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

Australia v Sri Lanka: second Test, day three – as it happened

Usman Khawaja made an unbeaten century as Australia batted Sri Lanka out of contention on day three of the second Test.
Usman Khawaja made an unbeaten century as Australia batted Sri Lanka out of contention on day three of the second Test. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

And here’s the stumps report from day three.

Close on Day 3: Sri Lanka 17-0 (Target 516)

Australia’s summer-ending series with Sri Lanka just keeps getting better and better. Aside from the one-sided nature of the contest it has provided ideal conditions for fringe players to prove their worth and older heads to regain form.

Today it was the turn of Mitchell Starc and Usman Khawaja to celebrate, the former with a five-for, the latter with an unbeaten ton. Both were under pressure coming into this match and both will feel a lot better about their Ashes prospects after it.

Starc’s 5-54 helped mop up Sri Lanka’s first innings in quick-time this morning. The cheap dismissals of Marcus Harris, Joe Burns and Marnus Labuschagne then threatened to take the gloss from Australia’s day when they began their second dig but a composed 59 from Travis Head and an increasingly fluent 101 from Khawaja restored Australia’s dominance.

The declaration came immediately after Khawaja’s ton - Australia’s fourth individual century of the match - but Sri Lanka navigated a tricky half-hour to stumps. To see if the tourists can negotiate the next two days and secure an unlikely result, join me, Adam and Geoff back here tomorrow.

Usman Khwaja’s century was the highlight of the third day of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Canberra.
Usman Khwaja’s century was the highlight of the third day of the second Test between Australia and Sri Lanka in Canberra. Photograph: David Gray/EPA

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Bad light stops play

With about ten minutes remaining Sri Lanka have been offered, and gleefully accepted, the light. It’s gloomy at Manuka Oval but not yet raining.

6th over: Sri Lanka 17-0 (Karunaratna 8, Thrimanna 8) Speaking of the Baphomet, on he comes, drawing Thrimanna forward with his teasing offies but like his two countrymen before him he’s unable to find the breakthrough.

5th over: Sri Lanka 16-0 (Karunaratna 8, Thrimanna 7) Nathan Lyon whirls his arms over in front of an advertising board telling us “the future of beer is here”. There’s some irony of course in that Lyon was the future of Michael Beer for Australian cricket. Beer was cap number 418 when Australia were still searching for a long-term replacement for Shane Warne. He lasted two Tests before cap number 421 came along. 85 Tests later Australia has a new GOAT.

4th over: Sri Lanka 15-0 (Karunaratna 8, Thrimanna 6) Richardson is finding some nice shape back into the left-handers but both openers are watching the ball well. Karunaratna gets off the market with a top-edged pull over the keeper from a very handy bouncer. He doubles his score two balls later with a very streaky lash to a wider delivery that flies down to third man.

3rd over: Sri Lanka 7-0 (Karunaratna 0, Thrimanna 6) First edge of the innings flies high and wide of third slip off the shoulder of Thrimanna’s bat. Starc is bowling well so far, on a probing line and length. The clouds continue to roll in around Manuka Oval. We may not make it to 6pm.

2nd over: Sri Lanka 1-0 (Karunaratna 0, Thrimanna 1) Jhye Richardson shares the new ball from the Church End, approaching from over the wicket to the left-handers. A bellicose rendition of “Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi!” accompanies the West Australian as he targets Thrimanna but the combination of chest-high bumpers and length in-swingers cannot force a breakthrough.

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1st over: Sri Lanka 0-0 (Karunaratna 0, Thrimanna 0) No early wicket but Starc is fast and on the money straight up with a hint of away swing to the left-handed Karunaratna. This is going to be a horrible spell for Sri Lanka.

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37 minutes of play to go. Mitchell Starc has the new ball. Can Sri Lanka survive?

Australia’s lead when they declared was 515, a very modish number.

One of the few bright spots of a difficult summer. What’s impressed me has been his concentration and ability to adapt to the match situation. Clearly a leader of the future.

Australia declare at 196-3 (Sri Lanka 516 to win)

47th over: Australia 196-3 (Khawaja 101, Head 59) Following Khawaja’s ton Tim Paine gave this partnership until the end of the over before calling them in. Now a nasty 35-minute spell for Sri Lanka to navigate with the floodlights taking effect and the storm clouds gathering.

100 to Usman Khawaja from 134 balls

Eighth ton in 41 Tests for Khawaja and he celebrates with a huge leap, a primal scream, and a massive sigh of relief.

Before the declaration (or century), a quick chance to share this all-time masterpiece of performance art.

46th over: Australia 193-3 (Khawaja 99, Head 58) A single from Head brings Khawaja on strike and a delicate nudge off his pads brings... three! The declaration will have to wait.

The declaration is imminent. Australia’s players are waiting in the player’s race in their whites. Presumably a Khawaja ton is all we’re waiting for.

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45th over: Australia 189-3 (Khawaja 96, Head 57) Australia in white ball mode now, improvising and looking for runs to every delivery. Head guides a four just wide of the fly slip, a shot Khawaja improves upon later in the over to extend the lead beyond 500.

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44th over: Australia 180-3 (Khawaja 92, Head 52) A single and two dots precede - you guessed it - a misfield, gifting Khawaja two runs. That misfield begets another misfield, this time worth four runs; Kusal Mendis misreading the bounce at gully.

43rd over: Australia 173-3 (Khawaja 86, Head 51) Those thunderstorms I mentioned at Tea are just starting to draw closer. I wonder if that’s going to influence Tim Paine’s decision making? Alison Mitchell on TV says a lightning strike has been recorded just 8km away. Khawaja senses the hurry-up, slapping another cover drive for four then pulling Rajitha hard for one. Both batsmen are clearly looking to push things along but a lack of timing and some well-placed sweepers limit the damage for Sri Lanka.

