Adrian CrawfordUpdated January 04, 2013 18:50:55
Australia leads Sri Lanka by 48 after reaching 6 for 342 at stumps on day two of the third Test at the SCG.
Look back on Friday's action for all of Grandstand's updates, audio and video highlights, photos and more from Sydney.
Today's highlights:
6:45pm: That's two days down at the SCG and Australia is ahead for now. But if Sri Lanka can take some early wickets tomorrow then it's absolutely anyone's game.
Play resumes at 10:00am in Sydney for Ladies' Day, so expect to see the stands full of supporters in pink.
Thanks again for joining Grandstand's coverage on-air and online. We'll be back tomorrow for more of the same. Until then, I'm Adrian Crawford. Catch you on Saturday morning.
6:33pm: Today it was Drew Morphett and Geoff Lawson's turn to summarise the day's proceedings for us.
You can listen to their wrap-up below.
And of course it wouldn't be a day's cricket without a highlight reel, which was lovingly collated by our production team in Adelaide.
Check out all of Friday's action right here.
6:12pm: Sri Lankan coach Graeme Ford told Jim that his side was dealing with some nerves ahead of day two but eventually got down to some hard work and played well on Friday.
He acknowledged that the visitors can't rest on their laurels tomorrow morning.
"We've got to strike early and hopefully get back batting pretty quickly while the wicket's still playing reasonably.
"There is deterioration on the surface so we have to get whatever we can and give the Aussies a nice little chase at the end of the match."
Listen to their chat below.
6:05pm: Down on the boundary Jim Maxwell is speaking to Phil Hughes, who says he felt quite comfortable in the middle today and he would have liked 13 or more extra runs, but "that's cricket".
He said Rangana Herath mixed his pace up beautifully and there's plenty of turn in the SCG deck going forward, which will be key for Sri Lanka on day three and beyond.
"It's quite slow so it's quite difficult to drive, especially on the up so you've got to drive as late as possible.
"I think it's going take quite a bit of turn in the next few days. [Nathan] Lyon will come into the game especially in the second innings. I'm sure it'll take some big turn.
Have a listen to the interview:
M. Wade 47*
P Siddle. 16*
P. Hughes 87
R. Herath 2/69 (22 overs)
T. Dilshan 1/58 (19 overs)
N. Pradeep 1/83 (14 overs)
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)
6:00pm: The last delivery of day two is a dot and at stumps Australia finishes at 6 for 342, a lead of 48 over Sri Lanka's first innings.
Matthew Wade goes to the sheds on the brink of a half-century on 47* while Peter Siddle is hanging in there alongside him on 16.
We saw some aggressive Australian batting on a friendly surface and a fast outfield, with David Warner (85) and Phil Hughes (87) taking to the tourists early in the day.
But to Sri Lanka's credit the visitors fought back, taking key wickets when they needed to be taken and putting the reins on Australia.
The spinners Rangana Herath and Tillakaratne Dilshan really staunched the flow of runs at periods and put some pressure on the hosts.
Geoff Lawson reckons if Sri Lanka can restrict Australia's lead to under 100 tomorrow, a maiden Test win Down Under could be on the cards.
5:56pm: This should be the last over of the day, and Dilshan has absolutely ripped one out of a foot-mark and left Wade hanging. Dangerous times with Wade on 46*.
5:52pm: Eight minutes left on the clock, just under four overs needing to be bowled. Those aren't gonna happen. A Sri Lankan wicket this afternoon would be advantageous for the visitors.
But hold that thought, because Siddle's hooked Lakmal over Chandimal's head to the boundary for four. That'll do.
5:39pm: Herath has been busy down at the boundary in the last couple of balls so Wade gives him a break and puts an on-drive to the boundary to take him to 39 not out and Australia to 6 for 323.
5:36pm: MORE sightscreen dramas, but this time it's because there's a small boy in a big sombrero and a bright yellow shirt standing next to it. Siddle seemed to be somewhat distracted.
