Sri Lanka vs Australia, 3rd Test at Colombo, Sep 16 2011, Australia tour of Sri Lanka

RESULT
3rd Test, Colombo (SSC), September 16 - 20, 2011, Australia tour of Sri Lanka
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316 & 488
(T:332) 473 & 7/0

Match drawn

Player Of The Match
118 & 93
michael-hussey
Player Of The Series
463 runs • 2 wkts
michael-hussey
Match centre 
Scores: S Balasubramanian | Comms: Nitin Sundar
Scorecard summary
Australia 316/10(104.3 overs)
1st INNINGS
118 (178)
4/65 (23.3)
Sri Lanka 473/10(174 overs)
1st INNINGS
105* (269)
4/91 (35)
Australia 488/10(138.5 overs)
2nd INNINGS
Sri Lanka 7/0(2 overs)
2nd INNINGS
end of over 24 runs
SL: 7/0CRR: 3.50 
Lahiru Thirimanne4 (6b 1x4)
Tharanga Paranavitana2 (6b)
Nathan Lyon 1-0-4-0
Trent Copeland 1-0-3-0

That's the end of what's been a very good series, though the denouement was farcical today. Full marks to Australia for emerging trumps in these conditions. On behalf of the ESPNcricinfo gang, this is Nitin Sundar signing off. So long, and thanks for all the smart feedback. It was a pleasure!

The Warne-Murali Trophy is an unusual piece of silverware, or should I say woodware. It has two fists gripping balls, and since Murali was such a wristy practitioner, it is tough to say which hand is whose. Neither hand is particularly pudgy either!

Presentations time, then. Haroon Lorgat is one of the dignitaries. Wonder what he thinks of this pitch. Sangakkara gets a special memento for his 100th Test from Lorgat, and another one from the SSC. What a legend!

Clarke is up next to pick up the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy. "Very proud with the way we played this whose tour, the ODIs and the Tests. The new players have made most of their opportunities too, which is pleasing. We will take a lot of heart out of this series, but South Africa will be a completely different challenge."

Hussey is Man of the Match for the third time on the trot, and inevitably the Man of the Series too. What an accomplishment! "Its been a very tough series. South Africa is going to be another tough series and I look forward to it."

Dilshan: "I am happy with the way we played here, we came back strongly. We had a chance to win this one, but they played better cricket to save it and take the series. I am happy with the way Mathews and Thirimanne have come along. Also pleased with the way I found form here."

Mercy on us, the SL openers agree to call the game off at the first opportunity. Australia move to No. 4 in the ICC ratings and SL slip to 5th.

Jason: "Would have been nice to give Hussey the new ball. Never know, SL could have been 6 down already."

Valerio: "Either play to the finish or call the game off as soon as both sides agree they could not be bothered chasing a result. In this match that would have been around Lunch on Day 3. We all could have then moved on with our lives. Oh the frustration of these batting pitches." The game "went the distance" Valerio, so Chris Broad is going to wax eloquent about it in his report. Unlike the Galle wicket, which was a "disgrace".

1.6
Lyon to Thirimanne, no run

another leave outside off, Lyon spins the last ball of the series sharply away from Thirimanne's leave.

1.5
Lyon to Thirimanne, no run

breaks away from outside off now, Thirimanne lets it go.

1.4
Lyon to Thirimanne, no run

speared in on middle and leg, nudged to the leg side.

1.3
Lyon to Thirimanne, no run

too short and wide, Thirimanne tries to cut but it if far away from him.

1.2
Lyon to Thirimanne, no run

curled in from outside off stump, solidly defended.

Round the stumps now.

1.1
4
Lyon to Thirimanne, FOUR runs

tossed up outside off, Thirimanne opens the face as he steers and gets it away through point for four.

PutMarshy: "See the big picture guys. Why would Clarke have declared earlier and risked Johnson tweaking a hammy? Oh. Hang on. Pup - a word in your ear mate!"

Lyon gets the new ball. Last over of the series?

end of over 13 runs
SL: 3/0CRR: 3.00 
Tharanga Paranavitana2 (6b)
Lahiru Thirimanne0 (0b)
Trent Copeland 1-0-3-0
0.6
Copeland to NT Paranavitana, no run

back of a length and Copeland shapes it away again, Paranavitana lets it go.