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42nd over: Australia 167-3 (Khawaja 81, Head 50) Khawaja’s purring now, reverse sweeping for two, sweeping for four, then rotating the strike with a single. Head takes advantage of his time on strike, pushing the ball to long-off to bring up his fifth 50 in eight Tests.

One of the more curious images of the summer. I wonder if there’s an explanation out there?

Kasun Rajitha of Sri Lanka signs a copy of The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho for a member of the crowd during day three of the Second Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval.
Kasun Rajitha of Sri Lanka signs a copy of The Alchemist by Brazilian author Paulo Coelho for a member of the crowd during day three of the Second Test match between Australia and Sri Lanka at Manuka Oval. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

41st over: Australia 158-3 (Khawaja 73, Head 49) There have been some fine attacking strokes this session but none finer that this pull shot from Head that whistles off the bat in front of square leg. The pull shot has been conspicuous by its absence this summer. I wonder if anybody better connected than me can say whether this is by design or simply the collection of individual techniques involved across the two series? The alarming number of times batsmen have been hit on helmets ducking into short balls suggests it might be a shot worth revisiting.

40th over: Australia 151-3 (Khawaja 71, Head 44) Head’s had enough of all this faffing around, stepping out of his ground and lofting Perera over mid-off for four. There was a brief shot on TV of Tim Paine in his playing whites outside the viewing room. Could a declaration be nearby? 22 overs or 80 minutes left in the day.

39th over: Australia 147-3 (Khawaja 71, Head 40) After a torrent of runs in the overs immediately after Tea there’s been something of a drought in recent times. Khawaja struggles to get Rajitha away this time and Sri Lanka can enjoy the small victory of a maiden over. The lead is 466.

38th over: Australia 147-3 (Khawaja 71, Head 40) Just one from the latest Perera over.

“Can I tempt you with a portmanteau cricketer, all three of whom have been playing Test cricket in the last twenty four hours?”. You sure can Ian Forth! “Alazarri Joseph plus Rory Burns = Joe Burns”.

37th over: Australia 146-3 (Khawaja 70, Head 40) Less drossful from Rajitha, just two runs coming from the second over of his spell.

Apropos of nothing, here’s Queen performing at Live Aid.

36th over: Australia 144-3 (Khawaja 69, Head 39) Dilruwan Perera’s back. Chandimal presumably now just mixing up his attack to annoy the scorers. “BOWLER’S NAME!?” possibly ricocheting around Manuka Oval like a Sunday league fourth grade special. The shorthand for this entry while the information was relayed to the scorer’s hut would be *rare maiden*. For the first time since Tea Australia allowed an over to pass without a run being scored.

35th over: Australia 144-3 (Khawaja 69, Head 39) Rajitha has another go but it’s pretty sketchy cricket, featuring as it does a wide, a no-ball, and an overthrow. Nevertheless, Head finds the boundary and the century partnership is raised. Australia’s lead is now 463.

My day is always brightened by an Ian Forth email, and today is no exception. “Other portmanteau cricketers include Rob Bailey and Peter George (George Bailey) and perhaps best of all, Greg Ritchie plus John Benaud = Richie Benaud (all but one letter, anyway). If I get time I’ll have a look at the West Indian possibilities which seems like fertile ground. Also Chris Jordan and Robin Peterson gives you Jordan Peterson which is enough to get all true Guardianistas firing off sociological theories about masculinity in contemporary cricket left, right and centre”.

34th over: Australia 131-3 (Khawaja 63, Head 34) The first jaffa in a while almost earns Dananjaya a wicket but after finding the edge of Head’s bat the ball deviated so far it was near impossible for Dickwella to respond in time standing up to the stumps Technically it’s a drop, but there wasn’t much the keeper could have done about it.

33rd over: Australia 129-3 (Khawaja 62, Head 33) After a succession of cover drives Khawaja pulls a beautifully timed on-drive out of his locker, sending Fernando’s delivery back down the ground with interest. 62 runs from ten overs since Tea. I hope the declaration comes soon.

Not that it matters all that much, but the operator of the Manuka Oval Twitter feed has done a splendid job this Test.

32nd over: Australia 125-3 (Khawaja 58, Head 33) Ugh, junk from Dananjaya, dropping short twice to Head, the first time receiving the treatment, the second escaping with a single. Yet another misfield keeps the Jack Fingleton Scoreboard ticking over.

31st over: Australia 118-3 (Khawaja 57, Head 27) Aside from Kusal Mendis’ superb slip catching Sri Lanka’s fielding has been appalling. The latest example is a missed run-out following an unnecessary second run that saw Head stranded miles from his ground at the non-striker’s end but nobody guarding the stumps to accept the throw from cover. Schoolboy stuff. Khawaja makes the profligate tourists pay with yet another cover-driven boundary, this time going squarer than previously.

He’s up there. I’d take a Starc yorker, an Adelaide Oval sunset, or that retro ODI kit ahead of it though.

30th over: Australia 110-3 (Khawaja 50, Head 27) Usman Khawaja passes 50 for the 22nd time in 41 Tests. On seven previous occasions he has converted that start into a ton. Today would be an opportune time to make that eight following a below-par summer.

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29th over: Australia 106-3 (Khawaja 49, Head 24) Spin from both ends last just one over with Fernando’s left-arm pace replacing Perera. More runs from Australia and another cover driven boundary for Khawaja follow, although this one was uppish and only just wide of the diving cover fielder.

28th over: Australia 98-3 (Khawaja 43, Head 22) Spin from both ends now with Dananjaya coming on but this partnership is well set now and happy to milk singles all over Manuka Oval.

Hi fans of wordplay! It’s belatedly come to my attention that Anderson Cummins (see Tea interval) is of course an amalgamation of James Anderson and Pat Cummins. Are there any other cricketers whose entire name can be made out of the names of two other players? Answers on a postcard. Or Twitter and email, if you prefer - details at the top of the page.