5:30pm: I think Peter Siddle's got somewhere to be - he gets off the mark with a boundary.
5:27pm: JOHNSON IS OUT! No sooner did I post about Sri Lanka's absence of good fortune does Johnson play straight into Chandimal's waiting gloves for lucky 13.
Australia is now 6 for 307, a lead of...lucky 13. Thankfully I'm not superstitious.
5:26pm: ANOTHER CLOSE CHANCE. Pradeep has teased an edge out of Johnson but the catch has fallen JUST short of the slip. As in...centimetres. Sri Lanka is having no luck this afternoon.
5:20pm: Sri Lanka has exercised its right to take the new ball and Suranga Lakmal is back into the attack.
5:15pm: Wade brings up another milestone for Australia, knocking a single off Dilshan to bring up the 300 for the hosts. That's a good day with the bat in my books.
5:13pm: OUCH. Mitchell Johnson, streaking back to the striker's end for a second run, changes direction at the last second and crashed into the back of Dinesh Chandimal who was attempting to clean up a scrappy run-out throw from Nuwan Pradeep. Nothing gentle about these two teams today.
5:11pm: Wade, he of the multiple lives, has taken a single off Herath to put the hosts in front finally on Friday afternoon.
5:10pm: Australia has reached parity in the 77th over thanks to a Johnson single off Tillakaratne Dilshan. It's 5 for 294 after 77.
5:05pm: Lahiru Thirimanne has been struck twice at close range at forward short leg by Matthew Wade. The second time he's gone down like the Hindenburg. That has to hurt. Fingers crossed he's okay - no one likes to see that.
He's back on his feet and the crowd is applauding his bravery. Or madness.
5:03pm: NOW WADE'S ASKED FOR A REVIEW! Sri Lanka has gone wild for what looked initially like a catch at short leg but the Aussie keeper knew he didn't hit it.
The ricochet came off Wade's pad and so Australia remains at 5 for 292, still two short of the tourists. Wade is 22, Johnson 10.
4:58pm: Now Johnson's got himself a second chance. The man at forward short leg, Karunaratne, has had a sharp reflex catch go through his hands to deny Herath a third.
4:51pm: REFERRAL! Mahela Jayawardene reckons Matt Wade has nicked it through the Dinesh Chandimal but the umpire's initial decision was not out. He's called for the DRS...and it's a front-foot noey.
Nuwan Pradeep's front foot is well over the crease so, even though he may have nicked it, Wade gets a life. UPDATE: Sri Lanka keeps its review.
Jim Maxwell doesn't reckon they should lose a referral for it.
@jimmaxcricket Slanka should not lose a review if the umpire has failed to spot no ball. should be changed in all similar situations with posthumous nballs
4:47pm: Drinks are on the field in the final session and Australia is 5 for 290, four runs in arrears. Matthew Wade has a patient 22 off 54 while Mitchell Johnson is 9 from 15.
4:45pm: Kerry O'Keeffe says he met Jackson Bird's mother yesterday afternoon and told her he liked his hairstyle and his run-up. The hair-style because it's old-fashioned and the run-up because it looks like he's trotting in wearing his St Ignatius Riverview blazer.
"She didn't laugh."
Evidently there's someone immune to the O'Keeffe sense of humour!
4:43pm: Wade (18*) and Johnson (8*) continue to chip away; Australia is just nine runs short of Sri Lanka's first innings now at 5 for 285. Technically Johnson has the runs he needed for his century in Melbourne...that counts, right?
4:27pm: Poor career choice for Suranga Lakmal as he bangs a short one in and strikes Johnson in the helmet. To be fair Johnson took his eye off the ball, but that sounded ugly.
But there's some retribution from Johnson next ball as he gets off the mark with a flick to the square leg boundary.
4:24pm: More sightscreen problems at the SCG. Jeez, Johnson really plays the batsman role doesn't he?
