Jackson Bird bagged 4 for 41 as Sri Lanka was bowled out for 294 by stumps on day one of the third Test at the SCG.
Look back on our blog of the first day for updates, scores, interviews, video highlights and images from Sydney.
Today's highlights (all times in AEDT)
7:00pm: That's just about a wrap here on day one of the third and final Test. In case you're just logging on now for a look back at Thursday's play, we've got you covered.
Jim Maxwell and Russel Arnold have tied up today's action, which you can listen to below.
Or if highlight reels are more your speed, click below to hear the thrills and spills from day one.
Thanks for joining Grandstand's online and on-air coverage today and we hope you'll be back tomorrow for more of the same.
Play begins at 10:30am (AEDT) on Friday morning. Until then, I'm Adrian Crawford.
6:10pm: Sri Lanka's top scorer Lahiru Thirimanne, dubbed "The Hero" by Drew, said the tourists are content with where their first innings finished despite wanting to put a few more runs on the board on day one.
"Actually we are happy with the score 294, we batted really well at times but at the end of the day we are happy with the score.
"[At] 4 for 224 we are trying to get 350-plus but the way the Australian bowlers bowled at the end of the end of the day ... they are really good. So 294 is not a bad score."
He said his demise just short of a maiden Test century was unfortunate but he realised he hadn't played the right shot.
"I'm really disappointed because I worked really hard to get 91 ... so I'm really happy with my performance today.
"I was trying to hit over the field to extra cover so it spun a little bit so ... that's it."
It sounds like he expects the Aussies to bat well tomorrow, after confirming what Bird said about the wicket being good for batsmen.
Russel Arnold reckons Lahiru was under more pressure with the microphone in his face than he was in the middle.
Have a listen below.
6:00pm: Drew is talking to Jackson Bird, who said the SCG deck will be a good one to bat on tomorrow after Sri Lanka put on some good runs early on day one.
"It was pretty tough work out there today, it's a beautiful wicket to bat on.
"We probably let them off the hook in the first session, the ball was only doing a little bit, but we fought back well in the last two sessions.
"This morning there was a little bit of help and if you put the ball in the right areas and bashed the wicket with the seam standing up, you got a little bit out of it.
"But towards the end of the day it flattened out a little bit, so it's going to be a beautiful wicket to bat on tomorrow.
"I thought we bowled pretty well in the middle session and restricted them to about 2 for 80, we just built the pressure up in that last session and we managed to get the rewards towards the end.
"I reckon we'd probably take 294 on the first day. It's just going to get better to bat on. Hopefully the boys can dig in and put on a big score for the first innings."
He said sustained pressure in the last session was what helped take quick wickets and knock the tourists over late in the day.
Bird also humbly shrugged off the ongoing parallels Australia's cricketing fraternity is drawing between he and Glenn McGrath.
"Glenn McGrath was a great bowler for Australia, I think he's taken the most wickets for a fast bowler.
"Getting a comparison to him is a good feeling, but I've got a lot of work to do to get even close to Glenn."
Their chat is below.
And here's another good stat from the abacus of Ric Finlay.
@RicFinlay JBird improves his best bowling for the 3rd inns in a row - 2-32, 2-29, 4-41. Now has 8 Test wkts @ 12.75. #AusvSLPretty handy stuff for a bloke who's only played one and a half Tests.
L. Thirimanne 91
M. Jayawardene 72
T. Dilshan 34
J. Bird 4/41 (19.4 overs)
M. Starc 3/71 (19 overs)
P. Siddle 2/46 (15 overs)
5:55pm: WICKET! Bird takes his fourth wicket of the innings and Hussey has his thousandth catch of the day with Lakmal edging to gully on 5. Mr Cricket has proven to be a ball magnet today in the cordon. Sri Lanka is all out for 294 and that's stumps.
@RicFinlay Only the 2nd time in Hussey's career he has snared 3 catches in a Test inns - the other one also at Sydney v Ind 07-085:53pm: Well I guess that wasn't the last over of the day; we've got time for one more by the look of things. This little rearguard has managed to survive but can Bird break them up?
