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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Jonathan Howcroft, Geoff Lemon, & Adam Collins

Australia v Sri Lanka: first Test, day one – as it happened

Australia are on top of the day-night Test against Sri Lanka as the sun sets over the Gabba.
Australia are on top of the day-night Test against Sri Lanka as the sun sets over the Gabba. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

Close on day 1: Australia 72-2 (In reply to Sri Lanka's 144)

A confidence-boosting day for Australia following the chastening series defeat against India. It mattered little that Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat because the gulf in class between the visiting batting order and Australia’s bowling attack was obvious from the outset.

Each member of Australia’s bowling quartet bagged a wicket, including three for the impressive Jhye Richardson on debut. Mitchell Starc passed the 200 Test wicket mark in quicktime, while Pat Cummins’ haul of four was the most for the day.

Only Niroshan Dickwella offered any meaningful resistance with a supremely entertaining 64, including the most audacious ramp for six you will ever see.

In reply Australia lacked conviction during their 25 overs under lights. Joe Burns will rue fishing outside his off stump while Usman Khawaja needs to rethink his strategy against Dilruwan Perera. Marcus Harris remains unbeaten on 40 but has looked far from fluent.

The pitch is not a Gabba monster but it is expected to quicken under the sun tomorrow. Geoff, Adam and I will be back then to find out how many runs Australia can score on it, and if my prediction of a three-day Test moves closer to reality.

Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc congratulate Jhye Richardson, who bowled beautifully on debut.
Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Starc congratulate Jhye Richardson, who bowled beautifully on debut. Photograph: Dave Hunt/AAP

Updated

25th over: Australia 72-2 (Harris 40, Lyon 0) Lyon uses all his experience to make sure this is the final over of the day, but he’s lucky to survive it, getting a firm inside-edge onto his pad off Perera’s bowling, but the diving short-leg couldn’t hold on.

24th over: Australia 72-2 (Harris 40, Lyon 0) Harris has put his cue in the rack. Lakmal cannot tempt Australia’s opener to do anything more ambitious than prop forward and deadbat the ball back down the pitch. One, at the most two, overs remaining tonight.

Updated

23rd over: Australia 72-2 (Harris 40, Lyon 0) Lyon, with liberal use of his front pad, sees off the remainder of Perera’s over.

Updated

WICKET! Khawaja b Perera 11 (Australia 72-2)

Finally some good fortune for Sri Lanka. Dilruwan Perera gets a second over and his first delivery from around the wicket to Khawaja is pretty straight and destined for the top of off, Australia’s No 3 tries to cut but doesn’t have anywhere near enough room and ends up chopping the ball onto his stumps via his gloves. Here comes the GOAT.

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22nd over: Australia 72-1 (Harris 40, Khawaja 11) That’s more like it from Harris. The first ball of Lakmal’s second spell is rubbish and Harris slashes it confidently for four behind point. The third delivery isn’t as bad but Harris stands and delivers a la David Warner and punches firmly through the offside ring. With just over ten minutes to go before the close of play Marnus Labuschagne has removed his pads in the Australian dressing room. Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon is ready for action.

21st over: Australia 66-1 (Harris 34, Khawaja 11) More runs for Australia behind square on the offside, this time courtesy of a canny Khawaja guide for four from a decent Kumara yorker. The bowler then beats the batsman’s outside edge next delivery. Sri Lanka haven’t bowled intimidatingly well tonight, but nor have they had much luck when they’ve put the ball in the right areas.

20th over: Australia 61-1 (Harris 34, Khawaja 7) Sri Lanka have enjoyed a host of mini-victories in this night session without creating many clear wicket-taking opportunities. This over Chameera finds the outside edge of both batsmen, Khawaja’s nibble landing well short of the cordon, Harris’ squirting between the slips and gully and away for runs.

19th over: Australia 58-1 (Harris 32, Khawaja 6) Harris into the 30s, but it’s a streaky arrival, driving away from his body up and over gully for four.

18th over: Australia 54-1 (Harris 28, Khawaja 6) Harris doesn’t know whether to stick or twist at the moment, wafting unconvincingly at Chameera outside off on a couple of occasions. It might be an affliction that’s catching with Khawaja looking a little lazy to one angled across him. Australia just need to knuckle down for the next half hour and regroup in the morning.

17th over: Australia 53-1 (Harris 27, Khawaja 6) Harris’ lack of timing is highlighted by an attempted pull that he drags to the ground a couple of metres in front of his toes. That was off the returning Kumara after the dalliance with spin lasted just one over.

16th over: Australia 52-1 (Harris 26, Khawaja 6) Khawaja is easing into his work, pulling for two then nudging for one. Harris, despite advancing to 26, hasn’t yet looked entirely at home in the middle, and he’s been fortuitous with a number of plays and misses and inside-edges. This Chameera over is a case in point, playing false strokes to consecutive deliveries angled across him.

15th over: Australia 46-1 (Harris 23, Khawaja 3) First look at spin this innings with Dilruwan Perera ending Lakmal’s seven-over spell. Harris is delighted with the change of bowling, tucking into a long hop outside off stump and punching it behind point for four.

14th over: Australia 42-1 (Harris 19, Khawaja 3) Since that timid opening seven or eight overs Sri Lanka have improved enormously. Chameera continues his decent spell by lingering outside Khawaja’s off stump. Australia’s No 4 is reining in his instincts, knowing he needn’t chance his arm under lights when there’s a day or two of glorious batting on offer if he can make it to the close.