27th over: Australia 94-3 (Khawaja 41, Head 20) Perera drops short and Khwaja’s on it in a flash, cutting hard behind point for his third boundary since Tea. Following Starc’s five-for earlier, another of Australia’s senior figures is playing himself back into form.

26th over: Australia 87-3 (Khawaja 36, Head 18) Head reaches 500 runs for the Test summer with a powerful cut to the offside sweeper. That same fielder can’t intercept another Khawaja cover driven boundary, a shot squirted through the infield following some butterfingered fielding by Thirimanne.

Travis Head balletically avoiding a bouncer from Sri Lanka’s paceman Kasun Rajitha during day three of the second Test cricket match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Manuka Oval Cricket Ground in Canberra.
Travis Head balletically avoiding a bouncer from Sri Lanka’s paceman Kasun Rajitha during day three of the second Test cricket match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Manuka Oval Cricket Ground in Canberra. Photograph: Ishara S Kodikara/AFP/Getty Images

25th over: Australia 81-3 (Khawaja 32, Head 17) Much tighter from Dilruwan Perera in an over that includes a delivery squirting off the outside edge of Khawaja’s bat while the left-hander was on the move down the pitch. The lead is now 400.

24th over: Australia 78-3 (Khawaja 30, Head 16) Chamika may regret his decision to leave the pavilion following his opening over after Tea. A no-ball and a Khawaja single precede a rock star cover drive from Head so photogenic it deserves its own Instagram account. Its status as an influencer was seen almost immediately by Khawaja emulating the shot for the second boundary of the over.

Updated

You know I want your Tweets and emails. Send them to the following addresses please. @JPHowcroft and jonathan.howcroft.freelance@theguardian.com.

This could include some Numberwang DECLARATION SPECULATION. The lead is 386 with seven sessions remaining.

If you like your evening sessions long and sweaty, you’re in luck! 39 overs are still to be bowled today which means we’re looking at another 150-minute session. Temperatures are in the mid-30s in the nation’s capital and a few ominous storm clouds are beginning to loiter.

Speaking of the weather, the forecast is for scattered thunderstorms this evening, but the likelihood of those rolling in is slim until after stumps have been called. Rain is more likely tomorrow, where thundery showers could well disrupt play from lunch onwards. If Sri Lanka hold out until Tuesday they may also benefit from some interruptions to play then as well. However, there is no persistent rain rain forecast during the Test, only showers.

Thank you very much Adam, my favourite cricketing AC since Anderson Cummins, a player with an unexpected number of career quirks to enjoy.

The obvious place to start is with his dual-international status. After debuting for the West Indies in ODIs in 1991 he later went on to represent Canada, becoming just the second man (after Kepler Wessels) to play for two countries in World Cups.

Cummins only played five Tests for the Windies. He was scheduled to debut in 1992 on his home island of Barbados but selectors instead opted for Antiguan Kenny Benjamin. So outraged were Bajan fans many boycotted the match, with one banner reading “No Cummins, no goings”, which is patently brilliant.

But perhaps the greatest footnote in his distinguished career was in 1994 when he was playing county cricket for Durham and he had the honour of bowling Brian Lara around his legs when the Warwickshire batsman was on just 12. Unfortunately for Cummins the delivery was called a no-ball and Lara went on to make an unbeaten 501.

“Never mind lads, he’s looking shaky, we’ll get him soon.”

Oh, he also had a mega celebration:

TEA! Australia 67-3 (leading by 386 runs)

23rd over: Australia 67-3 (Khawaja 25, Head 11) Dhananjaya replaces Perera for a one-over spell, the two catchers at short cover not a factor when the spinner drops short with a long hop, hammered away through midwicket for four runs by Khawaja. A single gives Head one ball to negotiate for the break and he leaves it nicely. That’s tea on day three!

So after Australia finished the Sri Lankan innings in eight balls after the resumption, they lost three wickets in 100 minutes at the crease. Harris won’t want to be seeing his dismissal again, nor Labuschagne, but Burns got an excellent delivery from Fernando, who has been the most impressive visiting seamer.

Thanks for your contributions on the replacement walk-out song for the Australian team, I’m going to send a couple to CA now. To see you through to the close, I welcome back JP Howcroft. Talk to you again tomorrow. Bye!

22nd over: Australia 62-3 (Khawaja 20, Head 11) Head tries to smash Karunaratne over extra cover into the apartment I’m staying at just beyond the grandstand in that direction, but instead he plays and misses the moving ball. After that near miss, he keeps bat and pad close together in defence, mindful surely that they have a cup of tea waiting in a few minutes from now.

21st over: Australia 62-3 (Khawaja 20, Head 11) Perera has been swung around to the nortern or Manuka Pool End for a dart before the break, replacing Rajitha who did well picking up a couple of wickets. He picks up his earlier contest with Khawaja, both the spinner and No3 doing their jobs, a maiden the result.

20th over: Australia 62-3 (Khawaja 20, Head 11) Karunaratne is on for a twist. Despite struggling pretty badly in the first dig, he did get the new ball to move around early on - picking up Labuschagne with a good one - so I’m a bit surprised they have delayed his introduction. Anyway, Khawaja gets a single away first ball to midwicket, moving into the 20s with the stroke, Head then playing out the rest conservatively. They should get three more overs in before the tea interval.

19th over: Australia 61-3 (Khawaja 19, Head 11) Rajitha does go again and nearly picks up Head! That’s the second inside edge of the Australian second dig to miss the woodwork by a matter of millimetres, this time passing just by the leg stump before spitting out to fine leg for a couple. But he can’t keep the pressure on, overstepping before giving Head three balls on a trot that he can leave alone.