Not on the first ball - Pradeep's put it in the gap between long leg and mid-on for four.
5:49pm: Pradeep got a hold of that one, with Johnson's delivery following him down the leg side, sending it to the long-on boundary. Cheeky.
5:47pm: Bird is definitely feeling the frustration - he just wants that last wicket to fall this afternoon. Lakmal is going to give him a cold at this rate, the way he's swinging the bat.
Sri Lanka is 9 for 280 and Mitchell Johnson is going to bowl the last over of the day.
5:38pm: Nuwan Pradeep's bat appears to be of the standard width, but as far as Jackson Bird is concerned it's a lot skinnier.
The two-Test paceman can't buy an edge and the Sri Lankan number 11 is switching between his repertoire of wild swings, "leaves" and being beaten outside off.
5:31pm: The crowd at the SCG is loving it as Australia goes in for the kill. Jim Maxwell likens it to a bullring. Can they clean it up before stumps?
Mitchell Starc is bowling like he's staring down the Sri Lankan openers - banging them in short and dialling up the intimidation factor. Putting 'em on the stumps worked with Chandimal...
5:27pm: WICKET! And just like that Bird's done so. Lakmal and Herath are looking to slog and that's what's brought the latter undone, popping up a simple catch above the non-striker for Peter Siddle.
The Lankans are almost done at 9 for 273.
5:25pm: Jackson Bird is back in the attack looking to mop up the stragglers this afternoon, hoping to add to his haul of two for the day.
5:23pm: Lakmal isn't interested in playing gentle strokes...or standing in front of his stumps, it seems. He takes a big wide step to leg before throwing the bat at everything. He's taken a single off Starc to get off the mark, and despite there easily being a second in it, he puts down anchor at the non-striker's end. He doesn't want to face.
5:19pm: WICKET! Watch out for Mitchell Starc. A truly devastating in-swinger has skittled Dinesh Chandimal for 24 with the first delivery with the new rock.
He's got three-for and Sri Lanka is 8 for 271. Unless Suranga Lakmal has a ton in him, you'd be safe to say that the tourists won't get too much further this afternoon.
5:03pm: Well Rangana Herath certainly lives and dies by the sword. He's swinging at everything where he should be taking it easy and supporting Dinesh Chandimal, who really is Sri Lanka's last hope in the order. The tourists are 7 for 261 approaching stumps.
4:56pm: WICKET! Again it's Peter Siddle that strikes, with Dhammika Prasad (2) playing a rash stroke to pull one to mid-on, where Mitchell Starc stretched full length to dive forward and accept the catch.
Sri Lanka's tail is now very much exposed with the score at 7 for 256. Rangana Herath is the next man in to join Chandimal (16*).
4:50pm: WICKET! That's the one Australia needed too. Lahiru Thirimanne's first innings Down Under is over just short of his maiden Test ton. He tried to slash it over the fielders but was caught by a diving David Warner at cover for 91 from 151 balls to give Nathan Lyon a tough-earned first victim.
Sri Lanka is 6 for 250 as we steam towards stumps on day one. Chandimal is still at the crease on 12
And we've been informed by Roshan Abeysinghe that the official crowd figure for today at the SCG is 26,197. Nice job Sydney.
4:48pm: And Grandstand expert Russel Arnold is stoked with how the Sri Lankan number four is batting.
@RusselArnold69 New heroes.... That's what SL needs...4:45pm: Drinks are in the middle as the final session reaches the half-way mark. Sri Lanka has reached a respectable 5 for 249 with Thirimanne on 90 and Chandimal on 12.
Siddle has the ball for the first over after the break. And with Thirimanne approaching his ton, the ever-ready Ric Finlay has another gem for us.
