Clarke The Captain Becomes the Role

Sixteen wickets fell on the second day at Galle on a wicket which took turn, provided bounce and put pressure on the batsmen, yet, with all things considered, its not the den of cobras some are claiming.

Clarke catches Sangkkara

Sri Lanka's first innings was a shambles from start to finish, with a fourth wicket partnership of 43 between a stubborn Paranavitana and the classy Samaraweera providing nearly half of the eventual total of 105. Trent Copeland had his first ball in Test cricket smashed through extra cover by Dilshan but had his first wicket next ball when Dilshan tried to repeat the dose but hit it to Ponting at a short cover instead. The luck of the debutantes continued when Nathan Lyon came on in the sixteenth over and dismissed Sangakkara first ball, caught brilliantly by Michael Clarke low down at slip. Jayawardene was run out by an accurate Copeland throw six overs later.

Lyon takes a spectacular c & b

Lyon went on to bag five - not bad for a bloke with only four first class games behind him - and the wonderful ironies that cricket likes to throw up were extended to the performance of the South Australian wonder-kind. As Andrew Hilditch and Greg Chappell ponder their retirement from selection thanks to the clever management approach of the Argus Review, they might consider it ironic that they have been so heavily criticised for the number of spinners tried and discarded and yet, in Galle, the latest was taking five on debut and further swinging a Test that Michael Hussey gave the first pushes to. His final wicket was a classic caught and bowled that would have made Hilditch's old mate from Sutherland days, John Dyson, very happy. An ex soccer goalie with St George, Dyson would have approved of Lyon's spectacular effort to catch Welegedara.

Watson claims Prasana

In truth, the greatest plaudits for the Sri Lankan collapse should go to that big blonde journeyman of Australian cricket, Shane Watson. His three wicket burst after lunch - Samaraweer, Prasana and Paranavitana all lbw to cutters - was what ripped the heart out of Sri Lanka and at a time when a recovery was being mounted at 3-87. Fitter than at any time in his career and finally unafraid of unseen terrors at the bowling crease, his all round talents are yet to be fully utilised.

Sri Lanka lost 7-18 and in the process lost the Test match.

Australia made their own bad start with Watson slashing the first ball of the innings to gully in an act of rashness uncommon in his game for the last two years but symptomatic of his first innings attitude. Ponting was out in the fourth over when he attempted a pull shot and lofted it gently to mid wicket instead and in the process threw hit bat about as far. Jayawardene assisted by picking it up and throwing it to Ponting as he left. At 2-5, suddenly Australia's lead didn't look that big. It was then that Australia' skipper chose to stamp his authority and stamp he did. For nearly two hours, Clarke gave a stunning display of footwork and courage batting on a difficult wicket and scoring for much of it at a run a ball. That he was supported by Hughes in adding 56 was a pleasant surprise for it was not a scrap the tiny left hander was equipped for in size, technique or temperament but he stuck it out as long as he could before part time spinner Dilshan got him lbw on review. The technology indicated what the eye did not and had it been Pakistan and a human umpire, Hughes may have made claims of robbery.

Clarke pushes through the on side

Hussey gave his captain an hour in advancing the score by a further 49 but after watching Clarke top edge a sweep to be caught by keeper Prasana at square leg, he went next ball, caught at forward short leg. Haddin followed in Herath's next over, caught meekly at slip after guiding it straight to Jayawardene's hands. 3-2 at the end of the day took some gloss of the Australian innings but a lead of 283 should be enough with three days remaining but probably only one of them needed.

In the context of this match, the quality of the wicket and pressure on Michael Clarke's shoulders, his innings was a stunner. He'll make bigger scores, maybe even more important ones but he'll do that because of what he did in those 80 deliveries on a turning Galle track today. If leadership was what we have been looking for, then the most talked about boy in Australian cricket may have entered manhood and the talk can finally be for the right reasons.