Suranga Lakmal of Sri Lanka celebrates after taking the wicket of Joe Burns of Australia during day one of the First Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka at The Gabba.
Suranga Lakmal of Sri Lanka celebrates after taking the wicket of Joe Burns of Australia during day one of the First Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka at The Gabba. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

13th over: Australia 41-1 (Harris 19, Khawaja 3) A third maiden in a row looked inevitable until a decisive swing of Khawaja’s bat earned three runs through the covers.

Staying on the James Anderson theme:

12th over: Australia 37-1 (Harris 19, Khawaja 0) Consecutive maidens. Chameera’s found a nice rhythm from the Vulture Street end, beating both the outside and inside edges of Harris’ bat in consecutive deliveries with a much fuller length than we’ve seen for most of the innings so far.

11th over: Australia 37-1 (Harris 19, Khawaja 0) Wicket-maiden for Lakmal. Can Sri Lanka make further inroads under lights?

Come come, I know for a fact Oxford in the snow is a beautiful sight. Surely you can return fire with a shot of High Street dusted in icing sugar or a frosted Radcliffe Camera?

WICKET! Burns c K Mendis b Lakmal 15 (Australia 37-1)

Huzzah! World class commentator’s curse there. Sri Lanka fans, you’re welcome. Lakmal tempts Burns into fishing outside his off stump and he nicks to the cordon where Kusal Mendis does well to dive to his left from second slip to pouch a tidy catch. That was the kind of shot to the kind of delivery that does not instil confidence ahead of an Ashes tour. Very James Anderson areas that one.

Updated

10th over: Australia 37-0 (Harris 19, Burns 15) Trent Copeland has just done a neat piece to camera on TV illustrating how inadvisably short Sri Lanka have bowled with the new ball. This has not been the treacherous session Australia’s batsman might have feared against the pink ball under lights.

9th over: Australia 36-0 (Harris 19, Burns 14) A couple of couples for Harris to another neat Lakmal over that lacks penetration and includes a misfield.

8th over: Australia 32-0 (Harris 15, Burns 14) Chameera comes into the attack and because of a few technical issues I don’t really give it much of my attention. This diversion of my attention includes Harris losing a couple of runs to leg-byes that appeared initially to be off the bat.

7th over: Australia 30-0 (Harris 17, Burns 12) Lakmal moves back over the wicket to Harris and it almost pays immediate dividends. First he gets one to carry on with the angle and beat the outside edge, then he finds the inswinger, Harris inside-edging perilously close to leg stump. Harris survives though and advances by four shortly afterwards when Lakmal leaks on the batsman’s pads again.

“Hiya from Spain,” hi Dave Langlois, “Great to have OBO on this non-England-involving match. Sooo international to be living in Spain following Australia-Sri Lanka on a British paper,” our pleasure. “Cummins apart the Aussie quicks have stuttered rather lately. But, don’t know if other poms are thinking likewise but I’ve just got a horrible feeling that Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood are all going to come good in the Ashes, with the Goat grazing on the leftovers”. I am firmly of the opinion that Australia’s attack (especially after seeing Richardson today) will have plenty of pace bowling power heading into the Ashes. My only doubt is whether they have the patience to winkle out England with a ball that will behave quite differently to the Kookaburra. Hazlewood in particular will be crucial with his metronomic style if he can return to form and fitness after a disappointing summer.

6th over: Australia 24-0 (Harris 11, Burns 12) Kumara begins the over with two short balls, Burns responds with two pulled boundaries. The first displayed fast hands to a delivery around chest height, the second was more swivelly that benefited from the latest example of Sri Lanka’s lamentable fielding.

5th over: Australia 16-0 (Harris 11, Burns 4) The first loud shout of the innings is curtailed a brief moment after Lakmal appeals for LBW, the bowler realising that despite beating Harris with some inswing from around the wicket the line was taking the ball beyond leg stump. Lakmal is getting some nice shape though, and you can see that he could be a handful if he found the right line and length often enough.

Collo’s showing off while I’m glued to the keys.

4th over: Australia 16-0 (Harris 11, Burns 4) Another misfield, this time in the ring, gifts Harris another run. That single brings Burns onto strike and he gets off the mark with an effortless cover drive for four. One of those strokes where time seems to slow down just before the moment of contact. Glorious.

3rd over: Australia 11-0 (Harris 10, Burns 0) Harris is the recipient of more gifts from Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers. First Lakmal drifts onto the left-hander’s pads, then with the ball within diving reach at the square-leg fence Kumara gets it all wrong and turns two into four with a clumsy dive. Lakmal gets it right to Burns with his final delivery of the over, getting some nibble away from the right-hander that Burns can’t resist fishing at.

2nd over: Australia 6-0 (Harris 6, Burns 0) The barrel chested Lahiru Kumara shares the new ball and he’s into the 140s kph with his bustling action. Like Lakmal before him he’s too straight to Harris allowing the strike to be rotated with ease.

1st over: Australia 5-0 (Harris 5, Burns 0) Suranga Lakmal opens the bowling for Sri Lanka and despite finding some nice shape in the air his line and length errs a couple of times allowing Harris to milk a two then a three through the onside. Australia up and running.

Big moment for Joe Burns, the Brisbane boy striding out into the middle of the Gabba to resume his Test career. Marcus Harris is at the other end following his promising debut series against India.

I’m not sure we gave Mitchell Starc enough love for reaching 200 earlier today. It has been quite the accomplishment.

The upside for Sri Lanka is they’ll probably be bowling at the best time in the match when they’re thrown the new ball under lights on a day one Gabba track.