@RicFinlay Last player to make 100 in 1st Test inns in Aus: MClarke 04-05. Last o/s player: JOram 04-05. Chandimal a chance to be 1st SLankan to do it4:40pm: Make that 8 for Chandimal; he's just danced down and clipped Lyon flat to the long on boundary for four.
Nope, make it 12. That's back-to-back shots gone to the rope, the second one a less-than-perfect sweep.
4:37pm: Boy that outfield is lightning fast. Thirimanne has just hit his 12th and 13th boundaries of the day, a beautiful straight one and then a perfect cover drive off Peter Siddle, and they're almost at the rope before anyone even realises.
David Warner slid on his stomach to try and reel in the second one, and almost headbutted the ad hoarding around the boundary. He's gone to 90 not out. Chandimal is still on 4.
4:26pm: After Kerry and Jim's back-and-forth about complex Sri Lankan names earlier, Drew Morphett delved further into the cultural reasons behind long names with Russel Arnold's insight.
It's an interesting chat, and Russel does take the mickey out of Drew, so it's well worth a listen.
4:24pm: Well Dinesh Chandimal isn't wasting any time. He knows what his team needs and he's right to it, hitting Starc for four to get off the mark.
4:20pm: WICKET! Angelo Mathews is gone for 15, caught at second slip in front of Michael Hussey's chest.
Mitchell Starc has his second and Sri Lanka is 5 for 222. If Australia can take a couple more cheaply in this afternoon session then the hosts will be batting by lunch tomorrow, you'd reckon.
And in case you were wondering, Mathews has a penchant for getting out on an odd number. But I didn't know that - Ric Finlay told us. Obviously.
@RicFinlay AMathews' lowest 19 Test scores (excl 1 duck): 1 1 3 5 5 5 5 5 7 9 11 13 13 15 15 17 17 19 19. Then 22. Bizarre!4:17pm: Thumped. This is an engaging little battle between Thirimanne and Nathan Lyon. The Sri Lankan leftie won't let the Aussie spinner get into a rhythm and he's just belted him for a six straight down the ground. He's 75* and Sri Lanka is 4 for 222.
4:10pm: Woah. Lyon's thrown one down to Thirimanne that rocketed off the pitch and turns sharply past the bat...and thudded into Matthew Wade's shoulder. That thump was clearly audible in the effects mike. Imagine how much spin he'll get once the deck is all roughed up!
4:03pm: Nathan Lyon has the rock again and Thirimanne has taken a shine to him, hitting back-to-back fours as Sri Lanka brings up the 200. This partnership is now worth 35 for the fifth wicket.
4:00pm: CLOSE CALL! That would've been a handy scalp for Australia. Thirimanne has swiped at Mitchell Johnson and got a big top edge.
But it was on such an angle that it barely flew over the outstretched mitt of Michael Clarke at first slip to run away for four. The left-hander moves to 57* with Mathews on 9* and Sri Lanka is 4 for 198.
3:58pm: It's been a fixture all summer, but you know that when play is moving slowly in the middle Kerry O'Keeffe will make his own fun in the commentary box.
He and Jim Maxwell have been discussing the complexities of Sri Lankan players' extensive names...except Grandstand expert commentator Russel Arnold.
Isn't it funny ... Jayasuriya, Muralidaran, Wickramasinghe, Arnold...how did he get in?
Have a listen:
3:42pm: 50 FOR THIRIMANNE. Well hasn't he turned his innings around after being given a life first ball. That's another crucial knock for Sri Lanka, with the relatively inexperienced Thirimanne clocking up his second Test fifty in eight matches.
The tourists are 4 for 182 with Angelo Mathews still yet to score.
@RoshanCricket Good fighting effort by the young Tirimanne. Need him to go on for a bigger effort.L. Thirimanne 37*
A. Mathews 0*
M. Jayawardene 72
J. Bird 2/29 (14 overs)
P. Siddle 1/35 (11 overs)
M. Starc 1/48 (11 overs)
3:11pm: Hussey produces a maiden in his second over and that's tea, with Sri Lanka at 4 for 169. Lahiru Thirimanne has quietly worked his way to 37 while captain-in-waiting Angelo Mathews is yet to get off the mark.
