australia 2/153 (Hughes 59, Watson 21) Hughes pulls out a new shot, the straight drive knocking Mathews down the ground and then through mid-off. Less convincing than his square of the wicket shots, but no less effective.
46th over: Australia 2/163 (Hughes 68, Watson 22) Hughes plays one of the uglier shots you'll see, swatting Herath down the ground for six and is promptly shelled in the crowd at long on. After a tough period, Hughes has got his groove on adding twenty runs in next to no time.
47th over: Australia 2/171 (Hughes 75, Watson 23) Welegedara back into the attack with the usual opening delivery, short, wide and punished. Hughes is looking ominous now working balls not that far outside off down toward third man with ease. Watson on the other hand is looking a bit scratchy, scooping one to deep point.
49th over: Australia 2/178 (Hughes 77, Watson 27) After keeping it tight for most of the innings so far, things have come unstuck a bit for Sri Lanka. This pair are scoring quite easily as Jayawardene pushes the field back to try to contain the boundaries.
WICKET! NO! No Ball! Short and wide, Hughes flashes and edges it to the keeper. But Hughes is reprieved after Welegedara bowls an enormous no ball. His foot was a good few inches over the mark. I do recall saying something about no balls earlier in the innings. I'm a psychic, me.
50th over: Australia 2/181 (Hughes 78, Watson 30) After a couple of attempts, Watson gets a late cut past the man and backward point. He's not been at his best so far, but on the plus side, he's not out.
51st over: Australia 3/183 WICKET!(Watson 30 c Jayawardene b Welegedara) An absolute belter from Jayawardene. Watson went for the booming drive and the edge flew toward where third slip would be. Jayawardene flew full length to his right and plucked the ball out of the air with his right hand while in mid-air. A proper classic catch (not like the previous ones they have been dishing up).
52nd over: Australia 3/185 (Hughes 78, Clarke 2) So it's another unconverted start for Watson and it brings Clarke to the crease, who is the kingpin of this line-up. In the tests Australia has one under his captaincy Clarke has averaged more than 100 while in its losses just 38. He's also averaged more than 100 in the first innings this year. It will be an interest test of statistics if Sri Lanka can get him early.
53rd over: Australia 3/185 (Hughes 78, Clarke 2) Welegedara beats Clarke first up and then follows with a decent over. This is a good period for Sri Lanka, almost getting Hughes, the wicket of Watson and drying up the scoring.
54th over: Australia 3/187 (Hughes 80, Clarke 2) Herath's keeping it tight but not really threatening Hughes, who works him to the onside for a couple. Hughes has really knuckled down after getting his chance.
55th over: Australia 3/188 (Hughes 81, Clarke 3) Just every so often there is a ball that does something. Not in terms of swing or seam but some are bouncing more and some a little less. Enough to keep the bowlers interested.
56th over: Australia 3/188 (Hughes 81, Clarke 3) Herath v Clarke is looming as a key contest already. Clarke looking to come down the pitch to Herath at every opportunity. Herath beats him in flight and almost bowls him.
57th over: Australia 3/193 (Hughes 82, Clarke 7) Welegedara has found his rhythm in this spell and Clarke is playing very watchfully. He pushes one through the covers for two and then down the ground for two more.
That's tea. Another session in which Australia were probably ahead, yet Sri Lanka did enough to stay in the hunt. Hughes has been untroubled largely, except for his no-ball dismissal, while Clarke has been positive but watchful in his short stint. As the players head off for a cup of tea, a biscuit and maybe a cucumber sandwich, I think I will too.
No comments:
Post a Comment