Sri Lanka 144 all out

Four for Cummins, three for Richardson on debut, two for Starc - taking him beyond 200 in Tests, and one for Lyon. A very happy 56.4 overs for Australia in Brisbane.

All smiles for Australia on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka.
All smiles for Australia on day one of the first Test against Sri Lanka. Photograph: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

WICKET! Chameera c Patterson b Cummins 0 (Sri Lanka 144)

Chameera’s 20-ball stay ends on 0. He’s not good enough to attack Cummins but he tries anyway, the ball skewing in the air to the safe hands of Patterson at fourth slip.

WICKET! Dickwella c Patterson b Cummins 64 (Sri Lanka 144-9)

One slog too many for Dickwella and his enterprising knock comes to an end. Length from Cummins invited Dickwella to swing across the line but the ball lobbed gently off the bat to the debutant Patterson at midwicket. The end is nigh.

56th over: Sri Lanka 144-8 (Dickwella 64, Chameera 0) If some of Dickwella’s batting to the pacemen has been a tad graceless, his form against Lyon has been much more aesthetically pleasing. A reverse sweep deserved better than to find the field, a beautiful lofted drive over the covers was worth more than two, while the conventional sweep to rotate the strike was executed with authority. As is becoming a pattern, Chameera has no problem blocking his complement to advance the partnership.

55th over: Sri Lanka 141-8 (Dickwella 61, Chameera 0) Dickwella continues to tee off to maximum effect with the minimum of technique. A wild larrup to Cummins’ first ball skims off the toe of the bat, over Paine, and away for four. Further hoicks are aimed with varying degrees of success until he relinquishes the strike to Chameera for two deliveries. Again the man with an average of five holds up his end, despite being beaten all ends up by a Cummins conker in the corridor of catastrophe.

54th over: Sri Lanka 134-8 (Dickwella 54, Chameera 0) This is already the highest partnership of the match, despite Chameera contributing nothing off his own bat. However, in the circumstances that is fine, and he enhances his reputation by playing a straight bat to a Lyon maiden.

53rd over: Sri Lanka 134-8 (Dickwella 54, Chameera 0) Dickwella is compelling viewing. A missed ramp precedes a mistimed hook which is followed by a top edged drive, all of which advances the scoreboard by two runs. A couple of play and misses and a bunted drive to the ring field end the six with Chameera on strike for the start of Lyon’s next over.

If this is not used in an end-of-play montage by one of the broadcasters I will eat my hat*.

*I have a miniature novelty chocolate hat for just these purposes.

Updated

52nd over: Sri Lanka 132-8 (Dickwella 52, Chameera 0) Nathan Lyon continues his work from the Stanley Street end, and again Dickwella declines an easy single before finding the boundary, this time with a firm sweep that just beats the fielder on the square-leg rope. That stroke brings up a very entertaining 50, Dickwella’s 11th in Tests. A single brings Chameera on strike but the tailender does his bit, blocking three balls with the minimum of fuss.

Channel Seven referencing the recent blackout at the Gabba during the BBL.

51st over: Sri Lanka 127-8 (Dickwella 47, Chameera 0) Pat Cummins begins the action in this awkward twilight spell where natural night and the floodlights are competing for dominance. Dickwella is on strike and he tries to smack the pink pill to Ipswich just about every delivery. A French cut results in a declined single and after a couple of whoosh and misses he connects with a firm cut for four through point. The piece de resistance is a single through gully from the final delivery to retain strike.

Ok, play will resume after Dinner shortly. Just the small matter of 40 (forty) overs to squeeze into the next two-and-a-half hours. Channel 7 and Fox Sports will be delighted.

On that subject, Jon Coghill (ex-Powderfinger drummer), might even be reading this blog. He definitely keeps in touch with the Guardian.

While the natural light dims and the floodlights take effect settle back with a track that could hardly be more appropriate; Sunsets, from a proudly Brisbane band, off an album called Vulture Street.

You know the drill, this is always more fun if I’m not the only one talking, so please keep me company, either on Twitter - @JPHowcroft- or by email - jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.

Be like Gary:

And our own Adam Collins captured the moment beautifully.

That said, that doesn’t mean there’s an absence of entertainment. Far from it with Niroshan Dickwella at the crease. Shortly before Dinner he unfurled one of the most outrageous shots even seen in Test cricket.

“Evening Jonathan,” evening Phil Withall. Pleasure as always to have you on board. “I confess to being slightly disappointed in the Sri Lankan performance so far. After a fairly competitive showing against England, although in a series defeat, they seem to have struggled significantly on their travels. The New Zealand tour was underwhelming and today’s efforts aren’t much better. I hope I’m wrong but this series is already looking a little bit grim”. I hope you’re wrong too Phil, but I don’t think you will be.

I know it’s tempting fate to say Australia are going to win this Test inside three days, but I’m going to. How Tim Paine must have wished he had the chance of leading his team out against India at the Gabbatoir. It really is a graveyard for touring sides.

Here’s some archival footage of the St Lawrence Lime in action over a century ago.

A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray.

One of the figures captured in this extraordinary scene (as an umpire) is the 1899 Wisden cricketer of the year, Albert Trott. The Melbourne-born allrounder represented both Australia and England, and legend has it he’s the only batsman to smite a ball over the pavilion at Lord’s. He is also one of only two players to take two hat-tricks in the same first-class innings.

It’s always a pleasure to follow in your blogsteps Mr Lemon, easily my favourite contributor to cricket with a name that misleadingly implies citrus fruit since the St Lawrence Lime.

Thanks very much Geoff. Slipping into the chair like...