18th over: Australia 58-3 (Khawaja 19, Head 9) Perera’s turn to get the treatment, Head getting off the mark by creaming a cut. Confidence up, he then jumps down at the spinner and smashes him down the ground. He’s in fantastic nick.

17th over: Australia 49-3 (Khawaja 19, Head 0) The old captaincy nightmare, giving a bowler one extra over following a wicket, then going around. It’s what Rajitha does here, Khawaja pulling him for four with ease then tucking another to the rope, the bowler overstepping too. Nicely bowled but time for a breather.

“I only remember Marsh brothers,” the best bit of this exchange. He’s a gem, Dickwella.

16th over: Australia 40-3 (Khawaja 11, Head 0) Khawaja grabs a couple to midwicket against the turn then another down the ground to keep the strike.

Horses is nominated, noted but rejected. Aim high. “The Slab is Hunters and Collectors finest,” argues Graham Crouch. “‘I was looking to see some dreams dripping from your fingers...’” And the Big V blue singlet! I made one of those for a Bay 13 excursion to an early-2000s ODI. On the back it read: DEANO: ONE-DAY KING. He sure is.

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15th over: Australia 37-3 (Khawaja 8, Head 0) Head gets out of the way of a bumper first up to complete the Rajitha over.

WICKET! c Dickwella b Rajitha 4 (Australia 37-3)

Labuschagne has been so assertive in defence until now, prodding forward to edge a little outswinger from Rajitha, into the book for a second time. After doing the hard work, that’ll hurt. Fair play to the Sri Lankan openers for sticking to their task and doing enough to create these chances. After chasing leather the first time around, this is no easy job backing up without even 24 hours to rest.

14th over: Australia 37-2 (Khawaja 8, Labuschagne 4) Labuschagne takes one around the corner off the second ball of Perera’s new over, Khawaja jumping forward then using the depth of the crease to defend the rest.

13th over: Australia 36-2 (Khawaja 8, Labuschagne 3) A lot to like about the way Labuschagne has started, unlucky not to beat midwicket with a firm clip, then defending with purpose. He is off the mark from the final Fernando delivery, this time beating midwicket with the same shot from earlier in the over, galloping back for three.

“My suggestion is ‘Frontier Psychiatrist’ by The Avalanches,” writes Simon Pertie. Very clever after the year that has been, and a real earworm too. Let’s pop it on.

12th over: Australia 33-2 (Khawaja 8, Labuschagne 0) Khawaja is on the advance to the spin of Perera, going over the bowler’s head for a couple. He uses his feet again later in the over, albeit to defend. It should be a good little contest between these two, the No3 surely busting out the reverse sweep soon as well.

11th over: Australia 31-2 (Khawaja 6, Labuschagne 0) Fernando isn’t giving Labuschagne an easy option to get off the mark, the Queenslander looking organised in defence throughout this maiden, leaving as required too. I love the huge, red spot in the middle of his blade, as though he has sandpapered (nurse!) every other cherry aside from those that hit the meat. A real power move.

“It has a good long instrumental intro and a repeating fade out chorus at the end so it’s actually a pretty practical option,” says Michael Cooney in his email about My Island Home. I’ll take the Christine Anu version. Better still, how about her other big single? This featured on Hit Machine 10, my first CD.

Could win Eurovision with those harmonies.

10th over: Australia 31-2 (Khawaja 6, Labuschagne 0) Spin to win, or something like that. Dilruwan Perera is on for a quick set before they break for drinks, Khawaja patting back an accurate maiden from the offie.

9th over: Australia 31-2 (Khawaja 6, Labuschagne 0) Fernando bumps Khawaja again to begin, two men set out after his miscue in the previous set. Off strike to midwicket, Labuschagne deals with the rest easily enough. There was a long chat between the Sri Lankans, Khawaja and an umpire before the over for reasons that are not yet obvious but I’m sure we’ll find out at drinks, coming up shortly.

Thick and fast come the nominations for Australia’s new walk-out song. Mick Jumpertz wants Wedding Cake Island by Midnight Oil. Get in. My dear old pal Michael Cooney goes with Warumpi Band - My Island Home. Nice. Sure enough, Farnsy gets a mention from Irish gun umpire Laura Caughney. I’m only sympathetic on the basis that we went to the same high school in Dandenong.

But it is Jane who wins my attention and the youtube embed with this absolute STONKER, Down Again by Superjesus. “I’m not feeling confident,” she adds, explaining her decision. No explanation required, it’s on my all-time Aussie list.

Still have a crush on Sarah McLeod


8th over: Australia 30-2 (Khawaja 5, Labuschagne 0) So close to three! After collecting his first boundary with a clip through midwicket, next ball Khawaja has a pop at the Rajitha short ball but it comes off the top edge, hanging in the air for a long time before landing about ten metres short of the man running in from fine leg. Had the No3 fallen like that it would have made for a headline or two.

7th over: Australia 25-2 (Khawaja 0, Labuschagne 0) Two Queenslanders yet to score, both having failed in the first dig. The younger of the two, who got a good’un on Friday, leaves the one Fernando ball left in the set.

WICKET! Burns c Mendis b Fernando 9 (Australia 25-2)

Fernando has Burns! A very tidy piece of bowling across the right-hander to find the edge, another catch for Mendis at second slip snaffled; his sixth of the series. “That’s the Chaminda Vaas of old!,” says Mike Hussey of the left-armer on telly, “running his fingers down the seam to create that lovely off-cutter.”

6th over: Australia 19-1 (Burns 3, Khawaja 0) Rajitha is a bit all over the place early on, spraying one so wide of Khawaja that it is signalled as one by the ump. Khawaja cops a whack on the shoulder from a short ball but either side of that is patient outside the off-stump.

Gav Joshi is an obsessive watcher of batting, so if you are trying to work out what’s going on with Khawaja this summer, this is worth a click.



