| Test Match | |
| |
| Teams |  Australia v  Sri Lanka
|
|---|---|
| Test number | 2070 |
| Date | 3,4,5,6,7 January 2013 |
| Venue | Sydney Cricket Ground |
| Toss | Australia won the toss and elected to field |
| Result | Australia won by 5 wickets |
| Man of the Match | JM Bird (Aus) |
| Umpires | Aleem Dar (Pak) and AL Hill (New Zea) |
| Last Test | Test No.2069 |
| Next Test | Test No.2071 |
Michael Hussey is one of cricket's finest finishers, so it was only fitting that he ended his international career by steering Australia to victory and a series clean-sweep over Sri Lanka. Despite the best efforts of his partner Mitchell Johnson to dead-bat the ball with one run needed, Hussey was not able to hit the winning run, instead sprinting through for a single as the ball ran off Johnson's thick edge and away to point off Rangana Herath.
To Hussey, it barely mattered. The win - the 48th of his Test career - was what meant everything. And in a small chase of 141, he had done an important job of guiding Australia through some late jitters to complete a five-wicket victory. He finished unbeaten on 27 and ended his Test career with 6235 runs at an average of 51.52. He walked off to lead Australia in the team song one last time before he hands the job over to Nathan Lyon.
Of course, the win was not all about Hussey. Ed Cowan, Phillip Hughes and Michael Clarke all played important parts in edging Australia closer to their goal. For the second time since Clarke took over the captaincy Australia completed a clean-sweep of an opponent - the first was last summer against India - and it was a positive end to a summer that began with two draws and a loss to South Africa.
As the target was reduced with every gap pierced by Cowan and Clarke, the crowd at the SCG experienced the unusual feeling of wanting to see an Australian wicket fall. Hussey has been a favourite of the Australian fans over his seven years in the Test team and his absence from the one-day international squad announced earlier in the day meant this was certain to be his final match for Australia.
With 37 runs still required, the moment arrived. Clarke prodded forward to Tillakaratne Dilshan's offspin and lobbed a catch to short leg, and his home crowd cheered. This was no insult to Clarke, but a recognition of everything Hussey has done for Australia since his Test debut at the age of 30, and for one last time his team needed him. He walked to the crease to a standing ovation and settled down to business.
After a nervous leading edge first ball, he was off the mark from his second delivery with a cover-drive for two, and even managed to get a reverse-swept boundary in there as well. The small chase of 141 could have been tricky on a fourth-day SCG pitch, especially when Australia lost David Warner in the second over for a golden duck when he edged to Mahela Jayawardene at slip off the bowling of Suranga Lakmal.
But his opening partner Cowan set himself to guide Australia as close to their goal as possible and although he was in no hurry, he anchored two very important partnerships, a 45-run stand with Hughes and then a 59-run effort with Clarke. Hughes played some impressive strokes in his 34 from 49 balls but was flummoxed by Herath. When Herath trapped Hughes lbw it was a much-deserved wicket, even though the Sri Lankans had called for a review mostly to check on a bat-pad catch.
At 2 for 45, Australia were not yet out of the woods, especially given their decision to play five bowlers in this Test. But Cowan did not lose his cool and gradually eked out the runs, while Clarke was a little more fluent. Their partnership was the one that took Australia from a slight danger zone to a position of comfort and after Clarke fell, Cowan was bitterly disappointed to follow him and miss out on the chance to see the chase home, trapped lbw on 36 by Herath coming around the wicket.
Matthew Wade also lost his wicket when he was bowled attempting a sweep off Herath for 8, but by then Australia needed only another nine runs. The Sri Lankans, who have never won a Test in Australia, were left to wonder what could have been had they just scratched out another 50 runs in their second innings. Truth be told, they had done well to make a game of it after losing a string of wickets on the third afternoon.
Dinesh Chandimal finished unbeaten on 62 and the 41-run stand he put on with Nuwan Pradeep for the final wicket was critical in giving Sri Lanka's bowlers something to defend. Pradeep was dismissed nearly half an hour before lunch for 9, with Sri Lanka's total on 278, and it left Australia's openers a short period to bat before the break which Warner didn't survive.
Every run was important for Sri Lanka as they resumed the morning at 7 for 225. Only ten runs had been added when Herath played on to Jackson Bird while attempting to leave the ball alone, and when Lakmal was bowled for a duck trying a hefty swipe off Johnson it appeared that the innings could be over quickly. But Pradeep offered impressive support for Chandimal, who farmed the strike effectively.
