What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger

Paranavitana 46

So said Friedrich Nietzsche but as a cricketer he made a handy little philosopher. However, watching the Australians in the Colombo today, there might just be something in what old Fred was trying to say.

Today was hard work. It was 30C again but at least there was some respite from the humidity which only reached 74%. The lack of clouds and no rain interruptions were as good an indication as any that there was less moisture in the air. Perhaps the hardest thing isn't the heat and humidity during the day but rather the evening, where the temperature stays only a few degrees lower that the daily maximum but the humidity climbs to three figures. To keep it out, players live in air conditioning which makes even less trying conditions during the day seem far worse. The human body can cope with most things but dislikes stark contrasts.

Thirimanne 28

The worst of the hard work came from the flat, hard, lifeless pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground and a determination by the Sri Lankans to make the most of Australia's failure to score enough first innings runs. There was no flood of runs again today, despite it being perfect for batting. In fact, conditions for batting at Test level don't get any better than this but Sri Lanka were content to just have a constant trickle flowing rather than attempting to open the taps full bore. Of course, to forget just how well the Australians bowled under the circumstances would be worse than naive. Perhaps the flood was mostly averted by a good line, some thoughtful field placements and courage ... lots of good, old fashioned guts.

Sangakkara 79

The home side's top seven have batted its team to a handy lead at stumps and a four hundred plus total but none have scored a century. Each of them have made a contribution from Angelo Matthews' 85 not out down to Thirimanne's 28. Only four of the Australian top seven did the same.

The day started well for the Australians, dismissing Mahela Jayawardene before the fifteen overs required for the new ball had been bowled. He was out again playing too wide to a ball outside off stump from Watson. The former skipper had raised another hundred partnership with the other former skipper Kumar Sangakkara. Peter Siddle, with the new cherry in hand bowled the day's best ball, one which lifted from a length and forced Sangakkara to meekly blade it to Haddin. Like Siddle the day before, he shook his head all the way back to the pavilion, the chance of a hundred in his 100th Test dissipated by the Victorian's enthusiasm. 

Mahela Jayawardene 51

Mathews and Tilarkaratne Dilshan settled things until lunch and then dominated the second session. Dilshan was his usual aggressive self but tempering his booming drives with a mixture of defence and even the occasional leave outside off stump. His 14 boundaries were all cracked to the boundary with that flashing blade wielded by what must be the fastest hands in Test cricket. He dominated the partnership scoring 78 of 121, with Mathews content to play a supporting role and build his own score whilst the Australians coped with Dilshan. The second hour after lunch was the only period of the day that looked to be getting away from Michael Clarke but he kept moving his bowlers about and countering Dilshan with fielding changes. Even Ricky Ponting bowled a few overs of medium pace, his second having two fours hammered from it by Dilshan and featured Ponting fielding off his own bowling and throwing a return at the batting end which hit Dilshan's pads in front of the stumps. It raised a strenuous appeal and a minute of complaint from Ponting when it was turned down. What he might have been appealing for is anyone's guess.

Dilshan 83

Just before tea, Copeland made the breakthrough, having Dilshan caught in the most bizarre fashion by Haddin, standing up to anchor Dilshan in his crease for Copeland. The batsman got a healthy edge, it struck Haddin just above the right knee before his glove could react, and as he bent in reaction to the blow, the ball boggled up into the keepers midriff where he trapped it with his gloves. The limited worth of this standing up tactic can be further questioned after a drop by Haddin in the same circumstances off Eranga late in the day. In the wash up, Dilshan was unlucky.

Mathews 85 no

The last session was Sri Lanka's most prolific, with Mathews, Prassana Jayawardene and late in the day Shaminda Eranga adding 91 from 34 overs but even then Australia didn't let them get away. With his men tiring, Clarke turned to Copeland for another lone, accurate spell, proff again that too much has been made of his slower pace. His height and accuracy more than make up a perceived lack of speed. Siddle, Lyon and even Johnson bowled good spells of accurate line and length, constantly holding the batsmen in check. Runs were score but each was hard earned. Johnson bowled some loose balls but there  was far more meat and potatoes in the afternoon than the ice cream he served up before lunch. Shane Watson also did his share and it was here that the potential folly is exposed for he has probably been forced to bowl too many in this innings given he will need to bat well. Is there a connection between his increased bowling workload this series and a decline in batting form. To be cheeky, maybe its the change of batting partner?

Prasanna Jayawardene 47

Sri Lanka ended the day with a handy lead but not enough yet to win a Test match. Once the next wicket falls there is little left apart from a quick fire 20 or 30 from the slapper Herath. Eranga has a deserved reputation as a hitter in first class cricket but it is Mathews who must start tomorrow as if he already has his ton and attack the bowling. If Sri Lanka can add another 60 or 70 before lunch they will have a total to at least make the Australians nervous and a nervous Australia can sometimes see demons jumping from the pitch to mock them. Phil Hughes is already batting like a dead man and Watson, despite his glorious fitness will have tired legs.


In truth, tomorrow after lunch on a still perfect deck, should be great time to start a five session net in preparation for packing the silverware to take home to show Australia that recovery is started. That's if justice prevails over irony, although cricket has a habit of reversing that order.