4:18pm: CLARKE IS GONE! A mistimed shot from the skipper, who tried to heave it over midwicket but didn't get to the pitch of it and sent one straight up in the air above Karunaratne.
The fielder stumbled around underneath it for what felt like an eternity before finally swallowing the catch. Rangana Herath comes up with his second wicket of the innings.
Australia is 5 for 271, still 23 in arrears, and Mitchell Johnson has come in at seven. The home side could have done with more from Clarke, given we're now firmly into the middle order and gambling on Johnson's ability to put together another strong innings.
4:12pm: 50 FOR CLARKE! The captain squared off against Suranga Lakmal, and a Dimuth Karunaratne misfield in the covers let the skipper scamper through for the single to reach his 25th Test half-century.
The purple patch continues for Pup. Australia is 4 for 271 with Wade unbeaten on 12.
4:00pm: Dilshan has been pretty tight today but he's definitely a role-player rather than a full-time bowler, and you've got to expect the odd loose one. The odd loose one that Matthew Wade sends to the boundary. The 'keeper moves to 10.
3:44pm: HUSSEY IS GONE! Mr Cricket has fallen almost at the hands of his skipper in a quick single where the 37-year-old just couldn't make his ground despite a full-length dive.
The umpires went upstairs where the replay showed Hussey was an inch or two short. Michael Clarke at the other end was visibly angered by the result.
He's made 25 in what could be - but probably...HOPEFULLY... won't be - his final Test appearance at the crease. Australia is 4 for 251, still 43 short of Sri Lanka, and Matthew Wade is the next man up.
3:38pm: A single for Clarke and a couple more for Hussey and that brings up the 50 partnership for these two. Australia is 3 for 246.
It's been awhile since we heard from him, but this is how Roshan Abeysinghe sees things.
@RoshanCricket If SL dont get wickets quickly a lead in excess of around 60 to 70 runs in favour of Australia is possible.
3:36pm: The third session is underway and Australia garnered two runs off wicket-taker Tillakaratne Dilshan. Hussey moves to 19, Clarke remains on 42. The other run was a leg-bye.
M. Clarke 42*
M. Hussey 18*
P. Hughes 87
T. Dilshan 1/36 (10 overs)
R. Herath 1/48 (14 overs)
A. Mathews 0/11 (2 overs)
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)
3:10pm: Time for a cuppa and after two sessions Australia has reached 3 for 241 at the SCG, 53 runs short of Sri Lanka's total but closing in.
Michael Clarke (42*) and Michael Hussey (18*) looked settled out there and their partnership is worth 49 when they come back from the pavilion.
Sri Lanka had some successes in the middle stanza, taking the key wickets of David Warner (85) and Phil Hughes (87), both of whom were in great touch and fell to somewhat rash strokes.
The slow bowling of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Rangana Herath made the respective breakthroughs and proved mostly effective in toning down Australia's strike rate after the lunch break.
Another couple of wickets can get the tourists right back into the mix this afternoon, but the incumbent batsmen are no strangers to tightening their grip on an innings and hanging in there together.
3:06pm: There's still cricket on though, and we've got one more over before the tea break to be bowled by Nuwan Pradeep. Clarke has moved to 41* with Hussey on 15*.
3:00pm: As long as we're on Kerry O'Keeffe gems, he was just discussing a mate of his who always attends the second day of the Sydney Test for his birthday.
"He turned 50 last year ... by my calculations he's 51 this year."
It gets better - Skull and Jim Maxwell share an anecdote about this particular friend's dad, who mistook a bidet in Paris for a really small bathtub. Have a listen.
2:56pm: No sooner did I say play was slowing down does Michael Clarke take 10 runs in two balls from Rangana Herath. The first one was a lofted on-drive for six, closely followed by an off-drive to the boundary for four.
Jeez he's a pleasure to watch.