Dinner – Sri Lanka 122 for 8

Australia’s day, despite a little comeback there from Dickwella. The home team have bowled accurately and let the conditions do the work. Richardson has three wickets, Starc and Cummins two apiece, and Lyon one. For Sri Lanka, only Dickwella has been able to muster resistance on a pitch with a touch of swing and seam movement when the ball is in the right spot.

Of course, the evening session can be tricky to bat if the ball is moving, so Australia might not love their chance with the bat once they knock over these last two wickets.

That’s it from me, it’ll be Jonathan Pheasant Howcroft to accompany you through the evening, give you a bath, sing you a song, and put you to bed.

Updated

50th over: Sri Lanka 122-8 (Dickwella 42, Chameera 0) Last over before the dinner break. And humming Moloko, Dickwella decides that the time is now. He backs away outside leg and slaps the ball over cover for four! Gave it a clout, and Head can’t haul it in. Next ball Dickwella punches the gap at backward point and gets back for a second run. Then to complete the set, Dickwella steps across and ramps him waaaaaay over the keeper for six! Perfect contact, that extravagant shot, falling to the off side, toppling over, ending up flat on the ground, but having got his angled bat under the ball to trampoline it dead straight behind the batsman and into the sightscreen behind Tim Paine. Glorious. Glorious.

Then a single to fine leg, giving Chameera one ball to block out, which he does. So Sri Lanka reach the break with Dickwella ready to resume, on strike, to try and clout them some more much-needed runs.

13 from that over.

49th over: Sri Lanka 109-8 (Dickwella 29, Chameera 0) Richardson bowling and Dickwella wants to get him away. Tries a ramp shot over fine leg but doesn’t connect. Pulls through midwicket and gets back for the second run. Then plays a short-arm swat to midwicket, just dinked that ball away deliberately for a single, giving Chameera one ball to survive. The bowler (who is currently batting) sways away from the ball outside off.

48th over: Sri Lanka 106-8 (Dickwella 26, Chameera 0) Edged into the gully by Chameera first ball, on the bounce. Then a big appeal for an edge, and Starc gets Paine to go upstairs, but DRS finds daylight between ball and edge. Dickwella will have strike for the next over, and it’s time for him to have a dip. The field drops back aside from four in the cordon.

WICKET! Perera c Labuschagne b Starc 1, Sri Lanka 106-8

Only a matter of time. Perera was struggling, of course, so he decided he wanted to thunk something. Had a big drive at Starc, but was yanking his hand off the bat handle even before the outside edge had reached third slip.

47th over: Sri Lanka 105-7 (Dickwella 25, Perera 1) Cummins streaming in from the Vulture Street end, long fluid run-up, striding along next to his lengthening shadow. Dickwella drives three runs through cover, exposing Perera to the bowling. The wounded man blots out four balls.

46th over: Sri Lanka 102-7 (Dickwella 22, Perera 1) Perera may not want an X-ray, but he yanks his hand off the bat handle as soon as he plays his first defensive shot. Not encouraging but he’s brave to come back out. Plays and misses at the next.

WICKET! Lakmal c Labuschagne b Starc 7, Sri Lanka 102-7

There it is! Starc’s 200th Test wicket is restored to him, after a DRS review earlier took it away. Lakmal slashes a boundary through backward point, then edges the next into the cordon. It was a full ball speaking in at the stumps from around the wicket from the left-armer, and Lakmal’s defensive prod took the thick edge low to third slip.

Starc’s 200th wicket in his 50th Test, nice round numbers. And what’s this? Dilruwan Perera is coming back to bat on. No trips to hospital, no X-rays, straight back to the middle.

Updated

Dilruwan Perera retires hurt for 1

45th over: Sri Lanka 97-6 (Dickwella 21, Lakmal 3) After a drinks break, Cummins continues and he’s bashed Perera in the glove! That really hurt. The batsman dropped his blade immediately as he was hit, and the ball lobbed away to land safely despite the attentions of short leg. But of more concern might be his broken thumb. That hit Perera on his bowling hand, and the off-spinner is Sri Lanka’s only slow bowler. If it’s broken, Sri Lanka are in even more trouble.

And he’s going to come off. He retires hurt, unable to carry his bat off the field. Big trouble.

Suranga Lakmal replaces him, and plays a lovely flick off his pads first ball to pick up three through midwicket. That’s a nice start. “How’s he going to go with the short ball?” asks Stuart Clark on the radio. “Not good,” answers Roshan Abeysinghe without hesitation.

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44th over: Sri Lanka 93-6 (Dickwella 20, Perera 1) Dickwella might be well advised to play some shots and harvest a few runs while he can. The way Australia has batted lately, anything over 200 against them could be enough. But that’s a long way away. Dickwella takes a single first ball of the over and lets Perera face Starc. The lower-order batsman plays into the cordon twice, three times, squeezing the ball away as Starc gets his line right. Then Perera finds a single to cover.

43rd over: Sri Lanka 91-6 (Dickwella 19, Perera 0) Cummins ends the over doused with sweat, but successful. He’d already nearly run out Silva earlier in that over from a brilliant piece of fielding. We saw one from him in Adelaide, but this could even have been better, because he was the bowler as well. Dickwella tapped the ball to the off side of the pitch and ran with the stroke. Cummins ran down the ball, picked it up, and flick-threw it underneath his body while diving, towards the striker’s stumps. Silva was nowhere in the frame but Cummins missed. Never mind. He pinged the ball off the outside edge a couple of balls later. Dilruwan Perera, a spinner but decent with the bat, walks to the middle. Cummins zips one past his edge for good measure. Has 2 for 21 now.