That was a similar session to the first one as far as the scorecard is concerned, with the tourists adding 89 for the loss of another two wickets.
3:04pm: Tidy stuff from Mr Cricket, who concedes a miserly one run in his first over.
3:01pm: Oh the Sydney crowd loves this. The man himself, Mike Hussey, has been thrown the ball for a roll.
"Despite Australia naming four fast bowlers, Hussey is going to bowl his little yerters," according to Drew Morphett. I think that's a technical term. Can he add to his seven Test wickets?
2:59pm: WICKET! Thilan Samaraweera has walked. He shuffled across the crease and back, and Peter Siddle has rapped him dead on the pads in front. Don't worry about bothering the third umpire on that one.
Samaraweera departs for 12 after some sustained pressure from Siddle, who's got his first of the Test. Well done son. Sri Lanka is 4 for 167 now.
2:56pm: There's one very good reason Geoff Lawson eats faster than colleagues Drew Morphett and Jim Maxwell, the man himself says. It's because he's not busying himself drinking.
Drew rates Henry as the best eater he knows, and fastest. So now you know.
2:47pm: Peter Siddle is back into the attack, hopefully a little more efficiently than he was directly after lunch when Jayawardene took him to task.
2:32pm: Oh, that's silly stuff from Starc. The intimidatory tactic of throwing the ball back at the batsman's stumps has gone awry and Thilan Samaraweera has earned himself four runs after the ball flew past Matthew Wade to the fine leg boundary.
What's the point Mitch? Sri Lanka moves to 3 for 155.
2:18pm: WICKET? WICKET! Mitchell Starc has dismissed Mahela Jayawardene for 72 and the score is 3 for 134. Michael Clarke took a regulation catch at first slip off a thick edge.
The delivery was initially called a front-foot no-ball but the replay indicated the heel was just legal at the point of impact. That's just what Australia needed, because Thirimanne doesn't quite look settled yet.
But to be honest, I wouldn't either if I'd been hit twice in four balls by "Notch" Johnson.
2:15pm: And two balls later he's gone for a maximum! That's a big six from the captain.
2:14pm: "Gazza" Lyon has the rock after the drinks break and he's immediately belted to the mid-on boundary by Jayawardene, who goes to 65 not.
2:11pm: Ouch. Mitchell Johnson is lining up the body blows on Thirimanne - he's 16 not out but he's copped two blows in the over before drinks.
Sri Lanka is still only two down at the halfway mark of the middle session, reaching 2 for 132, with the skipper on 61*. They're hanging in there pretty solidly despite the pace barrage.
2:03pm: Meanwhile, Shane Warne has anointed the other Hussey brother to replace Mike at Test level for Australia.
With the Test team bled dry of 247 Tests worth of experience with Hussey and Ricky Ponting retiring this summer, Warne believes it is crucial to call in another hardened professional for the looming tours of India and England.
Usman Khawaja, 26, is currently the next cab off the rank after being put on injury stand-by for captain Michael Clarke ahead of the third Test.
But spin great Warne has named David Hussey, 35, ahead of Adam Voges, 33, as his preferred choice.
Warne even went in to bat for 38-year-old Brad Hodge, who no longer plays first-class cricket, on Thursday despite his Melbourne Stars BBL team-mate being ineligible.
Read the story: Warne tips another Hussey for India and Ashes
1:44pm: 50 FOR JAYAWARDENE. On Johnson's first ball of the spell, a fat edge falls JUST short of Mike Hussey in the gully and rockets to the rope for four.
That's a heart-in-throat way to bring up a very important half-century for the Sri Lankan skipper. That's his first Test fifty outside of his homeland since Ahmedabad in 2009. He went on to make 275 in that innings.
