NewsBite

Australia v Sri Lanka: Second Test Day 4 live coverage from Manuka Oval in Canberra

Mitchell Starc takes 10 wickets for the match as Aussies complete 2-0 series whitewash with 366-run victory over Sri Lanka.

Andrew Faulkner and Daniel Sankey
10 min read
6:37AMFebruary 04, 2019.
Updated 3:58PMFebruary 04, 2019
Print
Victorious Australian players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Test series against Sri Lanka. Picture: Getty Images
Victorious Australian players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Test series against Sri Lanka. Picture: Getty Images

Australia has won the second Test against Sri Lanka at Canberra’s Manuka Oval by 366 runs, sealing a 2-0 series victory.

Andrew Faulkner 3.30pm: Cummins building formidable record

After feasting on the Sri Lankan batsmen, man of the series Pat Cummins has taken his Test tally to 94 wickets at just 22.02, at an extraordinary strike rate of 46.8.

Tim Paine lavished his bowlers with praise at the presentations. “I thought the bowlers bowled beautifully together as a team,” Paine said. “They built up pressure and allowed Starcy to really attack. The wicket didn’t offer a lot but they kept smacking away and bowled beautifully. For our group to get some belief out of this will be excellent.”

Tim Paine (left) checks out the series trophy with man of the series Pat Cummins (right). Picture: Getty Images
Tim Paine (left) checks out the series trophy with man of the series Pat Cummins (right). Picture: Getty Images

Yes, the wicket was good but the Sri Lankan batting was bad. They were always going to struggle with the Australian bounce, but that’s no excuse for the lack of application some showed. A last word for the venue: Manuka has made a fine debut. The ground’s pleasing aesthetics have been completed by genial hosts, who’ve surely enhanced its chances of remaining on the Test roster.

Daniel Sankey 3pm: Starc, Cummins share spoils

Mitchell Starc has been named man of the match for his haul of 10-100, and he looked a relieved man as he spoke with former Test fast bowler-turned Fox Cricket commentator Brendan Julian on the presentation stage.

“I just tried to come in this week and forget about everything that was being said and bowl as fast as I could,” Starc said.

“It (this match) is probably been the game we’ve been searching for all summer. It’s a young and inexperienced group and it is something we can take from going forward.”

Pat Cummins has been named man of the series for his 14 wickets, taken at an average 7.78.

Andrew Faulkner 2.46pm: WICKET! Australia wins by 366 runs

The hosts have won the inaugural Canberra Test by 366 runs. Mitchell Starc took the last wicket at 2.47pm local time — bowling Vishwa Fernando with a yorker — to end the Sri Lankan humiliation on 149. Starc finishes with 10 for the match, including 5-46 in the second innings. Pat Cummins took 3-15 to end the series with 14 wickets for 109 runs. And so ends one of the most one-sided series in recent memory, with this massive loss following Australia’s innings and 40 run win in Brisbane.

Daniel Sankey 2.37pm: Cummins gets Aussies one closer

Dilruwan Perera (4) is out, caught by wicketkeeper Tim Paine off the bowling of Pat Cummins. Australia requires just one wicket for victory with Sri Lanka at 9-148, trailing by 367 runs.

Andrew Faulkner 2.19pm: WICKET! Cummins gets a second

The defences of their last rearguard breached, the tourists are hurtling towards a gigantic defeat. Kusal Mendis (42 from 68 balls, three fours and a six) has played a lazy shot to hit Marnus Labuschagne straight to cover, whereupon Chamika Karunaratne edged Pat Cummins to Tim Paine to fall for 22 (38 balls, four fours). Curiously, Mitchell Starc’s back into the attack even though Labuschagne took a wicket in his previous over.

Daniel Sankey 2.15pm: WICKET! Labuschagne snares Mendis

Marnus Labuschagne finally has the breakthrough, enticing Kusal Mendis into a drive that he hits straight into the safe hands of Kurtis Patterson at short cover. Mendis goes for 42 and Sri Lanka are 7-143. Chamika Karunaratne is 22 not out and Dilruwan Perera is the next man in as Australia chases the three wickets it needs for victory.