Chandimal immediately lifted his tempo and struck three boundaries off a Bird over and soon had his half-century from 75 balls with another boundary whipped through midwicket off Bird. Pradeep got in on the act with four down the ground but next ball was caught behind off Bird as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 274.
It left Australia needing 141, the kind of target that has proven difficult at times in past years. It's also the sort of target that meant Australia needed not only their openers, but their No.5 as well. And Mr Cricket delivered.
| Sri Lanka 1st innings
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike rate | |
| FDM Karunaratne | c Hussey b Bird | 5 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 21.73 | |
| TM Dilshan | c †Wade b Bird | 34 | 61 | 5 | 0 | 55.73 | |
| DPMD Jayawardene* | c Clarke b Starc | 72 | 110 | 12 | 1 | 65.45 | |
| HDRL Thirimanne | c Warner b Lyon | 91 | 151 | 13 | 1 | 60.26 | |
| TT Samaraweera | lbw b Siddle | 12 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 | |
| AD Mathews | c Hussey b Starc | 15 | 48 | 3 | 0 | 31.25 | |
| LD Chandimal† | b Starc | 24 | 44 | 5 | 0 | 54.54 | |
| KTGD Prasad | c Starc b Siddle | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | |
| HMRKB Herath | c Siddle b Bird | 5 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 31.25 | |
| RAS Lakmal | c Hussey b Bird | 5 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 21.73 | |
| N Pradeep | not out | 17 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 85.00 | |
| Extras | (lb8 ; w3 ; nb1) | 12 | |||||
| Total | (10 wickets; 87.4 overs) | 294 | |||||
Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Karunaratne, 7.5 ov), 2-72 (Dilshan, 21.4 ov), 3-134 (Jayawardene, 42.1 ov), 4-167 (Samaraweera, 50.6 ov), 5-222 (Mathews, 66.2 ov), 6-250 (Thirimanne, 73.3 ov), 7-256 (Prasad, 74.4 ov), 8-271 (Chandimal, 80.1 ov), 9-273 (Herath, 81.4 ov), 10-294 (Lakmal, 87.4 ov)
| Australia bowling
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ | |
| MA Starc | 19 | 0 | 71 | 3 | 3.73 | |
| JM Bird | 19.4 | 10 | 41 | 4 | 2.08 | |
| PM Siddle | 15 | 3 | 46 | 2 | 3.06 | |
| MG Johnson | 13 | 1 | 58 | 0 | 4.46 | |
| NM Lyon | 19 | 2 | 69 | 1 | 3.63 | |
| MEK Hussey | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.50 | |
| Australia 1st innings
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike rate | |
| DA Warner | c Prasad b Dilshan | 85 | 84 | 10 | 0 | 101.19 | |
| EJM Cowan | run out (Pradeep/Prasad) | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 44.44 | |
| PJ Hughes | c †Chandimal b Herath | 87 | 143 | 9 | 0 | 60.83 | |
| MJ Clarke* | c Karunaratne b Herath | 50 | 75 | 5 | 1 | 66.66 | |
| MEK Hussey | run out (Karunaratne) | 25 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 49.01 | |
| MS Wade† | not out | 102 | 158 | 9 | 0 | 64.55 | |
| MG Johnson | c †Chandimal b Pradeep | 13 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 34.21 | |
| PM Siddle | c †Chandimal b Pradeep | 38 | 62 | 4 | 0 | 61.29 | |
| MA Starc | lbw b Herath | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | |
| NM Lyon | b Herath | 4 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 40.00 | |
| JM Bird | not out | 6 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 54.54 | |
| Extras | (lb6 ; w7 ; nb3) | 16 | |||||
| Total | (9 dec wickets; 107 overs) | 432 | |||||
Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Cowan, 5.1 ov), 2-166 (Warner, 34.5 ov), 3-195 (Hughes, 41.4 ov), 4-251 (Hussey, 58.3 ov), 5-271 (Clarke, 65.2 ov), 6-307 (Johnson, 81.3 ov), 7-384 (Siddle, 98.5 ov), 8-387 (Starc, 99.4 ov), 9-393 (Lyon, 101.5 ov)