2:53pm: Kerry might have declined to trot out the infamous Frog Joke on air, but hey - I'm running this blog, so I can stick it in here at my leisure (and while Clarke and Hussey are picking their way towards Sri Lanka's total).
So by popular demand, and in all its glory, here's Skull's Frog Joke.
2:39pm: Great shot by Clarke. He's clipped Lakmal behind mid-on for a boundary to move to 24. The run rate has slowed considerably but these two could bat for days...and have. It's 3 for 210.
2:31pm: Australia's deficit might be in the double figures now, but Grandstand expert commentator Russel Arnold still has faith that Sri Lanka is firmly in this contest.
@RusselArnold69 SL still in it.. One wicket right here will make a big difference to this game...
2:26pm: There's some warm applause if I've ever heard it - the SCG has acknowledged Hussey for getting off the mark with a single that also brings up the Australian 200.
2:23pm: The Sydney Test has been an especially big week for Glenn McGrath over the last five years, but today it got a little bit busier.
He was presented with his commemorative cap as an inductee into the ICC cricket hall of fame during the lunch break, and rightfully so. Well done Pigeon.
2:17pm: HUGHES IS OUT! The curse of 87 may have some legs. Phil Hughes has fallen 13 short of his fourth Test century, caught behind to give Rangana Herath his first scalp of the innings and Australia is 3 for 195.
The crowd isn't too upset though because it brings Mike Hussey, Mr Cricket himself, to the crease in his 79th and final Test.
The Sri Lankans have formed a guard of honour for the 37-year-old, indeed a classy move. He's out there with his captain, whom he's built some strong partnerships with this summer and throughout his career.
2:13pm: Play has stopped for a hydration break after an hour of the second session and Australia is 2 for 194, 100 runs short of Sri Lanka's first innings.
Phil Hughes is on 87 looking for his first Test ton since the third Test in Colombo in September 2011, while his skipper Michael Clarke is unbeaten on lucky 13.
2:09pm: Sri Lanka has brought Suranga Lakmal back into the attack for a timely injection of pace as Phil Hughes approaches his fourth Test century.
2:04pm: Clarke moves to 11 with a sneaky little turn off his legs to fine leg, then to 12 with a single next ball. It's easy to understand why he's ranked number one Test batsman in the world right now. So much ease in that shot.
Australia is 2 for 188 with Hughes on 83 not out.
1:54pm: We've got a little technical delay at the SCG.
"The sight-screen's gone from automatic to manual, and Manuel isn't working hard enough. He's still on his lunch break." - Jim Maxwell sure does have a way with words.
1:44pm: BIG SHOUT for Michael Clarke's wicket straight away for an lbw attempt, but the Sri Lankans are denied as there was bat in it. Clarke's not fazed, sending Rangana Herath to the rope next ball to get off the mark. Thanks for that.
Actually on second look, that might have been a mistake for Mahela Jayawardene to not ask for the referral, because the ball hit pad before willow. A life for the skipper.
And Peter Walsh in our Grandstand studio has weighed in on the appeal...
@PeterAWalsh Some Sri Lankans appeal like some Women's Tennis players scream.
Can you hear it from Adelaide, Walshy?
1:40pm: WARNER IS OUT! The change-up by Sri Lanka has worked, or was it a brain explosion for Warner? He's gone for 85, skying part-time tweaker Dilshan to long off where Dhammika Prasad has taken a very good backwards-running catch out in the deep.
Australia goes to 2 for 166, which is still an enviable position given the context of the game, but Warner was not impressed by the way he fell.
That brings this bloke named Michael Clarke to the crease, who if I recall has had a pretty okay summer.
1:39pm: The ball has been thrown back to Tillakaratne Dilshan for some variety. Still no success for Prasad and Herath so far.
1:32pm: Hughes is motoring along too, with two fours in three balls from Prasad in that last over to reach 69 not out.