5th over: Australia 17-1 (Burns 2, Khawaja 0) Whoa, it should be 16-2! Burns has somehow survived by no more than half a centimetre with an inside edge moving from his blade to his back pad, trickling back towards off-stump only to just miss. A single to long leg gives Khawaja one ball to look at and he defends it competently. That’s a better over from Fernando.

“Rufus - Treat You Better” writes Doug Thompson. I must admit, that’s not in my immediate hitting zone but I’ll pop it on at tea. Keep them coming.

4th over: Australia 16-1 (Burns 1, Khawaja 0) It’s a slightly different story for Khawaja with so much experience at this level, but he’s the other Australian well out of form and in need of a couple of hours in the middle, perhaps with a bit of red ink to go with it. He’s defending and leaving the last couple of balls of successful Rajitha over.

“The Saints,” nominates Diego del Mercato. “I’m Stranded.” Now we’re cooking. With this occasionally thrown in to mix things up.

“I’m ready.”



WICKET! Harris c Mendis b Rajitha 14 (Australia 16-1)

Oh, hold on! Against the flow of play, Harris has given Mendis a low chance at second slip and he makes no mistake. It’s another unattractive dismissal, on the drive against Rajitha without a lot of footwork. With life moving pretty fast at the top, has Australia’s most consistent player from the India series gone and batted himself out of an Ashes berth against Sri Lanka?

3rd over: Australia 12-0 (Harris 10, Burns 1) Easy pickings for Harris, tickling the tired Fernando to the fine leg rope for Australia’s first boundary. The Sri Lankan band are still giving it big below the media centre here but that’s all that is going on here right now.

2nd over: Australia 7-0 (Harris 5, Burns 1) There is nothing going on here, Rajitha’s medium pace clipped into the deep by Harris for three first up. Burns is in no rush, ignoring the majority of the over. No swing, no chance.

Glenn Hoen has a nomination for Powderfinger - My Happiness. If we’re going to go down that path (and I wouldn’t), let’s go with this. On the proviso that the memorable film clip is also popped on the big screen each time it is used.

Good Channel V late-90s areas.



1st over: Australia 3-0 (Harris 2, Burns 1) With 62 overs up their sleeve today, the working assumption is that Australia will declare at some stage in the final session and have another pop at the sore and sorry visitors. That should give Burns enough time to notch twin tons. It could be a more important innings for Harris, yet to nail down his spot with Warner back for the Ashes. Obviously, this is junk time. But still, he needs to stick the landing on this summer. Both men are off the mark, the left-hander tucking Fernando around the corner, the right-hander doing the same down to long leg. Harris keeps the strike with one to midwicket.

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Great Southern Land is playing, which means the Australian openers are on their way. I issued my usual whinge around the press box that we should change the song next summer. An open-minded CA operative suggested that I give her something better to put to their event team. You beauty. What should I pitch? Send me your best. It’ll have to be an Australian song; no other rules. Go!

Starc’s fifth wicket. Comprehensive. Interesting innings for the left-armer, looking fast but very ropey in his first spell, given a long breather, getting a bit of tap when he came straight back late yesterday. But he got in the book before the close with an accurate bouncer and never let up today. I don’t think he’s back in business, but this can only help his confidence at the end of a middling summer.

SRI LANKA ALL OUT 215! WICKET! Fernando b Starc 0.

Nine out, all out! It has taken Starc two balls to knock over the No11, with an accurate full ball from round the wicket, angled in at the off-stump and too good. It is a five-wicket bag for him too, finishing with 13.3-2-54-5. Sri Lanka’s final three wickets all fell with the score on 215, not adding to their lunch score. As expected, Australia will bat again, building on their first innings lead of 319.

WICKET! Perera c Paine b Starc 10 (Sri Lanka 215-8)

Starc picks up a wicket with his first ball after the break. It’s poor batting from Perera, edging an attempted cut from a delivery that wasn’t much more than a loosener, short and wide outside the off-stump from round the wicket. With the other Perera injured, Australia need just one wicket to finish this off.

68th over: Sri Lanka 215-7 (D Perera 10, Rajitha 0) Forget what I said below, it is Rajitha walking out at No10, not Fernando. He elects to throw his hands at full, wide leg break, his blade beaten. To end the over, he’s beaten again by a proper beauty. “Good skills, Marn!” roars Tim Paine. He’s not wrong, that was an excellent wicket maiden.

“We were at day 2 of this Test yesterday, and were able to walk over to Manuka, eat a quick lunch and back and only missed a couple of overs,” reports Penelope Cottier. “Just wondering at which other grounds this is possible, either in Australia or overseas? Manuka is a great little oval.”

Great observation. I did likewise on the opening day, nipping out for a coffee at the tea break. It’s such a shame that the schedule means there won’t be another Test here for, in realty, four or five years. Oh well. You can write to me too, by the way.

G’day. With the Bradmaneque follow-on mark of 334 still 119 runs away, Tim Paine will have the option at some stage this session to pop Sri Lanka in again. Of course, it is very unlikely they would pull that trigger, so strap in with me for some of that old, fashioned, average-inflating declaration batting! Huzzah!

Some brilliant work from SEN statistician Andrew Samson, who told me at lunch that the last time a man who had retired hurt replaced somebody retiring hurt - as Karunaratne did this morning - was at Kingston in 1991. On that occasion, the do-si-do was between Desmond Haynes and Gus Logie, against Australia. There is nothing that man can’t get to the bottom of.

Speaking of injuries, some encouraging news from the visiting squad Kusal Perera doing well and resting. He is now going through the usual concussion test process, but there is no realistic way that he will take any further part in this game. That means that Australia require only two wickets to wrap up this first innings.