| Sri Lanka bowling
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ | |
| RAS Lakmal | 24 | 4 | 95 | 0 | 3.95 | |
| N Pradeep | 20 | 1 | 114 | 2 | 5.70 | |
| KTGD Prasad | 11 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 4.81 | |
| AD Mathews | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 5.50 | |
| TM Dilshan | 19 | 2 | 58 | 1 | 3.05 | |
| HMRKB Herath | 31 | 3 | 95 | 4 | 3.06 | |
| Sri Lanka 2nd innings (138 runs behind)
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike rate | |
| FDM Karunaratne | c †Wade b Bird | 85 | 109 | 10 | 1 | 77.98 | |
| TM Dilshan | c Hughes b Johnson | 5 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 23.80 | |
| DPMD Jayawardene* | c Clarke b Siddle | 60 | 128 | 9 | 0 | 46.87 | |
| HDRL Thirimanne | c Bird b Johnson | 7 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 30.43 | |
| TT Samaraweera | c Hussey b Lyon | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| AD Mathews | run out (Warner/†Wade) | 16 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 69.56 | |
| LD Chandimal† | not out | 62 | 106 | 11 | 0 | 58.49 | |
| KTGD Prasad | c †Wade b Starc | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 88.23 | |
| HMRKB Herath | b Bird | 10 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 32.25 | |
| RAS Lakmal | b Johnson | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| N Pradeep | c †Wade b Bird | 9 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 37.50 | |
| Extras | (b1 ; lb4 ; w1 ; nb3) | 9 | |||||
| Total | (10 wickets; 81.2 overs) | 278 | |||||
Fall of wickets: 1-24 (Dilshan, 6.6 ov), 2-132 (Karunaratne, 33.1 ov), 3-155 (Thirimanne, 40.5 ov), 4-158 (Samaraweera, 41.5 ov), 5-178 (Mathews, 49.6 ov), 6-178 (Jayawardene, 50.4 ov), 7-202 (Prasad, 56.2 ov), 8-235 (Herath, 67.3 ov), 9-237 (Lakmal, 68.6 ov), 10-278 (Pradeep, 81.2 ov)
| Australia bowling
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ | |
| MA Starc | 12 | 1 | 49 | 1 | 4.08 | |
| JM Bird | 21.2 | 5 | 76 | 3 | 3.56 | |
| MG Johnson | 15 | 3 | 34 | 3 | 2.26 | |
| PM Siddle | 17 | 4 | 42 | 1 | 2.47 | |
| NM Lyon | 15 | 1 | 66 | 1 | 4.40 | |
| MEK Hussey | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6.00 | |
| Australia 2nd innings (Target 141 runs to win)
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike rate | |
| EJM Cowan | lbw b Herath | 36 | 88 | 4 | 0 | 40.90 | |
| DA Warner | c Jayawardene b Lakmal | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| PJ Hughes | lbw b Herath | 34 | 49 | 4 | 0 | 69.38 | |
| MJ Clarke* | c Thirimanne b Dilshan | 29 | 52 | 3 | 0 | 55.76 | |
| MEK Hussey | not out | 27 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 64.28 | |
| MS Wade† | b Herath | 9 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 50.00 | |
| MG Johnson | not out | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14.28 | |
| Extras | (lb5) | 5 | |||||
| Total | (5 wickets; 42.5 overs) | 141 | |||||
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Warner, 1.1 ov), 2-45 (Hughes, 14.6 ov), 3-104 (Clarke, 31.2 ov), 4-108 (Cowan, 32.5 ov), 5-132 (Wade, 38.5 ov)
Did not bat: MA Starc, PM Siddle, NM Lyon, JM Bird
| Sri Lanka bowling
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Econ | |
| TM Dilshan | 18 | 2 | 57 | 1 | 3.16 | |
| RAS Lakmal | 6 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 3.00 | |
| HMRKB Herath | 16.5 | 0 | 47 | 3 | 2.79 | |