1:25pm: In case you were wondering, the outfield is still fast as ice. Warner has just driven Prasad on the rise to the cover boundary to move to 76. That stroke is a joy to watch.
1:18pm: Hughes has just taken a single that pushes the partnership with Warner to 100. As Kerry O'Keeffe said, that's another brick in the wall of Hughes cementing his place at number three for Australia. He's on 55 and Australia is 1 for 136.
Also during the lunch break Drew Morphett caught up with author Ric Sissons, who's just written a book called The Terror about legendary Australian fast bowler CTB Turner. You can hear their chat below.
1:11pm: We're back underway and David Warner has survived a DRS call after Rangana Herath's second ball of the session is given a confident lbw shout.
But it goes back to the umpire's call and the opener is safe. He takes a single off the next delivery to move to 71 and Australia is 1 for 130.
12:49pm: Down in the middle Shannon Byrne is having a chat to Mitchell Starc's mum Julie, who has just given a breathless rundown of the sporting talent in that family.
Athletic prowess obviously runs in the Starc blood - Amanda is a soccer player, Brandon is current Australian under-20s high jump champion, Taylor is a netballer and Braith is actually on the ground playing cricket with the youngsters as they speak.
Have a listen to their chat below.
D. Warner 68*
P. Hughes 50*
E. Cowan 4
A. Mathews 0/11 (2 overs)
T. Dilshan 0/19 (7 overs)
D. Prasad 0/21 (4 overs)
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)
12:30pm: And a couple of balls later that's lunch at the SCG, with Australia well on top at 1 for 127 with nine in the sheds and hundreds of runs still out there on an increasingly batsman-friendly wicket and a lightning-fast outfield.
David Warner leads the way with 68 while Phil Hughes reaches the break unbeaten on 50. The runs dried up late in the session but Warner is still batting at better than a run a ball, and Hughes is making the most of his opportunities too.
Ed Cowan's sloppy run-out was the lone blemish on Australia's morning session but the hosts appear to have recovered fairly well from being 1 for 36.
Sri Lanka's bowlers have been solid in patches but they need to land them a lot more consistently if they're ever going to build any sustained pressure and crack this partnership, which is now worth 91 off 131 balls.
12:26pm: 50 TO HUGHES! The reinvented leftie hits the first four in five overs by either batsman off Lakmal to bring up his half-ton in 85 balls.
Six boundaries in that effort. Australia is 1 for 127, with Warner on 68.
12:09pm: Thank you very much - Phil Hughes just demonstrated how much of a highway the SCG outfield is today with a slick cover drive to the fence. He's gone to 44 and Warner is 63 with Australia racing to 1 for 116.
12:00pm: A couple more to Hughes brings up the 100 for Australia in 19 overs. What a session for the hosts, and we've still got half an hour until lunch. Hughes is 32, Warner is 61 and the scoreboard reads 1 for 102.
11:54am: BIG SHOUT but Aleem Dar has said no to Sri Lanka's confident lbw appeal for Hughes, who was a bit outside off stump. Either way, Dilshan has definitely staunched the flow of runs somewhat.
11:51am: The batsmen aren't the only ones racking up boundaries though - Pradeep has just sent a wayward short one for four wides without any help from Warner at the striker's end.
Sri Lanka really can't afford loose stuff like that - it's four free runs when Australia only has 294 to overtake.
11:48am: This pair have brought up their 50 partnership by the way, off 64 balls. Hughes has contributed all 26 of his runs while Warner (56*) has added the other 24.
11:44am: Ooh that's one of the deliveries of the day from Pradeep to beat Warner's bat. The batsman went straight to the pitch with the end of his bat to do some maintenance once it got past him too. There was a big puff of dust when the ball bounced.
11:39am: Jayawardene is thinking defensively already, with Tillakaratne Dilshan being tossed the ball as the tourists look to stem the flow of runs.
It's 1 for 79 after 13 overs.