@RicFinlay Only the 2nd time Jayawardene has passed 50 in 13 inns in Aust. Aver here before this inns 25.67 with 104 at Bellerive his best. #AusvSL1:42pm: A strangled shout as Thirimanne edges Lyon over where second slip would've been standing. If this deck is going to turn, Pup needs a second slip in there in catching position.
1:40pm: Now Nathan Lyon is back into the attack for the first time since his two overs before lunch. Australia needs to break these two up.
1:30pm: Thirimanne likes saving his legs too though - in fact his four brings up the 100 for Sri Lanka. This is quite the turnaround from the second innings at the MCG last week.
1:17pm: Jayawardene is definitely taking to Siddle early in this session. He's hit four boundaries to move to 46 not out and Sri Lanka is 2 for 96.
1:13pm: Make that two boundaries in the first over after lunch. That outfield looks beautiful but it's acting like an absolute road. It's 2 for 88 and Jackson Bird will continue the attack from the other end.
1:10pm: Trouble is afoot already at the SCG, with Mahela Jayawardene whipping Peter Siddle away to the square leg boundary on the first ball after lunch. Ouch.
1:07pm: We've got a few moments before play gets underway in the second session. That means there's still time to have a listen to Jim Maxwell's lunchtime chat with former BBC Radio and Test Match Special producer Peter Baxter about the late Christopher Martin-Jenkins.
M. Jayawardene 30*
L. Thirimanne 4*
T. Dilshan 34
J. Bird 2/14 (8 overs)
P. Siddle 0/12 (4 overs)
N. Lyon 0/3 (2 overs)
12:30pm: That was a lightning-fast over if I've ever seen one, and that's lunch. Sri Lanka is 2 for 80 after the first session and that's a pretty good morning for the tourists.
Jackson Bird kept Australia in the hunt with the key wickets of Dimuth Karunaratne (5) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (34) but skipper Mahela Jayawardene is proving to be a pest.
The captain has reached a defiant 30 off 56 deliveries at the interval alongside Lahiru Thirimanne (4 not out). The runs might even flow a bit more freely this afternoon as the Sydney sun dries out that deck a bit more.
12:27pm: Lyon will bowl the last over of the session. Given the turn he got in his first six balls, a wicket isn't out of the question.
12:23pm: Bird has been switched to the Paddington end and Starc is spelled. The tourists are 2 for 76 with the break approaching.
12:20pm: Only a couple of overs left before lunch now and Nathan Lyon has been thrown amongst the pigeons.
He's definitely got some turn out of this first over, and the opening delivery was an uppish edge through the cordon where there wasn't a slips fielder. Encouraging stuff.
12:13pm: SO CLOSE. Thirimanne has been given a reprieve after being given out lbw on his first delivery. Bird could've been on a hat-trick there.
The DRS replays showed the ball was missing leg stump. What was that I was saying about Thirimanne having a tough job 20 minutes before lunch? Pressure's on him now.
12:11pm: WICKET! The new kid strikes again. How about that. Jackson Bird has brought Dilshan forward prodding, and offered Matthew Wade the most textbook catch behind of all.
Dilshan goes for 34 and Bird has got the scalps of both openers. Sri Lanka is 2 for 73 with 20 minutes until lunch. Tough time to come to the middle for Lahiru Thirimanne in his eighth Test match.
12:04pm: Ooh that was almost the break Australia needed. A corker of a Bird delivery had Dilshan playing forward and edging, but the ball fell just short of Hussey at gully.
12:02pm: Just now, Sri Lankan expert commentator Roshan Abeysinghe has been reminiscing about his playing days against the late Tony Greig.
It's an engaging and entertaining few minutes of commentary. Take a listen below.
12:01pm: Wicket-taker Jackson Bird has the ball again in the hopes of changing Australia's fortunes.
Sri Lanka is 1 for 70 with this pair putting on 44 between them for the second wicket and looking pretty settled. Dilshan is 34 not out with his skipper Jayawardene 10 runs behind on 24.
11:49am: Dilshan wants in on the action too, and he does it in style with a drive through mid-wicket for a boundary off Starc. Didn't come off the middle of the bat but the fieldsmen could save their legs anyway.
