The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Kasprowicz runs through Sri Lankan line-up

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 04, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Kasprowicz runs through Sri Lankan line-up

DARWIN, JULY 4. Michael Kasprowicz took seven second-innings wickets on Saturday as Australia beat Sri Lanka by 149 runs inside three days of the first cricket Test.

Set a target of 312 for victory at Marrara Oval, Sri Lanka could only manage 162 runs before being bowled out shortly after tea.

Kasprowicz had figures of 7 for 39 — his best figures in Australia and the second-best total of his limited Test career. This is Australia's fourth straight win over Sri Lanka after sweeping the March series 3-0 in Sri Lanka.

"Kasprowicz was great today," said captain Adam Gilchrist, standing in for Ricky Ponting, who did not play due to a bereavement in his family.

"It just shows you what a great group of fast bowlers we've got to choose from," Gilchrist said.

The only resistance from Sri Lanka came in the form of a 79-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Mahela Jayawardene (44) and Thilan Samaraweera (32). The pair carried the score from 30 to 109.

But Kasprowicz wiped out any chance of a Sri Lankan comeback when he broke the stand by claiming the wicket of Samaraweera in the first over of his second spell.

He then worked his way through Sri Lanka's middle and lower order.

The match marked Glenn McGrath's return to the Australian line-up for the first time in nearly a year following ankle surgery. His match haul of seven wickets won him the `Man of the Match' award.

Gilchrist, who top-scored with 80 in Australia's second innings, registered his second victory as Australian captain. Ponting will be back for the second and final Test in Cairns starting on July 9.

The match aggregate of 667 runs made it one of the lowest-scoring Tests in Australia.

Gilchrist said that with 40 wickets falling in 2-1/2 days, Cricket Australia had to do something about the state of the Marrara Oval pitch if it wanted Test cricket to thrive in northern Australia.

"I don't think the wicket was quite up to Test standard," Gilchrist said.

"It's pretty obvious when a Test finishes like that; with the quality of batsmen around in both teams it's not quite up to standard."

Marrara Oval has now hosted two Tests, both of which rank among the 25 lowest-scoring Tests in Australia. A total of 682 runs were scored in the inaugural Test in Darwin between Australia and Bangladesh last year.

Sri Lanka coach John Dyson also criticised the pitch.

"Australia don't get bowled out for 200 twice very often at all," Dyson said.

"When that happens it should tell you something about the wicket," he added. "When the Test finishes in three days that should also tell you something about the wicket. You would expect a good game to go into the fifth day."

Sri Lanka was playing without Muttiah Muralitharan, who decided not to come to Australia for personal reasons. — AP

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport