Aussies open Lanka tour on winning note (20 August 1999)

20 August 1999

Aussies open Lanka tour on winning note

Sa'adi Thawfeeq

World champions Australia had every reason to feel satisfied when they adapted themselves to the hot and humid conditions without much ado in their solitary one-day practice match in preparation for Sunday's Aiwa Cup tri-nation lung-opener against Sri Lanka at the Galle Stadium.

On an SSC pitch and outfield that bordered on the sluggish side the Australians in their first outing against international opposition since winning the World Cup two months ago, beat a Sri Lanka Board President's XI by six wickets.

The win was achieved with the clinical efficiency and the minimum of fuss with which Australian cricket is today associated with.

The Board President's XI choosing to bat first found their run bank dried up by accurate bowling especially from Glenn McGrath, whose seven overs cost only 17 runs for two wickets. Although McGrath faltered on the field dropping a relatively easy catch on the leg boundary offered by Sajith Fernando, the Australian fielding overall was sharp with room for improvement as the tour goes by.

Left-hander Fernando, a consistent run-getter in domestic competition for Colts and against visiting sides made the top score of the match - a leisurely paced 67 scored off 96 balls with nine fours. But had he shown a bit more enterprise in his running between the wickets, the Board President's XI would have set Australia a winning total in excess of 209. As it was they were about 20 to 30 runs short.

The Board President's XI score revolved on the third wicket partnership of 106 off 131 balls between Fernando and Chamara Silva. The 19-year-old Silva, a cricketer from Panadura, batted aggressively hitting five fours in his 69-ball innings. He was on course to score a well-deserved half-century when he played onto a delivery from Jason Gillespie to be out for 45. Silva is one of the successes of Sri Lanka 'A's tour to England and he gave the impression that he is a good future prospect.

Australia lost Mark Waugh early for 11 when he played on to Nuwan Zoysa, but Adam Gilchrist showed he had a liking for the Sri Lankan bowling when he slammed a rapid 45 off 42 balls. The left-handed opener took 24 runs (2 sixes, 3 fours) off an Erik Upashantha over and overall, hit three sixes and five fours. Upashantha had his revenge when he had Gilchrist caught in the deep by Arnold attempting another six.

Ricky Ponting and Darren Lehmann added 87 for the third wicket off 23 overs. Lehmann hit back an easy return catch to Arnold at 37 (3 fours, 1 six) and Ponting's stylish knock of 60 off 106 balls (8 fours) ended when he was asked to retire to give the rest of the batsmen a turn in the middle.

Zoysa bowled brilliantly in patches, but Ruwan Kalpage the captain, had accurate figures of none for 29 off 10 overs. Australia didn't show any urgency in reaching their target. They were more intent in getting their eye in which resulted in them using up as much as 46 overs.

Source :: The Daily News