Daniel Sankey 2.10pm: Aussies can’t deal final blow

Australia is desperately trying to take the final four wickets required for victory against Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval, but luck is going against them.

Usman Khawaja dropped a very tough chance at slip off the bowling of Marnus Labuschagne. He threw up a hand at an edge that flew above his head, knocking the ball forward then failing twice to pull it in as he dived forward.

Joe Burns then caught another right on the boundary as he was in the process over falling over the rope. He flung the ball back inside in the hope it could be caught by a teammate, but it didn’t go to hand.

Earlier, Jhye Richardson also dropped a tough chance from Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Nathan Lyon.

Australia’s Jhye Richardson makes a desperate dive but can't take catch Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Nathan Lyon Picture: Phil Hillyard
Australia’s Jhye Richardson makes a desperate dive but can't take catch Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Nathan Lyon Picture: Phil Hillyard

Drinks have just been taken at Manuka Oval with Sri Lanka at 6-143. Mendis is 42 not out (63 deliveries) and Chamika Karunaratne is 22 not out (34 deliveries).

Mitchell Starc (4-41) is one wicket away from a 10-wicket haul for the match.

Andrew Faulkner 2pm: Swing away, Sri Lanka

The tourists have decided if they’re going to go down, they’re going down in style. Kusal Mendis (40) and Chamika Karunaratne (22) are throwing the bat at Nathan Lyon. Mendis has just collected a six despite a great attempted save by Joe Burns, who caught the ball while leaning well over the rope before throwing it back into play. Unfortunately his shin touched the rope. Approaching the day’s midpoint the score’s 6-141 and the weather’s still holding …

Andrew Faulkner 1.19pm: WICKET! Richardson joins the party

The Australians are winning their race with the weather. Dhanajaya de Silva has fallen, caught at mid-on by Travis Head off Jhye Richardson for six, to have the tourists 6-97 a few overs after lunch. A few spots are falling at the ground, but the radar suggests any rain will be light and relatively brief. Kusal Mendis (18 from 27) is playing brightly at the end of a bleak tour for the young star.

Andrew Faulkner 12.35pm: LUNCH — Sri Lanka 5-87

Mitchell Starc is poised to take his second 10-wicket haul in Tests — and his second against Sri Lanka. In consecutive balls he’s bowled Niroshan Dickwella (27 off 42) and found Kusal Perera’s inside edge. That took Starc (4-22) to nine for the match. He took 12 in Galle in 2016. Dhanajaya de Silva kept out the hat trick ball but there’ll be no way of avoiding heavy defeat. The tourists go to lunch with just five wickets in hand … and with the sky still clear.

The scoreboard at lunch on Day 4 of the second Test. Picture: Fox Cricket
The scoreboard at lunch on Day 4 of the second Test. Picture: Fox Cricket

Daniel Sankey 12.22pm: WICKET! Starc on a hat trick

Mitchell Starc strikes again! He’s caught the inside edge of Kusal Perera’s bat and Tim Paine takes a good catch low to the ground to leave Sri Lanka at 5-83. Dhanajaya de Silva will face the hat trick ball.

Daniel Sankey 12.19pm: WICKET! Starc strikes again

Mitchell Starc has a third wicket, clean bowling Niroshan Dickwella (27) with a fast, straight delivery that kept a touch low. Sri Lanka are now 4-83 and staring down the barrell of a big defeat as Kusal Perera comes out to bat for a testing 10 minutes before lunch.

Andrew Faulkner 12.10pm: Cummins swoops ‘like a seagull on a chip’

Pat Cummins has joined the fray to prise out the stubborn Lahiru Thirimanne for 30 (81 balls, two fours).

It’s the third time in four innings that Cummins has dismissed the Sri Lankan opener, who was unable to keep down a short ball that got big on him quickly. Cummins swooped on the ball like a seagull on a chip to complete the caught and bowled. Half an hour before the lunch break the tourists are 3-73, with Niroshan Dickwella on 21 and Kusan Mendis on seven. The weather’s holding so the hosts are looking good to wrap this up today.

Daniel Sankey 11.52am: WICKET! Cummins does it again

The irrepressible Pat Cummins has got the key wicket of Lahiru Thirimanne, a ripping short-pitched delivery striking the glove before Cummins takes an excellent diving catch off his own bowling.

The Australian players celebrate, knowing they have the wicket of a man who looked extremely comfortable throughout the morning.

Australian paceman Pat Cummins takes an excellent catch off his own bowling to dismiss Sri Lanka's Lahiru Thirimanne. Picture: Fox Cricket
Australian paceman Pat Cummins takes an excellent catch off his own bowling to dismiss Sri Lanka's Lahiru Thirimanne. Picture: Fox Cricket

“Thirimanne looked so comfortable and from nowhere, Cummins gets one to bounce sharp,” former England captain Michael Vaughan says in commentary.

Thirimanne is dismissed for 30 (81 deliveries) and Sri Lanka are 3-58. Niroshan Dickwella is 13 not out and Kusal Mendis is the next man in.

Daniel Sankey 11.48am: Thirimanne foils Aussie bowlers

Lahiru Thirimanne is fighting hard for Sri Lanka in what looks as close to a lost cause as can possibly be. He’s just cut Nathan Lyon to the boundary to move to 30 not out, while Niroshan Dickwella is 12 not out at the other end with Sri Lanka at 2-57, trailing by 458.

There’s plenty of bright sunshine for the Australian bowlers to work in at the moment as they chase the eight wickets required for victory, but showers and possible thunderstorms are expected in the later in the day.

Daniel Sankey 11.30am: Starc’s potency on show

If you need further evidence of just how difficult Mitchell Starc has been to play this morning, look no further than this analysis from Cric Viz.

Both Jhye Richardson and Nathan Lyon have bowled beautifully in this Test ... but combined, they’ve only induced 7% false shots from Sri Lanka’s batsman.

By comparison, Starc — who’s been sending them down at speeds of over 150kmh at times — has induced 28% false shots. The Australian’s cricket writer Andrew Faulkner described his delivery to bowl Dimuth Karunaratne earlier this morning as nearly unplayable, and the statistics definitely back up that assessment.

Andrew Faulkner 11.20am: Second wicket for Starc

Dinesh Chandimal has been caught at third slip to give Australia a second and Starc a seventh for the match. Marnus Labuschagne took the catch low in both hands, but the umpires called for confirmation from the stands.

Replays showed a clear catch so the skipper trudged off with four against his name. Sri Lanka then sprung a big surprise by elevating Niroshan Dickwella to no.4. Kusal Mendis has struggled at no.4 so perhaps they’re trying to give him a buffer.

It’s certainly not designed to up the run rate. After 50 minutes the score’s 2-37, with Lahiru Thirimanne on 18 and Dickwella on four.

Andrew Faulkner 10.55am: Starc’s surgical precision

Mitchell Starc has opened Australia’s account by surgically removing Dimuth Karunaratne’s leg bail. Mining his rich vein of rediscovered form, Starc speared one off the seam through the gap between bat and pad. It wasn’t unplayable but it was the next best thing. The opener’s gone for eight from 21 balls.

Jhye Richardson’s getting a lot of swing — and some seam away as well — from the other end. The Sri Lankans have added six runs in the opening 25 minutes to be 1-23.

Daniel Sankey 10.42am: WICKET! Starc bowls Karunaratne

Australian paceman Mitchell Starc has the first wicket of the day, bowling Dimuth Karunaratne with a peach of a delivery that just clipped the top of the Sri Lankan opener’s leg stump.

Bowled him! Mitchell Starc gets the first wicket of the day. Picture: Getty Images
Bowled him! Mitchell Starc gets the first wicket of the day. Picture: Getty Images

Karunaratne goes for 8 (21) deliveries and Sri Lanka are 1-18, still requiring 498 for victory. Lahiru Thirimanne (9 not out) is joined in the middle by captain Dinesh Chandimal.