11:45am: Ouch - Johnson is now the man belted to the boundary off Jayawardene's blade. Great sharp cut shot behind point for four and the captain moves to 22 and his side is 1 for 55.
11:40am: Kerry reckons Sri Lanka is moving the ball through the field better than the Wallabies do. Ouch. Let's hope Robbie Deans, who's in the SCG crowd today, isn't listening in to the coverage.
Meanwhile Jayawardene has hooked a short Siddle delivery to the fine leg boundary for four more. Wasn't pretty but a four is a four on the scorebook.
And a few minutes ago Geoff Lawson and Drew Morphett were discussing what they think are flaws in Australia's decision to bring four quicks to Sydney for the final Test of the series, which is essentially a dead rubber.
Henry reckons this was the perfect opportunity to give Usman Khawaja some extra experience in the baggy green ahead of the Ashes this year. Have a listen to their chat below.
11:29am: Four bits for Jayawardene off Siddle with a brilliant cut shot. These two are really looking for runs out there early. It's drinks in the first session and Sri Lanka is 1 for 42. The skipper is unbeaten on 13 and Tillakaratne Dilshan is 17 not out.
As Henry Lawson has just noted on-air, the bowling attack hasn't been as foot-to-throat as you might have imagined early on a green-tinged deck on the first day.
Jayawardene and Dilshan have taken some daring but not risky singles and punishing the bad ones.
11:25am: The wicket of Karunaratne put Jackson Bird on Ric Finlay's finely tuned statistical radar. Take a look at these numbers.
@RicFinlay Only two current Test bowlers have bowling av < 20: JBird 13.40, VPhilander 16.83. Next best JPattinson 22.10 (excl NZ's RossTaylor 21.50)11:21am: The Birdman has been spelled and Melbourne man-of-the-match Mitchell Johnson is into the attack.
11:20am: For Brisbane readers, you'll get the chance to see Test 12th man Glenn Maxwell in action at the Gabba tonight if Big Bash Twenty20 is your flavour.
He's been released from drinks-carrying duties in Sydney so he can join his Melbourne Stars team-mates against Brisbane Heat this evening.
11:17am: OH SO CLOSE. Siddle had Mahela Jayawardene playing forward and tempted him into a thick edge that flew between first and second slip, and it looked like Mike Hussey got a finger on that.
Geoff Lawson reckons the spacing between Hussey and Michael Clarke was fine, but that one was definitely not uncatchable. It's 1 for 36 in the 11th over.
11:08am: If you're not able to listen in at this second, you can probably still hear the roar from the crowd at the SCG. Peter Siddle has been brought into the attack to spell Mitchell Starc.
There's absolutely no denying the love the Australian public has for the Siddler.
11:04am: WICKET! A short one from Jackson Bird has brought Dimuth Karunaratne undone on a silly pull shot with the top edge falling into the safe hands of Mike Hussey.
Sri Lanka needed better than that from its opener, who's gone for 5. It's 1 for 26 in the eighth over. The pair survived the first half-hour without any real hassle but that was needlessly reckless from Tillakaratne.
11:02am: Half-hearted shout for leg-before there with Bird bowling to Dilshan, but it was definitely sliding down leg-side. First appeal of the morning in any case.
10:53am: Meanwhile the openers are chugging along nicely, with Dilshan leading the way on 13 and the score at 0 for 17 after five overs. The right-hander has hit boundaries off both bowlers and seems to be settling in solidly.
10:45am: Given that it's Mr Cricket's final Test for Australia, we want to know your favourite Mike Hussey moments.
Here are some of your responses.
@MattyP_11 when he hit the winning runs against the poms in the miracle test in Adelaide.
@little_me1497 His 195 against the Poms at the GABBA when critics wanted him dropped. One of the best knocks.