WICKET! Silva c Paine b Cummins 9, Sri Lanka 91-6

The slide continues! Cummins with a beauty, seamed away a touch after angling in at the off stump. Decking and taking the edge of Roshen Silva’s defensive prod, going softly at the ball but the pace of the pitch seeing it carry through regardless.

Updated

42nd over: Sri Lanka 90-5 (Silva 9, Dickwella 18) Mitchell Starc returns, trying to find some rhythm. He doesn’t initially, bowling a bit wide of the right-hander’s off stump from over the wicket. Silva doesn’t often have to play.

41st over: Sri Lanka 90-5 (Silva 9, Dickwella 18) Tell you what, this Dickwella show is fast and loose. First he tries to trampoline Cummins over the slips, and misses by a mile. Then he leaves a ball that angles in to be on the line of the stumps, but hits him high and lets him survive. The over is a maiden.

40th over: Sri Lanka 90-5 (Silva 9, Dickwella 18) Can’t stop, won’t stop sweeping. Dickwella goes with the paddle this time, and makes good connection to take Lyon for four. Next ball he tries to launch into the sun, and misses out completely. Lyon gets good turn again as Dickwella leaves outside off, then the batsman lands another sweep for a single. He’s doubled Silva’s score.

39th over: Sri Lanka 85-5 (Silva 9, Dickwella 13) Cummins squares up Dickwella, shaving past the left-hander’s edge. Then does the same for Silva a few balls later. Some games he’s relentless with his attacking line and length.

38th over: Sri Lanka 84-5 (Silva 9, Dickwella 12) Lyon bowls, and Dickwella is dropped! Reverse sweeping, swinging hard, but getting mostly a top edge. It looped rather than skying, and almost carried Head at backward point, but his dive got a left hand to the ball. He almost dived too far in the end and wore it on the wrist. Dickwella survives, barely.

37th over: Sri Lanka 82-5 (Silva 8, Dickwella 11) Lover-ly. Dickwella sees Pat Cummins start a new over, bowl a long half volley, and the batsman drives it clean and correct through mid-off for four. Two slips and a gully for Dickwella, not a very populated cordon. Two men out for the hook so Cummins can bounce him. Dickwella goes back and glides into that cordon gap for two, so Paine brings in a third slip and moves the gully finer.

36th over: Sri Lanka 76-5 (Silva 8, Dickwella 5) Roshen Silva is looking more comfortable at the crease, tapping Lyon into the covers for a single. Dickwella doesn’t, hurling his bat for an outside edge that races past slip for three. Travis Head gets on the treadmill as he steps on the boundary rope after knocking the ball back, and it slides out from under him.

35th over: Sri Lanka 72-5 (Silva 7, Dickwella 2) A nice little punch through cover to get off the mark for Dickwella. He isn’t the sort of player who’ll refrain from playing his shots, so he ends the over with a flapping attempt at a pull shot despite being on the front foot. Got nowhere near it.

34th over: Sri Lanka 70-5 (Silva 7, Dickwella 0) Australian Test leg-spinner Kristen Beams was just on ABC Grandstand with Alison Mitchell. I wonder if this is the first time in Australia that two women have called a men’s Test? The first in my recollection, anyway. Good to hear a bit more variety on our airwaves in recent years.

Lyon comes over the wicket, and Roshen Silva plays a reverse-sweep for four! That was extravagant, and entertaining.

Updated

33rd over: Sri Lanka 66-5 (Silva 3, Dickwella 0) Young Jhye Richardson on debut has 3 for 18 so far. A friendlier match to debut in than bowling against Kohli, Pujara and Rahane, but he’s done the job regardless. Niroshan Dickwella the Sri Lankan keeper is a left-hander, and Richardson gets some extravagant seam movement away from him twice in a row.

WICKET! Dhananjaya de Silva c Paine b Richardson 5, Sri Lanka 66-5

It looked like a matter of time: that forward lean, those hard hands at the ball, and the inevitable happens. De Silva facing Richardson, who moves the ball away a touch again and takes the edge to Paine. A push at the ball, and Sri Lanka are falling in a heap.

32nd over: Sri Lanka 66-4 (Silva 3, de Silva 5) Outside edge from Dhananjaya’s bat from Lyon, past slip, and they hare up and down for three. Roshen Silva looks more confident against Lyon, skipping down the pitch a couple of times to try whipping the ball away. Gets one shot where he wants it, worth a couple. Good positive play.

31st over: Sri Lanka 60-4 (Silva 1, de Silva 1) Dhananjaya de Silva has a hook at Richardson but doesn’t land it very well. Gets a single. Roshen Silva leaves the rest of the over alone.

30th over: Sri Lanka 60-4 (Silva 1, de Silva 1) Lyon getting some serious turn and bounce already. He doesn’t mind bowling on the first day in Brisbane. Was good here during the corresponding Ashes fixture. By the end of his over the batsmen finally get the nurdle going, with a single each to get off the mark.

29th over: Sri Lanka 58-4 (Silva 0, de Silva 0) Interesting technique from Dhananjaya. Watching him from nearly side on, it becomes clear how much he leans forward at the bowler. Right over his front leg, looking like a stiff breeze would tip him forward onto his face. That gets him into position to throw his hands at the ball, or rather doesn’t give him much option to do anything but. Unsurprisingly, most balls he plays at in this Richardson over end up at point.

28th over: Sri Lanka 58-4 (Silva 0, de Silva 0) A maiden for Lyon to follow one for Richardson, as Roshen Silva tries to keep the off-spinner out. Largely succeeds, though one ball beats his edge.

