Have to commit to batting all day in subcontinent - Burns

Patience may be a key virtue for Australia's Test batsmen in Sri Lanka, according to Joe Burns, who hit 72 in the ongoing practice match at the P Sara Oval. Burns' half-century was one of three in Australia's solid 431 for 9. The visitors scored at 3.53 runs an over against a modest Sri Lankan XI attack, but Burns suggested Australia should become accustomed to a slow run rate, given the nature of the surfaces they are likely to encounter on tour.

"We've talked as a batting group about needing to be patient for long periods on the subcontinent," Burns said. "If they bowl good areas, it's tough work and slow going. You have to be committed to trying to bat all day. I guess that's one disappointing thing to come out of the day - all our batsmen spent some time at the crease but no one went on to get a big score.

"When bowlers are bowling straight, with straight fields, you hit the fielders a lot. You go long periods where you're not scoring quickly, and then you might get a few boundaries away in a cluster. That's generally how scoring goes on low, slow wickets with reverse swing and spin bowling. You just have to ride the waves and wait for the sets to come in."

Burns was tested by both seam and spin during his stay. He and Shaun Marsh made a quick start against the new ball in the third session of the first day, but were more measured as the innings wore on - particularly to left-arm seamer Vimukthi Perera and the spin bowlers. Burns was eventually dismissed by Perera, who angled a ball in through his defences early on day two.

"You just have to be prepared to buckle in and try and go with the conditions," Burns said. "There's nothing too much you can do about it as a batter. As a batting group we're prepared for those long battles. Hopefully we can bat for extended periods of time going into the Test series."

The Australian batsmen largely scored their runs square of the pitch with a few venturing slog sweeps to push the spinners off their lengths. Burns suggested this could be a trend through the Test series.

"I guess here - with the lower, slower wickets - you hit more balls than perhaps you would in Australia, especially because bowlers bowl straighter as well. I guess you want to be hitting straight, but that seems to be where the fielders are. Generally you probably pick up your runs quite square, even though you're trying to hit straight. There are also periods when it's reversing quite a lot, and then it will die down."

The Australians are 202 runs ahead with one wicket in hand, at stumps on day two of the three-day encounter.