11:34am: 50 FOR WARNER! An absolutely delightful flick to the extra cover fence for four as the burly opener brings up his fifth Test half-century in 37 balls. Eight of those went to the boundary.
11:31am: Sri Lanka will be relieved that drinks are on the field, because it's about the only thing that can stop Warner racking up the runs. And that's not to take anything away from Phil Hughes, who also looks good out there.
After the first hour Australia is 1 for 71, with Warner on 47* off 36 balls and Hughes 20* from an efficient 27 deliveries.
11:29am: Roshan Abeysinghe sounds glum about Sri Lanka's prospects already.
@RoshanCricket SL batsmen will rue their missed opportunity on the beautiful SCG track. Batting 1st demanded at least 4 1/2 sessions at the wicket.
And as if to punctuate my sentence, and Roshan's, Warner sends Prasad to the rope AGAIN to move to 46 not out.
11:23am: Inside the first hour David Warner is approaching his half-century; he's got 42 off 30 deliveries. He's found the boundary rope six times already but, as evidenced by the three he just ran, he's not taking it easy between the pegs either.
Hughes isn't shy about flashing the bat either. He's now 20, of which 16 hit the ad boards. It's 1 for 66 already after 11 overs.
11:17am: P. Hughes looks to be in nice touch early, with a glorious cut shot to the fence off Angelo Mathews, who's just come into the attack. He moves to 12. Marvellous stuff, that.
11:11am: Hughes has moved to 8 with a nice pull to the rope, and his single off the next delivery brings up the Australian 50 in just eight overs.
Kerry O'Keeffe reckons spinner Rangana Herath will be the key man today with the ball and could potentially take a handful of wickets, but how efficiently he does so will be the factor.
11:08am: Looking at that Cowan run-out replay, he was carrying one of his batting gloves as he took a very nonchalant first run.
Warner might be hitting fours at will and removing the need to traverse the distance between the wickets, but you've got to be ready to go at all times.
Meanwhile, Phil Hughes is off the mark with a 3.
11:02am: Warner isn't letting wickets (or fielder distractions) get in his way though. He's moved to 36 with ANOTHER shot to the rope. He's seeing them like beach balls today alright.
10:57am: RUN OUT?! Cowan has been caught short for 4 after a miscommunication going for a second run. The two hesitated ("he who hesitates is lost," Geoff Lawson says) and Cowan was the unlucky one.
Ironically, the fielder who instigated the run-out was Nuwan Pradeep. Turns out he could make a breakthrough after all.
After such a sparkling start that's an embarrassingly amateur dismissal. But here comes Phil Hughes in any case. It's 1 for 36.
10:56am: It's 0 for 35 after six overs and Sri Lanka has spelled Nuwan Pradeep after he conceded 14 runs from his two overs, so Dhammika Prasad is going to have a crack and see if he can't make a breakthrough.
10:51am: This is looking extremely ominous. Another cover drive from Warner, this one off Lakmal, makes it four boundaries in five balls. He's 29 off 18. It's the fifth over. I'd make a Twenty20 crack but they've all been said before.
The strategy is obvious too - Cowan has pushed two singles for his 2 to keep his burly opening partner on strike.
10:46am: Warner likes the angle Pradeep is bowling. He's already on 20 and we're only in the fourth over. Uh oh.
Make that 24, with a cover drive making it back-to-back-to-back boundaries. Not only that, he's surpassed 1,000 career runs! Congratulations big fella.
Cowan, meanwhile, is on 1.
10:41am: Lakmal is pushing them a bit wide of both left-handers out there. He'll need to adjust that fairly quickly if Sri Lanka wants to defend 294 at all.
10:37am: Roshan has also reminded us that this is indeed Mahela Jayawardene's final Test as Sri Lankan captain; you may remember that he announced ahead of the Hobart Test that he would hand over the reins after this series.
Sri Lanka will want to send him out a winner, but the tourists had better beware - Australia is going to want to do the same thing for Mr Cricket himself, with Michael Hussey putting the white zinc away for good after this one.