It’s a lovely afternoon in Canberra, not a cloud in the sky looking out from the new media centre over to Parliament House and the Black Mountain tower behind it. Over the loudspeaker they are currently playing Shooting Stars, which for me, will now forever be linked to a brilliant Ethan Meldrum meme from 2017 when Kohli was out in consecutive Tests against Australia shouldering arms. Enjoy.

Okay, we’re a few minutes from play resuming so the umpires are now out on the field with the players following, Sri Lanka to resume at 215-7 with Perera (10) the not out batsman with Dickwella falling on on the stoke of lunch. He is to be joined by Vishwa Fernando. Labuschagne has give balls remaining in his over. PLAY!

That's lunch – Sri Lanka 215-7

67.1 overs (Dilruwan 10) The break will be called with the wicket, and Labuschagne will bowl the other five balls after a feed. What a session for Australia! Most importantly, Mitchell Starc has got himself going a bit. Somewhat fortunate with his top edge wicket of Chandimal last night. Extremely fortunate with his hit-wicket dismissal of Dhananjaya this morning. But looked a bit more threatening thereafter, got the conventional wicket of Dimuth Karunaratne, who had batted well, and should have had a fourth from a good ball had a slip catch not been shelled.

A disastrous session for Sri Lanka, on the other hand, with four wickets going down plus the concussion injury to Kusal Janith Perera. A really unfortunate one from a heavy blow to the helmet. He’ll play no further part in the game, surely.

So two more wickets will wrap up this innings, which shouldn’t take long, and then Australia will have to decide whether to enforce the follow-on and push for a win today, or have another frolic with the bat to enjoy the nice sunshine and entertain the crowd. Plenty of time for a win tomorrow, but likewise there’s no time like the present.

That’s it from me – I may or may not see you tomorrow, depending how things go today. Up next it’s Adam Collins.

Updated

WICKET! Dickwella lbw Labuschagne 25, Sri Lanka 215-7

Has Marnus got himself into the game? Dickwella sweeps and is given out immediately by Umpire Gough. He reviews it just as quickly. Thinks he got some glove on the sweep. And looking at the replay, he might be right. This is another strange one. There’s the tiniest little flicker on the Snicko graph just as the ball passes glove. But the umpire has obviously deemed it insufficient to overturn the on-field call, because it’s been upheld. HawkEye shows the ball would have bounced quite high but it’s umpire’s call clipping the bails.

Updated

67th over: Sri Lanka 215-6 (Dickwella 25, Dilruwan 10) A maiden for Lyon, featuring one big appeal against Dilruwan that is not upheld.

66th over: Sri Lanka 215-6 (Dickwella 25, Dilruwan 10) Time for a bit of Marnus Labuschagne. Of course, you can only call him Labuschagne if he comes from the Labuschagne region of France. Anywhere else it’s just Sparkling Marnus. He bowls a leg break, and Dickwella sweeps it to fine leg. Labuschagne appeals vociferously for leg-before. Might need to do a refresher on the rules of this sport. Tim Paine tries to explain that if the bat hits it, you can’t be lbw.

Dropped! Dickwella is put down by Khawaja at slip

65th over: Sri Lanka 210-6 (Dickwella 22, Dilruwan 8) Straight to him off Starc, and Usman Khawaja is having a shocker. Watched three of his teammates rack up hundreds after he played a poor shot for a third-ball duck. Now an edge comes straight at him, head high, and he palms it down into the ground. First ball of the over, and it would have given Starc four wickets and a great chance at five, which would have been a tonic for the bowler given his recent struggles.

Dickwella enjoys his reprieve, cutting a wider ball to third man for four. Ah, second chances. To be fair Australia owe their opponents a few.

Updated

64th over: Sri Lanka 206-6 (Dickwella 18, Dilruwan 8) Dickwella has suddenly switched into Hungry Mode. Better against Lyon than pace. He reaches well outside off stump to drag a slog-sweep for four. Then cuts a brace. Sweeps another. Smacks another through covers. Serving up more doubles than Mooseheads on a Saturday night. Then taps a single to keep the strike. I’ll have 11 runs, thanks.

63rd over: Sri Lanka 195-6 (Dickwella 7, Dilruwan 8) Alright folks, Dickwella has reconsidered his strategy of getting off strike the first ball of a Starc over with a single. Instead he’s going to get off strike first ball with a three. Drives down the ground. Dilruwan takes his place down the wrong end of the shooting gallery for the next five balls. The last of them is wild and he’s able to clip it fine for four.

62nd over: Sri Lanka 188-6 (Dickwella 4, Dilruwan 4) Against Lyon things don’t look quite so tough for this pair. Dickwella cuts a single. Dilruwan has a good look, then ends the over by galloping down to clatter the ball into the LED advertising screens behind midwicket.

61st over: Sri Lanka 183-6 (Dickwella 3, Dilruwan 0) If you’re wondering, the follow-on is one Bradman. As in, 334 runs. Sri Lanka are currently somewhat short of that. Starc bowls medium short, at the body, to Dilruwan, who had his bowling hand tenderised by Cummins at the Gabba. Keen to avoid a repeat of that experience, he nearly skews a leading edge up for a catch. Maybe Dickwella shouldn’t take singles from the first ball of Starc overs?

Updated

60th over: Sri Lanka 182-6 (Dickwella 2, Dilruwan 0) The spare Perera, Dilruwan, comes to the middle. The other one, Kusal, will stay at the ground to be monitored and will not go to hospital. That’s according to the update we’ve just received from the camp. Lyon has his second wicket as the over comes to an end.

Updated

WICKET! C Karunaratne c Starc b Lyon, Sri Lanka 182-6

Karunaratnes come, Karunaratnes go. Sri Lanka spending them like they’re going out of style. As for Mitchell Starc, you can’t keep him out of the game. Who has ever said anything different?

He’s at leg slip to take a simple catch from a classic off-spinner’s dismissal: turning in towards a right-hander, taking the inside edge onto the pad and into the air.

