Marsh, Hussey put tourists on top

Sri Lanka struggle in the field during the second Test.

PALLEKELE:

Shaun Marsh was 13 runs away from a century on Test debut and Mike Hussey hit an unbeaten 76 as Australia piled on Sri Lanka's misery in the second match in Pallekele.

The West Australian pair put on 148 for the unbroken fourth wicket as the tourists moved to a commanding 264 for three in their first-innings when bad light halted play soon after tea. Marsh was on 87 and Hussey followed his match-winning 95 in the first Test in Galle with another half-century as Australia built a 90-run lead with seven wickets in hand.

The two joined forces after Sri Lanka had grabbed three quick wickets in the morning session to restrict Australia to 116 for three in reply to their total of 174.

Former Australia opener Geoff Marsh looked on from the stands as his 28-year-old son mastered the Sri Lankan attack with 11 boundaries after a dour start. Marsh had come into the Test side in place of former captain Ricky Ponting, who had to return home after Galle for the birth of his second child.

The knock will help the left-hander cement his place in the team even when Ponting returns for the third and final Test in Colombo from September 16.





Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2011.