0.5
2
Copeland to NT Paranavitana, 2 runs

Paranavitana guides another length ball into the covers for a couple.

0.4
Copeland to NT Paranavitana, no run

Paranavitana gets bat on it this time, pushing off the front foot towards point.

0.3
Copeland to NT Paranavitana, no run

beaten by a beauty outside off. Paranavitan feels for a ball that wobbles away off the seam and just eludes the outside edge.

0.2
Copeland to NT Paranavitana, no run

opens the face and guides a length ball towards point.

0.1
Copeland to NT Paranavitana, no run

gets this one on a better line, Paranavitana lets it go to Haddin.

0.1
1w
Copeland to NT Paranavitana, 1 wide

short and wide outside off and Dar calls it wide.

Here we go for the fourth innings. What a thriller. Copeland has the ball. Can he pick a fiver? Three slips.


Two more overs left in the game before they can pull the plug. The SL openers will have to pad up and turn up. The Aussie fielders will come and take their positions. A new ball will lose a bit of its newness. Get ready for 12 utterly pointless balls. Unless of course, they decide to not end the game at that stage, which would be worse.

"Right ! Game on. 331 off 20. T20 stuff." You're either sarcastic or optimising, Glenda. Either way, it is fans like you that make cricket a fun game!

138.5
W
Eranga to Copeland, OUT

end of the story. Aus don't refer that. It is caught at slip. Eranga again bends it in as Copeland looks for a flatfooted drive and gets the outside edge. Smartly held by the man at slip tumbling across to his left.

Trent Copeland c Paranavitana b Eranga 3 (23b 0x4 0x6 33m) SR: 13.04
138.4
1
Eranga to Lyon, 1 run

Eranga swings it in again, it is worked off the pads through square leg.

138.3
Eranga to Lyon, no run

another lbw appeal as Eranga swerves one in. But this one is clearly headed away from the stumps.

138.2
Eranga to Lyon, no run

Australia have decided to refer everything! This looked close to plumb. And it was given by Aleem Dar. This is called the Shaun Marsh over-compensation. Angled in from just outside off, it nips in and hits the front pad in front of middle and leg. Aha! Aleem has got this one wrong, would you believe it. It was going down the leg. Only just, but it was. Everyone is susprised and looking a little sheepish.

138.1
Eranga to Lyon, no run

short of a length and straightening outside off, Lyon pulls the bat inside the line.

end of over 138Maiden
AUS: 487/9CRR: 3.52 
Trent Copeland3 (22b)
Nathan Lyon0 (3b)
Rangana Herath 52-11-157-7
Suranga Lakmal 22-2-86-0

"Some curious and perhaps telling celebrations from the Sri Lankans. First Mathews' ton, now Herath's 7th wicket. If I didn't know any better I'd swear they were about to go 3-0 up in the series. The question over whether the Sri Lankans care more about personal milestones than team success appears a valid one in my opinion." MisterMarto - Asian teams do believe in the primacy of milestones more than the others. That said, it was Herath's 100, which is special.

137.6
Herath to Copeland, no run

looped up outside leg, Copeland plays it to the on side.

137.5
Herath to Copeland, no run
Best performances - batters
Spike Graph
Wagon Zone
PJ Hughes
126 runs (220)
16 fours1 six
Productive shot
leg glance
36 runs
4 fours0 six
Control
94%
MEK Hussey
118 runs (178)
12 fours2 sixes
Productive shot
leg glance
26 runs
0 four1 six
Control
96%
Best performances - bowlers
HMRKB Herath
O
52
M
11
R
157
W
7
ECO
3.01
PM Siddle
O
35
M
8
R
91
W
4
ECO
2.6
Match details
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
TossSri Lanka, elected to field first
Series
Season2011
Player Of The Match
Player Of The Series
Series resultAustralia won the 3-match series 1-0
Match numberTest no. 2008
Hours of play (local time)10am start, Lunch 12.00-12.40, Tea 14.40-15.00, Close 17.00
Match days16,17,18,19,20 September 2011 - day (5-day match)
Test debut
Umpires
TV Umpire
Reserve Umpire
Match Referee