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September 2, 2011

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Clarke leads Aussie fightback in Galle

CAPTAIN Michael Clarke hit a fluent 60 on a difficult pitch to put Australia in command with a 283-run second-innings lead against Sri Lanka in the first test in Galle yesterday.

Australia reached 115-6 when bad light stopped play on day two on a pitch crumbling since the first day at Galle International Stadium.

Offspinner Nathan Lyon bagged 5-34 in his debut and seamer Shane Watson took three wickets in nine deliveries to finish with 3-11 and help end Sri Lanka's first innings on 105, giving Australia a lead of 168.

The pitch offered sharp turn and bounce for the spinners and also assisted the seamers with movement and bounce. In just two days of play, 26 wickets have been lost and 493 runs scored. Sixteen wickets were lost yesterday alone.

Trailing by 168, Sri Lanka seamer Chanaka Welegedara dismissed opener Watson on the first ball of Australia's second innings, having him caught at gully by a diving Thilan Samaraweera.

Ricky Ponting then attempted a pull shot on 4 and lost his grip of the bat, resulting in a high catch to Rangana Herath off seamer Suranga Lakmal.

Placed precariously on 5-2, Clarke and Phil Hughes combined for a useful 56-run stand before Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan trapped Hughes lbw for 28.

Clarke and Mike Hussey, who top scored for Australia in the first innings with 95, combined for 49 until Herath, the left arm spinner, dismissed both batsmen in successive balls.

Clarke top edged an attempted sweep for a high catch to wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene. He hit a six and seven boundaries in his 80-ball innings. Video reviews showed Hussey, on 15, gloved a delivery for a catch to Tharanga Paranavitana at forward short-leg.

The visitors had lost three wickets for two runs when Brad Haddin was the last batsman out for the day.





 

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