Sri Lanka vs Australia 1st Test Day 1 Highlights: Australia Bowlers Dominate on Rain-Hit Day
Sri Lanka, after opting to bat first, were dismissed for 117 by Australia on Day 1 of the first Test in Pallekele. Get highlights of Sri Lanka vs Australia here
Australia's Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon led an inspired bowling attack to help skittle out Sri Lanka for 117 on the opening day of the first Test in Pallekele on Tuesday. Get highlights of Sri Lanka vs Australia here. (SCORECARD | PLAY FANTASY CRICKET)
Fast bowler Hazlewood and off-spinner Lyon bagged three wickets each to make Sri Lanka's batting look less than ordinary after captain Angelo Mathews had elected to bat first after winning the toss.
Debutant Dhanajaya de Silva top-scored with 24 for the hosts, while Mitchell Starc and left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe claimed two wickets each for Australia.
Sri Lanka had reached lunch at 84 for five, but could only survive 6.2 overs in the second session to hand the advantage to Steven Smith's Australia.
Get live cricket score and live updates of Sri Lanka vs Australia here:
Live Score: Sri Lanka vs Australia
The spinning duo of Herath-Sandakan grabbed 8 wickets between them and that should tell you the story about the second innings. In all this we can't forget the efforts of the pacer Pradeep who got them the early breakthrough and then at the start of this session he grabbed the all-important wicket of Adam Voges. Can their batsmen put up a good fight in this innings? Join us in a bit for the hosts' reply.
For Sri Lanka it was all about their spinners. The veteran Rangana Herath was at his very best as usual but the name that will be remembered will be of the debutant Lakshan Sandakan who kept on troubling the batsmen. He bowled with high discipline and gave good company to his partner.
That's it for Australia! Sri Lanka have given an incisive fight to the visitors which sees them getting just a lead of 86 runs. But on this pitch one can argue it's a good one as well. A jist about the Australian innings - The openers departed early and this morning Smith and Khawaja couldn't continue the fight they showed yesterday. Adam Voges along with Mitchell Marsh came to the fore and stitched a 60-run stand between them before the latter got out. Voges departed early in this second session and some valuable contributions from the lower order saw the visitors getting past the 200-run mark.
OUT! Review doesn't save Lyon! That's a wrong 'un on middle and off. It goes away from Lyon as he tries to sweep it away. The ball misses and hits the pads. There are loud appeals for LBW as the fielding side is asking questions. The umpire raises his dreaded finger. Lyon goes for a review and after a few replays and checking of the legal ball, it is seen that it pitched in line and hit the off stump. Australia have been bowled out with a lead of 86 runs.
Lyon has been given LBW out but he has gone for a review upstairs...
FOUR! Swept and that's 200 up for the Aussies! Darts it full outside off. Lyon goes for a sweep and succeeds in getting it right through mid-wicket for a boundary.
Loopy ball around middle, swept towards fine leg for a single.
Drops it short and outside off, Lyon gets back and cuts it behind point for a couple.
On middle and leg, driven towards mid on for a single.
Edged and dropped! Tossed up around middle and off, Hazlewood looks to drive it through the off side but gets a thin feather to it. Perera fails to grab it behind the stumps.