| N Pradeep | 2 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7.00 | |
Australia: EJM Cowan, DA Warner, PJ Hughes, MJ Clarke*, MEK Hussey, MS Wade†, MG Johnson, MA Starc, PM Siddle, NM Lyon, JM Bird
Sri Lanka: FDM Karunaratne, TM Dilshan, DPMD Jayawardene*, HDRL Thirimanne, TT Samaraweera, AD Mathews, LD Chandimal†, KTGD Prasad, HMRKB Herath, RAS Lakmal, N Pradeep
Match details
- Series: Australia won the 3-match series 3-0
- Player of the match: JM Bird (Australia)
- Player of the series: MJ Clarke (Australia)
- TV umpire: NJ Llong (England)
- Match referee: BC Broad (England)
- Reserve umpire: PR Reiffel
Close of play
- Thu, 3 Jan - day 1 - Sri Lanka 1st innings 294
- Fri, 4 Jan - day 2 - Australia 1st innings 342/6 (MS Wade 47*, PM Siddle 16*, 88 ov)
- Sat, 5 Jan - day 3 - Sri Lanka 2nd innings 225/7 (LD Chandimal 22*, HMRKB Herath 9*, 62 ov)
- Sun, 6 Jan - day 4 - Australia 2nd innings 141/5 (42.5 ov) - end of match
Match notes
Day 1
- Drinks
- Sri Lanka - 42/1 in 13.0 overs (TM Dilshan 17, DPMD Jayawardene 13)
- Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 15.3 overs (93 balls), Extras 7
- Over 21.5: Review by Sri Lanka (Batting), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - HDRL Thirimanne (Upheld)
- Lunch: Sri Lanka - 80/2 in 26.0 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 30, HDRL Thirimanne 4)
- Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 31.1 overs (187 balls), Extras 7
- DPMD Jayawardene: 50 off 77 balls (10 x 4)
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 98 balls (DPMD Jayawardene 34, HDRL Thirimanne 16, Ex 0)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 123/2 in 41.0 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 61, HDRL Thirimanne 16)
- Sri Lanka: 150 runs in 44.5 overs (269 balls), Extras 8
- Tea: Sri Lanka - 169/4 in 54.0 overs (HDRL Thirimanne 37, AD Mathews 0)
- HDRL Thirimanne: 50 off 104 balls (7 x 4)
- Sri Lanka: 200 runs in 61.4 overs (371 balls), Extras 9
- 5th Wicket: 50 runs in 90 balls (HDRL Thirimanne 39, AD Mathews 15, Ex 1)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 249/5 in 72.0 overs (HDRL Thirimanne 90, LD Chandimal 12)
- Sri Lanka: 250 runs in 72.3 overs (436 balls), Extras 9
- New Ball Taken: Sri Lanka 271/7 after 80.1 overs (LD Chandimal 24, HMRKB Herath 5)
- Innings Break: Sri Lanka - 294/10 in 87.4 overs (N Pradeep 17)
- End Of Day: Sri Lanka - 294/10 in 87.4 overs (N Pradeep 17)
Day 2
- Australia: 50 runs in 7.6 overs (48 balls), Extras 0
- Drinks: Australia - 71/1 in 12.0 overs (DA Warner 47, PJ Hughes 20)
- DA Warner: 50 off 37 balls (8 x 4)
- 2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 64 balls (DA Warner 24, PJ Hughes 26, Ex 0)
- Australia: 100 runs in 18.5 overs (113 balls), Extras 5
- PJ Hughes: 50 off 85 balls (6 x 4)
- Lunch: Australia - 127/1 in 27.0 overs (DA Warner 68, PJ Hughes 50)
- Over 27.2: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - DA Warner (Struck down)
- 2nd Wicket: 100 runs in 142 balls (DA Warner 40, PJ Hughes 55, Ex 5)
- Australia: 150 runs in 31.5 overs (191 balls), Extras 5
- Drinks: Australia - 194/2 in 41.0 overs (PJ Hughes 87, MJ Clarke 13)
- Australia: 200 runs in 43.4 overs (262 balls), Extras 5
- Tea: Australia - 241/3 in 55.0 overs (MJ Clarke 42, MEK Hussey 18)
- 4th Wicket: 50 runs in 90 balls (MJ Clarke 29, MEK Hussey 21, Ex 1)
- Australia: 250 runs in 57.5 overs (347 balls), Extras 6
- MJ Clarke: 50 off 73 balls (5 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Drinks: Australia - 290/5 in 72.0 overs (MS Wade 22, MG Johnson 9)