27th over: Sri Lanka 58-4 (Silva 0, de Silva 0) The Australians will, as they say, get around him. Richardson, that is, who moved around to the Vulture Street end to start this session, taking the end that Starc had used before tea, and Richardson was immediately more effective. What a pearler. Dhananjaya de Silva comes out for a double Silva attack.

WICKET! Mendis b Richardson 14, Sri Lanka 58-4

Bowled him! That’s destructo-ball right there. Jhye Richardson had just seen one set of stumps light up after Mendis hit a straight drive back past him, but next ball Richardson lights up the other set of sticks. A ball that snakes in towards the right-hander’s toe, then cuts the other way off the seam. Beats him totally and removes off stump. That’s a gorgeous bit of bowling and Sri Lanka’s best batsman is on his way.

Updated

Thanks Adam. And I can confirm that it’s officially as hot as blazes out there in Brisbane. Just walked outside and my shirt ironed itself. A rare cheerful session for Australia in this home summer, and now they have to drive home the advantage as the day wends on. Normally the second session of day-night Tests is the best for batting, so we’ll see.

TEA: Sri Lanka 58-3

26th over: Sri Lanka 58-3 (Mendis 14, Silva 0) Another outstanding over from Lyon to finish, beating Silva on both the outside and inside edge, turning and bouncing the ball as much as you will see from a finger spinner in the first session of a Test Match. And with that maiden, it is the tea break. It being a day-night Test, we take the 20 minute interval now, dinner taken after the middle stanza. All told, a very good two hours for Australia after losing the toss, Cummins, Richardson and Lyon all into the book along the way. I’ll leave you now with Geoff Lemon to take the OBO through the next session. Catch you tomorrow!

25th over: Sri Lanka 58-3 (Mendis 14, Silva 0) Starc to Mendis. It’s a maiden, but that flatters the quick who twice sprayed down the legside. He needs this break. But they will get one final over in beforehand, racing to their positions.

24th over: Sri Lanka 58-3 (Mendis 14, Silva 0) Three men out on the legside for Lyon against Mendis, who dominated him in Sri Lanka in 2016, bowling round the wicket too. It is fair to say that Brendon Julian does not approve of this defensive starting point but it does keep Mendis quiet until the second last ball, deflected for one. The men stay out for the new man Roshen Silva, Lyon finding his inside edge with the ball nearly ending back on his stumps from the awkward, failed cut shot.

23rd over: Sri Lanka 57-3 (Mendis 13, Silva 0) Nice stroke from Mendis, tucking into another overpitched Starc delivery, pushing through cover for three. The quick is copping some heat from Brendon Julian and Mike Hussey on TV for his length in this spell so far, wanting him to pull it back a bit.



WICKET! Karunaratne c Paine b Lyon 24 (Sri Lanka 54-3)

Superbly taken from Paine, moving to his left after Lyon clipped the glove of Karunaratne with another ball that turned big and bounced generously from round the wicket. So a good innings from the opener ends within 15 minutes of the first break, undone by a fine piece of bowling and some equally excellent wicketkeeping.

22nd over: Sri Lanka 54-3 (Mendis 10)

Updated

21st over: Sri Lanka 53-2 (Karunaratne 24, Mendis 9) Starc, who was handy to begin the Test, is back for a second burst before lunch from the Vulture Street End. He gives Karunaratne one on his pads here though, the opener whipping it away to the rope with ease. Starc is back where he needs to be on the fourth stump line by the end of the set. “Australia will be disappointed if Sri Lanka are only two down by the break,” Brendon Julian states on TV, noting how much swing and movement they have been getting with the pink ball throughout the session.

20th over: Sri Lanka 49-2 (Karunaratne 20, Mendis 9) This is better from Karunaratne, looking more comfortable on the front foot. Mendis also scores early in the Lyon over, working with the spin behind square. Some good running to finish the left-hander pushing into cover, racing through for a quick single.


19th over: Sri Lanka 46-2 (Karunaratne 18, Mendis 8) Mendis is defending and leaving in rotation, Cummins asking all the usual questions. From nowhere, though, comes an impotent half-tracker to finish, the Sri Lankan star hammering a cut shot to the boundary.

18th over: Sri Lanka 42-2 (Karunaratne 18, Mendis 4) Another top over from Lyon, starting his work this Test in ideal fashion. Mendis gets off strike second ball down the ground, offering up the left-hander Karunaratne who does well to get through the rest without making an error with the balls turning square and men around the bat - including Starc at leg slip. I’m enjoying this mission creep from the quicks, two of them now serving vice-captains and Starc a reborn slipper.

Some fine Samson statto work here.



17th over: Sri Lanka 41-2 (Karunaratne 18, Mendis 3) A point of discussion on TV that Australia have bowled only 16 overs with 37 minutes scheduled until lunch. I’ve speculated in earlier day-night Tests that this could be intentional, making sure that they get to bowl as many overs as possible later on after dark. We’ll see. Allan Border is debating whether there should be two drinks breaks in this session. Never change, AB. Back in the middle, Cummins sends down another superb delivery at Mendis to start the fresh over that beats the edge, repeating the dose with another absolutely beauty with his penulitmate offering. We’ve seen some high class fast bowling here this afternoon. But the Sri Lankan young gun is off the mark from the final ball, the 15th he’s faced, pushing three behind point with nice control along the ground.