Updated

59th over: Sri Lanka 181-5 (Dickwella 1, C Karunaratne) It was one injured batsman replacing another, now it’s one Karunaratne replacing another. Chamika K is the first of the bowlers to join Niroshan Dickwella, the wicketkeeper. He must have some ability to come in ahead of Dilruwan Perera, who can bat pretty well.

So Sri Lanka are five down, but effectively six with the injury to Kusal Perera.

WICKET! D Karunaratne, c Patterson b Starc 59, Sri Lanka 181-5

My word it’s done damage! That’s a bit more conventional for Starc, who bowls fast outside off stump and draws a big drive from Karunaratne. The thick edge flies straight to gully, and Starc has two in the over! How the worm can turn.

WICKET! Dhananjaya de Silva hit wicket b Starc 25, Sri Lanka 180-4

That is extraordinary. By definition. The batsman gets a short ball, tries a hook, and in his lavish follow-through ends up holding the bat in one hand as it twirls behind him. That lack of control of the blade sees it clip the top of his bails, and one of them agonisingly tips off. He’s out, clear as day, though they check the video replays to be sure.

Mitchell Starc has in some fashion picked up a second wicket. Bowling to that plan, no doubt. Sloppy batting, and it’s done Sri Lanka real damage.

Updated

58th over: Sri Lanka 180-3 (Dhananjaya 26, D Karunaratne 60) Alarms as DDS lunges forward to Lyon and gets an inside edge into pad. It pops up on the off side but there’s no one there, and short leg can’t get across in time. The batsman finds a single, giving Karunaratne one ball to face, which that man plonks dead straight down the ground for four.

57th over: Sri Lanka 175-3 (Dhananjaya 25, D Karunaratne 55) Wide and carved away! Starc comes on for his first over at last, and probably wishes he hadn’t. The first ball is buffet stuff, and Karunaratne carves the square drive for an admirable fifty. To come back from hospital and play on in impressive. If he hadn’t been injured yesterday, the way he and the opening partnership were going, who knows what dreams may have come.

Starc tries to find his yorker length, but Karunaratne blunts it with a straight drive for three, then Dhananjaya de Silva whips another through midwicket for two. Starc loses his line and DDS profits by a leg glanced single. Ten from the over.

56th over: Sri Lanka 165-3 (Dhananjaya 22, D Karunaratne 48) Just a brace from Lyon’s over, with de Silva driving through the covers, and that will raise the drinks break. Not that we need one, with the three breaks we had when Perera was hit. But it’s cricket.

Reminds me of Cassiopeia, which is a constellation and a jellyfish and a Joanna Newsom song. All of them rather fey and floaty and beautiful.

55th over: Sri Lanka 163-3 (Dhananjaya 20, D Karunaratne 48) Header question resolved: Karunaratne will be listed second, but with an initial so that you don’t confuse him with the bowling Karunaratne who will come later. This is my arbitrary decision, sorry if you don’t like it. Dimuth Karunaratne looks pretty good initially, driving two from Richardson.

Perera retires hurt

54th over: Sri Lanka 158-3 (Dhananjaya 18, Karunaratne 46) Kusal Perera is not ok after all. He takes a long delay before the over from Lyon starts, talking to the physio. Stands at the non-striker’s end for three balls, then he calls it off. Bent double out at point with the physio. He’s obviously dizzy.

“That’s clearly concussion,” says Chris Rogers on ABC Grandstand. He would know, having suffered a couple of bad ones in his late Test career, and those blows probably played some part in his decision to retire. “For me that means he’s ruled out of the game. From what I know about concussion and how it’s viewed these days, if you show symptoms like that it’s seven days really. There’s going to be a lot of concern about him now to show symptoms like that in the ten minutes after you’re hit, that’s worrying.”

Just to increase the strangeness, Karunaratne will resume his innings in Perera’s place. So one guy who got hit in the head replaces another guy who got hit in the head. Do I list him ahead of de Silva at the top of the post because he batted first, or behind de Silva because he’s come back in afterwards? The big questions.

Updated

Perera is hit!

53rd over: Sri Lanka 157-3 (K Perera 29, Dhananjaya 17) That’s almost identical to the Karunaratne one, except Richardson is the bowler and Perera has the protective neck gear. He’s ok, still standing and being assessed by medical staff. Flat track, flat bouncer, and he took his eyes off the ball while jerking his head away. Hit in the side of the grille or the neck as he turned, and the neck guard flew off as it’s designed to do. Second time today that Perera has been hit, though the first wasn’t flush.

The batsman will continue. Richardson makes sure he’s ok, then follows up immediately with a bouncer. It may seem harsh but that’s how the game gets played. You can’t be out there if you can’t handle everything that can happen under the Laws.

Perera doesn’t seem to worried, smoking a short ball a couple of deliveries later with a pull shot, though it’s saved by another top dive in the deep and only nets him two.

Updated

52nd over: Sri Lanka 155-3 (K Perera 27, Dhananjaya 17) Lyon comes on for the first over of spin. Still no Starc. He bowls too far to leg and Perera is able to sweep him powerfully and fine for four, then push a single to point.

51st over: Sri Lanka 150-3 (K Perera 22, Dhananjaya 17) Cummins pitches up to de Silva for the first four balls of the over, doing the mature and responsible thing. Then lets loose from the last two with a couple of short balls. Still bowling fast. No score.

50th over: Sri Lanka 150-3 (K Perera 22, Dhananjaya 17) De Silva looks good, pulling Richardson for a single fine. Perera does not, with another streaky drive. Surely this can’t go on for long. He goes in the air again, splitting cover and mid off, though some brilliant chasing work from Travis Head keeps the ball from the boundary rope. Three runs. De Silva glances a single, then Perera goes hard again and flashes the ball to third man for four. Can’t last. It nearly ends from the last ball of the over as it beats his edge.