10:34am: After one over Australia is 0 for 7 - a "typical David Warner over", according to Jim.
Meanwhile, some early analysis from our expert commentator Roshan Abeysinghe.
@RoshanCricket SL need a big effort from the bowlers. Watch out for Pradeep who is potentially the fastest in the pack.
Nuwan Pradeep will take the ball at the other end.
10:31am: That first delivery I spoke of? Warner has edged Suranga Lakmal through third man for a boundary. Australia trails by 290 now.
The second ball is a dot - "that's ruined the run rate," Henry reckons.
10:30am: We're almost set to get started, with Ed Cowan and David Warner already in the middle.
And opening the attack for Grandstand are Jim Maxwell and Geoffrey Lawson, who are reminiscing about rugby league in the 1960s and 70s - the Dragons teams of Graeme Langlands and Reg Gasnier, to be exact - as they wait for the first delivery.
10:15am: Shannon also caught up with Sri Lankan batting coach Marvan Atapattu, who had mixed feelings about the way his side wielded the willow on Thursday.
"Coming from two low-scoring innings in Melbourne I thought it was a massive effort by the guys to put up a show that we did yesterday.
"But having said that we were a bit disappointed in the end, having 250 on the boards [then] losing five around tea time but that's the way it goes.
"It's pleasing to see the guys getting good scores and I'm sure we're still disappointed that having a start we didn't go on."
The former Sri Lankan batting great said skipper Mahela Jayawardene, who was dismissed for a handy 72 yesterday, wasn't impressed with his own demise.
"He's a player that's got big scores and he knows if he gets through that initial period if he gets himself in he'll score big runs.
"So he's a bit disappointed but the good thing is that he's among the runs and hopefully this'll be good for the coming one-day series as well."
10:10am: Another Aussie quick, Mitchell Starc, told Shannon Byrne this morning that the bowlers have earned a couple of days out of the Sydney heat as Australia's batsmen take care of business in the middle.
"When we came to the ground yesterday morning and looked at the wicket we thought it might do a bit more, but as it panned out it was pretty flat and a good batting wicket.
"So after we reassessed the conditions after that first hour I thought we bowled a lot better as a unit and to bowl a team out on the first day probably put us a little bit ahead of the game."
Have a listen to their chat below.
10:05am: Speaking of Glenn McGrath, the talk in cricketing circles is (already!) how Jackson Bird could well be the next Pigeon...and not just because of the surname/nickname comparisons.
Bird was the best of the Aussie quicks on Thursday, finishing with figures of 4 for 41 from 19.4 overs, in just his third Test innings.
He spoke to Grandstand yesterday and, addressing the comparison, said he still has a lot of work to do to reach that level.
Read the story: Bird dismisses McGrath comparisons
9:45am: For the last few years the SCG Test has served to raise awareness for breast cancer through Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath's McGrath Foundation.
This year marks five years since the passing of Glenn's wife Jane, who founded the charity in 2003, and the fifth year that Sydney's home of cricket turns pink in support of the foundation.s
"Pigeon" caught up with ABC News Breakfast this morning to discuss the fifth anniversary of the Pink Test.
9:35am: Jim Maxwell, Drew Morphett, Roshan Abeysinghe, Russel Arnold 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: Good morning cricket fans and happy Friday. The weekend is almost upon us but both sides have a lot of work to get done today. I'm Adrian Crawford and I'll be keeping you across the second day's play from the SCG.
Australia will start from scratch this morning after sending Sri Lanka in and bowling the tourists out in the shadow of stumps yesterday afternoon for 294.
Despite its green tinge the Sydney deck proved to be quite a conducive surface for making runs, so if David Warner and Ed Cowan get settled then this could get ugly quick for the Sri Lankans.
Tags: cricket,
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sydney-2000,
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australia,
sri-lanka First posted January 04, 2013 09:54:06
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