by Kuldip Lal
COLOMBO, Sep 16, 2011 (AFP) – Shaun Marsh strike a gutsy 81 to expostulate Australia out of difficulty during a begin of a third as well as final Test opposite Sri Lanka in Colombo upon Friday.
Sri Lankan captain Tillakaratne Dilshan’s preference to send Australia in to bat upon a slightly wet representation paid off as a tourists slumped to 22-2 in a ninth over.
Marsh, who finished 141 upon entrance in a prior Test in Pallekele, led a reconstruction to assistance Australia strech 235-5 by stumps upon a opening day during a Sinhalese Sports Club.
The left-hander put upon 79 for a third wicket with Ricky Ponting (48) as well as 70 for a fifth with Mike Hussey (63 not out) to upstage a glorious entrance by Sri Lankan seamer Shaminda Eranga.
Eranga grabbed a wicket with his initial smoothness in Test cricket — usually as Australian spinner Nathan Lyon had finished in a opening Test of a array — as well as finished a day with 2-52.
The 28-year-old Marsh longed for his second uninterrupted century when he was bowled by left-arm spinner Rangana Herath in a final event of play.
Brad Haddin returned dominant upon 21, carrying put upon 45 runs so distant for a sixth wicket with a ever-reliable Hussey.
Marsh pronounced he felt celebrated when told he would bat during array 3 notwithstanding a lapse of former captain Ponting, who had finished a on all sides his own in a past.
“When we was told this sunrise which we will bat during three, we felt it was a outrageous honour,” a soft-spoken Marsh said. “But it didn’t unequivocally make a difference where we batted. we wasn’t as well fussed.
“I knew we had a pursuit to do as well as we usually looked brazen to have an additional event to do a pursuit out there.
“I have unequivocally enjoyed my initial dual innings in Test cricket. we have desired each bit of being out there with a boys as well as attempted to path it up as most as we can.”
Eranga, 25, a single of a 3 changes to a Sri Lankan side, struck as shortly as he transposed Chanaka Welegedara for a eighth over of a innings.
Shane Watson, who finished eight, chased a round outward a off-stump as well as gathering true in to a protected hands of Dilshan during point.
Watson’s astonishing exclusion came after his opening partner, Phil Hughes, fell for a second-ball duck, bowled off a inside corner by Suranga Lakmal.
Ponting, returning to a side after blank a second Test due to a bieing born of his second child, survived dual assured appeals for catches during a back of a wicket prior to he had reached stand in figures.
Television replays reliable there was no bat concerned as well as Ponting grew in certainty to assistance Marsh take a measure to 63-2 by lunch.
Ponting fell in a afternoon event when he attempted to expostulate a far-reaching round from Lakmal as well as usually managed to corner an easy locate to wicket-keeper Prasanna Jayawardene.
The 36-year-old, a third top run-getter in Test cricket during a back of a Indian twin of Sachin Tendulkar as well as Rahul Dravid, has right away left twenty-two innings but a Test century.
Ponting’s final three-figure strike was 209 opposite Pakistan during Hobart in Jan final year.
Michael Clarke, Ponting’s inheritor as captain, additionally one after another his bad run when he was held during a back of off Eranga after creation six.
Clarke has not strike a Test century given his 168 opposite New Zealand in Wellington in Mar final year.
Sri Lanka, seeking for a series-levelling win in Kumar Sangakkara’s 100th Test appearance, axed comparison batsman Thilan Samaraweera as well as spinners Suraj Randiv as well as Seekkuge Prasanna.
They were transposed by batsman Lahiru Thirumanne, Eranga as well as Herath.
Australia lead a array 1-0 after winning a initial Test in Galle by 125 runs.
Marsh, Hussey expostulate Australia out of trouble
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