49th over: Sri Lanka 141-3 (K Perera 15, Dhananjaya 15) Oof, that’s some bouncer. Cummins has Perera whipping his head way from the line of the ball as it sizzles over his stumps. The speedo clocked that as 143.6, and we know the speedo measures short balls as slower than full ones. That’s serious, serious heat. Like, Australian average temperatures in January in the last ten years heat. Cummins’ speed chart is trending upwards, his fuller balls getting over 145 kph. An inside edge into pad provides the only run from the over.

48th over: Sri Lanka 140-3 (K Perera 15, Dhananjaya 14) Well if the last over brought some yelps of excitement, this one brings howls. De Silva again, flicking into the leg side, but he gets a fair bit more on this shot and gets it over the top of midwicket. It flies away for four. Perera wants to match that, for risk and reward, so he lashes Richardson airily through cover to end the over for four more. Easily catchable but the angle was wrong. Perera is a lefty, de Silva bats with the right, so they’re moving the field around.

47th over: Sri Lanka 131-3 (K Perera 11, Dhananjaya 9) Cummins to de Silva, into the pads and de Silva flicks away, airborne, through square leg. A few shouts of excitement but it travels safely.

46th over: Sri Lanka 130-3 (K Perera 11, Dhananjaya 8) De Silva is looking pretty good. Very solid defensive stuff against Richardson, well forward and getting the middle of the bat. There’s nothing lateral off this wicket so far, that’s for sure. De Silva rides a short ball and knocks away a single, calm and steady.

45th over: Sri Lanka 129-3 (K Perera 11, Dhananjaya 7) Hmmmm, interesting. Mitchell Starc will not open the bowling for the day. He got four overs yesterday and got dragged after constantly bowling on the batsman’s hip. Then he got one later spell after a very long delay and got a wicket thanks to Chandimal’s horrible shot. Bowled eight overs of the 45 so far. And the men trusted to start today are Cummins and Richardson.

Our man de Silva is keen to take on Our Pat though, hooking him right out of the middle to the square leg boundary, then top-edging another attempt for a single.

44th over: Sri Lanka 124-3 (K Perera 11, Dhananjaya 2) Jumping Jhye Richardson gets us going from the Manuka Church end. And let me tell you, it is an utterly stonking day in Canberra. Yesterday started cloudy and graduated from cool to sweaty, as most people do between about 20 and 40 years of age. Today is glorious: clear blue above, slight breeze, feels like mid-20s in the temperature range. English willage green weather, with an Antipodean edge on the UV index.

Richardson swings the ball into de Silva’s pads, and the batsman glances a single. Kusal Janith Perera, as Sri Lankan supporters often call him, wants to get going. Smashes a drive straight to mid-off, then tries to pull and gets in a tangle. Gets hit, but there are no dramas like yesterday, as the impact was glancing enough for him to carry on.

Wow, say the name Greg Chappell and...

The star for Australia on day two, meanwhile, was Kurtis Patterson. That’s right, Test cricket has a new KP. This one isn’t quite like the old one. He’s quiet and modest and more modestly talented and left-handed. But he is very tall, and he does give the pull shot a mighty whack. He made 114 not out, batting through to the declaration, after Joe Burns and Travis Head had already made hundreds.

West Indies thrashed England overnight Australian time, bowling them out for 132 to go with a measly 187 in the first innings (not to mention 77 in the first Test). That left West Indies with only 17 runs to score for a ten-wicket victory, and a 2-0 lead in the three-match series. It’s been a truly remarkable one for many reasons. Here’s Ali Martin’s report to give you some of those.

Greg Chappell announces his retirement

In other major news, Greg Chappell will end his term as an Australian selector after the Ashes mid-year. There hasn’t been a statement from the man himself, but Cricket Australia comms staff have made it known that’s the case. It will be interesting to see how that news is received. Chappell was obviously one of Australia’s greatest batsmen – the rare feat of averaging over 50, plus the iconically stylish way he went about it.

But he’s also the architect of some very controversial renovations to junior and state cricket which have been broadly criticised by others as having damaged the sport at the professional level, and he’s been part of a selection panel that has invited anger and ridicule for its opacity and erraticism in decision-making. That scrutiny won’t get any less in the lead-up to an away Ashes.

Preamble

The time has come, the walrus said, to speak of many things. But principally Sri Lanka’s resistance against Australia in the second Test of the 2019 series at Canberra. The visiting side will resume on morning three with their score at 123 for 3, which is 411 runs adrift of Australia’s declaration score yesterday of 534 for 5.

The pitch looked very good for batting yesterday, so there will be some hope that Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Perera in the first instance can see of the early attack and settle in.

The good news for Sri Lanka is that opening batsman Dimuth Karunaratne has been cleared of any medical damage and will be available to bat when required. He went down yesterday after a bouncer from Pat Cummins hit him in the shoulder and neck. Cummins was bowling very fast yesterday and the scene was nasty. Karunaratne lay flat on his back for about 10 minutes, telling medical staff that his fingers were tingling and he wasn’t confident to move. He had to be stabilised and taken off on a stretcher, and it really rattled everyone at the ground. But he’s been cleared at hospital overnight of any serious damage.

His retirement yesterday really hurt Sri Lanka though. At the time he’d helped assemble their fourth-best opening stand against Australia, and was about to pass the total for their best opening stand in Australia. He’d put on 82 with Lahiru Thirimanne. But as soon as Karunaratne left the field, Thirimanne was caught at slip from Lyon, before Starc got Chandimal in a top-edge tangle while hooking, and Cummins bowled a beauty to knock the outside of Kusal Mendis’ off stump.

So three down before the close, but at least Karunaratne can try to continue his good progress from yesterday, when he made 46 and looked in complete control. We shall see. Play is 51 minutes away.

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