- Over 72.3: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - AL Hill, Batsman - MS Wade (No ball- No loss of review)
- Over 75.2: Review by Australia (Batting), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - MS Wade (Upheld)
- Australia: 300 runs in 78.5 overs (474 balls), Extras 9
- New Ball Taken: Australia 305/5 after 80.1 overs (MS Wade 33, MG Johnson 12)
- End Of Day: Australia - 342/6 in 88.0 overs (MS Wade 47, PM Siddle 16)
Day 3
- Australia: 350 runs in 89.6 overs (543 balls), Extras 15
- MS Wade: 50 off 111 balls (3 x 4)
- 7th Wicket: 50 runs in 56 balls (MS Wade 16, PM Siddle 30, Ex 6)
- Over 94.6: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - AL Hill, Batsman - PM Siddle (Struck down)
- Over 99.4: Review by Australia (Batting), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - MA Starc (Struck down)
- Drinks: Australia - 392/8 in 101.0 overs (MS Wade 69, NM Lyon 4)
- Australia: 400 runs in 102.6 overs (621 balls), Extras 16
- MS Wade: 100 off 156 balls (9 x 4)
- Innings Break: Australia - 432/9 in 107.0 overs (MS Wade 102, JM Bird 6)
- Sri Lanka 2nd innings
- Lunch: Sri Lanka - 18/0 in 4.0 overs (FDM Karunaratne 17, TM Dilshan 0)
- Sri Lanka: 50 runs in 13.4 overs (84 balls), Extras 3
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 73/1 in 17.0 overs (FDM Karunaratne 44, DPMD Jayawardene 21)
- 2nd Wicket: 50 runs in 64 balls (FDM Karunaratne 27, DPMD Jayawardene 21, Ex 2)
- FDM Karunaratne: 50 off 71 balls (6 x 4, 1 x 6)
- Sri Lanka: 100 runs in 23.6 overs (147 balls), Extras 4
- 2nd Wicket: 100 runs in 133 balls (FDM Karunaratne 61, DPMD Jayawardene 38, Ex 3)
- Over 30.1: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - Aleem Dar, Batsman - FDM Karunaratne (Struck down)
- Tea: Sri Lanka - 130/1 in 31.0 overs (FDM Karunaratne 83, DPMD Jayawardene 38)
- DPMD Jayawardene: 50 off 89 balls (9 x 4)
- Sri Lanka: 150 runs in 38.3 overs (234 balls), Extras 4
- Over 39.2: Review by Sri Lanka (Batting), Umpire - AL Hill, Batsman - HDRL Thirimanne (Upheld)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 177/4 in 47.0 overs (DPMD Jayawardene 59, AD Mathews 16)
- Sri Lanka: 200 runs in 55.4 overs (337 balls), Extras 5
- End Of Day: Sri Lanka - 225/7 in 62.0 overs (LD Chandimal 22, HMRKB Herath 9)
Day 4
- Over 63.4: Review by Australia (Bowling), Umpire - AL Hill, Batsman - LD Chandimal (Struck down)
- Sri Lanka: 250 runs in 69.6 overs (423 balls), Extras 9
- LD Chandimal: 50 off 75 balls (10 x 4)
- Drinks: Sri Lanka - 263/9 in 75.0 overs (LD Chandimal 52, N Pradeep 4)
- New Ball Taken: Sri Lanka 274/9 after 80.1 overs (LD Chandimal 62, N Pradeep 5)
- Innings Break: Sri Lanka - 278/10 in 81.2 overs (LD Chandimal 62)
- Australia 2nd innings
- Over 4.3: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - AL Hill, Batsman - PJ Hughes (Struck down)
- Lunch: Australia - 13/1 in 5.0 overs (EJM Cowan 1, PJ Hughes 12)
- Over 14.6: Review by Australia (Batting), Umpire - AL Hill, Batsman - PJ Hughes (Upheld)
- Australia: 50 runs in 16.1 overs (97 balls), Extras 0
- Drinks: Australia - 62/2 in 21.0 overs (EJM Cowan 19, MJ Clarke 9)
- Over 24.3: Review by Sri Lanka (Bowling), Umpire - AL Hill, Batsman - MJ Clarke (Struck down)
- 3rd Wicket: 50 runs in 86 balls (EJM Cowan 21, MJ Clarke 28, Ex 1)
- Australia: 100 runs in 29.6 overs (180 balls), Extras 5
- Over 32.5: Review by Australia (Batting), Umpire - AL Hill, Batsman - EJM Cowan (Struck down)
- Tea: Australia - 136/5 in 41.0 overs (MEK Hussey 23, MG Johnson 0)