16th over: Sri Lanka 38-2 (Karunaratne 18, Mendis 0) On comes Nathan Lyon, at the ground where the Cult of ‘Nice Garry’ began two summers ago, against the team he made his famous Test debut at Galle all the way back in 2011. He’s generating big spin to start at Karunaratne, beating the southpaw on the back foot. A carbon copy comes later in the over, fending at a deliveryon the basis of line rather than length. Good batting to finish, now on the front foot pushing two down the ground. They take a second drinks break.

That first ball! The catch to finish it!



15th over: Sri Lanka 36-2 (Karunaratne 16, Mendis 0) Cummins concedes some runs this time around, Karunaratne driving a couple to cover then taking a two more from a pair of balls aimed at the stumps. Given a chance at Mendis, still yet to score, the athletic quick is straight on to a tight fourth stump line. Let’s enjoy this, two of the young superstars of world cricket going at each other.

“Jason Gillespie did it for South Australia,” says Sam Perry to my left. That he did. I reckon Paul Reiffel popped himself there at a similar stage of his state career.

14th over: Sri Lanka 31-2 (Karunaratne 11, Mendis 0) Richardson bowls his seventh, still getting a ton of movement. He’s so close to removing Mendis without scoring, beating him with an unplayable. “He’s really in a rhythm now,” notes Allan Border on telly. In response, Paine moves Mitch Starc into fourth slip. It’s not without precedent for the fast bowler to find himself in the cordon, spending a fair bit of time at first slip in Abu Dhabi last October. Who are the best quicks who caught in the grippers? Botham, of course. Brian McMillan stands out. Jimmy Anderson has also done plenty of good work in there, albeit mostly to spinners. Joel Garner, right? Oh, Terry Alderman - how can I forget. Who else?

13th over: Sri Lanka 31-2 (Karunaratne 11, Mendis 0) Mendis is both the future and the present of this Sri Lankan team, with siz Test tons already to his name by age 23. The first of those was a stunning, matchwinning 171 against Australia at Kandy in 2016, a side that has four (by my count) players out there today. It means they cannot take the foot off and Cummins doesn’t, sending down an accurate maiden at Karunaratne, dealt with respectfully. “He’s their Pujara,” Kerry O’Keefe says of the Sri Lankan opener, who looks just about set now, having faced 43 balls.



Updated

And how about the reaction!


WICKET! Chandimal c Burns b Richardson 5 (Sri Lanka 31-2)

A wonderful way for Richardson to pick up his first Test wicket! It’s a textbook outswinger, forcing Chandimal to play, kissing his outside edge, taken beautifully by Burns diving across from second slip. He has the visiting skipper within minutes of walking out. What a moment for the young West Australian.

12th over: Sri Lanka 31-2 (Karunaratne 11)

Updated

11th over: Sri Lanka 27-1 (Karunaratne 11, Chandimal 1) The skipper, Chandimal, was not down to bat at No3 but he is walking out now at the fall of the first wicket instead of Dhananjaya. He’s off the mark first ball with a push to mid-on, Karunaratne defending the rest of the successful set with soft hands.

That was the first wicket for Pat Cummins as Australia’s vice-captain. Through him, we’re one step closer to the fast bowler captaincy revolution. Viva!



WICKET! Thirimanne c Labuschagne b Cummins 12 (Sri Lanka 26-1)

Full and round the wicket, Cummins gave Thirimanne an invitation to drive that he could not turn down. Doing just enough off the deck, the outside edge flew straight into the hands of the local boy Labuschagne at third slip. They’re away.

10th over: Sri Lanka 26-0 (Karunaratne 11, Thirimanne 12) Jumping Jhye was all over Karunaratne early and he’s once again up for leg before. This is the least convincing of the appeals so far, though, the ball pitching well outside leg. But on the whole, the experienced opener now looks to be working himself into a nice groove.

9th over: Sri Lanka 26-0 (Karunaratne 11, Thirimanne 12) Cummins gets a chance now, replacing Starc after a sharp four over stint. As usual, he’s straight into the idea channel at Thirmanne from round the wicket, taking only three balls to find an inside edge. On Fox Criket, they note that James Anderson has picked up Thirimanne seven times in Tests. The England champion was the best of their bowlers on the opening day at Barbados, his overnight figures 25-12-4-33. As you do at age 36.

8th over: Sri Lanka 26-0 (Karunaratne 11, Thirimanne 12) Better over for Sri Lanka, Karunaratne tucking Richardson then Thirimanne doing likewise for a couple. He plays the same shot later in the over but finer again, the angle good enough to secure the first boundary of the Test! Richardson keeps it together, finishing the over with an excellent off-cutter that beats Karunaratne.



7th over: Sri Lanka 20-0 (Karunaratne 10, Thirimanne 7) Starc is bowling some unplayables in this spell, Thirimanne beaten again from a ball that jags away that he has to play at. Sure enough, there is a bouncer in there too. The opener makes good contact to a drive later in the over, albeit straight back to the bowler, but he’s beaten again to finish from a delivery he really should have been leaving alone.

6th over: Sri Lanka 19-0 (Karunaratne 9, Thirimanne 7) Richardson gets another go at Karunaratne, who made the ICC Test Team of the year for 2018 for eight 50+ scores in nine Tests. But it only takes two balls for his inside edge to be located, his skiddy trajectory of the new West Australian taking some getting used to. The left-hander knows he has to leave whenever he can, given a couple of inaccurate short balls to watch in an over a touch less potent.

NOT OUT! Well, that looked pretty good live but the review shows it missing leg stump. Mitch Starc will have wait for his 200th Test wicket; Thirimanne survives.

5th over: Sri Lanka 16-0 (Karunaratne 8, Thirimanne 7) The error was set up by some super bowling, Starc beating the edge with a beauty after flooring the opening with a rapid bumper. The Australians are on.

HAS STARC PICKED UP THIRIMANNE? He’s been given lbw but sends it straight upstairs. Stand by.

4th over: Sri Lanka 14-0 (Karunaratne 7, Thirimanne 6) Richardson is once again appealing first ball of his second set, this time pinning Karunaratne to the crease with a delivery shaping back beautifully from over the wicket. The umpire doesn’t fancy it, the bounce again convincing Paine not to review. A nice battle continues between the pair, the opening bat taking two to midwicket and leaving competently, the bowler locating an inside edge to finish. Really good cricket.

3rd over: Sri Lanka 12-0 (Karunaratne 5, Thirimanne 6) Starc now finds the outside edge of Thirimanne’s blade, doing it tough early on here, but it lands just short of the cordon. The talisman leader then attacks the stumps before losing his line a bit as the over came to an end, Karunaratne collecting one off his pads.

2nd over: Sri Lanka 9-0 (Karunaratne 4, Thirimanne 5) So close! It is all happening in Jhye Richardson’s first over of Test cricket, ever so close to a breakthrough. He nearly joined a special club with his first ball, Thirimanne almost pushing a catch to Labuschagne at short leg off the shoulder of the bat. Back on strike later in the over, the same man shouldered arms to a delivery that came back a long way, prompting a massive appeal from the West Australian and the cordon. On the basis of height, Paine elected not to go upstairs. Tons to like about this kid.

1st over: Sri Lanka 6-0 (Karunaratne 3, Thirimanne 3) Lovely shot first ball of the Test from Karunaratne, pushing Starc with perfect timing through midwicket for three. Thirimanne is busy early, hit by a bumper on the arm that he can’t get away from before steering a couple nicely past point to get off the mark. A yorker to finish, dug out for a single to retain the strike. Good cricket from all involved.

The players are on the field! Mitchell Starc has the ball in his hand, bowling the first ball from the Vulture Street End. Karunaratne is facing, the man in the form of his life, alongside Thirimanne. PLAY!

Indigenous welcome to country and national anthems. Sri Lanka’s is a corker, running to about four minutes in total. Of course, they are playing for the Warne-Murali Trophy in this series, one of the most divisive in the game. Personally, I love it. I might even have called it stately in my copy last night.



There are not many people here. It’s hard to judge at the Gabba with their kaleidoscopic seating, but the fact that more tickets were sold to Canberra than here as of two weeks ago suggests this might be a bit of a battle. Of course, that attendance number will swell after business hours for that final session.

Speaking of the witching hour, it is a good thing that the pink ball is no longer a major talking point, this the fifth day-night Test played in Australia. Talking to their officials here this morning, the only change to the ball from last season is that they have smoothed the leather less before applying the cover. That’s a negligible alteration, designed to prevent peeling. In short, the ball is good as gold, Tim Paine saying as much yesterday at his pre-Test press conference.

This is what that ball looks like up close, with added content included in that link: The Mavis’s singing Cry on Recovery in 1997. Niche, but worth it.

Updated

Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Lahiru Thirimanne, Dinesh Chandimal (c), Kusal Mendis, Roshen Silva, Dhananjaya de Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Dushmantha Chameera, Lahiru Kumara

I’m extremely happy to see Dhananjaya at three. The three quicks as expected; Perera the spinner. No other surprises.

Australia: Marcus Harris, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Kurtis Patterson, Tim Paine (c & wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon

Sri Lanka still coming. Not sure what’s going on here, but I’ll have it up asap.

Sri Lanka batting first!

Dinesh Chandimal has called correctly. Teams as named coming in a tick.

This is nice. Trent Copeland is Kurtis Patterson’s club captain at St George and perhaps the most excited man in Australia about his elevation to the Test side. Copes performed at The Grade Cricketer live show last night (with the OBO’s own Sam Perry) and said that his own hopes of an Ashes recall are far from dead. Nor should they be, either. We learned the hard way in 2015 how an unbalanced attack in England can go around and around. They need an old-fashioned seamer and Copeland has to be in that conversation alongside Worrall, Siddle and Sayers.

The track. Yes, that looks a bit green. But do not - I repeat do not get carried away. It’ll be a road. We’re in Australia, it is always a road. Bat early, bat often.

Kurtis Patterson putting on his baggy green for the first time. Nice.



Welcome to the opening day of the First Test between Australia and Sri Lanka!

Hello from the Gabba! The good news for the players is that the stinging heat of yesterday has not been repeated for the opening afternoon of this two Test series, the temperature currently 30 degrees, with a tiny bit of cloud cover.

For the hosts, this could serve as the platform to a much better 2019, finding a way to win again. Alternatively, if they drop this series, it will be the worst possible result ahead of an away Ashes in August. As for the visitors, they have suffered from their own well-documented troubles over the last 12 months, keen here to find a way to salute in their first ever Test Match in this country.

In the middle, Kurtis Patterson and Jhye Richardson have just received their baggy greens from Mike Hussey and Damien Fleming. They are into the side along with home town booy Joe Burns, recalled for his first Test at home for 27 months.

We’re still none the wiser as to what Sri Lanka will do at the toss, blessed with quite a few options following a productive tour game at Hobart last week. But with big outs - Mathews and Pradeep - they go in as underdogs. To what extent the pink ball can level things up after dark, time will tell. More on that in a moment.

Geoff, JP and I are looking forward to your company throughout the week from Brisbane. How do you see this going? Drop me a line, send me a tweet.

This’ll get the blood pumping.
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