@joshua_hann Standout moment from Huss was run chase in Adelaide versus England in 2006. 61* off 65 balls. Match winning boundary #special
@_VANDY_ Being the best finisher in ODIs #MrConsistency
10:42am: Bird's first over was a maiden, which we've now come to expect after his efficient debut effort in Melbourne.
But Tillakaratne Dilshan has just sent Starc to the boundary with a beautiful, aggressive cover drive. It's 0 for 5.
10:35am: Well that's the first over survived anyway. Sri Lanka is 0 for 1. Jackson Bird is at the Randwick end.
10:29am: Both teams are out in the middle and we're almost ready to go. Mitchell Starc will bowl the opening over and after his nice rest over Boxing Day, you can imagine he's raring to go on this green Sydney deck.
First ball is outside Dimuth Karunaratne's off stump and there's plenty of swing already. As Kerry said earlier, Sri Lanka really needs to dig in and survive the first couple of sessions intact.
10:18am: The SCG is observing a moment's silence to honour Tony Greig ahead of the national anthems.
10:14am: There have been a couple of changes in the Sri Lankan line-up for this dead rubber Test after the visitors were left looking like a hospital ward after Boxing Day.
Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne come into the fold to replace Prasanna Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara with the bat while quicks Chanaka Welegedara and Shaminda Eranga have succumbed to their own injuries, making way for Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep.
After the toss Jim caught up with the Sri Lankan skipper for some insight into the new team members. Have a listen to their chat below:
10:11am: Down on the pitch Kerry O'Keeffe says it's imperative that Sri Lanka toughs out the opening day and lets the Sydney surface dry out if the tourists want to win their first Test ever at the SCG. He reckons 360 in Sri Lanka's first innings is crucial.
And Skull is predicting a bruising morning for Mahela Jayawardene's men...
"There'll be so much carry, so many people are going to be hit here this morning, it'll be tough to survive."
10:02am: Skipper Michael Clarke has won the toss and will bowl first on a green deck at the SCG. A surface like that could prove tough for Sri Lanka's top order to get settled in.
He told Jim Maxwell his four-pronged pace attack made the decision to send Sri Lanka in first a very easy one. And he's got faith in both the man who made his debut in Melbourne and the man who sat out:
"Mitchell Starc and Jackson Bird will open the bowling for us ... It always spins at the SCG so Nathan Lyon will definitely get a bowl."
Have a listen below:
10:00am: It's been a tough week for cricket, with the passing of former England captain and iconic Channel Nine commentator Tony Greig on Saturday.
Not long ago Drew Morphett joined ABC News Breakfast from the SCG to provide a heads-up ahead of day one's play. Take a look below:
9:52am: While we're waiting for the action to get underway in Sydney, how about South Africa? In case you haven't caught up with the overnight scores, the Proteas skittled New Zealand for 45 on the first day of their first Test at Newlands.
Vernon Philander was the chief destroyer, taking 5 for 7 in an incredible 20 deliveries. And the hosts didn't stop there either - South Africa proceeded to build a lead of 207 by stumps thanks to Alviro Petersen's unbeaten 103.
9:35am: Jim Maxwell, Drew Morphett, Roshan Abeysinghe and Kerry O'Keeffe will lead off our commentary team at the SCG. They'll hit the airwaves at 10:05am and you can contact them via email (cricket@abc.net.au), SMS (0467 920 222) or on Twitter (@abcgrandstand, using the hashtag #abccricket).
9:30am: A very warm good morning cricket fans and thanks for joining me for the last Test of the summer. I'm Adrian Crawford and I'll be keeping you updated throughout the next five days. Play will begin at 10:30am.
We've had a longer than expected hiatus after the Boxing Day Test finished before the Christmas lunch leftovers did. As you'll remember, Australia leads the three-Test series 2-0 after beating Sri Lanka after convincing wins in Hobart and at the MCG.
Will the hosts send Mike Hussey out a winner and can Mr Cricket end a remarkable career with his 20th Test century?
Tags: sport, cricket, sydney-2000 First posted January 03, 2013 09:44:53