The wicket comes in just Starc’s second over of the day, but the first wicket very nearly came in his first thanks to a horrible mix-up by the Sri Lankan batsmen that would have seen Thirimanne run out with a direct hit.

A shy at the stumps just misses early on day four. Picture: Fox Cricket
A shy at the stumps just misses early on day four. Picture: Fox Cricket

Andrew Faulkner 9.45am: Rain is Paine’s biggest worry

Rain is on the way so the question of the morning is whether the Australian bowlers can win the game before the storms roll in. A bit more than 2mm fell overnight and up to 10mm is forecast for this afternoon and evening. There’s a lot of rain to the north but nothing approaching the ground. So play should start on time. Resuming on 0-17, Sri Lanka’s batsmen will strive to take the Test into a fifth day by still being there when the rain comes.

Daniel Sankey 9.30am: Australia, England rankings at stake

Victory in the second Test over Sri Lanka will see Australia move ahead of England in the ICC Test rankings.

Australia are currently ranked no.5, with England one spot ahead of them at no.4. However, with England suffering big losses in the first two Tests of their three-match series in the West Indies, a 2-0 series victory by Australia over Sri Lanka will see Tim Paine’s men move up one spot at England’s expense.

Led by an eight-wicket effort from paceman Kemar Roach, the Windies completed a 10-wicket smashing of England at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound on the weekend, clinching the series with one match to play. West Indies won the first Test at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown by 381 runs.

England captain Joe Root has some work to do ahead of the Ashes series against Australia later this year. Picture: AFP
England captain Joe Root has some work to do ahead of the Ashes series against Australia later this year. Picture: AFP

Daniel Sankey 7.15am: Ashes’ forgotten man on fire

He’s barely been mentioned in discussions on who should be in Australia’s squad for the Ashes in England later this year, but Queensland opener Matthew Renshaw put himself firmly back in the spotlight with an amazing innings for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League last night.

Renshaw smashed an unbeaten 90 from just 50 deliveries to inspire the Heat to a six-wicket victory over the Adelaide Strikers, in the process keeping alive his team’s slim finals hopes.

Matthew Renshaw celebrates the Heat’s big victory last night. Picture: Getty Images
Matthew Renshaw celebrates the Heat’s big victory last night. Picture: Getty Images

Renshaw’s knock featured four sixes and nine fours and came after he opened the bowling for the Heat with his right-arm off breaks, taking the wicket of Strikers dangerman Jake Weatherald and finishing with the figures of 1-15 from two overs.

But it’s his batting that was the big talking point and Renshaw will get more chances to press his Ashes claims when the Sheffield Shield resumes following the completion of the BBL later this month.

“I’m still trying to get my head around it a little bit,” Renshaw said after last night’s game.

“There were balls there that I thought I should hit … this is up there — probably one of my best innings ever really.”

Peter Lalor 7am: How Starc, Khawaja regained their mojo

Selectors were already discussing Usman Khawaja’s future before the enigmatic batsman was gifted another chance at the crease yesterday. A chance he made the most of by scoring a century. A junk time century, but a century that brought relief at the end of a hot and unhappy summer.

Mitchell Starc made the most of the day too. How much can be read into both performances in this Test match is debatable, but you can’t scoff at a five-wicket haul even if it was gained bullying a relatively timid batting line-up.

And Starc yesterday revealed that sessions with former New Zealand paceman and now NSW Andre Adams were crucial to getting him back on track.

Read the full story here.

Sri Lanka’s Vishwa Fernando is bowled by Australia's Mitchell Starc yesterday. Picture: AAP
Sri Lanka’s Vishwa Fernando is bowled by Australia's Mitchell Starc yesterday. Picture: AAP

Add your comment to this story

To join the conversation, please Don't have an account? Register

Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout

More related stories

Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/cricket/australia-v-sri-lanka-second-test-day-4-live-coverage-from-manuka-oval-in-canberra/news-story/88a35416152e4d551c606d324b370994